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Patanjali Mantra sanskrit

Yogena Chittasya Mantra

Yogena Chittasya — "Through yoga, from the mind/consciousness (citta)" — meaning: "through the practice of yoga, [Patanjali removed impurities] from the mind." Padena Vacham — "Through grammar/padas (feet of verse), from speech (vacha)" — through his work on grammar (the Mahabhashya), he purified speech. Malam Sharirasya — "The impurities (malam) of the body (sharira)" — referring to his Ayurvedic treatise that addressed physical impurities and disease. Vaidyakena — "Through medicine/the science of healing (vaidya = physician)."

Yopakarottam — "He who bestowed these gifts upon us" (yo = he who, pakarot = gave/bestowed). Pravaram Muninam — "The foremost among sages" (pravaram = best/foremost, muninam = among sages/munis). Patanjalim — "Patanjali" — the sage being honoured. Pranjaliranatosmi — "I bow with folded hands" (pranjalir = with folded hands, anato = bowed, asmi = I am). The full prayer: "I bow with folded hands to Patanjali, the foremost among sages, who purified the mind through yoga, speech through grammar, and the body through the science of medicine."

This invocation is chanted at the opening of yoga classes worldwide because Patanjali is the author of the Yoga Sutras — the foundational text of classical yoga. But the prayer reveals that Patanjali was a triple master: he authored the Yoga Sutras (for the mind), the Mahabhashya (a foundational Sanskrit grammar text, for speech), and contributed to Ayurvedic literature (for the body). Chanting this prayer before practice honours this complete genius and sets an intention of holistic purification — mind, speech, and body — through the practice.

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Lyrics

Yogena Chittasya Padena Vacha Malam Sharirasya Cha Vaidya Kena Yopakarotham Pravaram Muninam Patanjalim Pranjaliraanatosmi

Word-by-Word Meaning

Sanskrit Meaning
Yogena Chittasya I bow down to him who purifies the impurities of the mind and Yoga
Padena Vacha Who purifies the expression of Speech by Pada
Malam Sharirasya who purifies the impurities of the Body
Cha Vaidya Kena Through Vaidya (Medical)
Yopa Karottamam He who is an expert in removing the impurities of the body, heart, and mind
Pravaram Muninam To that most excellent of Munis
Patanjalim Praanjaliraanatosmi Patanjali, I bow down with folded hands.

Benefits of Yogena Chittasya Mantra

  • Sets a sacred intention before yoga or meditation practice by invoking the tradition's founding sage

    Source: Traditional yoga lineage — Patanjali invocation practice

  • Aligns the practitioner with the complete Patanjali system: yoga for mind, grammar for speech, Ayurveda for body

    Source: Patanjali's three works — Yoga Sutras, Mahabhashya, medical treatise

  • Cultivates humility and receptivity — qualities essential for the deep learning that yoga requires

    Source: Traditional practice

  • Purifies the citta (mind-consciousness complex) by beginning practice in an attitude of gratitude and honour

    Source: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali — citta vritti nirodha as the goal

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Yogena Chittasya?
Yogena Chittasya is an invocation prayer to the sage Patanjali, chanted at the opening of yoga classes to honour the founder of classical yoga. It recognises Patanjali's three great contributions: the purification of the mind through yoga (Yoga Sutras), of speech through grammar (Mahabhashya), and of the body through medicine (Ayurvedic contributions). The mantra is not a prayer asking for something but an act of recognition and gratitude. By opening practice with this invocation, the practitioner acknowledges they are entering a living lineage — a tradition of teaching and transmission that stretches back thousands of years. This act of humility and honouring is itself a yogic practice: it begins the session with surrender of ego.
Who is Patanjali?
Patanjali is the sage who compiled the Yoga Sutras — 196 aphorisms that define classical yoga and remain the most authoritative text on the inner science of mind. Tradition places him at approximately 200 BCE, though scholars debate the dates. The Yoga Sutras define yoga as "citta vritti nirodha" — the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind — and systematically describe the eight limbs of practice (Ashtanga yoga). Tradition also credits Patanjali with the Mahabhashya, a major commentary on Sanskrit grammar, and contributions to Ayurveda. Whether one person wrote all three or they share a name, the triple mastery described in the invocation reflects the ideal of the complete sage: purified in mind, speech, and body.
Why do yoga classes chant Yogena Chittasya?
Chanting Yogena Chittasya before practice connects the modern practitioner to the unbroken lineage of yoga transmission. It is an acknowledgment that the practice did not originate with us — it was received from teachers, who received it from their teachers, ultimately from Patanjali and beyond. Practically, the chanting itself serves as a transition ritual — it signals to the nervous system that the ordinary business of the day is being set aside and something different is beginning. The Sanskrit vibration creates a meditative atmosphere. And the content of the mantra — honouring a sage who devoted his life to the purification of mind, speech, and body — seeds the same intention in the practitioner about to begin their own practice.
Do I need to understand Sanskrit to chant Yogena Chittasya?
No — many practitioners chant this mantra for years before learning its detailed meaning. The vibrational and devotional effect of chanting does not depend on intellectual understanding of each word. That said, knowing the meaning transforms the experience significantly. When you understand that "Yogena Chittasya" means "through yoga, from the mind," you can feel the relevance of every word to your own practice. The mantra becomes personal rather than ceremonial. Learning the meaning is recommended — but only after you have established the chanting habit. Start by learning the sounds and the feeling; the meaning will deepen the practice over time.
What is citta and why is its purification the goal of yoga?
Citta is the Sanskrit term for the total mind-consciousness complex — it includes the conscious mind (manas), the intellect (buddhi), and the storehouse of impressions and memories (chitta in its deeper sense, or samskara). It is more comprehensive than the English word "mind." Patanjali's Yoga Sutras define yoga as "citta vritti nirodha" — the cessation of the fluctuations (vritti) of the citta. These fluctuations — the constant mental chatter, emotional turbulence, and habitual thought patterns — are what prevent us from resting in our natural state of peace (purusha). Purifying the citta does not mean destroying the mind but stilling its reactive, distracted quality, allowing the clear light of pure awareness to shine through undistorted. This is the entire purpose of Patanjali's yoga system.

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