purificationpavitrikaranapundarikakshavishnu

අපවිත්රඃ පවිත්රෝ වා

अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा in Sinhala · සිංහල

🕉️ hindu·📿 3× repetitions·🕐 At the very beginning of any puja, homa, or sacred ritual; or whenever purification is needed·📜 Traditional Pavitrikarana mantra (Vaishnava / Puranic ritual tradition; widely cited from Garuda and Padma Purana usage)

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Englishසිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Traditional Pavitrikarana mantra (Vaishnava / Puranic ritual tradition; widely cited from Garuda and Padma Purana usage) · Traditional (ancient ritual verse) · Puranic / classical

This verse became the universal opening of Hindu ritual worship across nearly all traditions. Before performing puja a worshipper must first become pure, yet outer cleansing alone is incomplete. The verse resolves this by declaring that remembrance of the lotus-eyed Lord Vishnu accomplishes complete purification, inner and outer, irrespective of one's state. For this reason it is recited at the threshold of countless ceremonies, from simple home worship to elaborate fire sacrifices.

✦ As told in scripture

The verse itself is the testimony of its power: it promises that even one who is impure or in any troubled condition is instantly made wholly pure — outwardly and inwardly — by the single act of remembering Pundarikaksha, the lotus-eyed Lord.

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The Mantra

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අපවිත්රඃ පවිත්රෝ වා සර්වාවස්ථාං ගතෝ(අ)පි වා. යඃ ස්මරේත් පුණ්ඩරීකාක්ෂං ස බාහ්යාභ්යන්තරඃ ශුචිඃ..

Apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṃ gato 'pi vā. yaḥ smaret puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ sa bāhyābhyantaraḥ śuciḥ.

Meaning:मनुष्य चाहे अपवित्र हो या पवित्र, अथवा किसी भी अवस्था को प्राप्त हो — जो भी कमलनयन भगवान (विष्णु) का स्मरण करता है, वह बाहर और भीतर से पवित्र हो जाता है।

Word-by-Word Meaning

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අපවිත්රඃ🔊apavitraḥimpure, unclean

පවිත්රඃ🔊pavitraḥpure, clean

වා🔊vāor

සර්ව-අවස්ථාම්🔊sarva-avasthāmany condition or state whatsoever

ගතඃ🔊gataḥhaving reached / being in

අපි🔊apieven

වා🔊vāor

යඃ🔊yaḥwhoever

ස්මරේත්🔊smaretremembers / meditates upon

පුණ්ඩරීකාක්ෂම්🔊puṇḍarīkākṣamthe lotus-eyed Lord (Vishnu)

සඃ🔊saḥhe, that person

බාහ්ය-අභ්යන්තරඃ🔊bāhya-abhyantaraḥoutwardly and inwardly

ශුචිඃ🔊śuciḥpure, purified

Benefits of Chanting अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा

✦

Purifies the worshipper and all ritual articles before any puja

✦

Affirms that remembrance of Vishnu cleanses inner and outer impurity

✦

Removes ritual and mental impurity (ashaucha) so worship can proceed

✦

Establishes the right devotional mood at the start of any ceremony

✦

Can be chanted whenever one feels impure or before sacred acts

✦

Invokes the grace of Pundarikaksha, the lotus-eyed Lord

✦

Brings a sense of inner cleanliness, peace and fitness for worship

How to Chant अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा

Repetitions3times

Best TimeAt the very beginning of any puja, homa, or sacred ritual; or whenever purification is needed

This is the standard pavitrikarana (self-purification) verse. Take a little water in the right hand or a darbha grass / flower, recite the verse, and sprinkle the water over your head and body and over the articles of worship. Reciting it thrice while remembering Pundarikaksha (lotus-eyed Vishnu) purifies the worshipper and the place, making them ready for the puja that follows.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा written in the Sinhala 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.

It is the pavitrikarana mantra — a purification verse recited at the start of almost every Hindu puja or background ritual. It purifies the worshipper, the place and the materials before worship begins.

Pundarikaksha means 'the lotus-eyed one', a well-known name of Lord Vishnu. The verse teaches that simply remembering Him purifies a person completely, both externally and internally.

Traditionally one takes water (often with a blade of darbha grass or a flower) and sprinkles it on oneself and the puja items while reciting the verse, signifying that all are now made pure by the remembrance of Vishnu.

Yes. Anyone may recite it whenever they wish to feel purified — before prayer, study, or sacred activity — since its essence is that remembrance of the Lord makes one pure regardless of outer circumstances.