OpeningClosingMantras

Ashtanga Opening Mantra

Om
vande gurunam caranaravinde
sandarsita svatma sukhava bodhe
nihsreyase jangali kayamane
samsara halahala moha santyai

abahupurusakaram
sankha cakrasi dharinam
sahasra sirasam svetam
pranamami patanjalim
Om

Om
I pray to the lotus feet of the supreme guru
Who teaches knowledge, awakening the great happiness of the self-revealed
Who acts like the jungle physician
Able to remove the delusion from the poison of conditioned existence

To Patanjali, an incarnation of Adisesa, whit in colour with a thousand radiant heads (in his form as the
divine serpent, Ananta), human in form below the shoulders, holding the sword of discrimination, a wheel of
fire representing infinite time, and the conch representing divine sound to him, I prostrate.
Om

_________________________________________________________________________________

Ashtanga Closing Mantra

Om
svastiprajabhyah paripalayantam
nyayena margena mahim mahisah
gobrahmanebhah subhamastu nityam
lokas samastah sukhino bhavantu
Om

Om
May prosperity be glorified
May the rulers of the world rule with law and justice
May divinity and erudition be protected
And may all people of this world be happy and free
Om