Chords, keys & instrument guides
Learn to Play Kirtan
Kirtan is one of the most forgiving kinds of music to learn: most chants rest on two or three chords, the melodies repeat, and the room sings with you. Start with a guide below, then pick any mantra with a chord chart — every chart transposes to your key and includes guitar and harmonium views.
Start with a Guide
How to Lead Kirtan
Choosing a chant, setting the key and tempo, and serving the room — the leader's craft from first om to final silence.
Read the Guide →Building a Kirtan Session Arc
Order the evening — slow invocation, rising build, one true peak, soft landing — and keep neighboring chants in friendly keys.
Read the Guide →Harmonium Basics for Kirtan
Drone, bellows, and simple right-hand voicings — everything you need to accompany your first chant on the harmonium.
Read the Guide →Kirtan on Guitar
Open shapes, capo tricks, and gentle strumming — how to bring the guitar into call-and-response chanting.
Read the Guide →The Harmonium
The reed organ that leads nearly every kirtan — its story, its role, and mantras to play on it.
Instrument Guide →The Guitar
The Western instrument that made kirtan portable — how it found its place in the chant circle.
Instrument Guide →Practice Tools
Printable lyric & pronunciation sheets, chord progression primers, and the songbook builder.
Open the Tools →Great First Chants
Every chant here rests on just 2 chords (or fewer) — you can play along on day one. Counted straight from the verified charts.
Om Mani Padme Hum
“The jewel in the lotus — compassion and wisdom united”
Open the chart →Adi Shakti
“A bowing to the Primal Power — the creative force of the Divine Mother”
Open the chart →Ganesha Sharanam
“I take refuge in Ganesha, the remover of obstacles”
Open the chart →Govinda Jaya Jaya
“Victory to Govinda, the tender of cows and keeper of souls”
Open the chart →Hara Hara Mahadev
“A jubilant Sanskrit invocation to Shiva — "Hara, Hara, the Great God!"”
Open the chart →Hare Krishna Maha Mantra
“A direct call to the divine energy of Krishna and Rama”
Open the chart →Jaya Ganesha
“Victory to Ganesha — protect us as we begin”
Open the chart →Jaya Siya Ram
“A joyful victory chant to Sita and Ram together, with praise for Hanuman, their mighty devotee”
Open the chart →Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
“A healing prayer to Shiva for release from fear and death”
Open the chart →Nataraja (Nataraja Nataraja)
“Praise to Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic Lord of the Dance”
Open the chart →Nitai Gauranga
“Invoking Nityananda and Chaitanya, the golden avatars of divine love”
Open the chart →Om Shanti
“Om peace, peace, peace — for all beings”
Open the chart →Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namaha
“Salutations to Mahalakshmi — goddess of abundance and grace”
Open the chart →Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram
“A beloved praise of Lord Rama, "purifier of the fallen"”
Open the chart →Sa Ta Na Ma (Kirtan Kriya)
“Infinity, life, death, rebirth — the complete cycle of creation”
Open the chart →Saraswati Mantra
“Salutations to Saraswati, goddess of wisdom and music”
Open the chart →Sri Ram Jai Ram
“Victory to Ram, the divine ideal of righteousness”
Open the chart →Want more? Filter the mantra library by number of chords.
Every Mantra with a Chord Chart
Verified charts in the key the classic recording uses. Open any of them and switch to the guitar or harmonium view, or transpose to the key that suits your voice.
