The Nilakantha Dharani of Avalokiteshvara
The Nilakantha Dharani, Avalokiteshvara's Great Compassion Dharani: a Mahayana chant for protection, purification and compassion.
Verses
Homage to the Triple Gem. Homage to the noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, the greatly compassionate. I bow to the refuge of all, the steadfast one, the three-eyed. Homage to the well-accomplished one, to this noble Lokiteshvara, homage to the Blue-Throated One, Hrīm, the great speaker, the unshaken in all auspicious purposes, the path of all beings and sentient beings. As follows—
Verse 1
Om. O Light, O Illuminator, O Accomplisher of deeds, Hrīh, O Great Bodhisattva. All impurities, all impurities; all wisdom, all wisdom; make my heart, make my heart; perform the action, perform the action; hold firm, hold firm; be victorious, be greatly victorious. O stream, O stream, O earth-holder, O king, move, move. O my pure-formed one, O Jina, move the poison, move the poison. O mind-heart, remember. Remove, remove the action. Carry me across, carry me across. O pure one, O pure one, O liberated one, O liberated one. Move, move, O earth-holder, O queen. Move, move, make my pure, pure. O great auspiciousness, O truth, O truth, O inauspiciousness, O flower, O flower, O best woman, victory, O dwelling, O good dharma, in mind, O good-faced one, O great good-faced one, O unshaken, O wind, O sound, O accomplished yogi, in heart, heart. Hur hur, impurity, hur hur, remove, remove. For the great union, for the accomplished one, for the yogini, homage to you.
Verse 2
I accomplish the perfected mantra words. To the accomplished yogini, homage to you.
Verse 3
To the Blue-Throated One, homage to you.
Verse 4
To the Boar-Faced One, homage to you.
Verse 5
To the Great Lion-Faced One, homage to you.
Verse 6
To the accomplished Vidyādhara, homage to you.
Verse 7
To the Lotus-Handed One, homage to you.
Verse 8
To the Wheel-Handed One, homage to you.
Verse 9
To the one who bears a deer upon the shoulder, homage to you.
Verse 10
To the one who holds a great staff, homage to you.
Verse 11
Homage to the Triple Gem. Homage to the noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, the greatly compassionate.
Verse 12
May my mantra words be accomplished. Homage to you. Svāhā.
Verse 13
Worship Guidelines & Chanting Benefits (Phalashruti)
Daily or auspicious lunar days (Ekadashi, Purnima, Pradosham)
Brahma Muhurta (4:00 AM – 6:00 AM) or Evening Dusk (Sandhya)
Ghee lamp (Deepa), Incense (Dhoopa), Fresh flowers & Water offering
- Peace of mind, spiritual upliftment, and harmonious energy in the home
Background
This text is a dhāraṇī, a long mantra-like prayer, of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, associated with the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Lokeshvara) in his Nilakantha ('blue-throated') form. In East Asia it is known as the Great Compassion Dharani and is transmitted in the Chinese canon, most famously in Bhagavaddharma's translation (c. 650s CE, Taishō no. 1060, the Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Avalokiteshvara Great Compassion Heart Dharani Sutra), while Vajrabodhi's Taishō no. 1061 preserves a Siddham Sanskrit version. It is recited in Tibetan and Chinese practice for purifying karma, overcoming obstacles and cultivating compassion. Recitation texts differ between lineages, so follow the version your teacher gives.
Did You Know?
Structure of the Text
This is a Buddhist dharani (a long mantra) dedicated to Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. It begins and ends with homage to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and includes a series of salutations to various fierce forms of the deity, such as the blue-throated (Nilakantha), boar-faced (Varahamukha), and lion-faced (Mahasimhamukha) manifestations.
Nilakantha – The Blue-Throated One
"Nilakantha" is famously an epithet of Shiva, who drank poison and held it in his throat. In this Buddhist dharani it names a form of Avalokiteshvara, expressing his willingness to take in and transform suffering for the sake of beings.
Seed Syllables and Mantric Power
The mantra includes the seed syllable "Hrīm" (verse 1), a common bija in Buddhist tantra associated with compassion and purification. The text also contains phrases like "siddhyantu me mantrapadani" ("may the mantra syllables be accomplished for me"), indicating that recitation is believed to activate spiritual powers.
Multiple Forms
Verses 4–11 salute several aspects of Avalokiteshvara, including a boar face, lion face, and one holding a great club (mahalakuti), as well as lotus-holding and wheel-holding forms. They are read as expressions of the deity's power to overcome obstacles.
Purpose and Usage
This dharani is traditionally recited for protection, purification of karma, and removal of hindrances. The repeated invocations of "namo" (homage) and "svaha" (a closing offering) align it with tantric rituals where the practitioner seeks the blessing and empowerment of the deity.
Avalokiteshvara
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