Prarthana

Prarthana means prayer. In Ashtanga yoga we pray to guru, guru parampara and to the lord for attaining good health, stable mind and the self realization.

Beginning Mantra:

वन्दे गुरूणां चरणारविन्दे
सन्दर्शितस्वात्मसुखावबोधे I
नि:श्रेयसे जान्गलिकाय माने
संसार हालाहल मोहशान्त्यै II
Vande gurūṇām caraṇāravinde
sandarśita svātma sukhāvabodhe
Niśreyase jānghalikāyamāne
saṁsāra hālāhala mohaśāntyai
I bow at the lotus feet of the Guru
And behold the awakened joy of my own Soul
The ultimate refuge, the jungle doctor,
Pacifying the poisonous delusion of repetitive existence.

 

आबाहु पुरुषाकारं
शंखचक्रासि धारिणम् I
सहस्रशिरसं श्वेतं
प्रणमामि पतन्जलिम् II
Ābāhu puruṣākāraṁ
śankhacakrāsi dhāriṇam
Sahasraśirasaṁ śvetaṁ
praṇamāmi patañjaliṁ
I bow to Lord Patanjali who has assumed the form of a brilliantly luminous man with thousands of snake heads, and who bears a conch, discus, and a sword.

Closing Mantra :

स्वस्तिप्रजाभ्य: परिपालयन्तां न्यायेन मार्गेण महींमहीशाः I
गो ब्राह्मणेभ्य: शुभमस्तु नित्यं लोकासमस्ता सुखिनोभवन्तु II
svasti prajābhyaha paripālayantām nyāyena mārgeṇa mahīṁ mahīśāḥ
go bhrāhmaṇebhyah śubhamastu nityam lokāsamastā sukhino bhavantu
Let prosperity be glorified
Let rulers rule the world with law and justice
Let divinity and erudition be protected
Let people of the whole world be happy and prosperous.