When we sing the Ashtanga Opening Chant at the beginning of each practice, we are acknowledging the origins of yoga, honoring the guru, and creating a sacred space for our practice. The Ashtanga Closing Chant ends the practice peacefully. A blog about mantras used in Ashtanga Yoga.
Ashtanga Opening Chant: Vande Gurunam Mantra
The Ashtanga Opening Mantra is chanted at the beginning of every Ashtanga practice. If you’re interested in buying a printable PDF version of this mantra, click here.
What does Vande Gurunam Mantra mean?
Sanskrit
- vande gurūṇāṃ mantra
- वन्दे गुरूणां मन्त्र
Translation
- √vand = to praise, adore 1https://nws.uzi.uni-halle.de/search?lang=de&utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=vand&m=&t=&d=&type=&ntype=&cat=&ncat=&c=&v=&merge=on
- gurūṇām = Guru, plural
- A mantra is “a sacred formula addressed to any individual deity.” 2https://nws.uzi.uni-halle.de/search?lang=de&utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=mantra&m=&t=&d=&type=&ntype=&cat=&ncat=&c=&v=&merge=on
| Aṣṭāṅga Mantra | Opening |
|---|---|
| Name | Vande Gurūṇāṃ Mantra |
| Sanskrit IAST | oṃ vande gurūṇāṃ caraṇāravinde saṃdarśita-svātma-sukhāvabodhe | niḥśreyase jāṅgalikāyamāne saṃsāra-hālāhala-moha-śāntyai || ābāhu-puruṣākāraṃ śaṅkha-cakrāsi-dhāriṇam | sahasra-śirasaṃ śvetaṃ praṇamāmi patañjalim || oṃ |
| Pronunciation | oom vande guruu-naam chara-naara-vinde samdar-shita svaat-ma sukhaa-va-bodhe nihi-shre-yase jaanga-likaa-yamaa-ne samsaa-ra haa-laa-hala moha shaant-yai aa-bhaa-hu purushaa-kaa-ram shank-ha chakraa-si dhaa-ri |
| Sanskrit Devanagari | ॐ वन्दे गुरूणां चरणारविन्दे संदर्शितस्वात्मसुखावबोधे । निःश्रेयसे जाङ्गलिकायमाने संसारहालाहलमोहशान्त्यै ॥ आबाहुपुरुषाकारं शङ्खचक्रासिधारिणम् । सहस्रशिरसं श्वेतं प्रणमामि पतञ्जलिम् ॥ ॐ |
Ashtanga Closing Chant: Mangala Mantra
The Ashtanga Yoga Closing Mantra is recited at the end of each Ashtanga Yoga class. If you’re interested in buying a printable PDF version of this mantra, click here.
What does Mangala Mantra mean?
Sanskrit
- maṅgala mantra
- मङ्गल मन्त्र
Translation
- Maṅgala = auspicious, happiness, salvation, blessings 3https://nws.uzi.uni-halle.de/search?lang=de&utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=ma%E1%B9%85gala&m=&t=&d=&type=&ntype=&cat=&ncat=&c=&v=&merge=on
- A mantra is “a sacred formula addressed to any individual deity.” 4https://nws.uzi.uni-halle.de/search?lang=de&utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=mantra&m=&t=&d=&type=&ntype=&cat=&ncat=&c=&v=&merge=on
| Aṣṭāṅga Mantra | Closing |
|---|---|
| Name | Maṅgala Mantra |
| Sanskrit IAST | oṃ svasti-prajābhyaḥ paripālayantāṃ nyāyena mārgeṇa mahīṃ mahīśāḥ | go-brāhmanebhyaḥ śubham-astu nityaṃ lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu || oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ | |
| Pronunciation | oom svasti pra-jaab-haha pari-paala-yantaam nyaa-yena maar-gena mahiim mahii-shaaha goo-braah-manebh-yaha shubham-astu nityam lokaaha samstaaha sukhinoo bhavantu oom shaantihi shaantihi shaantihi |
| Sanskrit Devanagari | ॐ स्वस्तिप्रजाभ्यः परिपालयन्तां न्यायेन मार्गेण महीं महीशाः। गोब्राह्मणेभ्यः शुभमस्तु नित्यं लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ॥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः । |
Ashtanga Meaning
The word “aṣṭāṅga” translates translates to “having 8 parts”5https://nws.uzi.uni-halle.de/search?lang=de&utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=a%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%AD%C4%81%E1%B9%85ga&m=&t=&d=&type=&ntype=&cat=&ncat=&c=&v=&merge=on, referring to the eight limbs of yoga described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.
Sanskrit Pronunciation
If you’re interested in learning how to pronounce Sanskrit words, this pronunciation guide will help you:
