Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Prayer to Daikokujin on Kinoe-ne

大国神甲子祝文だいこくじんきのえねのしゆくもん

A text in the 1911 Shintō Ōharai Zenshū anthology. It is presented as a historical reading, not the current ritual of every shrine or temple.

English meaning, sound explanations and source text

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English meaning and sound explanations

About this English rendering

This site’s English rendering of the Japanese meaning guide, aligned with this edition. It is separate from the source words for recitation and is not an official liturgy. Sacred sounds are explained where possible, not given speculative literal translations. Historical beliefs, royal authority, illness and protection claims belong to the text; they are not present-day judgments, medical advice or guarantees of results.

Sound explanation

We address Ōnamuchi, governor of the earth. This passage interprets Kinoe-ne as ‘the root where vital energy flourishes,’ and Ne-machi as widely worshiping the earth. Likening earth to a wife, it reverently associates marital union and the gift of descendants with Daikokujin’s virtue.

The meaning and syntax of ‘寝交血’ and ‘授老て’ are uncertain. This source’s play on sounds such as komachi and nemachi is not treated as the general etymology of kinoe-ne.

Long ago, when this land was unformed and even rocks, trees and grass were unruly, Ōnamuchi, the land-making kami, planned, ordered and governed it.

For his mighty valor he is called Ashihara-no-Shikoo. Wielding the broad heavenly spear, he pacified evil spirits and stilled speaking trees and grass, and is called Yachihoko. Pacifying unwilling kami and governing the land, he is called Ōkuninushi.

His dwelling is built with many long cords of mulberry fiber, high thick pillars and broad thick boards, with high, floating and timber bridges, a bird boat and white shields sewn across many joins. Presiding over worship and possessing its many functions, he is called Ōmononushi.

His divine light illuminated the sea and he enshrined Sakitama and Kushitama on Mount Mimoro, so he is called Ōkunitama. Entrusting visible government to the heavenly descendant, overseeing sacred rites, bearing the precious Yasakani jewel and withdrawing quietly for ages, he is called Utsushikunitama.

For the people and their livestock, he established ways of treating illness, and for averting harm from birds, beasts and crawling creatures, he established protective charms.

Therefore the people receive his blessings to this day: praising this, we present fine food, sake and cloth before him as the morning sun rises brightly.

Hear us peacefully. May the imperial line endure with heaven and earth, the people be at peace, and [name]’s household be free from calamity and receive every blessing. Protect us night and day and show still greater grace to those who fall short. If anything is omitted from our respectful words, reconsider it favorably in the spirit of Kamunaobi and Ōnaobi, and hear peacefully as a stag raises its ears.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for 5 of 8 lines. Readings not fully supplied in the source are left without Roman letters.

How to use the Roman letters

Roman letters follow the kana displayed in this site’s Japanese reader; some readings are editorial additions documented on the Japanese page. These are a reading aid, not restored Sanskrit or a recording of a temple’s chanting. Historical spellings (such as wo, wi, we and ha used as a particle) are kept. Double vowels and repeated vowels mark the written kana; rhythm and pronunciation can differ by tradition.

You can simply read the meaning or sit quietly. No recitation is required. For a temple or shrine’s own recitation, follow that tradition’s published guidance.

地津主大己貴神(くにつぬしおほなむちのかみ)、夫甲子(それきのへね)とは気(き)の栄(さか)ゆる根(ね)を云(い)ふ。根待(ねまち)は普(あまね)く地(ち)を祭(まつ)る事(こと)ぞ。地(ち)は則(すなはち)妻(つま)なれば、是(これ)を祭(まつ)る事(こと)を寝交血(ねまち)と云(い)ふ。然(しか)り心善(こゝろよく)子孫(しそん)を授(さづけ)老(おひ)て大国神(だいこくじん)の徳(とく)に叶(かな)ふ。謹美謹美(つゝしみつゝしみ)惶美惶美(おそれみおそれみ)申(まう)す。

古(いにしへ)、此国(このくに)荒芒(あらびたる)の世(よ)、磐根木(いはねこ)の立草(たちくさ)の片葉(かたは)も能強暴(よくあしかる)の時(とき)、天下(あめがした)を経(つくり)修治(をさめ)給(たま)ふは、国(くに)作(つく)り大己貴神(おほあなむちのかみ)と申(まう)す。

inishihe, konokuni arabitaruno yo, ihanekono tachikusano katahamo yokuashikaruno toki, amegashitawo tsukuri wosame tamafuha, kuni tsukuri ohoanamuchinokamito mausu.

