Prayers, Mantras and Gayatris

BY: SRI NANDANANDANA DASA (STEPHEN KNAPP)

Mar 02, 2011 — USA (SUN) — A Collection for Insights, Protection, Spiritual Growth, and Many Other Blessings.

Using mantras or prayers can help us do many things, depending on our intention. First of all, it is an ancient method that has been used successfully to raise our consciousness, our attitude, aim of life, and outlook, and prepare ourselves for perceiving higher states of being.

The Sanskrit mantras within this volume offer such things as the knowledge and insights for spiritual progress, including higher perceptions and understandings of the Absolute or God, as well as the sound vibrations for awakening our higher awareness, invoking the positive energies to help us overcome obstacles and oppositions, or to assist in healing our minds and bodies from disease or negativity. They can provide the means for requesting protection on our spiritual path, or from enemies, ghosts, demons, or for receiving many other benefits. In this way, they offer a process for acquiring blessings of all kinds, both material and spiritual. There is something for every need.

Some of what you will find includes:

The most highly recommended mantras for spiritual realization in this age.

A variety of prayers and gayatris to Krishna, Vishnu and other avatars, Goddess Lakshmi for financial well-being, Shiva, Durga, Ganesh, Devi, Indra, Sarasvati, etc., and Surya the Sun-god, the planets, and for all the days of the week.

Powerful prayers of spiritual insight in Shiva’s Song, along with the Bhaja Govindam by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, the Purusha Sukta, Brahma-samhita, Isha Upanishad, Narayana Suktam, and Hanuman Chalisa.

Prayers and mantras to Sri Chaitanya and Nityananda.

Strong prayers for protection from Lord Narasimha.

The protective shield from Lord Narayana, the Narayana Kavacha.

Lists of the 108 names of Lord Krishna, Radhika, Goddess Devi, Shiva, and Sri Rama.

The Vishnu-Sahasranama or thousand names of Vishnu, Balarama, Gopala, Radharani, and additional lists of the sacred names of the Vedic Divinities;

And many other prayers, mantras and stotras for an assortment of blessings and benefits.

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Contents

INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER ONE 2
MANTRA-YOGA: A NECESSITY FOR THIS AGE

CHAPTER TWO 7
THE OM MANTRA
Om Meditation Technique

CHAPTER THREE 12
CHANTING THE HARE KRISHNA MAHA-MANTRA
Lord Vishnu’s Names are More Powerful than the Greatest Holy Places * The Power of the Maha-Mantra: How it Works * Attaining Liberation Through Chanting * God Inaugurates Chanting the Holy Names * How to Chant the Maha-Mantra * Conclusion

CHAPTER FOUR 38
STANDARD SONGS USED IN THE HARE KRISHNA TEMPLES
Contains the words to the songs used most often in the daily programs of the Krishna temples, such as Obeisances to Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri Gurvashtakam, Pancha-Tattva Maha Mantra, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Sri Nrisimha Pranam, Tulasi-Arati, Sri Vaishnava Pranam, Sri Sikshasthaka, Jaya Radha Madhava, Mantras chanted before class, Brahma-samhita verses sung during greeting the Deities, Sri Guru-vandana, Sri Nama-Kirtana, Govinda Jaya Jaya, Prasada-sevaya, Shri Shri Shad-goswamy-ashtaka, Nama-Sankirtana, Gaura-Arati, Shri Damodarashtaka, and Saparshada-bhagavad-viraha-
janita-vilapa, etc.

CHAPTER FIVE 73
PRAYERS TO LORD KRISHNA FOR BLESSINGS, PURITY AND AUSPICIOUSNESS
Contains an assortment of prayers and mantras to Lord Krishna, along with portions of the Atharva Vediya Gopala-tapani Upanishad, the Mere Man Mandir, Sri Dasavatara-stotra, the 108 Names of Lord Krishna, and the Sri Nandanandanastakam (prayers to Lord Krishna as Sri Nandanandana), The Krishna Arati, and the Krishna Chalisa. Also has two other prayers on the sacredness of the Lord's holy names, the Sri-Harer Namastakam and the Man Radhe Krishna.

CHAPTER SIX 103
THE GOVINDAM PRAYERS FROM BRAHMA-SAMHITA

CHAPTER SEVEN 111
PRAYERS TO SRI SRI RADHARANI AND LORD KRISHNA
Provides a beautiful selection of verses, and two peerless mantras from the Sri Sanatkumara-samhita as advised by Lord Sadashiva.  

CHAPTER EIGHT 119
PRAYERS TO SRIMATI RADHARANI, THE QUEEN OF GODDESSES
This presents the Sri Prarthana-paddhati, the Radha-Stuti prayers, two versions of the Sri Radhikhastakam, Sri Radha-Kundastakam (prayers to the Radha-kund), Radha Kripa Kataksha, Sri Sri Gandharva Samprarthanastakam, Catu-puspanjalih [Stavamala], Sri Vilapa Kusumanjali, The 16 Names of Sri Radha, The 108 Names of Shrimati Radhika, and The 1008 Names of Srimati Radharani, and Sruti-phala: The Result of Hearing These Names.

CHAPTER NINE 221
PRAYERS TO LORD VISHNU AND GODDESS LAKSHMI
This offers various mantras, and Om Jaya Jagadish Hare, and Narayana Suktam (Sahasra Sirsham Devam)

CHAPTER TEN 231
PRAYERS TO LAKSHMI, THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE
Contains the Lakshmi-Stuti and the Sri Suktam, and the 108 Names of Goddess Lakshmi.

