Opening and Closing Ashtanga Chants

A traditional Ashtanga class starts and ends with a chant in Sanskrit either chanted as call and response or as a group together.
The practice of chanting shifts our consciousness to a higher level of vibration and brings us closer to the Divine.

Physically it stabilizes the heart rate, brings attention inwards and produces endorphins chemicals in the body which leave us calm and still.
Chant translations taken from the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute.

The opening chant is 2 prayers joined together and is a prayer of gratitude to the teaching lineage, and students over the thousands of years so we can still experience the benefits of yoga today. It cleanses the space ready for our yoga practice.

The first part up to “abahu “is taken from an ancient text known as the Yoga Taravali often attributed to the sage Adi Sankara. Some however doubt this as it is unlike anything else he wrote [predominantly commentaries on the sacred texts].
“Tara” means “start” and is the name of the Buddhist goddess of wisdom and light. It is also the name of the wife of the Hindu god Brihaspati who was a divine teacher. “Avali” means row. So, The Yoga Taravali is a text to shine light on the wisdom of yoga.
It was one of Krishnamacharyas’ favourite chants although it was Pattabhi Jois one of his students who picked it up and ran with it in the Ashtanga tradition.

“vande” means “I salute” – like “Namaste”
“aravinde” means lotus. When we refer to the Guru, we always refer to the lotus too – so lotus feet as in this verse. The lotus is very significant in eastern traditions and there are references to it throughout Hinduism, Buddhism and yoga.

The lotus has many qualities. Even though it sits in the mud it never gets dirty as it has a self-cleaning mechanism. It never gets wet and regulates its own temperature, so it never gets too hot. When the sun shines the petals open showing receptivity to knowledge. It is untouched by the world around it – like the enlightened man! This is why the Bhagavad Gita talks about a wise man living like a lotus i.e. he is untouched by the madness of the world around him.

Deities in many eastern traditions are often depicted sitting on a lotus often with one hand raised palm open, fingers down meaning come to me and a hand raised palm open, fingers up which is a blessing.

“Sandarshita” – “they showed me”” swatma”– swa- own, atma-self
“I offer my salutations to the Guru who can show me my true self”
“Sukava Bodhe” sukham – comfort, bodhe – knowledge

The chant refers to a jungle, not a jungle in the true physical sense but rather the state of our mind and the confusion within it. Yoga is the solution to this ignorance.

“Jangalikaya” -someone who lives in a jungle. When you live in a jungle you learn a lot about living in a jungle including how to treat a poisonous snake bite.

“samsara” is like a snake bite poison and as you would go to the best jungle doctor for treatment, you would go to yoga and specifically a guru to get rid of your spiritual ignorance.
“hala hala” – the deadly poison

“mohashantyai” moha – giddy, dizzy- someone who spins round without going anywhere. Delusion is born out of ignorance.
The second part of the chant starting “Abahu purusakaram” is also chanted in Iyengar classes and is a visualization of Patanjali the sage and compiler of the Yoga Sutra. From the shoulders up he is a man and below the shoulders a serpent.

“abahu” as far as the arms go
“purusha” – man
“Shankhacakrsi Dharinam” one who hold together the dharma
He holds a conch shell [shankha] representing Om, a sword [asi] to destroy spiritual ignorance and a discus or wheel [cakra] to destroy evil actions. Hence why he is called the jungle physician.

Sahasra Sirasam Svetam –
Sahasra – one thousand or infinite,
svetam – white
sirasam relating to the head
Pranamami Patanjalim The chant ends in us prostrating before Patanjali.

The authorship of this second portion is uncertain. It was quoted by King Boja an 11th century Indian King who wrote a commentary on the Yoga Sutra, but it is not thought that he wrote it but was in fact quoting it from an unidentified source.

This chant comes from the Rig Veda which is the oldest spiritual text still in use today and is about 3500 years old. It is a prayer for peace.

If you are familiar with the Gayatri mantra that also comes from the Rig Veda. It is also called the Mangala mantra – “mangala “meaning auspicious.

It seals in the work done in the practice and brings the practice to a peaceful end. We offer the results of our practice to improve the state of the world.

Svasthi Praja Bhyaha pari pala yantam – May all be well with mankind
Nya Yena Margena Mahim Mahishaha-May the rulers of the earth protect by keeping to the right path.
Go Brahmanebhyaha Shubamastu Nityam- May there be goodness for all beings forever.
“Lokah” “location,” the entire world
“Samastah” “all beings”
“Sukhino” “free from suffering”
“Bhavantu” “may it be so” amen.

We end by chanting “shanti” 3 times to wish well to all 3 realms where there might be suffering or dukkha – the natural realm – floods, fires etc., the social interaction realm – war, violence, sexism etc. and the individual realm – personal stress and illness.

Michelle Higgins
Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow Teacher Southampton and Hampshire
info@michellehigginsyoga.co.uk
07803 586161

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