More deities
Ayyappa sharanam
स्वामिये शरणम् अय्यप्पा
Svāmiye śaraṇam Ayyappā
Simple reading: Svaa-mi-ye sha-ra-nam ay-yap-paa
About this mantra
The pilgrim-mantra of Sabarimala: every step of the forest path, every black-clad devotee of the 41-day vratham, breathes this one line. Ayyappa — born of Shiva and the Mohini form of Vishnu — receives all castes and creeds alike on his hill, and the mantra's only qualification is surrender.
Meaning
O Swami, my refuge is you, Ayyappa. Grammatically the sentence has given everything away — no 'I' is left in it, only the refuge and its lord. On the climb to Sabarimala every pilgrim is likewise addressed as Swami, for the vratham has one lesson: the god and the one walking to him are not to be told apart. Said anywhere, the mantra walks that path in place.
When to recite it
The vratham's constant companion — the mandala season (November to January) and the Sabarimala pilgrimage; said whenever surrender must be practised, not just believed.
Word by word
- स्वामियेsvāmiye
- O Lord
- शरणम्śaraṇam
- refuge
- अय्यप्पाayyappā
- Ayyappa, son of Hari and Hara
Source: Ayyappa devotional tradition (Sabarimala)