Downward Facing Blog

(listen to this chant by Richard Freeman) 

Om. Vande Gurunam Charanaravide

Sandarshita Swatma Sukhava Bodhe

Nishreyase Jangalikayamane

Samsara hala-hala moha shantiaye

Abahu Purushakaram

Shankachakrasi Dharinam

Sahasra Shirasam Svetam

Pranamami Patanjalim. OM.

This prayer is actually from two sources; the first section (from Vande Gurunam to Samsara halahala mohashantiaye) is from a teaching on yoga by the great philosopher Shankara. It can be found in the “Yoga Taravali” which means “yoga zodiac”.

Vande gurunam charanaravide

Comment: I offer my respect to all my teachers who I represent in one form. Can also be viewed as your own spine, higher self, the practice of yoga, or your teacher(s)

Sandarshita svatma sukhava bodhe

Comment: who helps to reveal the beauty of my own being

Nishreyase jangalikayamane

Comment: the true physician in this world

Samsara halahala mohashantiaye

Comment: who removes the delusion and poison of this cyclical existence of desire and suffering

Now begins the second section, (origin unknown) which is a dharana (concentration) on the form of Patanjali, the originator of the yoga sutra.

As you chant this, visualize the image of Patanjali as described.

Abahu Purushakaram

comment: from the shoulders down

Shankachakrasi Dharinam

comment: he holds a conch shell and a chakra (discus). This part you visualize, two arms up holding these implements, to arms folded in namaste (anjali mudra). The conch shell is a reference to Lord Vishnu.

Sahasra Shirasam Svetam

comment: over his head, a canopy of 1,000 pure white heads. Notice the buddha used for Saturday in Thailand holds the same form. So does Vishnu/Narayana when reclining upon the ocean of nectar (amrit). It symbolizes the unfolding of the spiritual energy, kundalini as having pierced all seven chakras, resulting in total enlightenment

Pranamami Patanjalim

Comment: To this sage I bow. When asking for the grace of great yogis and teachers, we progress through the practice of yoga faster with less obstructions. In this way we are also practicing Ishvarapranidhan, devotion to the supreme, which is the 5th aspect of Niyama.

I’m off to Malaysia now, going to get married on Friday and having a honeymoon. No more posts from me for a week. Hope you don’t mind if I post pics on here