Vishnu
Mangalam Bhagwan Vishnu
मङ्गलं भगवान् विष्णुर्मङ्गलं गरुडध्वजः । मङ्गलं पुण्डरीकाक्षो मङ्गलायतनं हरिः ॥
Maṅgalaṁ bhagavān viṣṇur maṅgalaṁ garuḍa-dhvajaḥ, maṅgalaṁ puṇḍarīkākṣo maṅgalāyatanaṁ hariḥ
Simple reading: Man-ga-lam bha-ga-vaan vish-nur, man-ga-lam ga-ru-da dhva-jah, man-ga-lam pun-da-ree-kaak-sho, man-ga-laa-ya-ta-nam ha-rih
About this mantra
The auspiciousness verse recited at the start of ceremonies and weddings — Hari invoked as the very home of all that is auspicious.
Meaning
Auspicious is Lord Vishnu; auspicious is the one whose banner bears Garuda; auspicious is the lotus-eyed one; Hari is the very abode of auspiciousness. The verse blesses by repetition — mangalam falls four times, like flowers at a threshold. It does not ask that nothing go wrong; it declares whose presence makes things go right.
When to recite it
The auspicious opener — weddings, engagements, griha-pravesh, journeys, new ledgers; wherever a ceremony begins, this verse lays the first flower.
Word by word
- मङ्गलंmaṅgalaṁ
- auspicious
- गरुडध्वजःgaruḍa-dhvajaḥ
- whose banner bears Garuda
- पुण्डरीकाक्षःpuṇḍarīkākṣaḥ
- the lotus-eyed one
- मङ्गलायतनं हरिःmaṅgalāyatanaṁ hariḥ
- Hari, abode of auspiciousness
Source: Traditional maṅgala-śloka (pooja paddhati corpus)