Originally published in 1938 in Cosmic Chants. Some clearly marked edits are added by Mary Kretzmann.
Each of these cosmic chants has been composed to satisfy a special need of mind or life. The devotee’s various moods and inner desires can be strengthened or changed by the repetition of one particular chant suitable for that purpose. The chants given in this book are classified for use by the devotee as follows.
No Birth, No Death
For overcoming religious, racial, or social prejudice, and for achieving non-attachment to all human ties.
No birth, no death, no caste have I.
No birth, no death, no caste have I.
Father, mother have I none.
Father, mother have I none.
I am He, I am He, Blessed Spirit, I am He.
I am He, I am He, Blessed Spirit, I am He.
Mind nor intellect, nor ego, feeling,
Mind nor intellect, nor ego, feeling,
Sky nor earth nor metals am I,
Sky nor earth nor metals am I,
I am He, I am He, Blessed Spirit, I am He,
I am He, I am He, Blessed Spirit, I am He.
Deliver Us From Delusion
For invoking the Guru’s help for freedom from ignorance, sickness, or failure.
Think ye in thy heart of the lotus feet of thy Guru
If you want to cross the ocean of delusion.
Shaming the white lotus in purity, beyond duality,
Guru, image of Brahma, deliver us from delusion.
In the Land Beyond My Dreams
For consciously ascending to God.
In the land beyond my dreams,
In the land beyond my dreams,
Where no clouds come, and golden dreams dwell,
Where no clouds come, and golden dreams dwell,
I sit by life’s well in the land beyond my dreams,
In the land beyond my dreams.
In the ark of silence, silently we go,
In the ark of silence, silently we go,
To the land beyond my dreams,
To the land beyond my dreams.
The ark is waiting and I am dreaming,
The ark is waiting and I am dreaming
Of the land beyond my dreams,
Of the land beyond my dreams.
I sit by life’s well
In the land beyond my dreams,
In the land beyond my dreams.
Polestar of My Life
Sing when experiencing failure in business or failure in trying to contact God.
I have made Thee Polestar of my life;
I have made Thee Polestar of my life.
Though my sea is dark, and my stars are gone;
Though my sea is dark, and my stars are gone,
Still I see the path through Thy mercy;
Still I see the path through Thy mercy.
Mary Kretzmann: It is very good to be familiar with this chant and to sing it even when we are not feeling failure, for then we will be familiar with this attitude should we ever need it. It is indeed a very great gift of God to remain on the path even when we are sorely tested. “Still I see the path through Thy mercy.” This mercy comes from the profound good karma of the devotee having decided to make God and Guru the “Polestar of my life.”
Where Is There Love?
Sing when feeling forsaken or disillusioned by earthly love.
In this world, Mother, no one can love me.
In this world they do not know how to love me.
Where is there pure loving love?
Where is there truly loving me?
There my soul longs to be.
Mary Kretzmann: I find it noteworthy that this chant is especially meant to sing “When feeling forsaken or disillusioned by earthly love.” Otherwise, I have seen some people be confused by this chant, and they mistake it to mean that it is impossible to know love in this world at all. Indeed God’s love is the only truly perfect love, but it is indeed a blessing to both give and receive His love to others. And it is a form of both comfort and inspiration to many souls. In fact, the next chant below illustrates the need for divine compassion.
They Have Heard Thy Name
Sing when feeling forsaken by friends, fortune or health, or when interceding for others.
They have heard Thy name, the blind, halt and lame.
They have come to Thy door, they have come to Thy door.
Give Thou an audience, Lord.
Those that are drowned in sin; to whom will they go?
They have no one, O Lord.
They have heard Thy name; the blind, halt and lame.
Mary Kretzmann: This chant has both a beautiful melody and sentiment, and helps to opens our hearts in prayerful compassion to those in need.
Paramhansa Yogananda clarifies this sentiment even more in Whispers from Eternity (#193):
Teach me to see Thine Omnipresent Spirit suffering in the sick
Teach me to feel that, but for the right use of Thy grace and wisdom, I might have been lame, leprous or blind; and, no matter if I deserved to be lame or blind, I would earnestly crave to be healed.
So do Thou make me feel, whenever I see halt or sorrow-shattered men, that it is Thine Omnipresent Spirit suffering in those forms; and teach me to install in them the health and peace resting in my dwelling of flesh.
