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Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Transliteration
Ik Onkar, Sat Naam, Kartaa Purakh, Nirbhau, Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajoonee, Saibhang, Gur Prasaad
Word by Word
- Ik Onkar
- there is One Creator, one reality pervading all
- Sat Naam
- whose Name is Truth
- Kartaa Purakh
- the Creative Being, doer of everything
- Nirbhau
- without fear
- Nirvair
- without enmity or hatred
- Akaal Moorat
- of timeless, undying form
- Ajoonee
- unborn, beyond the cycle of birth and death
- Saibhang
- self-existent, self-illumined
- Gur Prasaad
- realized by the grace of the Guru
Pronunciation
ik ong-KAR, sut NAHM, kar-TAH POO-rukh, nir-BHO, nir-VAIR, ah-KAHL MOO-rut, ah-JOO-nee, say-BHUNG, gur pruh-SAHD
Full Translation
The Mool Mantar ("root mantra") is the opening statement of the Guru Granth Sahib and the foundation of Sikh belief, composed by Guru Nanak. It describes the One Reality: One Universal Creator (Ik Onkar), whose Name is Truth (Sat Naam), the Creative Being present in all (Kartaa Purakh), beyond fear (Nirbhau) and beyond enmity (Nirvair), a Being of timeless form (Akaal Moorat), unborn (Ajoonee) and self-existent (Saibhang), realized through the grace of the Guru (Gur Prasaad).
Spiritual Significance
Sikhs recite the Mool Mantar in daily prayer as the distilled essence of the entire Guru Granth Sahib — everything that follows is considered its elaboration. In Kundalini Yoga it is taught as a meditation said to reshape one's destiny by rooting the mind in the experience of oneness. Chanting it is a practice of remembering the fearless, timeless nature of the Divine — and of oneself.
Cultural Context & History
Guru Nanak is said to have uttered the Mool Mantar upon emerging from his revelatory immersion in the river Bein, and it opens the Japji Sahib, the morning prayer of the Sikhs. In the Western chant world it is best known through Snatam Kaur's luminous "Mul Mantra" (Anand, 2006) and Mirabai Ceiba's version on Mountain Sadhana (2005); White Sun have also recorded it. It is distinct from the Hindu "Moola Mantra" (Om Sat Chit Ananda) despite the similar name.