Achi news desk-
Whether you’re into Yoga for health and fitness, or for personal and spiritual growth, adding mantras to your Yoga routine can enhance the impact of your practice.
`Manas’ in Sanskrit is mind and `tra’ is a tool – this makes mantras an important tool for controlling the mind. Chanting mantras at the start of a Yoga session helps set the tone and intention, creates an atmosphere, and gives the practice sanctity. In this way, we become active participants in taking the benefits of Yoga beyond exercise.
Mantras are intended to use specific Energy Principles – gods, seers (Rishis) or Guru – so that their grace and guidance make our actions bear fruit. Each path of Yoga – Jnana, Bhakti, Hatha – has its special mantras.
In his book ‘Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound’, David Frawley, Vedacharya and author of several books on Yoga and Vedas, explains why. “People may try to meditate, while their minds remain outward-directed, busy, agitated, reactive, judgmental and critical. Furthermore, if we are addicted to sensory sources of stimulation and entertainment, we are not even in control of our thoughts and therefore cannot focus them in any consistent way for meditation. Mantra helps to change the nature of the mind from tamas and rajas to sattva”.*
Beyond this, mantras enliven our being: “Mantra brings cosmic powers and the patient’s soul into the healing process… Mantras enable us to direct healing prana in specific ways,” adds Frawley.
DAILY YOGA MANTRAS
The scope of ‘Mantra Yoga’ is wide. This article, however, limits itself to mantras that can be used in a daily Yoga practice. They are chanted before the Yoga ritual, in this way:
Sit in Sukhasana, close your eyes, breathe deeply and watch your inhalation and exhalation for 3-4 rounds.
Now, place your hands in front of the chest in the Namaste pose. Remind yourself of the intent of the mantra and then chant with faith, reverence and humility.
The chanting should be slow, with each word pronounced correctly, in the correct tone, and with understanding.
MANTRA SURYA-NAMASKAR – BEFORE SUN EQUIPMENT
The Sun is the source of life energy. Through Surya Namaskar, we thank this energy and invigorate ourselves with it. To pray for this, chant the Surya Namaskar mantra taken from the Isha Upanishad.
Hiranmayena Paatrena Satyasyaapihitam Mukham.
Tat tvam Pooshannapaavrunu Satyadharmaaye Drishtaye.
(Like the lid of a vessel, O Sun, your golden orb covers the entrance to your face, the Truth. Kindly open the lid, so that we may see you, and thereby be led to the Truth.)
YOGA ASANA MANTRA — OPENING MANTRA FOR YOGA PRACTICE
Sage Patanjali simplified and organized Yoga and made it widely available to mankind. This mantra invokes his blessings for the journey of Yoga – through the physical postures, breath control, ethical principles and meditation. Apart from Yoga for the purification of the mind, Patanjali is credited with having systematized Ayurveda for the purification of the body, and Grammar (Mahabhashya) for the purification of speech.
Yogena Chittasya Padena Vaachaam. Malam Sharirasya Cha Vaidyakena.
Yo Paakarottam Pravaram Muninaam. Patanjalim Praanjaliraanaatosmi.
(I offer my greetings with folded hands to Patanjali, the famous among the sages, who removed impurity of mind through Yoga, speech through Grammar, and body through Ayurveda.)
PRANAYAMA MANTRA – PRAYER BEFORE PRANAYAMA
This call is directed to Prana, the original energy and life force, which can help achieve anything – from digestion and health, to creativity and general excellence. This is taken from the Prashnopnishad.
Pranasyedam Sarvam vase. Tridive Yat Pratishthitam.
Maateva Putraan Rakshasva. Srischa Pragnaanscha Videhi Na Iti.
(Whatever exists in all the three worlds is under the control of Prana. O Prana, protect us as a mother protects her sons; grant us wealth and intelligence.)
THE LEAST ‘OM’ MANTRA— THROUGH PRACTICES
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras emphasize that surrender to the Higher Power (lshvarapranidhana) is the best way to attain samadhi. He emphasizes the importance of chanting and meditating on Om – the essence of all mantras – to connect with Ishvara.
The chanting can be done orally at the end of each exercise; a deep breath, followed by a long ‘Om’ while breathing out and feeling the vibrations. Alternatively, you can do it mentally while doing the exercises.
SHANTI MANTRA — AT THE END OF THE SESSION
In every session of Yoga, we connect with the universal energy (Prana). This energy helps our own healing and can also be directed for the good of all, through this chant.
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah. Sarve Santu Niraamayaah.
Sarve Bhadraani Pashyantu. Ma Kashchid Dukhabhaag Bhavet.
Om Shanti Shanti Shantih
(May all be happy and free from disease; may all bear witness to only modesty, so that no one suffers. O Peace, Peace, Peace)
*Tamas (inertia), Rajas (hyperactivity), Sattva (balance and purity)
The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. She can be reached at [email protected].
