Lyrics

Vunde gurunam caranaravinde

Sandarsita-svatma-sukhavabodhe

Nihsreyase jangalikayamane

Sansara-halahala

Moha-santyai

Hala hala

Ahahu-purusakaram

Sankah-cakrasi

Ahahu-purusakaram

Sankah-cakrasi

Dharinam d ha rinam

Sahasra-hasra-sirasam

Dharinam d ha rinam

Sahasra-hasra-sirasam

Vande

Om shanti

Om shanti

Shanti, shanti

Shante om

Om shanti

Om shanti

Shanti, shanti

Shante om

Vunde gurunam caranaravinde

Sandarsita-svatma-sukhavabodhe

nihsreyase jangalikayamane

Sansara-halahala

Moha-santyai

Hala hala

Ahahu-purusakaram

Sankah-cakrasi

Ahahu-purusakaram

Sankah-cakrasi

Dharinam d ha rinam

Sahasra-hasra-sirasam

Dharinam d ha rinam

Sahasra-hasra-sirasam

Vande

Om shanti

Om shanti

Shanti, shanti

Shante om

Om shanti

Om shanti

Shanti, shanti

Shante om

Om shanti

Om shanti

Shanti, shanti

Shante om

***

English Translation:

I worship the gurus' lotus feet

Awakening the happiness of the self revealed

Beyond comparison, working like the jungle physician

To pacify loss of consciousness from the poison of existence

In the form of a man up to the shoulders

Holding a conch, discus and sword

Thousand headed, white

I bow respectfully

Peace

Credits

Written by Madonna and William Orbit

Produced by Madonna and William Orbit

Adapted from text by Shankra Charya,

taken from the Yoga Taravali

Translation by Vyass Houston and Eddie Stern

Album

 Ray Of Light

Song

While producing the Ray Of Light album, Madonna was greatly inspired by Eastern spirituality, and especially the Kabbalah. So she decided to make this song in Sanskrit. It was a B-single for Frozen (US and UK).

She performed Shanti/Ashtangi and Ray Of Light on the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, with Lenny Kravitz as guitar backup.