Daily Prayers

Early Morning Prayer:

Early morning is considered the best time to worship God. Early morning is also known as "Brahma Muhurat" in Hindu belief. It is a trust that prayers at this time reaches to God. Early Morning Sloka is given here which also serves as the first prayer day to the Almighty.

Given below are prayers in Sanskrit with explanations in English verse of prayers which a Hindu is supposed to do in early Morning:

1)

Karaagre Vasate Lakssmih Karamadhye Sarasvati |
Karamuule Tu Govindah Prabhaate Karadarshanam ||

Meaning:

1: At the Top of the Hand (Palm) Dwell Devi Lakshmi and at the Middle of the Hand reside Devi Saraswati.

2: At the Base of the Hand Dwell Sri Govinda; Therefore one should Look at one's Hands in the Early Morning and contemplate on Them.

2)

Samudravasane Devi Parvatastanamandale,
Vishhnupatni Namastubhyam
Paadasparsham Kshamasva Mae..

Meaning:

O! Mother Earth, who has the ocean as clothes and mountains and forests on her body, who is the wife of Lord Vishnu, I nod to you, forgive me for touching you with my feet.

3)

Govindethi sada snanam , Govindethi sada japam,
Govindethi sada  dhyanam , sada Govinda keerthanam.

Meaning:

Meditate on Govinda while taking bath,Meditate on him in your prayers, Meditate on him while thinking of God and always sing his name.

4)

Gange cha Yamune chaiva  Godavari Saraswathi,
Narmada Sindhu Kaveri  Jale asmin sannidhim kuru.

Meaning:

I pray you to enter in This water meant for my bath,Oh , holy river Ganga,Oh, Holy river Yamuna,Oh , Holy river Godavari, Oh, Holy river Saraswathi,Oh , Holy river Narmada,Oh holy river Sindhu and holy river Kaveri.

5) 

Shubham karothi kalyanam, 
aarogyam, dhana sampadam,
Shathru budhi vruddhi vinasaya,
deepa jyothi namo nama.

Meaning:

Salutations and salutations,To the holy flame of the lamp,Which bestows on me all that is good,Health as well as wealth,And destroys all my enemies.

6) 

Thulasi shree sakhi shubhe , papa haarini punyade,
Namasthe Naradanuthe , Namo Narayana priye.

Meaning:

Oh , Holy Thulasi,Bosom friend of Lakshmi,Destroyer of sins,Bestower of blessings, Salutations to thee,Who is praised by sage Narada,And is the darling of Lord Narayana.

Then  pray to God and nature to make the day very great for him by reciting the following prayers:

1)

Brhama murari tripurandhakari, 
Bhanu sasi  Bhoomi sutho budascha,
Gurusca Shukra , sani rahu Kethava,
Kurvanthu  sarve mama suprabatham.

Meaning:

Let God Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva,Planets Sun, mercury, Jupiter,Venus , Saturn, Rahu and Kethu Make this morning great for me.

2)

Santhkumara, sanaka, Sananthana,
Sanathano apyasoori pingalow cha,
Saptha swara, saptha rasa thaani,
Kurvanthu sarve mama suprabatham.

Meaning:

May the sages, Sanathkumara, Sanaka, Sanathana,Aasuri and Pingala.Let the seven musical notes And let those seven nether worlds,Make this morning great for me.

3)

Satharnva Saptha kulachalascha,
Saptharshayo  dweepa pavanani saptha,
Bhooradhi kruthwa, bhuvanai saptha, 
Kurvanthu mama suprabhatham.

Meaning:

Let the seven oceans,Seven mountains,Seven sages, seven forests,Seven Islands and Seven Lokas,Make this morning great to me.

Then turn east faces the Sun God and recites the following prayer:

Bhano, bhaskara Marthanda, Chanda rasmai, divakara,

Ayur, arogyam, budhim, sree yamscha dehi mae.

Meaning:

He who breaks the morn,He who brings light to the world,He who brings heat to the world,He who has scorching rays,And he who is the maker of the day,Give me long life,Health, intelligence and wealth.

