Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
ਏਕ ਓਅੰਕਾਰ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਿਰੀ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ
Transliteration
Ek Ong Kar Sat Nam Si-ri Wa-he Gu-ru
Pronunciation
ehk ong kar suht nahm SIH-ree WAH-hay gu-ROO
Full Translation
Known in Kundalini Yoga as the Adi Shakti Mantra or "Long Ek Ong Kars," this mantra declares: there is one Creator of all creation (Ek Ong Kar), Truth is its name (Sat Nam), great is that indescribable wisdom (Siri Wahe Guru). It condenses the opening truth of Sikh scripture into a single breath-driven chant.
Spiritual Significance
Yogi Bhajan taught this as the "morning call," traditionally chanted for two and a half hours before sunrise during the amrit vela. Practitioners chant it in a precise breath rhythm said to awaken the kundalini energy and align the practitioner with the creative pulse of the universe. It is considered one of the foundational mantras of the Kundalini tradition.
Cultural Context & History
The words open the Mool Mantar of Guru Nanak's Japji Sahib, composed in the Punjab in the early 1500s. In the Western Kundalini Yoga community it became the cornerstone of group morning sadhana, recorded by artists from Nirinjan Kaur to Snatam Kaur, whose live "Awakening" version is sung at Sat Nam Fest gatherings.
Traditionally Accompanied By
For Leaders
Chords and structure for leading this chant on harmonium or guitar — transcribed from the linked recording. New to leading? Read our guide to leading kirtan →
Original key
C
Tempo & feel
Very slow (~54 bpm); traditionally each cycle spans long held breaths
Chord Chart
Strumming & rhythm (4/4)
D = downstrum, U = upstrum, · = let it ring. one downstrum per chord change; the breath, not the guitar, keeps time.
Call & Response Structure
The Morning Call moves more than most Kundalini chants: C to Dm under 'Ek Ong Kar', G resolving to C on 'Sat Nam', then an Am–F–G climb through 'Siri Wahe Guru' back home. Unison chanting in long phrases — change chords exactly with the syllable stresses.