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Ayyappa sharanam
स्वामिये शरणम् अय्यप्पा
Simple reading
Svaa-mi-ye sha-ra-nam ay-yap-paa
Svāmiye śaraṇam Ayyappā
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 all of itself 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.
Learn it by heart
Say the first line until it comes without reading, then add the next line and say both, until the whole mantra comes on its own.
Whole mantra
This mantra is a single line. Learn it whole, then add it to your review deck so it comes back for a check.
स्वामिये शरणम् अय्यप्पा
Svāmiye śaraṇam Ayyappā
0not said yet
Aim for eleven. Stop reading as soon as the whole mantra comes on its own.
Progress stays on this device.
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 rather than only believed.
Word by word
- स्वामियेsvāmiye
- O Lord
- शरणम्śaraṇam
- refuge
- अय्यप्पाayyappā
- Ayyappa, son of Hari and Hara
Source: Ayyappa devotional tradition (Sabarimala)