Ashtanga Chants
We are excited to see our Ashtanga classes growing here in the Midsouth, and to hear more and more students asking to learn “what’s next”? In the west, we are introduced to yoga through asana practice, but as the dedicated student begins to see, there is so much more to yoga practice than just making physical shapes. Pranayama practice, meditation and embracing the personal and communal ethical practices of yoga are indeed “what’s next” for the student seeking more. And then there are the peace mantras, which Manju Jois calls “yoga for the throat”. Try it and feel the vibrations saturate your cells. Manju’s Shantih Mantra recordings are available on Spotify, so you can read the words, listen and chant along with Manju. Enjoy.
Opening Invocation
Om vande gurūṇām caraṇāravinde sandarśita svātmasukhāvabodhe ।
niḥśreyase jāñgalikāyamāne samsāra hālāhala mohaśāntyai ॥
ābāhu puruṣākāram śankha cakrāsi dhāriṇam ।
sahasra śīrasam śvetam praṇamāmi patañjalim ॥ Om ॥
I worship at the feet of the gurus, who show us the good knowledge, who are the jungle physicians, and who enlighten us to the poison of Samsāra, conditioned existence.
I honor Patañjali, who is in the shape of a man up to his shoulders, holding a conch, a discus of light, a sword and with a thousand white heads.
Closing (Mangala Mantra)
Om swasti prajābhyaḥ paripālayantām । nyāyena mārgena mahīm mahīśaḥ ।
go brāhmaṇebhaḥ śubhamastu nityam । lokhāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu ॥
Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu ।
samasta ‘sanmañgalānisantu । loka kalyāṇa samvṛttirastu viśva śāntirastu ॥ Om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ॥
May it be well with the protector of the progeny on earth, And let them lead with intelligence for a peaceful earth, May it be well with the connection between us and permanence. May it be well with all beings everywhere.
In all births let there be happiness, may auspiciousness be everywhere, let there be well-being for all, let there be peace everywhere. Om peace peace peace.
Translations by Greg Tebb