Invocation to Patanjali

Yogena cittasya padena vacam 

Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena

Yopakarottam pravaram muninam

Patanjalim pranjalir anato'smi 

Abahu purusakaram

sankha cakrasi dharinam

sahasra sirasam svetam

pranamami patanjalim

Hari Om

Yogena cittasya padena vacum

To purify the mind and consciousness, Patanjali gave the science of yoga. To purify out words and speech he gave a commentary on grammar.

Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena

To remove  the impurities of the body, he gave us the science of medicine.

Yopakarottam pravaram muninam

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

Patanjalim pranjalir anato'smi

Let me bow my head with folded hands to Patanjali.

Abahu purusakaram

From the hand up to the head he has the shape of a human.

sankha cakrasi dharinam

In his hand he is holding the conch and the disc.

sahasra sirasam svetam

On  top of his head he has a thousand hoods of the white cobra.

Pranamami patanjalim

I honor that Patanjali

Hari Om

[At the beginning of each class we chant the Invocation to Patanjali. He is one of the founding  forefather's of yoga.  Patanjali offered us three fields of study: grammar, medicine, and yoga. The invocation is our way of humbling ourselves while giving thanks to those who have enlightened us with their teachings.]