Shanti/Ashtangi Lyrics

Lyric discussion by humboldtdave 

Cover art for Shanti/Ashtangi lyrics by Madonna

"I worship the gurus lotus feet" (I give respect and aim to walk where the Teacher walks, to learn from Him)

"Awakening the happiness of the self revealed" (when the Teacher reveals that ego is unreal, happiness is inevitable)

"Beyond comparison, working like the jungle Physician" (the Teacher cannot be compared to any other and spreads healing)

"To pacify loss of consciousness from the Poison of existence" (the Teacher removes the distractions in day-to-day that rob of knowledge and experience of what is true and real)

"In the form of a man up to the shoulders" (bound physically to the material world, yet the Teacher is free to connect to and be conscious and in relation to the divine within and without (heavenly) at all times by mind and soul)

"Holding a conch, discus and sword" (the Teacher has the means of communicating to all, giving any tools necessary and able to defeat the enemy, which attacks by fear, apathy and confusion - the conch is internal soul to soul connection, the discus is infallible ability to get done any task with what is at hand, the sword is truth and love)

"Thousand headed, white" (the Teacher is in all creation and all creatures - and is pure and sinless by nature)

"I bow respectfully" (to the Teacher I give my best and above all, I honor thee)

"Peace" (be to you and to all what it is that You - the Teacher - the Master - God - intended in what is when creating it, and what You will now and to come: love and life in all things, and in all things realization of the unbreakable infinite bond between heaven and earth, the material and the spiritual ...understanding that not even death can separate...for there is no death, there is only love and light)

That's my too sense any way

My Interpretation

...another meaning for "Thousand headed, white" is that the creation knows the Creator by many images and names and from what appear to be many different perspectives (Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, islam, etc.) - but at the core of truth there is only the one real Teacher, the one true Guru, and He/She is pure, blameless, infallible, unconditional love.