Prayer before a Meal:

Before starting a meal, Hindus offer food to God and thank God for the meal they are about to receive.We should share the food with a pure serene mind. Our forebear recommended the offering of food to God before participating. Food so eating becomes Prasad (offering dedicated). Prayer cleanses the food of three impurities caused by the lack of cleanliness of the tank, the cleanliness of the food stuff, and cleanliness in the cooking process. It is necessary to get rid of these three impurities to purify food, for pure food in the manufacture of a pure mind. It is impossible to guarantee the purity of the cooking process because we do not know what thoughts raging in the mind of the man who prepares the food. Similarly, we can not ensure the cleanliness of food ingredients because we do not know if it was acquired in a fair way by the person who sold it to us. Therefore, it is essential to us to offer food to God in the form of prayer, so that these three impurities trouble our mind.

Prayer:

    Brahmaarpanam Brahma Havir

    Brahmaagnau Brahmanaahutam
    Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam
    Brahma Karma Samaadhinaha

Meaning:

The whole creation being the gross projection of Brahman,

the Cosmic Consciousness itself; the food too is Brahman,

the process of offering it is Brahman; it is being offered in the fire of Brahman.He who thus sees that Brahman is action reaches Brahman alone.

 Prayer:

    Aham Vaishvaanaro Bhutva
    Praaninaam Dehamaashritha
    Praanaapaana Samaa Yuktaha
    Pachaamyannam Chatur Vidam

Meaning:

I, the Supreme Spirit, abiding in the body of living beings

as the Fire (Vaiswanara) in their stomach I am associated

with their Praana and Apaana, digest the four type of foods

(solids, fluids, semi-fluid and liquid) which they eat.

Prayer:

    Harir Daatha Harir Bhoktha
    Harir Annam Prajaapatih
    Harir Vipra Shareerastu
    Bhoonkte Bhojayathe Harih.

Meaning:

Oh Lord Hari, You are the food, You are the enjoyer of the food, You are the giver of food. Therefore, I offer all that I consume at Thy Lotus Feet.

Prayer When Taking Bath:

The cleanliness of body and mind is considered very important by the Hindus. Like the old saying, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" to decrease the separation of us from God, we must purify the body and mind in bathrooms. When you take a bath in the morning, he needs to meditate Maha Vishnu in mind and sing this short mantra.

1.Mantra:

Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswati,
Narmade Sindhu Kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru

Meaning:

In this water, I invoke the presence of holy waters from the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu and Kaveri.

2.Mantra:

Govindethi Sada Snanam Govindethi Sada Japam,
Govindethi Sada Dhyanam, Sada Govinda Keerthanam

Meaning:

  Meditate on Govinda while taking a bath,

  Meditate on him in your prayers,

  Meditate on it while thinking of God,

  And always sing his name.

Bed Time prayer:

Before going to bed, Hindus thank God for the day that has passed and seek blessings for the day that is yet to come.

Bedtime is when people want to relax after long hectic schedules of day. It is significant to remember God at that time. Following Sloka / Shloka is a bedtime prayer of the Hindus.

Mantra:

karacharana kritam vaa
kaayajam karmajam vaa
shravana nayanajam vaa
maan asam vaaparaadham.
vihita mavihitam vaa
sarvame tatkshamasva
jaya jaya karunaabdhe
shriimahaadeva shambho

Meaning:

The literal meaning of the mantra is: "O God, forgive my kindly incorrect actions done consciously or unconsciously, either by my organs of action (hands, feet, and speech) or my perception organs (eyes, ears) or my mind. I love God, who is the ocean of goodness "Meaning:.. By the grace of God, we achieved another day of our lives So, to thank God and ask for His mercy, we can recite this Sloka . This bed Sloka is a prayer to God asking him to excuse our mistakes and keep his mercy on us.

While Lighting a Lamp:

shubham karoti kalyaanam aarogyam dhanasampadaa
shatrubudhdivinaashaaya diipajyoti namostute

Meaning:

I welcome the One who is the light of the lamp, which brings good omen, prosperity, good health, abundance of wealth, and the destruction of the enemy of the intellect.

Before Starting Your Studies:

sarasvatii namastubhyam varade kaamaruupini 
vidyaarambham karishhyaami siddhirbhavatu me sadaa.

Meaning:

O goddess Saraswati, Greetings to you, the giver of blessings, the one who fulfills all desires. I begin my studies. There is always accomplishments for me.