Purna — The Infinite Comes From The Infinite
Finding new meaning in a yoga mantra
Om
Purnamadah purnamidam
Purnat purnamudachyate
Purnasya purnamadaya
Purnameva vashishyate
Om shantih shantih shantih— “Om Purnamadah”, Sanskrit mantra
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One thing led to another, and recently I stumbled upon this mantra again, almost two years after completing my yoga teacher training. This rather alliterative mantra was difficult to commit to memory at that time, partly because of the confusing repetition of the root word purna, or fullness, and partly because I couldn’t relate to the spirit of the mantra.
The mantra is loosely translated to this: “Om. That is fullness. This is fullness. This fullness comes from that fullness. Remove this fullness from that fullness, and that fullness still remains. Om, peace, peace, peace.” Perhaps the original translation I was introduced to didn’t fully capture this meaning, or I am simply in a different frame of mind now to be able to fully appreciate the beauty of this mantra. Either way, this mantra now speaks to me in a whole different light.
Among its many interpretations, this mantra captures the spirit of the relationship between the supreme consciousness (Brahman) and the universe and our individual consciousness (atman). To me, this alone presents a very moving and beautiful acknowledgment of all our individual paths to realization and our supreme consciousness that we all strive to merge with in order to achieve ultimate liberation and bliss.
However, beyond that, this mantra invokes a very strong image of a lit candle lighting other candles with its flame. As each candle gets lit, it bursts forth its own glorious flame that is as splendid as that from the first candle, yet, the first candle still retains its own splendid glow, ready to light up yet another candle.
That image of a lit candle brings into mind yet another image, that of a good teacher passing on knowledge and compassion to his or her students, helping them on their own paths of realization and perhaps even their own paths of teaching other students and carrying on the task of passing on knowledge and compassion.
That last image moves me greatly, now that I’m a yoga teacher. The mantra now takes on multiple meanings for me — one part of it inspires me to deepen my practice so as to attain yoga’s splendour and show gratitude for my own teachers and all yoga gurus before them; the other part encourages me to be a good yoga teacher to pass on the benefits of yoga and to help my students grow in their own paths in their lives. I’m indeed grateful to be on this path.
Hari Om!