Aad Guray Nameh
Kundalini Yoga · 4 chords · “A Sikh mantra of protection — bowing to the primal, eternal, and true wisdom”
Adi Shakti
Kundalini Yoga · 2 chords · “A bowing to the Primal Power — the creative force of the Divine Mother”
Great first chantAjai Alai
Kundalini Yoga · 4 chords · “Invincible, indestructible, fearless, unchanging — a litany of the divine attributes”
Amitabha Mantra (Om Ami Dewa Hrih)
Tibetan Buddhism · 4 chords · “Invoking Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light”
Anandamayi (Om Anandamayi Chaitanyamayi)
Integral Yoga · 4 chords · “An invocation of the Divine Mother as bliss, consciousness, truth, and the Supreme”
Ardas Bhaee
Kundalini Yoga · 4 chords · “The prayer made through Guru Amar Das is fulfilled by Guru Ram Das”
Asato Ma Sad Gamaya
Vedic · 3 chords · “Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light”
Baba Hanuman
Vaishnavism · 3 chords · “A joyful invocation of Hanuman — "I bow again and again to Anjani's son"”
Bolo Ram
Vaishnavism · 5 chords · “A call-to-chant in Hindi: "Sing the name of Ram!" — an invitation into the joy of the divine name”
Buddham Sharanam Gacchami
Buddhism (Pali tradition) · 4 chords · “I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha”
Devakinandana Gopala
Vaishnavism · 3 chords · “Krishna, beloved son of Devaki, protector of the cows”
Durga Mantra
Shakta · 3 chords · “Salutations to Durga, the fierce and protective Mother”
Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam Siri Wahe Guru
Kundalini Yoga · 5 chords · “There is one Creator whose name is Truth — great beyond words is that wisdom”
Ganesha Sharanam
Shaivism · 2 chords · “I take refuge in Ganesha, the remover of obstacles”
Great first chantGate Gate Paragate
Mahayana Buddhism · 3 chords · “Gone, gone, gone beyond, gone utterly beyond — awakening, hail!”
Gayatri Mantra
Vedic · 3 chords · “We meditate on the divine light of the Sun; may it illuminate our minds”
Gobinday Mukanday
Kundalini Yoga · 3 chords · “Sustainer, Liberator, Enlightener, Infinite, Destroyer, Creator, Nameless, Desireless”
Govinda Damodara Madhaveti
Vaishnavism · 5 chords · “The beloved refrain of the Govinda Damodara Stotram — a sweet, continuous calling of three names of Krishna: Govinda, Damodara, and Madhava.”
Govinda Jaya Jaya
Vaishnavism · 2 chords · “Victory to Govinda, the tender of cows and keeper of souls”
Great first chantGuru Ram Das
Kundalini Yoga · 5 chords · “A mantra of humility and healing invoking the grace of Guru Ram Das.”
Hanuman Chalisa
Vaishnavism · 5 chords · “A 40-verse hymn of praise to Hanuman, lord of devotion and strength”
Hara Hara Mahadev
Shaivism · 2 chords · “A jubilant Sanskrit invocation to Shiva — "Hara, Hara, the Great God!"”
Great first chantHare Krishna Maha Mantra
Vaishnavism · 2 chords · “A direct call to the divine energy of Krishna and Rama”
Great first chantHari Om
Vedic · 3 chords · “The divine remover of suffering, joined with the universal sound”
Jai Gurudev
Vaishnavism · 3 chords · “"Glory to the Guru" — a chant of gratitude and surrender to the spiritual teacher, sung by Krishna Das in honor of his guru Neem Karoli Baba.”
