Hinduism is a religion rich in sacred sounds and musical traditions that have been passed down for thousands of years. From the mystical power of mantras to the devotional melodies of bhajans, these auditory practices form an integral part of Hindu spiritual life. Let's explore the meanings and significance of some of the most prominent types of sacred sounds in Hinduism.
Stuties are devotional hymns and prayers of praise offered to the divine. They extol the names, forms, and glories of the particular deity being worshipped. Stuties can take the form of ceremonial chants or poetic verses set to music. The Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas contain many famous stuties praising different aspects of God.
One of the most revered stuties is the Purusha Sukta from the Rig Veda, which glorifies the cosmic being and the process of creation. Another beloved stuti is the Vishnu Sahasranama, which recites the 1,000 names of Lord Vishnu. By reciting these sacred verses of praise, practitioners reaffirm their devotion and connection to the divine.
Mantras are sacred sound vibrations, often comprising Sanskrit syllables, words, or phrases imbued with spiritual potency. It is believed that the proper recitation of mantras can invoke cosmic forces and establish a connection with the transcendental. Mantras form an integral part of Hindu rituals, meditation practices, and even mundane activities.
The most revered mantra in Hinduism is the Pranava or Om, representing the primordial sound from which all creation emerged. Other popular mantras include the Gayatri Mantra, invoking the life-giving power of the sun, and the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra, seeking protection from untimely death.
Many Hindus initiate their days by chanting mantras, which are thought to purify the mind, attract positive energies, and focus one's intentions.
Arti is a beloved ritual in Hindu puja (worship) involving the waving of lighted lamps before the deity's murti (sacred image or statue). As the lamps are waved in a clockwise motion, accompanying devotional songs are sung, filling the air with the sanctified sounds of ringing bells, chanting, and music.
The arti ceremony is a means of expressing one's love and gratitude towards the divine through light, sound, and fragrance. The lamps symbolize the light of knowledge dispelling the darkness of ignorance, while the songs and mantras reaffirm the devotee's spiritual aspirations.
Some famous arti hymns include the Hare Krishna Arti, sung before Lord Krishna, and the Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram, an arti dedicated to Lord Rama. The rhythmic chanting, tinkling of bells, and wafting of incense create a mesmerizing and deeply spiritual experience during arti.
Bhajans are melodious devotional songs that form an integral part of Hindu worship and celebrations. These soulful compositions express love, longing, and surrender to the divine through poetic lyrics set to traditional Indian ragas (melodic frameworks).
Bhajans can be composed in various languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali, and other regional tongues. They often recount stories from Hindu mythology, extol the virtues of particular deities, or convey philosophical teachings through allegory and metaphor.
Some of the most renowned bhajan singers and composers include Mirabai, Surdas, Tulsidas, and Narsi Mehta, whose timeless works continue to inspire devotional fervor across generations. Bhajans are not just musical offerings but a means to connect with the divine through the heart's resonance.
Whether it's the mystical intonations of mantras, the melodious praises of stuties, the ceremonial arti chants, or the soulful outpourings of bhajans, the sacred sounds of Hinduism hold profound spiritual significance. These auditory practices are believed to purify the mind, elevate consciousness, and forge a deeper connection with the divine.
Beyond their religious connotations, these sacred sounds also carry immense cultural value, preserving India's rich musical heritage and fostering a sense of community and shared identity among practitioners.
As one immerses oneself in the rhythmic cadences and soul-stirring melodies of Hindu sacred sounds, the boundaries between the material and the spiritual seem to dissolve, allowing the eternal truths embodied within these ancient traditions to resonate within the heart and consciousness of the listener.
This is a famous hymn that contains one thousand names (sahasranam) of Lord Vishnu. It is found in the Mahabharata and is widely recited by Vishnu devotees. The Vishnu Sahasranam extols the divine attributes, powers, and incarnations of the Lord. Read more....
Listen Vishnu Shasranama Chanting
This Vedic hymn from the Rig Veda is a cosmological poem that praises the cosmic Purusha (Supreme Being), who is identified with Vishnu. It describes the manifestation of the universe from the sacrifice of the primordial Purusha Read more....
Listen Purush Sukta Chanting
This is a hymn of praise to Lord Vishnu found in the Rig Veda. It eulogizes Vishnu's cosmic dimensions, his strides across the universe, and his role as the preserver of the world. Read more....
Listen Vishnu Stuti Chanting
Vishnu Stuti in Sanskrit with Meaning in English
शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् । Shukla-Ambara-Dharam Vissnnum Shashi-Varnnam Catur-Bhujam |
प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥ Prasanna-Vadanam Dhyaayet Sarva-Vighnou pashaantaye ||
Meaning:
(We Meditate on Sri Vishnu) Who is Wearing White Clothes, Who is All-Pervading, Who is Bright in Appearance like the Moon and Who is Having Four Hands,Who is Having a Compassionate and Gracious face, Let us Meditate on Him To Ward of all Obstacles.
शान्ताकारं भुजगशयनं पद्मनाभं सुरेशं विश्वाधारं गगनसदृशं मेघवर्ण शुभाङ्गम् । Shaanta-Aakaaram Bhujaga-Shayanam Padma-Naabham Sura-Iisham. Vishva-Aadhaaram Gagana-Sadrsham Megha-Varnna Shubha-Anggam|
लक्ष्मीकान्तं कमलनयनं योगिभिर्ध्यानगम्यम् वन्दे विष्णुं भवभयहरं सर्वलोकैकनाथम् ॥ Lakssmii-Kaantam Kamala-Nayanam Yogibhir-Dhyaana-Gamyam. Vande Vissnnum Bhava-Bhaya-Haram Sarva-Loka-Eka-Naatham ||
Meaning:
(Salutations to Sri Vishnu) Who has a Serene Appearance, Who Rests on a Serpent (Adisesha), Who has Lotus on His Navel and Who is the Lord of the Devas, Who Sustains the Universe, Who is Boundless and Infinite like the Sky, Whose Colour is like the Cloud (Bluish) and Who has a Beautiful and Auspicious Body, Who is the Husband of Devi Lakshmi, Whose Eyes are like Lotus and Who is Attainable to the Yogis by Meditation, Salutations to That Vishnu Who Removes the Fear of Worldly Existence and Who is the Lord of All the Lokas.
औषधे चिंतये विष्णुम ,भोजने च जनार्धनम | Oushade Chinthaye Vishnum,Bhojane cha Janardhanam,
शयने पद्मनाभं च, विवाहे च प्रजापतिम|| Sayane Padmanabham cha,Vivahe cha Prajapathim ||
युद्धे चक्रधरम देवं, प्रवासे च त्रिविक्रमं| Yuddhe Chakradharam devam,Pravase cha Trivikramam,
नारायणं तनु त्यागे, श्रीधरं प्रिय संगमे|| Narayanam Thanu thyage,Sreedharam priya sangame ||
दुःस्वप्ने स्मर गोविन्दम,संकटे मधुसूधनम| Duswapne smara , Govindam,Sankate Madhu sudhanam,
कानने नारासिम्हम च,पावके जलाशयिनाम|| Kanane Narasimham cha,Pavake Jalasayinam ||
जलमध्ये वराहम च, पर्वते रघु नन्दनं| Jalamadhye Varaham cha, Parvathe Raghu nandanam,
गमने वामनं चैव , सर्व कार्येशु माधवं|| Gamane Vamanam Chaiva ,Sarva Karyeshu Madhavam||
Meaning:
Think him as Vishnu while taking medicine, As Janardhana while eating food,
As Padmanabha while in bed, As Prajapathi at time of marriage,
As Chakra dhara while engaged in war, As Trivikrama while on travel,
As Narayana on death bed, As Sreedhara while meeting with the beloved,
As Govinda while tossing with bad dreams, As Madhu Sudhana while in trouble,
As Narasimha while in the forest, As Jala Sayina while fire is ravaging,
As Varaha while struggling in water, As Raghu nandana while lost in a mountain,
As Vamana while on the move, And as Madhava while doing everything.
षोडशैतानी नमानी प्रातरुत्थाय यह पठेत Shodasaithani Naamani,Prathar uthaaya ya padeth,
सर्वपापा विर्निमुक्तो विष्णुलोके महीयते || Sarva papa vinirmuktho,Vishnu loke mahiyate.
Meaning:
As soon as one wakes up in the morning, If these sixteen names are read,
He would be bereft of all sins, And reach the world of Vishnu at the end.
This hymn praises the ten avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu, from Matsya (fish) to Kalki. It is found in the Garuda Purana and is recited to invoke Vishnu's grace and protection. Read more....
Listen Dasavatara Stuti Chanting
Dasavatara Stuti with Meaning
वेदोधार विचारमते, सोमक दानव संहरणे, मीनाकार शरीर नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
vedoddhaaravichaaramate somakadaanavasamharane . meenaakaarashareera namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .1.
He always wanted to save Vedas and killed the asura called Somaka, My salutations to him who had a body of fish,
And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
naamasmaranaadanyopaayam na hi pashyaamo bhavatarane . raama hare kri'shna hare tava naama vadaami sadaa nri'hare .. 11..
Do you see any method to cross the ocean of birth other than remembering God’s names,
Oh Rama, Oh Hari, Oh Krishna, Oh Hari, Oh Narasimha, I would chant your names always.
