Universal
Gange Cha Yamune — the seven rivers
गङ्गे च यमुने चैव गोदावरि सरस्वति । नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरि जलेऽस्मिन् सन्निधिं कुरु ॥
Gaṅge ca yamune caiva godāvari sarasvati, narmade sindhu kāveri jale'smin sannidhiṁ kuru
Simple reading: Gan-ge cha ya-mu-ne chai-va go-daa-va-ri sa-ras-va-ti, nar-ma-de sin-dhu kaa-ve-ri, ja-le-smin san-ni-dhim ku-ru
About this mantra
The invocation of the seven sacred rivers into the water before bathing or puja — every vessel of water can hold the Ganga.
Meaning
O Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri — be present in this water. Sannidhim kuru — 'be present' — is the operative prayer: the rivers are not fetched, they are recognised. One vessel of water, rightly addressed, holds the whole sacred geography; for a household morning, pilgrimage is compressed into attention.
When to recite it
Said over bathing water daily and over the kalash at every puja's start, before that water is offered or sprinkled.
Word by word
- गङ्गे च यमुने चैवgaṅge ca yamune caiva
- O Ganga and Yamuna
- गोदावरि सरस्वतिgodāvari sarasvati
- O Godavari and Saraswati
- नर्मदे सिन्धु कावेरिnarmade sindhu kāveri
- O Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri
- जलेऽस्मिन् सन्निधिं कुरुjale'smin sannidhiṁ kuru
- be present in this water
Source: Traditional snāna / pūjā invocation