Five Shirdi Sai mantras anchor a devotee’s daily practice — the simple Om Sai Ram repeated 108 times, the Sai Baba Gayatri Mantra, the opening verses of the Sri Sainatha Mahimna Stotram, the morning Kakad Aarti opening, and the closing Shej Aarti verse. Together they cover sunrise to sleep.
Why These Five Mantras
Sai Baba did not leave behind a single codified prayer book. His teaching style was conversational, spontaneous, and woven into daily encounters with devotees. Over the decades, devotees like Hemadpant (Govindrao Raghunath Dabholkar, author of the Sai Satcharitra), Madhavrao Adkar (composer of the aartis), and later Sansthan committees compiled the chants that are now central to Shirdi worship.
The five chants below were selected because they are short enough to memorise, widely taught at the Samadhi Mandir, and cover the four daily aartis plus general devotional repetition (japa). All are in Marathi or Sanskrit with full Devanagari and Roman script provided.
1. The Sai Maha Mantra — Om Sai Ram
Devanagari
ॐ साईं राम् ॥
Roman (IAST)
Oṁ Sāī Rām
English Meaning
“I bow to the divine Sai, who is the same as Lord Ram.” The combination of “Sai” (the master) and “Ram” (the supreme self) expresses Baba’s own teaching that all divinity is one.
How to Chant
Repeat 108 times on a tulsi or rudraksha mala in the morning after bathing. Each rotation around the mala completes one round (japa). Devotees who keep this practice for forty-one continuous days are said to experience a deep shift in their daily life — Baba himself spoke of the “forty-day” promise to many devotees in Shirdi.
For full background on Sai Baba’s life and teachings, see our About Shirdi Sai Baba page.
2. The Sai Baba Gayatri Mantra
Devanagari
ॐ साईश्वराय विद्महे, सच्चिदानन्दाय धीमहि, तन्नो साईं प्रचोदयात् ॥
Roman (IAST)
Oṁ Sāīśvarāya vidmahe, saccidānandāya dhīmahi, tanno sāī pracodayāt
English Meaning
“We meditate upon Lord Sai, who is the lord of all. May he, the embodiment of being-consciousness-bliss (sat-chit-ananda), illumine our intellect.”
This mantra is modelled on the classical Vedic Gayatri, with Sai replacing Savitur (the sun). It positions Baba as the inner light that guides the mind — a deeply contemplative invocation.
How to Chant
Recite 11 or 21 times during sandhya (morning, noon, and evening twilight), preferably facing east at sunrise. Use a steady breath rhythm — one full mantra per exhalation.
3. Sri Sainatha Mahimna Stotram — Opening Verses
Devanagari (Opening)
सद्गुरु साईनाथ महिमा ।
सच्चिदानन्द स्वरूप ॥
जय जय श्री गुरुदेव दत्त ।
श्री गुरुदेव दत्त ॥
Roman (IAST, Opening Verses)
Sadguru Sāīnātha mahimā,
Saccidānanda svarūpa,
Jaya jaya śrī gurudeva datta,
Śrī gurudeva datta.
English Meaning
“Glory to the greatness of Sadguru Sainath, who is the form of being-consciousness-bliss. Victory, victory to the divine guru Datta, Sri Gurudev Datta.” The reference to Lord Dattatreya links Sai Baba to the broader Datta tradition of Maharashtra, of which he is considered an avatar by many devotees.
About the Full Stotram
The complete Sri Sainatha Mahimna Stotram, composed by Upasani Maharaj and later versions extended by Madhavrao Adkar, runs to twenty-eight verses. It is recited during the Madhyan Aarti at noon and is the most musically rich of all Shirdi prayers. Full lyrics are printed in the Sansthan Aarti Sangraha (prayer book) available at the mandir bookstore.
How to Chant
Read or recite once daily, ideally before darshan or in front of a home shrine. The first four lines alone form a complete devotional invocation; many busy devotees keep this excerpt as a daily practice and reserve the full stotram for special days.
4. Kakad Aarti — Opening Verse
Devanagari
जोडुनिया कर, चरणीं ठेविला माथा ।
परिसावी विनंती माझी, पंढरीनाथा ॥
Roman (IAST)
Joḍuniyā kara, charaṇīṁ ṭhevilā māthā,
Parisāvī vinanti mājhī, paṇḍharināthā.
English Meaning
“With folded hands, I place my head at your feet. Please listen to my prayer, O Lord of Pandhari (Vithoba).” Although addressed to Vithoba of Pandharpur, in Shirdi this verse opens the Kakad Aarti at 4:30 AM each day, recognising Sai Baba as one with all forms of God.
Context
Kakad means “torch” — the early-morning aarti is so named because it traditionally began with the lighting of a cotton-wick torch before dawn. The full Kakad Aarti runs about 35 minutes and includes a sequence of devotional songs in Marathi attributed to saint-poets Tukaram, Namdev, and Janabai. The opening verse above is the first to be sung.
How to Chant
Recite at 4:30 AM if possible, facing east. If you cannot attend the live aarti, you can listen to the Sansthan’s live broadcast on the official sai.org.in website or YouTube channel. See our full aarti schedule and timings for live stream details.
