The Raja Yoga Mantra refers to the sacred utterances associated with the royal path of yoga, as systematized by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. This tradition is rooted in the ancient Indian philosophical school of Yoga, which aims at the cessation of mental fluctuations (chitta vritti nirodha) and the attainment of samadhi, or superconsciousness. The primary textual source is the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, composed around 400 CE, which outlines the eight limbs (ashtanga) of yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. The mantra 'Om Patanjali Namah' is commonly chanted to honor the sage and invoke his blessings for progress on the path.
Additionally, the Yoga Sutras themselves contain the bija mantra 'Om' as the pranava, representing the primordial sound and the ultimate reality. According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a later text, the chanting of mantras in conjunction with breath control (pranayama) purifies the nadis and prepares the mind for deeper meditation. The traditional purpose of these mantras is to cultivate mental discipline, ethical purity, and spiritual insight, leading to kaivalya (liberation). Recommended chanting context includes early morning or evening, seated in a comfortable posture, with a count of 108 repetitions using a japa mala.
Practitioners are advised to observe yama and niyama as foundational ethical precepts. Cautions include avoiding mechanical repetition without understanding; the mantra should be chanted with focused intention and devotion. The Raja Yoga Mantra is not a single fixed phrase but a category encompassing various mantras used within the ashtanga framework, such as the Gayatri mantra for purification or the Mahamrityunjaya mantra for health, as referenced in the Rigveda. The ultimate goal is the direct experience of the self (purusha) distinct from nature (prakriti), as described in the Yoga Sutras (1.2-1.3).
Salutations to Patanjali.