Khatu Shyam Mantras

ॐ श्री श्याम देवाय नमः

oṃ śrī śyāma devāya namaḥ

Salutation to the divine Shyam. The standard Sanskrit name-mantra of the deity.

ॐ श्री खाटूश्यामाय नमः

oṃ śrī khāṭūśyāmāya namaḥ

Salutation to Shri Khatushyam. The place-specific form naming the Khatu shrine.

ॐ बर्बरीकाय नमः

oṃ barbarīkāya namaḥ

Salutation to Barbarika. Uses the deity's original name before Krishna conferred his own.

ॐ नमो भगवते श्रीकृष्णाय

oṃ namo bhagavate śrīkṛṣṇāya

Salutation to the Lord Shri Krishna. Used because Khatushyam is worshipped as bearing Krishna's own name.

हारे का सहारा, बाबा श्याम हमारा

hāre kā sahārā, bābā śyāma hamārā

JAIKARA (not a Sanskrit mantra): 'Support of the defeated — Baba Shyam is ours.' The single most characteristic slogan of the cult, referring to Barbarika's boon to side with the losing party. CAUTION: this phrase is also the title and hook of modern copyrighted bhajans; the bare jaikara is open communal usage, but recorded songs built on it are not.

जय श्री श्याम

jaya śrī śyāma

JAIKARA: 'Victory to Shri Shyam.' The universal greeting and call-and-response of Khatushyam devotees.

खाटू वाले श्याम बाबा की जय

khāṭū vāle śyāma bābā kī jaya

JAIKARA: 'Victory to Shyam Baba of Khatu.' Called out in procession and at darshan.

श्याम श्याम श्याम श्याम

śyāma śyāma śyāma śyāma

The simple name-repetition (nama-japa) used as the basic chant on pilgrimage, especially on the Khatu padyatra.