Ashtanga Mantra

Opening Mantra

vande gurūṇāṁ caraṇāravinde sandarśita svātma sukhāva bodhe
niḥ-śreyase jaṅgali-kāyamāne saṁsāra hālāhala moha-śāntyai
This mantra connects with the ancient tradition of the eight-limbed path (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga). A track that leads out of the jungle of conditioning, prejudices and illusion to a more clear realisation of the self.
 
ābāhu puruṣākāraṁ śankha - cakr - āsi dhāriṇam
sahasra śirasaṁ śvetaṁ praṇamāmi patañjalim
Patañjali formulated the philosophical concepts of the tradition. He symbolises the clear realisation of the self (a thousand radiant heads) and mastery (sword, distinctiveness) of origin (conch, primordial sound) and finitude (discus, time).

Closing Mantra

svasti-prajābhyaḥ paripālayantāṁ nyāyena mārgeṇa mahīṁ mahīśāḥ
go-brāhmaṇebhyaḥ śubham-astu nityaṁ lokā-samastā sukhino-bhavaṁtu
With this mantra we wish for a peaceful, harmonious world in which there is space for the divine and human alike, the mighty are virtuous, and the grand are as blessed as the lowly.
 
śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ
Peace peace peace