CHAPTER ELEVEN 243
PRAYERS OF SURRENDER BY GAJENDRA TO LORD VISHNU
These are exceptional prayers from the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

CHAPTER TWELVE 252
SHIVA’S SONG
This is a stotra or a series of mantras or prayers of Lord Shiva presented to the sons of King Prachinabarhi for teaching the ultimate spiritual perfection. These are from the Bhagavata Purana.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN 265
BHAJA GOVINDAM BY SRI ADI SHANKARACHARYA

CHAPTER FOURTEEN 275
THE PURUSHA SUKTA

CHAPTER FIFTEEN 284
THE SRI ISHA UPANISHAD

CHAPTER SIXTEEN 290
THE GOPALA-SAHASRA-NAMA
The thousand names of Lord Gopala (Krishna) as explained by Lord Shiva to Parvati. Also has a description of The Glories of the Holy Names, and a text list of the names arranged in alphabetical order.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 353
THE SRIMAD-BHAGAVAD-GITA DHYANAM
Meditation on Lord Krishna as the source and potency of Bhagavad-gita.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 356
PRAYERS TO LORD JAGANNATHA, LORD KRISHNA AS LORD OF THE UNIVERSE

CHAPTER NINETEEN 359
PRAYERS TO LORD CHAITANYA AND LORD NITYANANDA
This chapter provides beautiful verses to Lord Caitanya, followed by His 108 Names, and then prayers to Lord Nityananda, including the Sri Nityanandastaka (Eight Prayers Glorifying Lord Nityananda), 12 Names of the Moonlike Nityananda Prabhu by Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, My Most Merciful Nitai, My Lord Nitai is the Jewel of All Transcendental Qualities, The Market Place of the Holy Name, This Holy Name is so Sweet, Sri Nityananda Prabhu Never Gets Angry, My Dear Lord Nitai! Please be Merciful to Me, and The Lotus Feet of Lord Nityananda, Prayers to Nitai.

CHAPTER TWENTY 384
THE THOUSAND NAMES OF LORD BALARAMA
This includes chapters 13, and 9 - 12 from the Garga-samhita, which are Sri Balabhadra Sahasra-nama (The Thousand Names of Lord Balarama), Sri Rama-rasa-krida (Lord Balarama's Rasa Dance), Sri Balarama-paddhati-patala (The Paddhati and Patala of Lord Balarama), Sri Balabhadra-stava-raja (The King of Prayers to Lord Balarama), and Sri Balabhadra-stotra-kavaca (The Prayer and Armor of Lord Balarama).

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE 451
THE NARAYANA-KAVACHA, THE PROTECTIVE MANTRIC SHIELD FROM LORD NARAYANA

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO 465
POWERFUL PRAYERS FOR PROTECTION TO LORD NARASIMHADEVA
This chapter contains an assortment of powerful mantras for protection and surrender, including prayers to the Lord's weapons, the Sudarshana Nrisimha Mantra, Ugra-Nrisimha Dhyana (Meditation on the angry form of Lord Nrisimhadave), Nrisimha Gayatris, Sri Nrisimha Pranama, Nrisimha Maha-mantra, and two editions of the Sri Nrisimha Kavacha, Five Prayers by Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Sri Ahovalam Stotram, Sri Nakha Stuti, Sri Narasimha Stuti, The 108 Names of Lord Narasimahadev, Names of Sri Narasimha Yajna, the Sri Lakshmi-Narasimha karuna-rasa-stotra by Adi Shankaracharya, Lord Ramacandra's Nrisimha Pancamrita, Rina-mochana Nrisimha Stotra, Sri Nrisimhashtakam, Sri Nrisimha Ashtakam, the Sri Shanischara-krta Sri Narasimha Stuti, and the Thousand Names of Lord Narasimha, The Manyu Shutka of the Rig Veda, and the Sri Nrisimha Astottara Nama Stotram.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE 587
ADDITIONAL PRAYERS FOR PROTECTION
These are powerful prayers from the Srimad-Bhagavatam that Sukadeva Gosvami explained to Maharaja Pariksit.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR 590
GAYATRI MANTRAS TO GOD, HIS AVATARS, THE VEDIC DIVINITIES, AND THE PLANETS FOR ASSISTANCE
This includes prayers and gayatri mantras to Vishnu, Lakshmi, Narayana, Narasimha, Ganesh, Shiva, Durga, Brahma, Sarasvati, Kuvera, and others, the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, mantras for the well-being of society, mantras to the planets, and for each day of the week for benefits and welfare.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE 614
THE 108 NAMES OF LORD SRI RAMA
Contains a selection of the names of Lord Rama for chanting on special occasions, and the Sri Ram Stuti, and Raghupati Raghava.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX 625
THE 108 NAMES OF LORD SHIVA
This is a selection of names and the translations that can be chanted on special occasions, such as Shivaratri, etc. This also contains the Shiva Chalisa and the Shivastakam by Lord Chaitanya.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN 641
THE 108 NAMES OF GODDESS DEVI
This is especially for devotees of the Divine Mother, and includes the Dhyanam of the Sri Lalita Sahasranam Stotram followed by a selection of 108 names with translations from the Lalita Sahasranam followed by the Bhavaanyashtakam (Prayers to Devi).

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT 655
108 NAMES OF LORD GANESH
A selection of names with translations that can be especially used and chanted on holidays like Holi, etc.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE 659
THE HANUMAN CHALISA
This includes the prayers to the great devotee of Lord Rama, Hanuman, and a list of his names and their meanings.

CHAPTER THIRTY 667
THE VISHNU SAHASRANAMA

CONCLUSION: 709
CONNECTING TO THE MANTRA

GLOSSARY /  REFERENCES /  INDEX  /  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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