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In addition to an opening prayer traditionally chanted at the beginning of each ashtanga practice, there is also a closing prayer to be chanted after practice, either before or after savasana (corpse pose). In a Mysore-style class in which students end at different times, a student may choose to chant this mantra silently or quietly when he or she is finished. In a led class, the instructor may lead the mantra call-and-response style at the end of class; however, the line “OM shanti, shanti, shanti” is always chanted together.
Mangala Mantra:
Swasthi praja bhyaha pari pala yantam
nya yena margena mahi mahishaha
go brahmanebhyaha shubhamastu nityam
lokaa samastha sukino bhavantu
OM Shanti, Shanti, Shantih.
Translation from the AYRI website:
May all be well with mankind.
May the leaders of the earth proect in every way by keeping the right path.
May there be goodness for those who know the earth to be sacred.
May all the worlds be happy.
OM, Peace, Peace, Peace.
Please note that this is not a direct translation. There are many different English translations out there, and one is not necessarily more correct than another.
Happy practicing.
Last week during the morning intensive, I introduced the ashtanga invocation, or opening prayer. This chant is a way for us to focus our minds, develop a sense of group energy, and most importantly, express gratitude for the practice of yoga which has been passed down to us through the ages. It is traditionally chanted call-and-response style, but some may wish to memorize it to chant during self-practice. Click here for an mp3 of Sri K. Patthabi Jois chanting the invocation.
Transliteration and translation borrowed from Richard Freeman’s site:
OM I bow to the two lotus feet of the (plurality of) Gurus which awaken insight into the happiness of pure Being, which are the refuge, the jungle physician, which eliminate the delusion caused by the poisonous herb of Samsara (conditioned existence).
I prostrate before the sage Patanjali who has thousands of radiant, white heads (as the divine serpent, Ananta) and who has, as far as his arms, assumed the form of a man holding a conch shell (divine sound), a wheel (discus of light or infinite time) and a sword (discrimination). OM
