Gheraṇḍa — 17th century
Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā
हठयोगान्तर्गता घेरण्डसंहिता
Contained within the Haṭha Yoga
First Teaching (Prathamopadeśa)
Ghaṭastha Yoga and the Six Purifications (Ṣaṭkarma)
1. I bow before the Primordial Lord (Ādīśvara), by whom the science of Haṭha Yoga was taught, which shines forth as a ladder for one who wishes to ascend to the exalted Rāja Yoga.
Once, Caṇḍakapāli, going to the auspicious hut of Gheraṇḍa, prostrated himself with humility and devotion and questioned Gheraṇḍa.
Śrī Caṇḍakapāli said:
2. "O Lord of Yoga, I now wish to hear about Ghaṭastha Yoga, the cause of the knowledge of the ultimate truth. Speak, O Lord, O Yogeśvara."
Gheraṇḍa said:
3. "Very well, very well, O long-armed one, for asking me this! I shall tell you, O son; listen attentively.
4. There is no bond equal to illusion (māyā); there is no force greater than Yoga; there is no friend greater than knowledge, nor enemy greater than egoism (ahaṃkāra).
5. Just as, through the practice of the letters beginning with ka and so forth, the scriptures are understood, so too, by attaining Yoga, one obtains the knowledge of truth.
6. Through good and bad actions, the body (ghaṭa) of beings is formed; from the body arises action, just as the water-wheel (ghaṭī-yantra) turns.
7. Just as the water-wheel turns up and down by the strength of the oxen, so too, by the force of karma, the living being (jīva) turns through births and deaths.
8. The body, like a vessel of unbaked clay placed in water, is always deteriorating. One should therefore burn it with the fire of Yoga and purify it.
The seven practices of the body
9. Purification, firmness, stability, courage, lightness, direct perception, and detachment — these are the seven practices relating to the body.
The characteristics of the seven practices
10. Purification comes through the six actions (ṣaṭkarma); firmness, through āsana (posture); stability, through mudrā; and courage, through pratyāhāra (withdrawal of the senses).
11. Through prāṇāyāma comes lightness; through meditation (dhyāna), direct perception of the Self; through samādhi, detachment — and then, without doubt, liberation.
Purification (Śodhana)
12. Dhauti, basti, neti, laulikī (nauli), trāṭaka, and kapālabhāti — these are the six actions (ṣaṭkarma) that should be practiced.
Dhauti
13. Antar-dhauti, danta-dhauti, hṛd-dhauti, and mūla-śodhana: by practicing these four forms of dhauti, the body becomes pure.
Antar-dhauti (internal purification)
14. Vāta-sāra, vāri-sāra, vahni-sāra, and bahiṣkṛta: for the purification of the body, antar-dhauti is of four kinds.
Vāta-sāra
15. With the mouth shaped like a crow's beak, one slowly drinks in air; the abdomen is then agitated, and finally the air is slowly expelled.
16. Vāta-sāra must be kept in great secrecy; it is a cause of purification of the body, destroys all diseases, and increases the digestive fire.
Vāri-sāra
17. [The stomach] is filled with water up to the throat, drinking it slowly through the mouth; the abdomen is agitated, and it is expelled through the lower passage.
18. Vāri-sāra must be kept secret; it purifies the body. It should be practiced with effort, and thereby one obtains a divine body.
19. He who practices vāri-sāra, the supreme purifier, diligently, cleansing the impure body, obtains a divine body.
Agni-sāra
20. The knot of the navel is drawn toward the spine a hundred times. This dhauti, the agni-sāra, grants yogis success in Yoga; it eliminates abdominal diseases and increases the digestive fire.
21. This dhauti must be kept in great secrecy; it is difficult to attain even for the gods. Only through it, certainly, does one obtain a divine body.
Bahiṣkṛta-dhauti
22. Practicing kākī-mudrā (the crow's-beak posture), one fills the abdomen with air; it is retained for half a yāma and expelled through the lower passage. This dhauti must be kept in great secrecy and never revealed.
Prakṣālana
23. Standing in water up to the navel, one expels the intestine (śakti-nāḍī); it is washed with the hands until all impurities are completely removed; then, once clean, the intestine is reintroduced into the abdomen.
24. This prakṣālana must be kept secret; it is difficult even for the gods. Only by this dhauti, certainly, does one obtain a divine body.
25. As long as the practitioner has not developed the capacity to retain [the breath] for half a yāma, the great dhauti bahiṣkṛta cannot be accomplished.
Danta-dhauti (purification of the teeth)
26. The root of the teeth, the root of the tongue, the openings of the two ears, and the cranial aperture — these five constitute danta-dhauti.
Danta-mūla-dhauti
27. With khadira (acacia) resin or with pure earth, the root of the teeth is rubbed until every impurity is removed.
28. Cleaning the root of the teeth is a supreme practice for yogis in the accomplishment of Yoga. The knower of Yoga should practice it daily in the morning, protecting the teeth; this is the opinion of the yogis regarding brushing and other such care.
Jihvā-śodhana (purification of the tongue)
29. I shall now explain the reason for the purification of the tongue: it destroys old age, death, and disease, and lengthens the uvula (lambikā).
30. With three fingers — index, middle, and ring — one inserts them into the throat and rubs the base of the uvula. Rubbing slowly and gradually, the defect of kapha is eliminated.