Teach me to sympathize with others’ cries, wants and sufferings, that I may fight to free them, even as I would fight to free myself.
Craving, struggling, weeping, and smiling for all, may I at last find Myself in all.
Thou Art My Life
To sweeten a sour disposition.
Thou art my life, Thou art my love,
Thou art the sweetness which I do seek.
In the thought by my love brought;
In the thought by my love brought,
I taste Thy name so sweet, so sweet…
Devotee knows how sweet you are.
Devotee knows how sweet you are.
He knows whom You let know
Mary Kretzmann: In this chant we see the need to put out the devotional effort and then ”let go and Let God.” This chant is almost a “hot to “ lesson on how to develop devotion step by step.
I Will Drink Thy Name
For inspiration; chant before preaching to others.
I will sing Thy name I will drink Thy name;
I will sing Thy name I will drink Thy name,
and get all drunk oh with Thy name,
and get all drunk oh with Thy name.
I will sing Thy name I will drink Thy name,
and get all drunk oh with Thy name
Mary Kretzmann: It is very interesting that the purpose of this chant is for “For inspiration; chant before preaching to others.” It drives home the point that when we preach or teach we need first and foremost to be deeply focused on sharing a deep sense of inspiration to our audience, in addition to whatever practical knowledge we have to share.
Wink Has Not Touched My Eyes
Sing during spiritual restlessness and anguish for God.
Wink has not touch my eyes ever since I saw Thee.
Without Thee my breath does not want to come.
Wink did not touch my eyes ever since I saw Thee.
Thou didst say Thou wouldst come but Thou didst not come.
Restless is my soul day and night.
Wink did not touch my eyes ever since I saw Thee.
Mary Kretzmann: This is a very interesting chant that is illuminated by its meaning: Sing during spiritual restlessness and anguish for God. The words presume that there has been some level of spiritual experience and the devotee longs for it to be replenished by a fresh contact with God. The devotee can also sing this to simply get in tune with that state, in hopes that someday such longing and anguish for God will be profound and real.
Today My Mind Has Dived
Use after meditation to go into deeper meditation, or when one does not find God after several meditations.
Today my mind has dived deep in Thee.
For Thy pearls of love from Thy depth-less sea.
Today my mind has dived deep in Thee.
If I find not, I will not blame Thy sea;
I will find fault with my diving.
Today my mind has dived deep in Thee.
Mary Kretzmann: This chant more directly addresses the latter sentiment I mentioned above, when one longs for God contact. This chant adds the further corrective of “If I find not, I will not blame Thy sea.”
The pearls of love are there, even if we have not yet found them. And “I will find fault with my diving” is not meant as self criticism so much as that we will NOT find fault with God (or the spiritual path) simply because we have not found the pearl of great price on the first (or fiftieth) dive into the cosmic sea. However with devotion and persistence one should be feeling some aspects of God’s Presence soon enough.
I Will Never Forget Thee (Listen, Listen, Listen)
Sing when feeling far away from God, to strengthen the inner tie with Him.
Listen, Listen, Listen. to my Heart Song.
Listen, Listen, Listen. to my Heart Song
I will never forget Thee, I will never forsake Thee.
I will never forget Thee, I will never forsake Thee
Listen, Listen, Listen. to my Heart Song
Listen, Listen, Listen. to my Heart Song
Divine Gypsy
Chant when feeling enslaved by any habit or person.
I will be a gypsy
I will be a gypsy
Roam Roam and roam
I’ll sing a song that none has sung
I’ll sing to the skies I’ll sing to the sing
I’ll sing to my read cloud
I’ll roam, roam with Om
I’ll be the kind of the land Through which I roam.
Blue Lotus Feet
For invoking the unconditional love of God as the Divine Mother.
Engrossed is the bee of my mind on the blue lotus feet of my Divine Mother
Divine Mother, my Divine Mother;
Divine Mother, my Divine Mother.
Engrossed is the bee of my mind on the blue lotus feet of my Divine Mother
Ever-New Joy
Sing when trying to meditate on God and to feel Him as the cosmic endless Joy.
Joy joy joy joy
Ever-new joy joy
What Lightning Flash
Use to visualize God as Cosmic Light.
