Read, reflect, pray

Sequence of homage to popular deities

俗神拜次第ぞくしんはいのしだい

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.

Section 1

Sound explanation

Words associated with the sacred spear and mirror are followed by the request, ‘Please purify and cleanse us.’

The ordinary character meanings of 瓊矛鏡笑賜 do not establish a sentence translation. The opening formula has not been speculatively translated.

Section 2

Before the great deity whose very name inspires awe, I respectfully speak.

Here and now I offer purification through the rite that is fundamental to the divine land.

Even if harmful calamities or afflictions are present, sweep every impurity and obstruction away to another, distant place.

Let them vanish like spring snow or foam upon the tide.

I ask that this prayer be fully received and its wish fulfilled.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for 4 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.

三種祓（みくさのはらひ）

瓊矛（とほ）鏡（かみ）笑（えみ）賜（ため）祓賜（はらひたまへ）清賜（きよめたまへ）

toho kami emi tame harahitamahe kiyometamahe

祈念の詞（きねんのことば）

掛卷（かけまく）もかしこき大神（おほかみ）の廣（ひろ）まへにおろれみ畏（かしこ）みも

kakemakumokashikoki ohokamino hiromaheniororemi kashikomimo

今日（こんにち）唯今（たゞいま）神國（しんこく）根源（こんげん）のはらひをもつて清（きよ）め奉（たてまつ）るゆゑ

あしき災（わざは）ひたゝりある共（とも）諸（もろ〲）のけかれさはりは餘所外（よそほか）へはらひ除（よ）けて

春（はる）の雪（ゆき）うしほの泡（あは）のごとくきやし失（うしな）ひて

haruno yukiushihono ahanogotokukiyashi ushinahite

祈願圓滿感應納受（きぐわんゑんまんかんおうのうじゆ）なさしめ給（たま）へとまうす

kiguwanwenmankan'ounoujiyunasashime tamahetomausu

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37項『俗神拜次第』

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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