Universal
Asato Ma — lead me to truth
असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय । मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ॥
Asato mā sad gamaya, tamaso mā jyotir gamaya, mṛtyor mā amṛtaṁ gamaya
Simple reading: A-sa-to maa sad ga-ma-ya, ta-ma-so maa jyo-tir ga-ma-ya, mrit-yor maa am-ri-tam ga-ma-ya
About this mantra
Three lines from the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, repeated there while the Pavamāna hymns of the Soma rite are sung. Known as the Pavamāna mantra, they have become the prayer of every seeker.
Meaning
Lead me from the unreal to the real; lead me from darkness to light; lead me from death to immortality. The three movements are one movement seen thrice — the unreal, the dark, and the dying are the same country, and the prayer asks for emigration. Notably it says lead me: the seeker does not claim to know the way, only the direction.
When to recite it
Evening prayer and meditation's opening — recited at Diwali (its line on light is the festival's meaning), at bedsides, and through seasons of confusion.
Word by word
- असतो मा सद्गमयasato mā sad gamaya
- from the unreal, lead me to the real
- तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमयtamaso mā jyotir gamaya
- from darkness, lead me to light
- मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमयmṛtyor mā amṛtaṁ gamaya
- from death, lead me to immortality
Source: Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad 1.3.28