What lightning flash glimmers in Thy Face
What lightning flash glimmers in Thy Face
Seeing Thee I am thrilled thru and thru.
What lightning flash glimmers in Thy Face
What lightning flash glimmers in Thy Face
Seeing Thee I am thrilled thru and thru.
Wake, Yet Wake, O My Saint
To change business into spiritual consciousness, and to use when one, after having formed and then neglected the habit of meditation, wishes to resume it.
Oh my Saint, wake yet wake oh my Saint,
wake yet wake oh my Saint.
You did not meditate, you did not concentrate,
you did not meditate, you did not concentrate,
you passed thy time in idle words oh my Saint,
wake yet wake oh my Saint
wake yet wake oh my Saint.
Death will be at thy door.
You may not have time any more.
Death will be at thy door.
You may not have time any more to redeem thy soul oh my Saint,
wake yet wake oh my Saint
wake yet wake oh my Saint.
Mary Kretzmann: When I was young and newer on the path, I recall one person commenting on how this was a weird chant, because of the reference to death, and the words “You did not meditate, you did not concentrate. Now, as the years have gone by, it simply seems very matter of fact, because as we watch some friends succumb to illness, we realize ever more deeply that each moment of life is precious, and as Yogananda once stated, “All time is wasted that is not spent seeking God.”
I Will Be Thine Always
Sing during bereavement, loss or parting of friends.
My Lord, I will be Thine always,
My Lord, I will be Thine always;
I may go far, farther than the stars;
I may go far, farther than the stars;
But I will be Thine always,
My Lord, I will be Thine always.
Devotees may come, devotees may go;
Devotees may come, devotees may go;
But I will be Thine always,
My Lord, I will be Thine always.
When I die, look into mine eyes;
When I die, look into mine eyes;
They will mutely say, I will be Thine always
My Lord, I will be Thine Always
Mary Kretzmann: This chant is especially powerful if we have ever had to endure the sadness of watching a dear friend leave the spiritual path. At such times it is important to deepen and strengthen one’s inner resolve.
Come Out of the Silent Sky
To be mentally chanted during deep meditation or chanted aloud after meditation. Concentrate on the sky, mountains and soul when uttering those lines.
Mother, I give Thee my Soul, Soul, Soul Call.
Thou can’t remain hidden anymore.
Come out of the silent sky;
Come out of the silent sky,
Come out of the mountain glen;
Come out of my secret Soul,
Come out of my secret Soul,
Come out of my cave of silence
Mother I give Thee my Soul, Soul, Soul Call.
Thou can’t remain hidden anymore.
In the Temple of Silence
Chant when restless, worried or angered.
In the temple of Silence,
In the temple of Peace
I will meet Thee
I will touch Thee
I will love Thee
and coax Thee to my altar of Peace
and coax Thee to my altar of Peace.
In the temple of Samadhi
In the temple of Bliss
In the temple of Samadhi
In the temple of Bliss
I will meet Thee
I will touch Thee
I will love Thee
and coax Thee to my altar of Bliss
and coax Thee to my altar of Bliss.
Mary Kretzmann: Again, it is very interesting to read the purpose of this chant: Chant when restless, worried or angered. Of course, it is a very inspiring chant and should be used whenever one feels the inspiration to reach this high ideal! However, from reading the “purpose” we realize this chant is being offered as an antidote to the above mentioned negative states. The chant encourages us to rise high above any pettiness or meanness of heart, and to instead embrace the highest ideals of this path.
Om Brahma
Sing after meditation.
Om Brahma
Hymn to Brahma
Use to invoke the help of the Masters or Guru.
Brahmanandam parama sukhadam
(Full of transcendental bliss, giving supreme joy)
Kabalam gyan moorteem
(The sole Image of Wisdom)
Dandwa teetum gagana sadrisham
(Beyond duality, clear as the heavens)
Tattwa mashyadi laksham
(Whose motto is: “Thou Art That”)
Akam nityum bimala machalam
(One, permanent, pure, immovable)
Sarbada sakshi bhootum
(The everlasting Seer of all things)
Bhawa teetum triguna rahitum
(Beyond though, free from the three qualities)
Sudgurum twum namami
(My good Guru, I bow to Thee.)