Jaya Ambe Jagadambe
Shakta · 3 chords · “Victory to the Mother, Mother of the Universe”
Jaya Siya Ram
Vaishnavism · 2 chords · “A joyful victory chant to Sita and Ram together, with praise for Hanuman, their mighty devotee”
Great first chantKali Durge Namo Namah
Shakta · 3 chords · “Again and again I bow to Kali and Durga, the fierce Divine Mother”
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
Vedic · 4 chords · “May all beings everywhere be happy and free”
Mahamrityunjaya Mantra
Shaivism · 2 chords · “A healing prayer to Shiva for release from fear and death”
Great first chantMool Mantar
Kundalini Yoga · 3 chords · “One Creator, whose Name is Truth — the opening verse of the Guru Granth Sahib”
Nataraja (Nataraja Nataraja)
Shaivism · 2 chords · “Praise to Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic Lord of the Dance”
Great first chantNitai Gauranga
Vaishnavism · 2 chords · “Invoking Nityananda and Chaitanya, the golden avatars of divine love”
Great first chantOm Gam Ganapataye Namaha
Shaivism · 4 chords · “Salutations to Ganesha, the remover of obstacles”
Om Mani Padme Hum
Tibetan Buddhism · 1 chord · “The jewel in the lotus — compassion and wisdom united”
Great first chantOm Namah Shivaya
Shaivism · 3 chords · “I bow to Shiva, the auspicious one within”
Om Namah Shivaya Gurave
Shaivism · 5 chords · “Honoring Shiva as the inner Guru — being, consciousness, and bliss itself”
Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
Vaishnavism · 3 chords · “"I bow to the divine Vasudeva (Krishna), who dwells within all beings"”
Om Purnamadah
Vedic · 4 chords · “That is whole, this is whole — from wholeness, wholeness arises”
Om Shreem Mahalakshmiyei Namaha
Shakta · 2 chords · “Salutations to Mahalakshmi — goddess of abundance and grace”
Great first chantOm Tare Tuttare Ture Soha
Tibetan Buddhism · 4 chords · “Homage to Tara, the swift compassionate liberator and protector”
Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
Kundalini Yoga · 5 chords · “I bow to the creative wisdom; I bow to the divine teacher within.”
Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung
Kundalini Yoga · 5 chords · “The Kundalini "Siri Gaitri" mantra for healing — Sun, Moon, Earth, Infinity”
Radhe Govinda
Vaishnavism · 4 chords · “A call to the divine love of Radha and Krishna”
Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram
Vaishnavism · 2 chords · “A beloved praise of Lord Rama, "purifier of the fallen"”
Great first chantRakhe Rakhanhar
Kundalini Yoga · 4 chords · “The Protector saves and uplifts us through all of life — a mantra of refuge and protection.”
Ramachandra
Vaishnavism · 3 chords · “A tender song of Rama's names: Ramachandra, "Rama lovely as the moon," and Narayana the divine dancer”
Sa Ta Na Ma (Kirtan Kriya)
Kundalini Yoga · 2 chords · “Infinity, life, death, rebirth — the complete cycle of creation”
Great first chantSaraswati Mantra
Shakta · 2 chords · “Salutations to Saraswati, goddess of wisdom and music”
Great first chantSarva Mangala Mangalye
Shakta · 3 chords · “Salutations to Narayani, the auspiciousness within all that is auspicious”
Sat Siri Siri Akal
Kundalini Yoga · 4 chords · “Great truth, great deathless One — undying, infinite, truth is Your name”
Shakyamuni Buddha Mantra
Tibetan Buddhism · 3 chords · “Homage to the sage, the sage, the great sage — the historical Buddha”
Shiva Shambho
Shaivism · 4 chords · “Joyful praise to Shiva, the source of bliss”
Sri Ram Jai Ram
Vaishnavism · 2 chords · “Victory to Ram, the divine ideal of righteousness”
Great first chantVajra Guru Mantra
Tibetan Buddhism · 4 chords · “Invoking Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the Lotus-Born master”
Vajrasattva Mantra
Tibetan Buddhism · 4 chords · “Invoking Vajrasattva, the Buddha of purification”
Vakratunda Mahakaya
Shaivism · 3 chords · “O curved-trunk, mighty-bodied one, radiant as ten million suns — make my path free of obstacles”
Wahe Guru Wahe Jio
Kundalini Yoga · 4 chords · “Ecstatic wonder at the Divine — great beyond words is the Guru, beloved of my soul”
Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu
Shakta · 3 chords · “To the Goddess who abides in all beings as power — again and again, salutations to her”
Prefer to browse by key or difficulty? The Chord Charts Hub lists every charted chant in one place. Looking for lyrics and pronunciation instead? Every mantra also has a printable practice sheet, and the mantra library can filter to chart-bearing chants too.