THE MEANING OF THE INVOCATION TO PATANJALI
From Geeta Iyengar in Yogapushpanjali
The two slokas (verses) that we chant to invoke Lord Patanjali begin with the Bhojavritti, Bhoja’s commentary on the Yoga Sutras.
It says, first of all, that Lord Patanjali is considered to be the incarnation of Adisesha, the cobra, which is the seat for the Lord Vishnu, the very creator of the world.
It is said that he took birth three different times, giving three different sciences for people to improve themselves.
The first is Yoga.
From Geeta Iyengar in Yogapushpanjali
The two slokas (verses) that we chant to invoke Lord Patanjali begin with the Bhojavritti, Bhoja’s commentary on the Yoga Sutras.
It says, first of all, that Lord Patanjali is considered to be the incarnation of Adisesha, the cobra, which is the seat for the Lord Vishnu, the very creator of the world.
It is said that he took birth three different times, giving three different sciences for people to improve themselves.
The first is Yoga.
Yogena cittasya padena vacam- To purify this mind (citta), purify the consciousness. Patanjali gave the science of yoga (yogena) to us. To purify our use of words (pada), and speech (vaca), he gave a commentary on grammar to us, so that our use of words and way of speaking is clarified, distinct, and pure.
Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena- To remove these impurities (malam) of the body (sarira), he gave us the science of medicine (vaidyakena)
Yopa karottam pravaram muninam - Let me go near the one who has given these things to us.
Patanjalim pranjaliranatosmi - Let me bow down my head with my folded hands to Lord Patanjali.
Then, after knowing the work of this Lord, the second stanza says what Lord Patanjali looks like. To do any meditation first the form has to be in front of our eyes.
Abahu purusa karam - From the hand up to the head he has the shape (karam) of a human (Purusa).
Sankha cakrasi dharinam - In his hand he is holding a conch (sankha),[and]the disk (cakra) [and the sword (asi)].
Sahasra sirasam svetam - On top of his head (sirsa) he has got a thousand (sahasra) hoods of the cobra, because he is the incarnation of Adishesha, the greatest cobra. Svetam means white.
Pranamami Patanjalim - I bow down to that Patanjali.
We chant so that at the very beginning, that feeling of sanctification comes from inside, with the feeling of surrendering oneself, because nothing can be learned in this world unless you have the humility to learn. …
Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena- To remove these impurities (malam) of the body (sarira), he gave us the science of medicine (vaidyakena)
Yopa karottam pravaram muninam - Let me go near the one who has given these things to us.
Patanjalim pranjaliranatosmi - Let me bow down my head with my folded hands to Lord Patanjali.
Then, after knowing the work of this Lord, the second stanza says what Lord Patanjali looks like. To do any meditation first the form has to be in front of our eyes.
Abahu purusa karam - From the hand up to the head he has the shape (karam) of a human (Purusa).
Sankha cakrasi dharinam - In his hand he is holding a conch (sankha),[and]the disk (cakra) [and the sword (asi)].
Sahasra sirasam svetam - On top of his head (sirsa) he has got a thousand (sahasra) hoods of the cobra, because he is the incarnation of Adishesha, the greatest cobra. Svetam means white.
Pranamami Patanjalim - I bow down to that Patanjali.
We chant so that at the very beginning, that feeling of sanctification comes from inside, with the feeling of surrendering oneself, because nothing can be learned in this world unless you have the humility to learn. …