Mary Kretzmann: This direct translation, above, helps deepen our understanding of the poetic translation, below.
(The following is an English translation especially adapted for singing, according to the musical notes in Cosmic Chants.)
Full of bliss, giving joy transcendent,
Of higher knowledge, the abode,
Dual no more, clear as the heavens,
Known to all as: “Thou art That.”
He is pure, permanent, unmoving,
The everlasting Seer of all,
Far, far beyond qualities and thought,
Guru-Lord, I bow to Thee.
O God Beautiful
Sing to realize God as visible nature and as all the beautiful sentiments of man.
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
To the serviceful Thou art service
To the lover Thou art love
To the sorrowful Thou art sympathy
To the Yogi Thou art bliss
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
At Thy feet oh I do bow
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
At Thy feet oh I do bow
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
In the forest Thou art green
In the mountain Thou art high
In the river Thou art restless
In the ocean Thou art grave
O God beautiful, O God beautiful
I Am the Bubble, Make Me the Sea
To expand the little body-consciousness into the consciousness of the vast ocean of Spirit.
So do Thou, my Lord
So do Thou, my Lord.
Thou and I never apart
Thou and I never apart.
Wave of the sea dissolve in the sea
Wave of the sea dissolve in the sea.
I am the bubble, make me the sea,
Oh I am the bubble, make me the sea,
Make me the sea, make me the sea
Make me the sea, make me the sea.
I am the bubble, make me the sea,
Oh I am the bubble, make me the sea,
My Soul Is Marching On
Use to banish fear, failure or discouragement. [Music given only incorporates the first three verses; the whole of the poem appears separate as well.]
Words by Paramhansa Yogananda
Melody by M. K. Serailian
The shining stars are sunk in darkness,
The weary sun is dead at night,
The moon’s soft smile doth fade anon—
But still my soul is marching on.
The grinding wheel of Time has crushed
Full many a life of moon and stars
And many a brightly smiling morn—
But still my soul is marching on.
The flowers bloomed, then hid in gloom,
The bounty of the trees did cease,
Colossal men have come and gone—
But still my soul is marching on.
The aeons one by one are flying—
The arrows one by one are gone,
Dimly, slowly life is fading—
But still my soul is marching on.
Darkness, death, and failures vied—
To block my path they fiercely tried;
My fight with jealous Nature’s strong—
But still my soul is marching on.
Listen to My Soul Call
Chant before meditation.
Come, Come, Listen to my Soul Call,
Soul, Soul, Soul, Soul Call
Burst the heart, burst the blue,
Burst the heart, burst the blue,
Burst the Soul
Come, Listen to my Soul call, [sic] Soul, Soul, Soul, Soul Call.
Hovering over the clouds, lingering over the lea
Hovering over the clouds, lingering over the lea
Thou hast come to listen to my Soul Call, Soul, Soul, Soul, Soul Call
Om Chant
Invocation to God as the Cosmic Vibration and to the Masters and Great Ones.
I AM OM
I AM OM
OM OM I AM OM
Omnipresent I AM OM
I AM OM
I AM OM
OM OM
Come to me, Come to Me, Come to Me
O my Krishna Come to me, Come to Me, Come to Me..
O my Guru Come to me, Come to Me, Come to Me
O my Jesus Come to me, Come to Me, Come to Me
Divine Mother Come to me, Come to Me, Come to Me
I AM OM
I AM OM
OM OM I AM OM
OM OM OM
Door of My Heart
Chant when feeling intense need for the instantaneous divine Presence. Sing this chant immediately upon awakening in the morning.
Door of my heart
Open I keep for Thee
Door of my heart
Open I keep for Thee.
Wilt Thou come, With Thou come?
Just for once Come to me
Wilt Thou come, With Thou come?
If for once Come to me
Will my days fly away
Without seeing Thee my Lord
Night and day
Night and day
I look for Thee night and day
Om Song
Use when meditating on God as Cosmic Sound and Vibration and when meditating on the six spinal centers.
Whence, Oh this soundless roar doth come
When drowseth matter’s dreary drum?
The booming Om on bliss’ shore breaks;
All heav’n, all earth, all body shakes.
Cords bound to flesh are broken all,
Vibrations vile do fly and fall;
The hustling heart, the boasting breath
No more disturb the yogi’s health.
