Ashtanga Yoga Opening Prayer

om

vande gurunam charanaravinde
sandarshita svatma sukhava bodhe
nih shreyase jangalikayamane
samsara halahala mohashantyai
abahu purusakaram
shankhacakrasi dharinam
sahasra shirasam shvetam
pranamami patanjalim
om


Translation:

Om
I bow to the lotus feet of the gurus,
The awakening happiness of one’s own self
revealed,
Beyond better, acting like the jungle physician,
Pacifying delusion, the poison of samsara.
Taking the form of a man to the shoulders,
Holding a conch, a discus, and a sword,
One thousand heads white,
To Patanjali, I salute.
Om