Adhiyogi - Sounds of Isha Lyrics
Adhiyogi - Sounds of Isha Lyrics
Adhiyogi - Sounds of Isha Lyrics
Adiyoginam Pranamāmyaham
This song is a salutation to Adiyogi, the first yogi, who is beyond any one quality, who has
conquered the five elements. We bow down to the first Guru who transmitted the science of
yoga through the Saptaris.
Ādiyoginam pranamāmyaham
Chandrashekara Ashtakam is said to have been written by Sage Markandeya.It is said that at the
age of sixteen, Markandeya was saved by Shiva from the God of Death (Kala or Yama). In
these verses, Markandeya seeks refuge in Shiva, referred to here as Chandrashekara (the one
who wears the crescent moon on his head). “When He is by my side, what can Yama do to
me?” he proclaims.
This song is a descriptive salutation of the different attributes of Shiva. The great yogi who is
referred to, as ardhanarishwara(who has included the feminine as a part of himself), the fair-
bodied one, and who beats a steady rhythm on his damaru.
4. Na Hi Shiva Sneha
Originally penned by Sadhguru in English before the consecration of the Yogeshwar Linga,
these verses have been translated into Sanskrit. They talk about the mysterious and crafty ways
of the formless Divine who shows the way to stillness and fulfilment, who is not the way but
the end.
In the Indian tradition, great importance is attached to having a Guru in one’s life. The
Gurvashtakam exemplifies this cultural tenet. In this octet, Adi Shankara lists the various
aspects of life that human beings generally prize: fame, power, riches, beauty, intelligence,
talent, possessions, a wonderful family. Then he dismisses it all, saying, “If one’s mind does
not surrender before the feet of the Guru, what is the point? What is the point, what is the point,
oh, what is the point?”
(Selected verses)
The yogic traditions recognized the dualities of life – masculine and feminine, logical and
intuitive, creator and creation, purusha and praktriti, Shiva and Shakti. On the surface, the Uma
Maheshwara Stotram by Adi Shankara is a salutation to Shiva and his consort Parvati. On a
deeper level it celebrates the two fundamental dimensions of existence.
(Selected verses)
This Ashtakam is a chant of salutations to Shiva, “the consort of Parvati”. It describes the
various attributes of Shiva who is exhorted by the sages and the Vedas and who is also known
as the Lord of Blessings, who is attributed contradicting descriptions likening him to devils and
ghosts as well as the most beautiful being. Embodying all the qualities of existence, he is all-
embracing and inclusive – as life naturally is.