Thursday, November 15, 2012

Invocation to Patanjali

yogena cittasya padenaa vacam

To purify the mind, the consciousness (citta), Patanjali gave the science of yoga (yogena) to us. To purify our use of words (pada) and speech (vaca), he gave commentary on grammar to us, so that our use of words and way of speaking is clarified, distinct and pure.

malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena 

To remove the impurities (malam) of the body (sairira), he gave us the science of medicine (vaidyakena).

yopakarottam pravaram muninam 

Let me go near the one who has given these things to us.

patanjalim pranjalir anato'smi

Let me bow down (anato'smi) my head with my folded hands (pranjalir) to Lord Patanjali.

[In order to meditate on the Patanjali's work we are then given his form]

aahu purusakaram 

From the hand up to the head he has the shape (karam) of a human (purusa).

sankha cakarasi dharinam 

In his hand he is holding the conch (sankha) and the dosc (cakra). 

sahasra sirasam svetam

On top of his head (sirsam) [because he is the incarnation of Adishesha, the greatest cobra] he has a thousand (sahasra) bright/white (svetam) hoods of the cobra.


pranamami patanjalim

I bow down to that Patanjali. 

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