5. Shej Aarti — Closing Verse
Devanagari
ओवाळू आरती माझ्या सद्गुरुनाथा माझ्या साईनाथा ।
पांचाही तत्वांची आरती ओवाळू मी आता ॥
Roman (IAST)
Ovāḷū ārtī mājhyā sadgurunāthā mājhyā Sāīnāthā,
Pāñcāhī tatvāṁcī ārtī ovāḷū mī ātā.
English Meaning
“I wave the aarti lamp before my Sadguru Sainath, I offer the aarti of all five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether) before him now.” Shej means “bed” — this is the final aarti of the day, performed at 10:30 PM before Sai Baba’s symbolic resting bed. The verse expresses the surrender of the entire cosmos to the master.
How to Chant
Recite at 10:30 PM before bed. Light a small ghee lamp if circumstances allow. Many household devotees combine this verse with a personal prayer for the day’s protection and the night’s peace.
Daily Routine — Putting the Five Mantras Together
A simple devotional rhythm using all five:
- 4:30 AM — Kakad Aarti opening verse (3 times) on waking
- 5:30 AM — Om Sai Ram japa, 108 times on a mala
- Sunrise — Sai Gayatri Mantra, 11 times facing east
- Noon — Sri Sainatha Mahimna Stotram opening verses, once
- 10:30 PM — Shej Aarti closing verse, once before sleep
This routine takes about 25-30 minutes spread across the day. Devotees who maintain it for forty-one days often report a noticeable settling of mind and circumstances.
Where to Hear the Aartis Live
The Sansthan operates an official live aarti broadcast on its website and YouTube channel. If you are not at Shirdi physically, this is the closest substitute for being inside the mandir:
- Official site: sai.org.in
- YouTube — search “Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust Shirdi”
- The Sansthan’s official mobile app, available on Android and iOS
For in-person aarti participation, book through the aarti booking online portal.
Printed Sources
For full lyrics of all four aartis and other Shirdi prayers, purchase the Sansthan’s official Aarti Sangraha booklet from the temple bookstore. It is available in Marathi, Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada editions. Price ranges from Rs 30 to Rs 60. The Sai Satcharitra — the principal scripture of Shirdi tradition — is also available in fifteen languages at the same bookstore.
Children Learning Sai Chants
For younger devotees, start with Om Sai Ram (108 times) and the Shej Aarti closing verse before bed. Both are short, rhythmic, and emotionally calming. The Sai Gayatri can be introduced from around age ten, and the longer stotrams from teenage years.
A Note on Pronunciation
The mantras above are presented in Devanagari and Roman script with diacritical marks. If you are unfamiliar with Sanskrit pronunciation, listen to a few recitations on the Sansthan’s audio archive before settling into your own practice. Pronunciation matters in mantra recitation, but devotion matters more — Sai Baba himself accepted prayers in every language, dialect, and even informal speech.
For a deeper introduction to Sai Baba’s life, the historic Dwarkamai where he lived, and the Chavadi where the famous Thursday procession is performed, explore our Dwarkamai page and Chavadi procession page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the simplest Shirdi Sai mantra for beginners?
Om Sai Ram, repeated 108 times on a mala. It is three syllables, easy to memorise, requires no Sanskrit background, and is the universally accepted Sai Maha Mantra at every Shirdi shrine.
Can I chant Sai mantras without a mala?
Yes. A mala is a counting aid, not a requirement. Many devotees use finger-counting (one phalanx per repetition, three rounds of nine = 27 per hand) or simply set a duration (10 minutes daily). Sincerity matters more than form.
Are Sai mantras recited in Sanskrit or Marathi?
Both. The Sai Gayatri is in Sanskrit. The Kakad and Shej Aartis are predominantly in Marathi with some Sanskrit verses. The Sri Sainatha Mahimna Stotram is in Sanskrit. Om Sai Ram is a single-line Sanskrit invocation usable anywhere.
What’s the meaning of “Sadguru” used in the aartis?
“Sad” means “true” or “real” and “guru” means “remover of darkness.” A Sadguru is the true master who removes spiritual ignorance. Shirdi devotees use this term specifically for Sai Baba as their primary teacher.
Can I chant Sai mantras while doing household work?
Mental chanting (manasika japa) while working is encouraged by most teachers. The deeper practice on a mala with focused breath is more powerful, but mental japa during routine tasks keeps the mind connected throughout the day.
What if I cannot pronounce Sanskrit correctly?
Sai Baba accepted devotion in every language. Sincere effort matters more than perfect pronunciation. Listen to audio recordings and improve gradually. Many devotees worldwide chant these mantras with strong regional accents and still report deep results.
Are there specific days when these mantras are most powerful?
Thursday is sacred to Sai Baba and devotees consider japa on Thursday especially fruitful. Guru Purnima, Punyatithi, and Datta Jayanti are other auspicious days. See our 2026 festival calendar for upcoming dates.
Can non-Hindus chant Shirdi Sai mantras?
Absolutely. Sai Baba’s life and teaching transcended religious lines — he lived in Dwarkamai (a former mosque), kept a perpetual fire (associated with Zoroastrian and Vedic traditions), and accepted Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Parsi devotees alike. His mantras carry the same openness.