“To help us understand this idea the ancients conceived a ritual where you see the sun
as Sṛṣṭi, Sthiti and Saṃhara Krama.
A ritual of ‘praying’ to the sun 3 times a day.
Sunrise facing East; Zenith before lunch; Sunset facing West.
Same sun seen differently on each occasion.
A.M. – Sun is a growing girl – Gāyatrī - Sṛṣṭi
Noon – Sun is full grown – Savatrī - Sthiti
P.M. – Sun is Elderly – Sarasvātī - Saṃhara
Corresponding to the 3 stages of life which happens every day.”
- TKV Desikachar France 1983
Category Archives: Veda & Yoga Chanting
To help us understand this idea the ancients conceived a ritual where……
The original essence of the Yoga Sūtra was passed on by oral tradition……
”The original essence of the Yoga Sūtra was passed on by oral tradition.
First you learn the rhythm of the Sūtra.
This was in Saṃskṛta, first learning the words or Sūtra, then the meanings.
By learning to recite the Sūtra perfectly it was clear that you were earnest in wanting to learn their meanings.
The scheme would be to repeat it twice, in exactly the same tone used by the teacher.
This would take many years.
Thus these days its difficult to expect to understand the Sūtra from a book or a course.”
- TKV Desikachar Chennai December 22nd 1979
(My 22 year apprenticeship, studying 121 with TKV, started with a two year stay in Chennai from October 1979.)
A day of clear clear blue, no past no future, just the present……
A day of clear clear blue, no past no future, just the present with the clarity of the sun permeating every molecule of the sky.
Brings to Mind the Gāyatrī Mantra:
tat savitur vareṇiyaṃ
That sun most excellent
bhargo devasya dhīmahi |
on the radiance of the Divine I meditate |
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||
wisdom may (that radiance) our impel ||
I meditate on the divine radiance
of the most excellent sun.
May it impel my wisdom.
This picture shows T Krishnamacharya and his son TKV Desikachar……
This picture shows T Krishnamacharya and his son TKV Desikachar opening with Vedic Chanting at an event in Chennai in June 1980 where BKS Iyengar was invited to give a Yoga lecture and Āsana demonstration in a tribute to his Guru T Krishnamacharya.
Prārthanā Ślokam – Patañjali Opening Dhyānaṃ Ślokam with Translation
This is a translation of part of the Opening Prayers as taught to TKV Desikachar by T Krishnamacharya and taught by TKV Desikachar to his personal students.
It was learnt by heart as a Bhāvanam for Dhyānaṃ, to create a meditational mood linked to Patañjali prior to commencing either chanting practice or textual study of the Yoga Sūtra.
It is usual to start a lesson be it, Chanting, Sūtra, Āsana with a prayer……
“It is usual to start a lesson be it, Chanting, Sūtra, Āsana, with a prayer. A prayer is recited and repeated according to the study or purpose of the lesson, to show respect for the subject. When the student is familiar with the prayer they repeat it along with the teacher. Focusing the study with a prayer helps to recall earlier study, lineage of repetition. The student is given the meaning later. After the lesson another prayer is said to offer thanks for the learning and for everybody.”
- TKV Desikachar April 1992
Learn the Art of Mantra and Vedic Chanting
with Paul Harvey in Bristol
Paul was taught Mantra and Vedic Chanting personally within 121 lessons by his teacher TKV Desikachar over 20 years. He learnt primarily under his teacher and through his guidance and recommendation also worked 121 with Desikachar’s own students including Sujaya Sridhar and his wife Menaka Desikachar.
A traditional Vedic Mantra Chanting Class is offered free in Bristol for all interested in exploring, learning and experiencing the ancient Art of Mantra and Vedic Chant.
- Each meeting will focus on developing the principles of Vedic Chant and authentic Sanskrit Mantra practice through practical experience along with theory teaching on Chant and Sanskrit.
- The meetings will be fortnightly in Bristol at Yogāñjali on Wednesday evenings from 6.00 – 7.00pm.
- There will be no fee for joining the group and the ongoing evening sessions will be free.
- All are welcome though a consistent commitment would be helpful for both student and teacher.
Click this link for further information on Soundwork, Mantra and Vedic Chanting
Therefore one must be clear when one speaks about Yoga……
“Therefore one must be clear when one speaks about Yoga: as far as we are concerned, we refer mainly to Patañjali’s Yoga.
Otherwise, quoting various texts, one can justify almost anything in the name of Yoga.
Patañjali’s Yoga is obviously the most open, universal and the most clearly distinct from Vedānta, which is a school in itself.”
- Extract from an interview with TKV Desikachar on Vedic Chanting
I think, that all those who want to practise Vedic chanting……
“I think, that all those who want to practise Vedic chanting must be able to do so, provided there is no confusion with Patañjali’s Yoga.”
- Extract from an interview with TKV Desikachar on Vedic Chanting
I unintentionally mixed the Vedic tradition, teaching about God’s……
“I unintentionally mixed the Vedic tradition, teaching about God’s pre-eminence, with Yoga, whose goal and intention are different. Yoga regards the mind principally, this is absolutely universal.
