Invocation to Patanjali

The traditional invocation to Patanjali is chanted at the beginning of many Iyengar Yoga classes around the world.

It expresses gratitude to Patanjali as the one who gave humanity the teachings of yoga, grammar, and medicine.

Transliteration

Yogena cittasya padena vācām
Malaṁ śarīrasya ca vaidyakena
Yo'pākarottaṁ pravaraṁ munīnām
Patañjalim prāñjalir ānato'smi.

Ābāhu puruṣākāram
Śaṅkha-cakrāsi-dhāriṇam
Sahasra-śirasaṁ śvetam
Praṇamāmi Patañjalim.

First Verse

I bow with folded hands to the noble sage Patanjali,
who removed the impurities of the mind through Yoga,
of speech through Grammar,
and of the body through Medicine.

Second Verse

I bow before Patanjali,
whose upper body is in human form, who holds the conch, the discus, and the sword,
and who is crowned with a thousand radiant white serpent heads.

This invocation honors Patanjali's three great gifts:

• Yoga — purifies the mind and reveals inner stillness.
• Grammar — purifies speech, encouraging clarity and truth.
• Medicine — purifies and heals the body.

In the Iyengar tradition, the prayer is not a request for favors but an expression of reverence and gratitude. 

It reminds us that yoga is a complete discipline that harmonizes body, mind, and speech before practice begins.

Ahimsa – Non-violence in thought, word, and action.
Satya – Truthfulness; living with honesty and integrity.
Asteya – Non-stealing; not taking what is not freely given (including time or energy).
Brahmacharya – Wise use of energy; moderation and self-restraint.
Aparigraha – Non-grasping; freedom from greed and possessiveness.

Saucha – Purity; cleanliness of body and clarity of mind.
Santosha – Contentment; cultivating gratitude and acceptance.
Tapas – Disciplined effort; steady commitment to growth.
Svadhyaya – Self-study; reflection and study of sacred teachings.
Ishvara Pranidhana – Surrender to the Divine; trust in a higher wisdom.

Yoga postures that cultivate steadiness, alignment, health, and harmony between body and mind.

Conscious regulation of the breath, refining life force and deepening awareness.

Withdrawing the senses from external distractions, turning inward.

Focused concentration on a single point of attention.

Meditation a steady, uninterrupted flow of awareness.

Meditation: a steady, uninterrupted flow of awareness of the individual self.

The first five sutras from Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Chapter 1: Samadhi Pada) are the foundation of yoga philosophy.

1.1 अथ योगानुशासनम्

Atha yogānuśāsanam

Translation:
Now, the teachings of yoga begin.

Meaning:
"Atha" ("now") signifies readiness. The student is prepared to receive the discipline and wisdom of yoga.

1.2 योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः

Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ

Translation:
Yoga is the cessation (stilling) of the fluctuations of the mind.

Meaning:
This is the defining sutra of yoga. Through practice, the restless movements of the mind become quiet, allowing clarity and inner peace to emerge.

1.3 तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्

Tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe 'vasthānam

Translation:
Then the Seer rests in its own true nature.

Meaning:
When the mind becomes still, we experience our essential Self—not our thoughts, emotions, or ego, but pure awareness.

1.4 वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र

Vṛtti-sārūpyam-itaratra

Translation:
At other times, the Seer identifies with the fluctuations of the mind.

Meaning:
When the mind is disturbed, we mistake our thoughts, memories, fears, and desires for who we truly are.

1.5 वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः

Vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ

Translation:
The mental fluctuations are of five kinds; they are either painful (afflicted) or non-painful (non-afflicted).

Meaning:
Patanjali introduces the five categories of mental activity, which he explains in the following sutras:

• Correct knowledge
• Misperception
• Imagination
• Sleep
• Memory

These mental activities can either lead to suffering or support liberation, depending on how they arise and how we relate to them.

The five koshas are layers of our being explored through yoga

• Annamaya Kosha — the physical body; grounding through conscious movement and awareness.
• Pranamaya Kosha — the energy body; experienced as breath, vitality, calmness, or energetic flow.
• Manomaya Kosha — the mental/emotional body; thoughts, emotions, and conditioning (samskaras).
• Vijnanamaya Kosha — the wisdom body; intuition, insight, and the inner witness.
• Anandamaya Kosha — the bliss body; deep peace, love, joy, and connection beyond thought.

Yoga helps us move from body awareness toward inner stillness and the realization that our deepest nature is already whole and joyful.

The five elements refer to the fundamental building blocks of nature found in many ancient traditions, including those explored in Iyengar Yoga classes. 

Here are the five elements in both Eastern and Western traditions, with a focus on the Indian (Ayurvedic/Yogic) system: 

In Indian Philosophy (Pancha Mahabhutas): 

Ākāśa (Ether/Space) – openness, expansion, and connection 

Vāyu (Air) – movement, breath, and lightness 

Agni (Fire) – transformation, digestion, and energy 

Āpas (Water) – flow, emotion, and cohesion 

Pṛthvī (Earth) – stability, structure, and grounding 

These elements form the basis of the body, mind, and universe in Ayurveda, Yoga, and many Indian spiritual sciences, highlighting the yoga benefits that come from understanding this interconnectedness. 

In Western Classical Philosophy: 

Earth – solid, stable 

Water – liquid, adaptable 

Air – gaseous, mobile 

Fire – heat, transformation 

Aether (or Spirit) – divine or cosmic substance