Opening Mantra

Om

Vande Gurunam charanaravinde
Sandarshita svatmasukavabodhe
Nishreyase jangalikayamane
Samsara halahala mohashantyai

Abahu purushakaram
Shankhacakrsi dharinam
Sahasra sirasam svetam
Pranamami patanjalim

Om

Translation
Om
I pray to the lotus feet of the supreme guru
Who teaches knowledge, awakening of 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, white 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

Closing Mantra

Om

Swasthi-praja bhyah pari pala yantam
Nya-yena margena mahi-mahishaha
Go-bramanebhyaha-shubamastu-nityam
Lokaa-samastha sukhino-bhavantu

Om

Om shanti, shanti, shantihi

Translation

Om
May prosperity be glorified
May administrators rule the world with law and justice
May all things that are sacred be protected
And may people of the world be happy and prosperous
Om
Om peace, peace, peace

As with all mantras the literal translation is not important. What is important is the vibration created by chanting the mantra and the feeling it gives you. Sanskrit is a very special language, full of power and mystery. Learning to chant this mantra may seem irrelevant when you first begin to practice Ashtanga Yoga. You may also feel uncomfortable chanting out loud. But, once learned, this mantra has a powerful effect on stilling the mind prior to the practice of Ashtanga Yoga. It should be chanted in Samasthitih just before beginning Surya Namaskara A. Try using the call and response MP3 to learn the mantra until you can do it by yourself.  In call and response you listen to a line and then repeat it. Thanks to Paulo, Kirsteen and Andreas for their help with the call and response recordings.

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