In the Yoga system, Īśvara, the principle of perfection, is nothing but a means to attain mental clarity, and still, it is a means among others!
Things are very different in the Vedic culture, for which God only matters. The Brahma Sūtra (The source text for Vedānta) understood it perfectly, since they exclude Yoga from the ways of salvation, because it does not give the Lord the first priority.
One must be aware of the image conveyed by Yoga, when it is confused with Vedic chanting, and of the image of the Vedas, when Vedic chanting is confused with Yoga.”
- Extract from an interview with TKV Desikachar on Vedic Chanting
Gāyatrī Mantra as taught by T Krishnamacharya – with translation
Gāyatrī is a particular ancient metre or rhythmic pattern of twenty-four syllables generally composed as a triplet of three lines with eight syllables in each line.
Hence T Krishnamacharya’s view that Om is not a component part of the Mantra, though it may be added as an accompaniment according to the students background, interest and understanding.
Use and Abuse of OM – Extract from a Lecture by TKV Desikachar……
“So if certain Yoga Sādhana have a place in another culture we must consider whether this symbol (Om) has a place with people who don’t understand it.”
TKV Desikachar – Lecture on September 5th 1983 in Zinal, Switzerland (Fuller notes on this lecture yet to be posted)
Yoga, Knowing the Unknown – Extract from S Ramaswami January 2012 Newsletter
“The mantras especially pranava were chanted, meditated upon and referred to with considerable devotion and respect in the olden days.
Contemporary use of ‘OM’ on tea shirts, vests and other casual wares is sometimes difficult to put up with.”
Extract from S Ramaswami’s January 2012 Newsletter
Laghu Nyāsaḥ – Agnir Me Prayer for Health with Translation
This mantra is asking for health and long life to link body, senses, energy, mind and awareness.
View or download this post as a PDF with chanting notations.
View or download this post as a PDF with chanting notations without translation.
Kayena Vāca – Closing Prayers for Veda Chanting with Translation
Short Closing Prayers for Veda Chanting
Continue ReadingKayena Vāca – Closing Prayers for Yoga Sūtra Chanting with Translation
Closing Prayers for Yoga Sūtra Chanting
Continue ReadingYogena Yogo – Opening Yoga Prayer for Yoga Practice with Translation
CHANT IN PRAISE OF YOGA
Chant from Vyāsa’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 6 with translation.
Śrī Kṛṣṇavāgīśa – A Prayer to Śrī Krishnamacharya with Translation
The convention is to speak about the guruparamparā and not describe or or speak about the teacher’s contributions……
Continue ReadingPrārthanā Mantraḥ – Gaṇapati Saṃhitā Pāṭhaḥ with Translation
Gaṇapati or Gaṇeśa is traditionally seen throughout India as the ‘Remover of Obstacles’ and ‘Lord of Beginnings’.
He is honoured at the beginning of rituals and invoked as the patron of letters (legend describes Gaṇeśa as the scribe who wrote the Mahābharata from the dictation of Vyāsa).
As such he can be viewed as the writer of ones destiny.
Śānti Pataḥ – Saha Nāvavatu with Translation
Traditionally chanting practice or textual study was preceeded or ended with an invocatory passage to help forge a link between the chanters, what is chanted and its purport, as well as setting a context for textual study.
This is the opening Invocation for the Taittirīya Upaniṣad Chapters 2 and 3, as well as for other Upaniṣad such as the Kaṭha and the Nārāyaṇa Upaniṣad.
Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
The drop down menu in this section lists Study and Practice Supports in the following areas:
1. Study Articles around the Yoga Sūtra
2. A range of Translations of the Yoga Sūtra
3. Yoga Sūtra Workbooks around Chapters One and Two
4. A range of Chant Sheets around the Yoga Sūtra
5. A range of Chant Files around the Yoga Sūtra
Gītārtha Saṃgraha of Śrī Yāmunācārya
Śrī Yāmuna was the grandson of the 9th century sage Śrī Nāthamuni and a forebear of T Krishnamacharya. His 32 verse commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā is called the Gītārtha Saṃgraha. It is seen as one of the most elegant and succinct available.
This workbook is offered as an freely available open source study guide for direct (link for further information on Bhagavad Gītā Study Courses) or long distance learning (with future posts offering a verse by verse translation) from my word by word studies over two years in my lessons with TKV Desikachar, with further notes from Desikachar’s study with his teacher T Krishnamacharya.
Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad – Ṛtaṃ Tapas as Mantra Practice with translation
Mantra on tapāṣtāṅga or the eight limbs of tapas.
- Tapas is an activity of mind, body or speech which demands a keen concentration of thought or requiring unusual and continuous physical effort.
View or download this Mantra complete with Chant notations as a PDF
View or download other Mantra from this Upaniṣad complete with Chant notations as PDF files




Use and Abuse of OM – Extracts from a Lecture by TKV Desikachar……
“If you respect India and Indians don’t make a joke of OM.”
TKV Desikachar - Lecture on September 5th 1983 in Zinal, Switzerland (Fuller notes on this lecture yet to be posted)