The shloka
ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय ।
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय ।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥
oṃ asato mā sadgamaya |
tamaso mā jyotirgamaya |
mṛtyormā amṛtaṃ gamaya |
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||
Om asato ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
Mrityorma amritam gamaya
Om shantih shantih shantih
हिन्दी अर्थ
हे प्रभु, मुझे असत्य से सत्य की ओर ले चलो। मुझे अन्धकार से प्रकाश की ओर ले चलो। मुझे मृत्यु से अमरता की ओर ले चलो। ॐ शान्ति, शान्ति, शान्ति।
Meaning in English
Lead me from the unreal to the real. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality. Om, peace, peace, peace.
Recited Asato Ma Sadgamaya?
Mark it, light a diya, or keep it for tomorrow.
Word-by-word meaning
- asataḥ
- from the unreal, from untruth
- mā
- me
- sat
- the real, truth
- gamaya
- lead, cause to go
- tamasaḥ
- from darkness
- jyotiḥ
- light
- mṛtyoḥ
- from death
- amṛtam
- immortality
- śāntiḥ
- peace
When and how to recite
- Sit quietly with an upright spine and close your eyes.
- Chant each line slowly, letting its meaning settle in your mind.
- End with 'Om Shanti Shanti Shanti', for peace in body, in surroundings and from unseen forces.
- It is suitable at any time: morning prayer, before study, or the start of a gathering.
Significance
Asato Ma Sadgamaya is the Pavamana mantra from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, one of the oldest Upanishads. In three short lines the seeker asks to be led from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light and from death to immortality. Because it asks for nothing worldly and addresses no particular deity, it is chanted by all, in schools, at the start of gatherings and in personal prayer. It is perhaps the most universal of Hindu prayers.
In the Upanishad, the text itself explains the three lines: the unreal and darkness mean death, while the real and light mean immortality; so all three are one prayer to rise beyond mortality to the eternal Self. 'Sat' is unchanging truth, 'jyoti' is the light of knowledge, and 'amrita' is freedom from the cycle of death. In the original text the third line reads 'mṛtyormāmṛtaṃ gamaya' with sandhi; the opening Om and closing 'Shanti' are customary additions in recitation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Asato Ma Sadgamaya?
It means: 'Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.'
Where does Asato Ma Sadgamaya come from?
It comes from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (1.3.28) of the Shukla Yajurveda, where it is called the Pavamana mantra.
Why is 'Shanti' said three times?
Traditionally, for peace from three kinds of disturbance: those arising within oneself, those from other beings and surroundings, and those from natural or unseen forces.
Is it 'Mrityorma amritam' or 'Mrityormamritam'?
The Upanishad text joins the words by sandhi as 'mrityormamritam'. Most people recite them separately as 'mrityorma amritam' for clarity; the meaning is identical.
