ॐ ह्लीं बगलामुखि सर्वदुष्टानां … ह्लीं ॐ स्वाहा
Om Hleem Bagalamukhi Sarvadushtanam … Hleem Om Swaha
Bagalamukhi seizes the demon raised weapon and stills it mid-strike. Hers is the power of stambhana, the sudden and total stilling of whatever would harm you.
How to Use This Chant
- Sit facing east or north, with a lamp if you keep one, and let the breath settle before you begin.
- Follow the chant aloud or under the breath. The tempo is deliberately unhurried so that it can be repeated rather than only heard.
- One full playing is one mala, the traditional count of 108. A rudraksha or crystal mala helps the attention stay.
- Brahma Muhurta, the hour before dawn, is the classical time. Dusk is the next best. Consistency matters more than either.
- The recording is tuned to 432 Hz. Headphones deepen it, but they are not required.
Traditionally invoked for: protection · victory over opposition · steadiness under pressure.
About the Seed Sound
A beej or seed mantra is not a sentence to be understood but a sound to be repeated. Hleem carries the whole presence of Maa Bagalamukhi in a single syllable, which is why the tradition holds that it works on the one who chants it even before its meaning is grasped. This mantra needs no initiation; the deeper Tantric mantras are given by a guru through diksha.
When to Chant
Bagalamukhi is invoked on Tuesdays, and yellow is her colour: yellow cloth, turmeric, and yellow flowers are traditional. Her worship is often taken up before a court case or a confrontation.
The Mantra, Word by Word
ॐ ह्लीं बगलामुखि सर्वदुष्टानां वाचं मुखं पदं स्तम्भय जिह्वां कीलय बुद्धिं विनाशय ह्लीं ॐ स्वाहा - the longest mantra in the series, and the only one phrased as a direct petition.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Om Hleem (ॐ ह्लीं) | The pranava, then Bagalamukhi’s own beej - the seed of stambhana, stilling. |
| Bagalamukhi (बगलामुखि) | Her name in direct address. |
| Sarvadushtanam (सर्वदुष्टानां) | “Of all hostile forces” - whatever intends harm. |
| Vacham mukham padam stambhaya | “Still their speech, their face, their advance.” |
| Jihvam kilaya (जिह्वां कीलय) | “Pin the tongue” - the slander halted mid-word. |
| Buddhim vinashaya (बुद्धिं विनाशय) | “Dissolve the intent” - the hostile plan unmade at its root. |
| Hleem Om Swaha | The beej repeated, sealed with the offering syllable. |
Note the shape: the mantra does not ask for the enemy’s destruction, only for their harm to be frozen where it stands. That restraint is the character of stambhana.
Etiquette and Common Mistakes
A few practical courtesies that tradition attaches to japa: complete the round of 108 rather than stopping mid-mala; keep the same mantra for at least a mandala of 40 days before judging its effect; chant after a wash or at least with rinsed mouth and hands; and let the recording carry the pace rather than racing ahead of it. If the mind wanders, return to the syllables without irritation - the return itself is the practice.
Specific to Bagalamukhi’s mantra: hers is traditionally counted among the mantras taken up under pressure - litigation, slander, open hostility - and Tuesdays and the yellow of her iconography attend her japa. Chant it for protection, never for aggression; the tradition is emphatic on the difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bagalamukhi mantra used for?
Stambhana, the stilling of what would harm you. Tradition turns to her in litigation, in conflict, and wherever an opponent must be stopped rather than defeated.
Why is Bagalamukhi associated with yellow?
Yellow is her colour throughout: yellow cloth, turmeric water, yellow flowers, and turmeric malas. Devotees often wear yellow while chanting.
Does the Bagalamukhi mantra need initiation?
The short beej form given here does not. The full Tantric prayoga of Bagalamukhi is traditionally taken only under a guru guidance.
Which day is best for Bagalamukhi worship?
Tuesday, and the Bagalamukhi Jayanti which falls in the month of Vaishakha.
Listen to the Full Series
This chant is part of the Musinara library of sacred sound: the ten Mahavidya beej mantras, the classical stotras of the Devi, and long-form instrumental ragas for meditation and puja. New recordings are released each week on the Musinara YouTube channel.
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New to chanting? Two short guides cover the practicalities: how to chant a mantra (mala, count, pronunciation and the three traditional modes of japa), and Devi worship at home (a simple altar and a ten minute daily sequence).
