Kundalini Yoga Mantras

ONG NAMO, GURU DEV NAMO!

ADI MANTRA

The Adi Mantra that precedes Kundalini Yoga practice, tuning one into the higher self, the Golden Chain of Kundalini Yoga teachers, Devis & Devas, God & Source.

Ong - Infinite Creator, God, Source & that from which all creativity & life flows.

Namo - “reverent Greetings”, implying humility;

Guru - “teacher or wisdom”;

Dev means “Divine or of God”;

Namo reaffirms humility & reverence.

“AD GURAY NAME, JUGAD GUREY NAMEH, SAT GURAY NAMEH, SIRI GURU DEVAY NAMEH: 
Chanted for protection, the vibration of this mantra surrounds the magnetic field with protective light and means “I bow to the primal Guru (guiding consciousness who takes us to God-Realization), I bow to wisdom through the ages, I bow to the True Wisdom, I bow to the great unseen wisdom.”

— Mangala Charn Mantra

AKAL, MAHA KAL:  “Undying, Great death”. Gives prana, removes fear and relaxes the mind.

GURU GURU WAHE GURU, GURU RAM DAS GURU: This mantra calls upon Guru Ram Das in praise of his spiritual guiding light and protective grace.

HAR: Creative Infinity, a name of God, Source, Creator. HARA is another form. HARI is the active form of creation, another name for God.

HARI NAM, SAT NAM, HARI NAM, HARI. HARI NAM, SAT NAM, SAT NAM, HARI: The name of God is the true name.

HUM DUM HAR HAR: This mantra opens the Heart Chakra and means “We the universe, God, God”.

ONG: Creator, The primal Vibration from which all creativity flows.

“RA MA DA SA, SA SAY SO HUNG: 
chanted for healing.
Ra - Father Sun,
Ma - Sister Moon,
Da - Mother Earth,
Sa - Infinity - ALL that Is
Say - the totality of Infinity / All That Is
So Hung - I am Thou / I Am That which is All That Is
To totality of all the elements, as above, so below, as within so without.
“Ra Ma Da Sa” is the Earth Mantra.
“Sa Say So Hung” is the Ether Mantra.
The vibrations raised while chanting “Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Se So Hung” awakens healing energy in yourself  and in our world.”

— Siri Gaitri Mantra

ONG SO HUNG: This is “Creator, I am Thou!” It is a heart-opening and empowering mantra.

PRANA, APANA, SUSHUMNA, HARI. HARI HAR, HARI HAR, HARI HAR, HARI: Prana is the life force, and Sushumna is the central channel for that force. This mantra helps draw energy up the spine for healing. Hari and Har are names of God.

PRITVI HAI, AKASH HAI, GURU RAM DAS HAI: (See “Dharti Hai”). Pritvi means earth, calling on the name of the venerated Guru Ram Das. This is a very powerful mantra.

SA TA NA MA: The Panj Shabad which expresses the five primal sounds of the Universe.

“S” - Infinity,
“T” - life,
“N” - death
“M” - rebirth.
The 5th sound is “A”.
One of the most frequently used mantras in Kundalini Yoga practise.

SAT NAM: This is the Seed Mantra or Bij Mantra and it is the most widely used mantra in the practice of Kundalini Yoga. Sometimes translated as “truth is my name”.
Sat - truth,
Nam - identity / or to call on the truth, expressing the reality of existence.
Chanting this mantra awakens the soul.

WAHE GURU: The Guru Mantra, the mantra of ecstasy. Not really translatable, it is a both a calling in and reverence and gratitude for all that is. Chanting it elevates the spirit and cleanses the mind, invoking Guru light from within and without.

SAT NAM: This is the Seed Mantra or Bij Mantra and it is the most widely used mantra in the practice of Kundalini Yoga. Sometimes translated as “truth is my name”.
Sat - truth,
Nam - identity / or to call on the truth, expressing the reality of existence.
Chanting this mantra awakens the soul.

Ashtanga Yoga Opening Prayer

First time I read this prayer, I cried & laughed all at once. I wasn't in a yoga class, but simply sitting by the altar at home and reading both the Sanskrit and english transliteration aloud made for a energetically moving experience… Namaste!

OM
Vande Gurunam Caranaravinde
Sandarsita Svatma Sukhava Bodhe
Nih Sreyase Jangalikayamane
Samsara Halahala Mohasantyai
Abahu Purusakaram
Sankhacakrasi Dharinam
Sahasra Sirasam Svetam
Pranamami Patanjalim
OM

OM
I bow to the lotus feet of the Gurus,
The awakening happiness of one’s own Self revealed,
Beyond better, acting like the jungle physician,
Pacifying delusion, the poison of Samsara.
Taking the form of a man to the shoulders,
Holding a conch, a discus, and a sword,
One thousand heads, white,
To Patanjali, I salute.
OM

Sanskrit will always have multiple translations in English. Above is one of the most common translations as seen around yoga studios and the Ashtanga Yoga School Institute.

Vande                           I worship
Gurunam                     the supreme Guru
Charanaravinde
         I bow to the lotus feet
Sandarshita                at vision revealing
Svatma                         true Self
Sukava                         happiness
Bodhe                          knowledge
Nih Sreyase                beyond better (without comparison)
Jangalikayamane       jungle doctor
Samsara                      conditioned existence
Halahala                      poison
Mohashantyai            peaceful resolution
Abahu                          all bodily limbs
Purushakaram
           having the form of a man
Shankhacakrsi           conch shell, wheel of light
Dharinam                   sword of discrimination
Sahasra                       1000
Sirasam                       headed
Svetam                        brilliantly white
Pranamami                I bow down
Patanjalim
                  to Patanjali