Read, reflect, pray

Sea kami purification

海神祓わだつみのはらひ

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

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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.

By command of Kamurogi and Kamuromi, imperial ancestral kami in Takamagahara, we praise the great dragons, small dragons and all dragon kami of the vast sea. We place cloth of five colors in five directions and pile abundant offerings like mountains; through sacred purification we awaken a pure heart. Receive them swiftly.

By divine command, gather the great and small fish of the broad sea and bring them into our nets. Protect us night and day, and purify us like unshakable rock so that offence, fault and retribution may be absent. Many kami together, hear this wish.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for 1 of 2 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.

高天原（たかまのはら）に神留座（かみとゞまりましま）す皇親（すめむつ）神漏岐（かみろぎ）神漏美（かみろみ）の命（みこと）をもつて大海龍（おほわだつみ）小龍（こわだつみ）諸龍神（もろわだつかみ）を奉稱（たたへたてまつり）て五色（いついろ）の幣帛（にきて）を五方（いつかた）に収配（とりはへ）て品般（しなじな）の供物（そなへもの）を横山（よこやま）に置足（おきたらし）て神祓（かむはらひ）に祓給（はらひたまひ）て清淨（きよ）き心（こころ）を悟（さとし）て速（はや）納受（きこしめし）

皇神（すめかみ）の御剌依奉（みことよさしたてまつり）て大海原（おほうなばら）に有住（あれま）す廣物（ひろもの）狹物（さもの）を神集（かみあつめ）に集給（つどへたま）ひ綱目（あみのめ）に入給（いれたま）ひ日（ひ）の守（まもり）夜（よ）の護（まもり）に守護給（まもりたまひ）て罪咎（つみとが）祟（たたり）は不在物（あらじもの）をと常磐堅石（ときはかたは）に清給事（きよめたまひしこと）の由（よし）を八百萬（やほよろづ）の神等（かみたち）諸共（もろとも）に所聞食（きこしめせ）と申（まう）す

sumekamino mikotoyosashitatematsurite ohounabarani aremasu hiromono samonowo kamiatsumeni tsudohetamahi aminomeni iretamahi hino mamori yono mamorini mamoritamahite tsumitoga tatariha arajimonowoto tokihakatahani kiyometamahishikotono yoshiwo yahoyorozuno kamitachi morotomoni kikoshimeseto mausu

Sources and edition (1)

国立国会図書館／神誠館ほか — 神道太祓大全：神拝祝詞（1911年）第31項『海神祓』

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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