Read, reflect, pray
Prayer for calming fire
鎭火祝詞
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.
By command of Kamurogi and Kamuromi, imperial ancestral kami in Takamagahara, the earthly country was entrusted to the heavenly descendant to govern the fertile reed-plain land peacefully. We speak through the venerable prayer transmitted from heaven at that time.
The married kami Izanagi and Izanami united and gave birth to many lands, islands and kami. When Izanami finally bore the fire kami, her genitals were burned. Withdrawing into a rock, she said, ‘Do not look at me for seven days and seven nights, beloved husband.’
Before seven days passed, puzzled by her withdrawal, he went to see her and found that part of her body burned from bearing fire.
Izanami said, ‘Although I asked you not to look, you have seen me and startled me. Govern the upper land; I shall govern the lower.’ She withdrew. Reaching Yomotsu Makasaka, she thought, ‘I left a child of violent heart in my husband’s upper land.’ Returning, she bore four more things: the water kami, a gourd, river greens and Haniyamahime.
She instructed, ‘If this unruly child rages, use the water kami, gourd, Haniyamahime and river greens to calm it.’
Following this teaching, we offer various gifts and proclaim your praise with the venerable prayer transmitted from heaven.
Source text and reading aid
Roman letters are provided for 5 of 6 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.
高天原に神留座す皇親神漏岐神漏美の命をもつて皇御孫命をば豐葦原の水穗の國を安國と平けく所知食と天下所寄奉し時に事奉仍し天津祝詞の太祝詞の事をもつて申さく
神伊佐奈岐伊佐奈美の命妹背二柱の神嫁繼給て國の八十國嶋の八十嶋を生給ひ八百萬神等を生給て麻奈弟子に火結の神を生給て美保止焼被て石隱座て夜七日晝七日吾を奈見給ひそ吾奈脊の命と申し給ひき
kamuizanagi izanamino mikoto imose futahashirano kami totsugitamahite kunino yasokuni shimano yasoshimawo umitamahi yahoyorozunokamitachiwo umitamahite manaotogoni hinomusubino kamiwo umitamahite mihoto yakaete ihagakuremashite yonanuka hinanuka warewo namitamahiso waganaseno mikototo maushi tamahiki
此の七日には不足して隱座事奇て見所行す時に火を生給て御保止所焼座
kono nanukaniha tarazushite kakuremasukoto ayashite misonahasu tokini hiwo umitamahite mihoto yakaemashiki
如是時に吾奈脊の命吾を見給ふなと申て吾を見阿波多之給て申給て吾名脊の命は上津國を所知食べし吾は下津國を所知食んと申て石隱給て與美津牧坂に至座て所思食く吾名妹の命の所知思す上津國に心惡子を生置て來ぬと宣て返座て更に生子水神瓠川菜埴山姫四種の物を生給て
kakarutokini waganaseno mikoto warewo mitamafunato maushite warewo miahatashitamahite maushitamahite waganaseno mikotoha uhatsukuniwo shiroshimesubeshi wareha shitatsukuniwo shiroshimesanto maushite ihagakuretamahite yomitsuhirasakani itarimashite obosaku waganaseno mikotono shiroshimesu uhatsukunini kokorosaganakikowo umiokite kinuto noritamahite kaherimashite sarani mikotoumu mizunokami hisago kahana haniyamahime yokusano monowo umitamahite
此の心惡子の心荒びそば水神瓠埴山姫川菜を持て鎭奉れと事教悟給き
kono kokorosaganakikono kokoroarabisoba mizunokami hisago haniyamahime kahanawo mochite shizumematsureto kotowoshihesatoshitamahiki
依之雜々の物を備て天津祝詞の太祝詞の事をもつて稱辭竟奉らくと申す
koreniyorite kusagusano monowo sonahete amatsunoritono futonoritono kotowomotsute tatahegotowohematsurakuto 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.