武(たけ)く強(つよ)き勢(いきほひ)に在(まし)ませば、葦原(あしはら)の醜男(しこを)と申(まう)し、天(あま)の広戈(ひろほこ)を振(ふりたて)て、邪鬼(あしきもの)を撥(はら)ひ平(む)け、語問(ことと)ひし木草(きくさ)の類(たぐひ)を摧伏(くだきふせ)給(たま)へば、八千戈(やちほこ)の神(かみ)と申(まう)す。諸(もろもろ)の不和順神等(まつろはぬかみたち)を和順(まつろへ)国(くに)を持給(もちたま)へば大国主神(おほくにぬしのかみ)と申(まう)す。

takeku tsuyoki ikihohini mashimaseba, ashiharano shikowoto maushi, amano hirohokowo furitatete, ashikimonowo harahi muke, kototohishi kikusano taguhiwo kudakifuse tamaheba, yachihokono kamito mausu. moromorono matsurohanukamitachiwo matsurohe kuniwo mochitamaheba ohokuninushinokamito mausu.

此神(このかみ)の住(すま)せ給(たま)へる宮(みや)は、千尋(ちひろ)の栲縄(たくなは)を以(もつ)て結(ゆひ)て百余八十結(ももあまりやそむすび)、木柱(はしら)は高久(たかく)、太久(ふとく)、板(いた)は広久(ひろく)、厚久(あつく)、高橋浮橋打橋鳥船(たかはしうきはしうちばしとりふね)、百余八十縫(ももあまりやそぬひ)の白楯(しらたて)有(あり)、又祭祝(またまつり)の主(つかさ)、諸(もろもろ)の司(つかさ)にして備(そなは)れば、大物主神(おほものぬしのかみ)と申(まう)す。

konokamino sumase tamaheru miyaha, chihirono takunahawo motsute yuhite momoamariyasomusubi, hashiraha takaku, futoku, itaha hiroku, atsuku, takahashiukihashiuchibashitorifune, momoamariyasonuhino shiratate ari, matamatsurino tsukasa, moromorono tsukasanishite sonahareba, ohomononushinokamito mausu.

神光(あやしきひかり)海原(うなはら)に照(てら)し、幸魂奇魂(さきみたまくしみたま)を三諸山(みもろやま)に鎮(しづめ)給(たま)へば、大国玉神(おほくにたまのかみ)と申(まう)し、治世顕露(よををさむるあらは)の事(こと)を皇孫(すめみま)尊(みこと)に依之(よさし)奉(たてまつ)り、神事(かんごと)を治給(をさめたま)ふ、御身(おんみ)に瑞(みづ)の八坂瓊(やさかに)を被(かづ)き、寂然(しづかに)長隠給(ながくかくれたま)へば、顕国玉神(うつしくにたまのかみ)と申(まう)す。

ayashikihikari unaharani terashi, sakimitamakushimitamawo mimoroyamani shizume tamaheba, ohokunitamanokamito maushi, yowowosamuruarahano kotowo sumemima mikotoni yosashi tatematsuri, kangotowo wosametamafu, onmini mizuno yasakaniwo kazuki, shizukani nagakukakuretamaheba, utsushikunitamanokamito mausu.

顕見(うつしみ)蒼生及畜(あをひとくさおよびけもの)の為(ため)に其病(そのやまひ)を療(おさむ)る方(さま)を定(さだ)め、鳥獣昆虫(とりけだものはふむし)の災(わざはひ)を払(はら)はむ為(ため)に其禁厭(そのまじなひ)とる法(のり)を定(さだ)め給(たま)ふ。

utsushimi awohitokusaoyobikemonono tameni sonoyamahiwo osamuru samawo sadame, torikedamonohafumushino wazahahiwo harahamu tameni sonomajinahitoru noriwo sadame tamafu.

是(これ)を以(もつ)て百姓(おほんたから)今(いま)に至(いた)るまで、皆恩頼(みなめぐみのふゆ)を蒙(かふむ)れりと称辞(たゝへごと)竟(をへ)奉(たてまつ)り、宇豆(うづ)の広前(ひろまへ)に、宇豆(うづ)の御膳(みけ)、宇豆(うづ)の御酒(みき)、宇豆(うづ)の御幣(みてくら)を、朝日(あさひ)の豊栄登(とよさかのぼり)に捧奉(さゝげたてまつ)る。

平(たひら)けく聞食(きこしめせ)と申(まう)す。宝祚(たからくらゐ)、天壌(あめつち)と窮無(きはまりな)く、百姓(おほんたから)安穏(やすくおだやか)に、某(それがし)姓名等(かしら)家内(いへのうち)諸(もろもろ)の災難(さいなん)なく、万(よろづ)の幸(さいはひ)給(たま)へと。夜(よ)の守(まも)り日(ひ)の守(まも)り、愚(おろか)なるは猶(なほ)も恵(めぐ)み幸給(さいはひたま)ひと、謹美謹美(つゝしみつゝしみ)惶美惶美(おそれみおそれみ)、申(まう)す事(こと)の洩落(もれおち)ん事(こと)を、神直日大直日(かんなをひおほなをひ)に見直(みなを)して、平(たひら)けく安(やすら)けく、左男鹿(さをしか)の耳(おんみみ)を振立(ふりたて)て、聞食(きこしめせ)と申(まう)す。

Connected kami and buddhas

These connections include figures addressed, mentioned, or associated by tradition. They do not assign a universal recitation practice.

Sources and edition (1)

English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.

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