Read, reflect, pray
Kōshin purification
庚申祓
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 and source text
English meaning
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.
We address Sarutahiko Ōkami, heavenly ancestral kami.
Here Kōshin is linked with ‘leaving anger behind.’ The text interprets ‘awaiting the high kami’ as broadly worshiping heaven; heaven is likened to parents who grant wisdom, and worship to filial devotion. It wishes a life of blessing, abundance and peaceful enjoyment, in accord with the boundary kami’s grace.
Respectfully we welcome you and bow again.
Before Sarutahiko no Mikoto, great guardian of the way from heaven and earth’s beginning, whose name we speak with awe, we respectfully offer these words.
By command of Kamurogi and Kamuromi, imperial ancestral kami in Takamagahara, the many kami assembled at the heavenly high market and deliberated.
To have the heavenly descendant govern the fertile reed-plain land peacefully, they released him from the heavenly rock seat, parted the many-layered clouds along the roads, and sent him down.
The kami standing to welcome him at the heavenly crossroads had a nose seven shaku long and a height of more than seven hiro; the face shone brightly and the eyes, like the Yata mirror, radiated light like red ground cherries.
Welcoming the heavenly descendant, you led him to Kushifuru peak at Takachiho in Himuka, facing the morning sun and lit by evening sun, and finally settled at Sanagata in Ise beside the Isuzu River.
Revering the sun kami’s way and governing the earth beneath heaven, you are named Kuninosokotachi in this prayer.
Guarding the primal chaos of not seeing, hearing or speaking and manifesting as the time requires, you are called kami of vital energy.
Restraining and guarding against violent harm coming from the land of roots and depths, you are named the fierce kami, 怒猛神.
Granting life and blessings to living beings, you are called Ōta.
Returning divine spirit well, you are called Okitama. All these names arise according to your activities and show manifest testimony: so we praise you.
As the morning sun rises brightly, we offer fine food, sake and cloth, clap our hands and proclaim your praise. Hear us peacefully.
Guide and protect the heavenly descendant and bring peace to every direction of the land. Let [name]’s home have neither disturbance arising within nor calamity approaching from outside; protect it night and day. In the spirit of Kamunaobi and Ōnaobi, guide us upon Isuzu’s way and grant long life and blessing. Hear peacefully this prayer offered while leading forward a horse: again we respectfully speak.
Source text and reading aid
Roman letters are provided for 12 of 15 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.
天津祖猿田彦太神
amatsumioya sarudahikodaijin
夫庚申とは怒を去るを云ふ高神待は遍く天を祭ることぞ則ち智父母なれば是を祭るを孝心と云ふ然り福祿寛樂に住て道祖神の惠に叶ふ
sore kaushintoha ikariwo saruwo ifu koushinmachiha amaneku tenwo matsurukotozo sunahachi chifubonareba korewo matsuruwo kaushinto ifu shikari fukurokukuwanrakuni sumite dausojinno megumini kanafu
○謹請再拜再拜
○ kinjiyau saihaisaihai
掛卷も畏き天地開闢道祖太神猿田彦命の宇豆の廣前に恐み恐みも申す
kakemakumo kashikoki ametsuchihirakete michinooyadaijin sarutahikonomikotono uzuno hiromaheni osoremi osoremimo mausu
高天原に神留座す皇親神漏岐神漏美の尊をもつて天の高市に八百萬の神等を神集に集給ひ神議に議給ひて
吾皇孫の尊をもつて豐葦原の水穗の國を安國と平けく所知食と天の磐座押放天の八重雲を伊豆の道別に道別て天降依之奉し時
wagasumemimano mikotowomotsute toyoashiharano mizuhono kuniwo yasukunito tahirakeku shiroshimeseto amano ihakura oshihanachi amano yahekumowo izuno chiwakini chiwakite amakudariyosashitatematsurishi toki
天の八衢の衢に立迎座す神鼻の長さ七尺背の長さ七尋餘亦口隱れ明り照り眼は八咫の鏡の如く光耀こと赤酸醬に似たり
天つ神の皇御孫を奉迎て相待朝日の來向夕日の照す日向の高千穗の櫛觸の嶽に導給ひ逐に伊勢の狹長田五十鈴の川上に鎭定り
amatsu kamino sumemimawo mukahetatematsurite ahimatsu asahino kimukafu yufuhino terasu hiugano takachihono kushifuruno takeni michibikitamahi tsuhini iseno sanagata isuzuno kahakamini shizumarisadamari
日の神の道を慎み敬ひ給ふ天下の地君成が故に國底立神と名り給ふ
hino kamino michiwo tsutsushimi uyamahi tamafu amegashitano tsuchigimi naruga yuweni kunisokotachinokamito nanori tamafu
不視不聽不言混沌の始を守り時隨ひ出座て氣の神と號給ひ
mizaru kikazaru ihazaru kontonno hajimewo mamori tokinishitagahi idemashite ikino kamito nanoritamahi
根の國底の國より荒び疎び來者を降伏へ守りて怒猛神と名り給ひ
neno kunisokono kuniyori arabi utobi kitarumonowo shitagahe mamorite onikamito nanori tamahi
生る物の為には身命福德を授けて太田の神と號給ふ
ikeru monono tameniha minoinochi saihahiwo sazukete ohotano kamito nanoritamafu
能く神靈を返して興玉の神と號給ふ是皆自然の御名にして物皆證顯有りと奉辭稱竟
宇豆の御食宇豆の神酒宇豆の幣帛を朝日の豐榮登に捧持て奉り稱辭竟平けく安らけく知聞食と天の八平手を打て奉る
uzuno mike uzuno miki uzuno mitegurawo asahino toyosakanoborini sasagemochite tatematsuri tatahegotowohe tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimeseto amano yahiradewo uchite tatematsuru
皇御孫の尊を導き守給ひて天が下四方の國安く穩に某が家内より起る騷擾無く外より來る災無く夜の守晝の守神直日大直日五十鈴の道に導き壽惠み幸給へと祈禱申事を平けく安らけく駒率立て所聞食と慎み慎み恐み恐みも申す
sumemimano mikotowo michibiki mamoritamahite amega shita yomono kuni yasuku odayakani nanigashiga ihenouchiyori okoru sahagi naku hokayori kitaru wazahahi naku yoruno mamori hiruno mamori jinnawohi ohonawohi isuzuno michini michibiki kotobuki megumi sakihahitamaheto inorimausukotowo tahirakeku yasurakeku komahikitatete kikoshimeseto tsutsushimi tsutsushimi osoremi osoremimo mausu
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.