मन्धानचल धारणहेतु , देवासुरा परिपालविभो, कूर्माकार शरीर नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
manthaanaachaladhaaranaheto devaasuraparipaala vibho . koormaakaarashareera namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .. 2..
He happened to lift the mountain that was used to churn and looked after asuras and devas, My salutations to him who had the body of a tortoise, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
भूचोरक हरपुण्यमत्ते, क्रोडोद्रुतः भूदेवहरे, क्रोडाकार शरीर नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
bhoochorakahara punyamate kreed'oddhri'tabhoodeshahare . krod'haakaarashareera namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .. 3..
He was the blessed one who killed the thief who stole the earth, He was Hari who took the form of hog to protect all beings,
My salutations to him who had the body of the hog, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
हिरण्यकश्यिपु उच्छेदन हेतु ,प्रह्लादाभय दायकहेतु, नरसिम्हच्युत् रूप नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
hiranyakashipuchchhedanaheto prahlaadaabhayadhaaranaheto . narasimhaachyutaroopa namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .. 4..
For the sake of Hiranyakashipu, he took that form, For protecting the asura called Prahlada, My salutations to the man-lion form of Achyutha, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
भवबन्धन हरविततमते , पादोदक विहातगतते वाटुपातु वेश मनोज्ञा नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
balimadabhanjana vitatamate paadadvayakri'talokakri'te . vat'upat'uvesha manojnya namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .. 5..
He wanted in his mind to stop the sacrifice done by Maha Bali, And measured all the words in his two steps,
My salutations to the skillful, mind-stealing young lad, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
क्षिथिपति वंस क्षयकरमूर्ते, क्षिथिपति कर्ताहरामूर्ते, भृगुकुल रामपरेश नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
kshitipativamshasambhavamoorte kshitipatirakshaakshatamoorte .
bhri'gupatiraama varenya namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .. 6..
He took birth for the sake of the clans of kings, He caused damage and also saved the kings of the earth,
Salutations to Rama who was the chief of the Bhrugu clan, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
सीता वल्लभादसरथे, दशरथनन्दन लोकगुरो, रावणमर्दन राम नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
seetaavallabha daasharathe dasharathanandana lokaguro .
raavanamardana raama namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .. 7..
He was the husband of Sita and son of Dasaratha, He was the universal teacher who was the son of Dasaratha,
Salutations to Rama who killed Ravana, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
कृष्णानन्द कृपाजलधे, कंसारे कमलेस हरे, कालियामर्दन लोकगुरो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
kri'shnaananta kri'paajaladhe kamsaare kamalesha hare .
kaaliyamardana kri'shna namo haribhaktam te paripaalaya maam .. 8..
He was Krishna the joy who was an ocean of mercy, He was the Lord of Lakshmi and killer of Kamsa,
Salutations to Krishna who conquered the pride of Kaliya, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
दानवपति मनपहारा, त्रिपुरविजय मर्दनरूपा, बोद्धाज्ञानाचय बोद्धा नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
tripurasatee maanaviharanaa tripuravijayamaarganaroopaa .
shuddhajnyaanavibuddha namo bhaktaam te paripaalaya maam .. 9..
He left the town and his virtuous wife for the sake of killing the sorrow of humans, He won over the cities by his form of search,
My salutations to the great wise one who has pure wisdom, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
शिष्टज्ञानवन दुष्टहर, खग थुरगोथाम वहनते, कल्किरूप परिपालय नमो, भक्तंते परिपालय मां |
shisht'ajanaavana dusht'ahara khagaturagottamavaahana te .
kalkiroopaparipaala namo bhaktaam te paripaalaya maam .. 10..
He is Lord Vishnu born to punish bad ones, He rides on the horse and comes in the age of Kali,
My salutations to Kalki holding a sword in his hand, And I request him to look after me, who is a devotee of Vishnu.
नामस्मरणः धन्योपायं नहिपश्यामो भवतरणे, राम हरे, कृष्ण हरे, तवनाम वदामि सदानृहरे ||
naamasmaranaadanyopaayam na hi pashyaamo bhavatarane .
raama hare kri'shna hare tava naama vadaami sadaa nri'hare .. 11..
This Vedic hymn from the Taittiriya Aranyaka extols the supreme nature of Lord Narayana, who is identified with Vishnu. It describes Narayana as the source and ultimate refuge of the entire creation. Read more....
Listen Narayan suktam Chanting
This is a hymn from the Ramayana that praises the sun god Aditya, who is considered an incarnation of Vishnu.
It is believed to bestow protection, strength, and victory to the reciter. Read more...
Listen Aditya Hridyam Chanting
Venkateswara Suprabhatam is a devotional Hindu hymn dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu. It is a morning prayer that praises the Lord's divine qualities, awakens Him symbolically, and seeks His blessings for the day.
Listen Venkateswara Suprabhatam Chanting