sankalparitualpujavow

Sankalpa Mantra

Sankalpa Mantra in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 At the very beginning of any puja, vrata, japa, homa or charitable rite, after Achamana and Pranayama·📜 Traditional Puja Paddhati / Nitya-Karma manuals (drawn from Smriti and Grihya tradition)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Sankalpa is the solemn statement of intention recited before any Hindu ritual, puja, vrata, or charitable act. Holding water in the right hand, the worshipper locates the present moment precisely within cosmic time and space — from Brahma's lifespan down to the exact Tithi and weekday — and then declares the specific rite to be performed and its purpose. Words marked 'Amuka' are replaced with the actual details of the day and the act.

Origin & Story

Traditional Puja Paddhati / Nitya-Karma manuals (drawn from Smriti and Grihya tradition) · Unknown (codified in the Smarta ritual tradition) · Ancient / classical

The Sankalpa formula belongs to the body of Nitya-Karma (daily ritual) and Naimittika-Karma (occasional ritual) preserved in the Grihya and Smriti traditions and in Puja-Paddhati manuals used across India. Its structure reflects the Puranic cosmology of time — the lifespan of Brahma divided into Kalpas, Manvantaras and Yugas — placing the worshipper's tiny moment within the vast wheel of cosmic order. By naming this exact coordinate of time and space and dedicating the act to Vishnu, the Sankalpa transforms an ordinary action into a sacrament.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that no ritual bears fruit without Sankalpa, for it is the intention that the Lord honours: a daana given without Sankalpa is said to yield only a fraction of its merit, while even a small offering sealed by sincere Sankalpa is accepted in full. The act of holding water and releasing it is likened to fixing the resolve in the witness of all the elements.

0all time

The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

Om Vishnur Vishnur Vishnuh. Shrimad-Bhagavato Mahapurushasya Vishnor-Ajnaya Pravartamanasya Adya Brahmano Dvitiye Pararadhe Shri-Shveta-Varaha-Kalpe Vaivasvata-Manvantare Kali-Yuge Prathama-Charane Bharata-Varshe Bharata-Khande Jambu-Dvipe Asmin Vartamane Vyavaharike Prabhavadi-Shashti-Samvatsaranam Madhye Amuka-Nama-Samvatsare Amuka-Ayane Amuka-Ritau Amuka-Mase Amuka-Pakshe Amuka-Tithau Amuka-Vasara-Yuktayam Evam Guna-Visheshana-Vishishtayam Shubha-Punya-Tithau Mama Upatta-Samasta-Durita-Kshaya-Dvara Shri-Parameshvara-Prityartham Yatha-Shakti Amuka-Karma Karishye.

Meaning:Om — Vishnu, Vishnu, Vishnu. Proceeding by the command of the glorious Supreme Person, Lord Vishnu: today, in the second half of Brahma's lifespan, in the Shveta-Varaha Kalpa, in the age of Manu Vaivasvata, in the first quarter of the Kali Yuga, in the land of Bharata, on the continent of Jambudvipa, in the present working order of time, among the sixty Samvatsaras beginning with Prabhava — in this named year, this Ayana, this season, this lunar month, this fortnight, this Tithi, joined with this weekday, distinguished by all these particular qualities, on this auspicious and meritorious day — for the removal of all the sins I have accumulated, and for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord, I shall now perform this rite to the best of my ability. (The worshipper fills in the words marked 'Amuka' with the actual year, month, day, place and the specific rite to be done.)

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

Vishnuh🔊Lord Vishnu — invoked thrice at the start to sanctify and protect the act

Vishnor-Ajnaya Pravartamanasya🔊Proceeding by the command (sanction) of Lord Vishnu

Adya🔊Today; at this present moment

Brahmano Dvitiye Pararadhe🔊In the second half (Pararardha) of Brahma's lifespan

Shri-Shveta-Varaha-Kalpe🔊In the present Shveta-Varaha Kalpa (cosmic day of Brahma)

Vaivasvata-Manvantare🔊In the age of the seventh Manu, Vaivasvata

Kali-Yuge Prathama-Charane🔊In the first quarter of the Kali Yuga

Bharata-Varshe Bharata-Khande🔊In the land of Bharata (India), in the region of Bharata

Jambu-Dvipe🔊On the continent of Jambudvipa

Amuka-Nama-Samvatsare🔊In the (named) year — 'Amuka' is replaced with the current Samvatsara name

Amuka-Ayane🔊In the (named) Ayana — Uttarayana or Dakshinayana

Amuka-Ritau🔊In the (named) season (Ritu)

Amuka-Mase🔊In the (named) lunar month

Amuka-Pakshe🔊In the (named) fortnight — Shukla (waxing) or Krishna (waning)

Amuka-Tithau🔊On the (named) lunar day (Tithi)

Amuka-Vasara-Yuktayam🔊Joined with the (named) weekday (Vasara)

Shubha-Punya-Tithau🔊On this auspicious and meritorious occasion

Mama Upatta-Samasta-Durita-Kshaya-Dvara🔊For the removal of all the sins I have accumulated

Shri-Parameshvara-Prityartham🔊For the pleasure (grace) of the Supreme Lord

Yatha-Shakti Amuka-Karma Karishye🔊I shall now perform this (named) rite to the best of my ability

Benefits of Chanting Sankalpa Mantra

✦

Establishes a firm, focused intention (sankalpa-shakti) that gives the ritual its power and direction

✦

Invokes Lord Vishnu's sanction so the act proceeds without obstacle

✦

Anchors the worshipper in the precise cosmic time and place, aligning the rite with sacred order

✦

Dedicates the act for the removal of accumulated sins and the pleasure of the Supreme Lord

✦

Is the essential first step that makes any puja, vrata, japa, daana or homa complete and fruitful

✦

Cultivates mental discipline, sincerity and one-pointedness before worship begins

How to Chant Sankalpa Mantra

Repetitions1times

Best TimeAt the very beginning of any puja, vrata, japa, homa or charitable rite, after Achamana and Pranayama

Sit facing east or north. After performing Achamana (sipping water) and Pranayama, take a little water, a few akshata (rice grains) and a flower in the right palm, cover it with the left hand and rest it on the right thigh. Recite the Sankalpa clearly, substituting the words marked 'Amuka' with the current Samvatsara, Ayana, Ritu, month, Paksha, Tithi, weekday, your name/gotra, and the specific rite you intend to perform. At the close ('Karishye'), release the water from the hand into a plate, signifying the vow is now fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Sankalpa Mantra written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

Sankalpa means a firm resolve or solemn vow of intention. Before any Hindu rite, the worshipper formally declares what they are about to do, when, where and why — turning a casual act into a deliberate, consecrated offering.

'Amuka' is a placeholder meaning 'such-and-such'. The worshipper replaces each 'Amuka' with the real detail of that day — the year's Samvatsara name, the Ayana, season, lunar month, fortnight, Tithi, weekday, and the specific ritual being performed (e.g., Satyanarayana Puja, Griha Pravesha, Shraddha).

Repeating 'Vishnu' thrice invokes the all-pervading Lord as the witness and protector of the act, removing obstacles so the rite proceeds 'by the command of Vishnu' (Vishnor-Ajnaya). It also purifies any defects of place, time or person.

Traditionally yes — these details are taken from the Panchanga (Hindu almanac) for the day. If exact details are unknown, many teachers permit a simplified Sankalpa stating the place, the date, your name and the intended act, with the same sincerity of resolve.