The Sanskrit prayer said before an Ashtanga yoga practice is actually two separate chants. The first pays homage to the gurus and teachers who have kept the tradition alive and made possible this yoga. The second chant gives thanks to Patanjali, the famous writer of Yoga Sutras some 1500 years ago.
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OM
Vande Gurunam Charanaravinde (one day goo-roo num char-a-nar-a-vin day) Sandarsita Svatmasukava Bodhe, (san dar-sheeta swatma soo kav bo-day) Nisreyase Jangalikayamane (neese-ray ya-say jon golly ki ya manay) Samsara Halahala Mohashantyai. (sam-saura hala ha;a mo ha shanty a) Abahu Purusakaram (ah-bah-hoo poo-roo-shah-kar-ahm) Sankha Cakrsi Dharinam, (shahn-kah chah-krah-see-dar-ee-nahm) Sahasra Sirasam Svetam (sa-ha-srah shee-ra-sahm shve-tahm) Pranamami Patanjalim. (prah-num-mah-mee pah-than-jah-lim) OM |
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Ashtanga Invocation Translation
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I bow to the lotus fee of the guru.
Who awakens insight into the happiness of pure being. Who is the refuge, the jungle physician, Who eliminates the delusion caused by the poisonous herb of Samsara (samsara=conditioned existence) I prostrate before the sage Patanjali Who has thousand of radiant, white heads (in his form as the divine serpent, Ananta) And who has, as far as his arms, assumed the form of a man Holding a conch shell, a wheel, and a sword. Conch shell=divine sound (which can awaken us from the state of ignorance*) Wheel=discus of light (used by Vishnu to fight negative spirits*) Sword=discrimination (can cut through illusion*) * extra notes from Ashtanga Yoga Opening and Closing Chants – By Tali |