The house doth lie in darkness soft,
The shining light is seen aloft.
Subconscious dreams have gone to bed,
‘Tis then that one doth hear Om’s tread.
The bumble bee doth hum along,
Baby Om, now hark ye! sings his song;
From Krishna’s flute the sound is sweet,
‘Tis time the wat’ry God to meet.
The God of fire with fervor sings,
Om, Om: the mystic harps now rings.
God of Prana sweetly sounds
The wondrous bell, the soul resounds.
Oh upward climb the living tree,
Hear now the sound of etheral [sic] sea;
Marching mind doth homeward hie
To join the Christmas Symphony.
When My Dream’s Dream Is Done
For overcoming the fear of death and achieving ascension to God.
Whence do they come here?
Wither do they flit away?
In all follies’ dark sway
Keep floating on hope’s way.
Take the dust of each one’s feet
Serving Mother where She sleeps.
Let us all swim in smiles.
When my dream’s dream is done
She will lift me in Her lap.
Light the Lamp of Thy Love
For illumination and invoking God. (Inspired by a Bengali Song.)
In my house with Thine own hands
Light the lamp of Thy love.
Thy transmuting lamp entrancing
Wondrous are its rays.
Change my darkness to Thy light
And my evil into good.
Touch me but once and I will change
All my clay into Thy gold.
All the sense lamps that I did light
Sooted into worries.
Sitting at the door of my soul
Light Thy resurrecting lamp.
Desire, My Great Enemy
To conquer material desires.
Desire, my great enemy,
With his soldiers surrounding me
Is giving me lots of trouble, oh, my Lord.
That enemy I will deceive,
Rremaining in the castle of peace
Night and day in Thy joy,
Oh, my Lord.
What will be my fate?
Oh, Lord, tell me.
Pranayam be Thy religion,
Pranayam will give Thee salvation.
Pranayam is the wishing tree.
Pranayam is Beloved God,
Pranayam is Creator Lord,
Pranayam is the Cosmic World.
Control that little Pranayam,
Become all-pervading Pranayam.
You won’t have to fear anything anymore.
Who Is in My Temple?
For divine ecstasy.
Who is in my Temple?
All the doors do open themselves;
All the lights do light themselves.
Darkness like a dark bird
Flies away, oh, flies away.
Thousands of Suns
For wisdom.
Who tells me Thou art dark,
O my Mother Divine?
Thousands of suns and moons
From Thy body do shine.
God of Beauty
To make body, mind and soul beautiful.
God of beauty
is now reigning
in the temple
of my heart,
Of my heart,
Of my heart.
From This Sleep, Lord
For final salvation, and overcoming fear of death.
From this sleep, Lord,
Will You wake, wake me?
From this dream, Lord,
Will You wake, wake me?
In Thee I dive;
In Thee I rise,
in Thy sea,
in, in Thee.
From this sleep, Lord,
Will You wake, wake me?
From this dream, Lord,
Will You wake, wake me?
In Thee I’m born;
In Thee I die,
To live forever
In, in Thee.
I Give Thee My Soul Call
To quicken our return to the Mother of the Universe.
[Note: This is a duplicate of Come Out Of The Silent Sky but does appear in the book with slightly different punctuation.]Mother, I give Thee my Soul, Soul, Soul Call.
You can’t remain hidden anymore.
Give my Mother a Soul, Soul, Soul call.
She can’t remain hidden anymore.
Come out of the silent sky;
Come out of the mountain glen;
Come out of my secret Soul, mother.
Come out of my secret Soul.
Come out of my cave of silence.
Mother I give Thee my Soul, Soul, Soul Call.
You can’t remain hidden anymore.
Listen to My Song
For invoking God as Spirit. [Note: This is a duplicate of I Will Never Forget Thee but does appear in the book under this other title.]
Listen, Listen, Listen to my heart Song.
Listen, Listen, Listen to my heart song.
I will never forget Thee, I will never forsake Thee.
I will never forget Thee, I will never forsake Thee
Listen, Listen, Listen to my heart Song. [caps sic]
Listen, Listen, Listen to my heart Song.
I Will Never Forget Thee (same words as Listen To My Song, above, in original Cosmic Chants)
Sing when feeling far away from God, to strengthen the inner tie with Him.
