The Ananta Mantra, Adoration of Ananta, King of the Nāgas

Kṛṣṇamācārya provided each of his students with their own personal mantra to be used at the start of each practice. BKS Iyengar honours Patañjali with these words and passes this mantra on to his students.

Dr. Ronald Steiner Dr. Ronald Steiner
Yoga Mantra Collection
ॐ |
oṃ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
oṃ
oṃ
particle
Om
Om (oṃ).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Om.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer
Yoga Mantra Collection
जीवमणिभ्राजत्फणसहस्रविधृतविश्वंभर |
jīva-maṇi-bhrājat-phaṇa-sahasra-vidhṛta-viśvaṃ-bhara | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
jīva
karmadhāraya-compound
adjective
lebendig
maṇi
tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case
substantive masculine
mit Juwelen
bhrājat
karmadhāraya-compound present participle active
verbal root
strahlend, funkelnd
phaṇa
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
substantive masculine
der Schlangenhauben
sahasra
bahuvrīhi-compund
numeral
tausendfach
vidhṛta
bahuvrīhi-compund past participle passive
previx
verbal root
ausgebreitet, entfaltet
viśva
upapada-compound
substantive neuter
das All, den Kosmos
bhara
vokative singular
substantive masculine
o Träger
O bearer of the cosmos, whose thousand outspread serpent hoods shine with living jewels (jīva-maṇi-bhrājat-phaṇa-sahasra-vidhṛta-viśvaṃ-bhara | voc sg m).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
O bearer of the cosmos, radiant beneath a thousand jewel-adorned serpent hoods.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer
Yoga Mantra Collection
मण्डलायानन्ताय नागराजाय नमः |
maṇḍalāyānantāya nāga-rājāya namaḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
maṇḍalāya
dative singular
substantive neuter
dem ewigen Kreis
anantāya
dative singular
substantive masculine
dem Unendlichen, Ananta
nāga
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
substantive masculine
der Schlangen
rājāya
dative singular
substantive masculine
dem König
namaḥ
nominative singular
substantive neuter
Verehrung, Ehrerbietung
Reverence (namaḥ | nom sg n) [be] to the eternal circle (maṇḍalāya | dat sg n), to infinite Ananta (anantāya | dat sg m), the king of serpents (nāga-rājāya | dat sg m).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Homage to infinite Ananta, king of the serpents.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer
Yoga Mantra Collection
आबाहुपुरुषाकारं शङ्खचक्रासिधारिणम् |
ā-bāhu-puruṣākāraṃ; śaṅkha-cakrāsi-dhāriṇam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
ā
avyayībhāva-compund
previx
bis zu
bāhu
avyayībhāva-compund
substantive masculine
den Armen
puruṣa
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
substantive masculine
des Menschen, menschlich
ākāram
accusative singular
substantive masculine
die Gestalt
śaṅkha
dvandva-compound
substantive masculine
Muschelhorn
cakra
dvandva-compound
substantive neuter
Diskus
asi
upapada-compound
substantive masculine
Schwert
dhāriṇam
accusative singular masculine
adjective
tragend
Before him, whose upper body has human form (ā-bāhu-puruṣa-ākāram | acc sg m), who bears conch, discus, and sword (śaṅkha-cakra-asi-dhāriṇam | acc sg m), ...
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Before him in human form, bearing conch, discus, and sword, ...
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer
Yoga Mantra Collection
सहस्रशिरसं श्वेतं प्रणमामि पतञ्जलिम् ||2.2||
sahasra-śirasaṃ śvetaṃ; praṇamāmi patañjalim ||2.2|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
sahasra
dvigu-compound
numeral
tausend
śirasam
accusative singular masculine
substantive neuter
tausendköpfig
śvetam
accusative singular masculine
adjective
strahlend, weiß
praṇamāmi
1st person singular aktive present
previx
verbal root
ich verneige mich vor
patañjalim
accusative singular
substantive masculine
Patañjali
... before the thousand-headed one (sahasra-śirasam | acc sg m), the radiant one (śvetam | acc sg m), I bow (praṇamāmi | 1p sg act pres) before Patañjali (patañjalim | acc sg m).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
... I bow before radiant, thousand-headed Patañjali.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer
Yoga Mantra Collection
ॐ |
oṃ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
oṃ
oṃ
particle
Om
Om (oṃ).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Om.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

From 89075 Ulm

The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

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