Opening and Closing Mantra

From "The Language of Yoga" by Nicolai Bachman:

Knowing how to properly pronounce Sanskrit is a crucial skill for serious students and teachers of yoga.

This sacred language originated from oral traditions developed to communicate the spiritual insights of ancient sages. Because Sanskrit is the language of yoga, understanding key Sanskrit teminology and its pronunciation can deepen a practitioner's knowledge of the yogic path. It can also provide a more complete understanding of the meaning and purpose of yoga asanas, or postures - an understanding that is lost when these asanas are known only by their English names.

Sanskrit is said to have been divinely revealed to meditating sages thousands of years ago. One story tells of Siva beating his damaru drum fourteen times and creating the Sanskrit alphabety. These fourteen "Mahesvara Sutras" from the beginning of the text defining Sanskrit grammer. The alphabet is perfectly designed for the human vocal apparatus, and the sound of each word represents teh subtle energy of its meaning. Because each syllable is either one or two beats, pronouncing correctly allows one to feel the natural rhythm of the language and imbibe the true essence of the word...

Sanskrit is a very rhythmic and musical language that lends itself well to singing and chanting. Each syllable is either short (one beat) or long (two beats). Recording the ancient wisdom in standard meters enabled easy memorization via chanting, and therefore provided a useful means to preserving Vedic wisdom over time.

These are the two mantras we commonly use in our classes:

Opening Mantra: (listen to Richard Freeman - from his website)
vande gurunam caranaravinde
sandarsita svatma sukhavabodhe
nihsreyase jangalikayamane
samsara halahala moha santyai

abahu purusakaram
sankha cakrasi dharinam
sahasra sirasam svetam
pranamami Patanjalim

Meaning: I pray to the lotus feef of the supreme Guru who teaches the good knowledge, showing the way to knowing the self awakening of great happiness; to the Guru who is able to remove the poison of the ignorance of conditioned existence. To Patanjali, the original teacher, I bow.

Closing Mantra: Mangala Mantra (click here to listen to Sharath chanting the Mangala Mantra)
svasti prajabhyah paripalayantam
nyayena margena mahim mahisah
gobrahmaneghyah subhamastu nityam
lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu

Meaning: May all be well with mankind. May leaders of the earth protect in every way by keeping to the right path. May there be goodness for those who know the earth to be sacred. May all worlds be happy.