31. It should be rubbed with fresh butter and "milked" repeatedly; its tip is pulled with an iron instrument, slowly.
32. One should practice diligently every day, at sunrise and sunset. Doing so regularly, the uvula lengthens.
Karṇa-dhauti
33. With the index and ring fingers, the two openings of the ears are cleaned. Through constant practice, the inner sound (nāda) is revealed.
Kapāla-randhra
34. With the right thumb, the frontal opening (on the forehead) is rubbed. Thus, through practice, the defect of kapha is eliminated.
35. The nāḍīs [subtle channels] become pure, and divine vision arises. It should be practiced at the end of sleep, at the end of a meal, and at the end of the day, daily.
Hṛd-dhauti (purification of the chest)
36. Hṛd-dhauti should be practiced in three ways: with a stalk (daṇḍa), with vomiting (vamana), and with cloth (vāsas).
Daṇḍa-dhauti
37. With a banana stalk, a turmeric stalk, or a reed (vetasa) stalk, one moves it inside the chest and then slowly withdraws it.
38. In this way, kapha and pitta are expelled through the upper passage [through the mouth], inducing vomiting. Through the practice of daṇḍa-dhauti, heart diseases are certainly destroyed.
Vamana-dhauti
39. After eating, the sage drinks water up to the throat; looking upward for a moment, he vomits that water. Through constant practice, kapha and pitta are eliminated.
Vāso-dhauti
40. A fine cloth, four fingers wide, is slowly swallowed; then it is withdrawn again. This is called the practice of vāso-dhauti.
41. Abdominal tumors, fever, splenomegaly, skin diseases, kapha, and pitta are destroyed; health, strength, and vigor increase day by day for one who practices it.
Mūla-śodhana (purification of the anus)
42. As long as the anus is not purified, the apāna [the lower vital wind] remains obstructed. Therefore, with all effort, one should practice the purification of the anus.
43. With a turmeric stalk or the middle finger, one carefully washes the anus, repeatedly, with water.
44. This prevents intestinal constipation and poor digestion; it is a cause of bodily radiance and vigor, and kindles the digestive fire.
The Chapter on Basti (Enema)
45. Basti is known to be of two kinds: jala-basti (with water) and śuṣka-basti (dry). Jala-basti should be practiced in water; śuṣka-basti, always on land.
Jala-basti
46. Immersed in water up to the navel, seated in the utkaṭāsana posture, one inserts [a tube] into the anus and practices contraction and expansion — this is jala-basti.
47. It eliminates urinary disorders, rectal obstruction, and malignant winds; the body becomes free and beautiful, resembling the very god of love (Kāmadeva).
48. Moving the basti downward with the paścimatāna flexion, with aśvinī-mudrā one contracts and expands the anus.
49. Through constant practice, intestinal disorders disappear; the digestive fire increases, and āma-vāta (rheumatic disorders originating from toxins) is destroyed.
Neti
50. A fine thread, the length of one vitasti (about twenty-three centimeters), is inserted through one nostril and withdrawn through the mouth. This is called the practice of neti.
51. Through the practice of neti, success is obtained in khecarī; the defects of kapha are destroyed, and divine vision arises.
Laulikī (Nauli)
52. The abdomen is vigorously rotated to both sides. This destroys all diseases and increases the digestive fire of the body.
Trāṭaka
53. Refraining from blinking, one gazes fixedly at a small target until tears arise. This is called trāṭaka by the sages.
54. Through constant practice, the state of Śāmbhavī [mudrā] certainly arises; eye diseases are destroyed, and divine vision arises.
Kapālabhāti
55. It is practiced in three ways: vāta-krama, vyut-krama, and, specifically, śīt-krama. Thus bhāla-bhāti (the shine of the forehead) is practiced, eliminating the defect of kapha.
Vāta-krama-kapālabhāti
56. One inhales through iḍā and exhales through piṅgalā; one inhales through piṅgalā and exhales again through the lunar nāḍī (iḍā).
57. In practicing inhalation and exhalation, they should not be moved with excessive force. Thus, through practice, the defect of kapha is eliminated.
Vyutkrama-kapālabhāti
58. Water is drawn in through the nostrils and expelled through the mouth. By repeatedly drinking in this reverse manner, the defect of phlegm is eliminated.
Śītkrama-kapālabhāti
59. Drawing in [the air] with a hissing sound through the mouth, one drinks it and expels it through the nostrils. Through constant practice, one becomes like the god of love himself.
60. The body becomes free and beautiful, and the defect of kapha is eliminated; old age does not arise, and fever never manifests.
Thus ends, in the Śrī Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, in the dialogue between Gheraṇḍa and Caṇḍa, on Ghaṭastha Yoga, the first teaching, called "The Practice of the Six Actions" (Ṣaṭkarma-sādhana).
Second Teaching (Dvitīyopadeśa)
The Āsanas (Postures)
Gheraṇḍa said:
1. There are as many āsanas as there are species of living beings: eighty-four lakhs (8,400,000), as taught by Śiva.
2. Among them, eighty-four are distinguished (a hundred minus sixteen); and among these, in the mortal world, thirty-two postures are considered auspicious.
The varieties of āsanas
3. Siddha, padma, bhadra, mukta, vajra, svastika, siṃha, gomukha, vīra, and dhanurāsana;
4. mṛta (corpse), gupta, mātsya, matsyendrāsana, gorakṣa, paścimottāna, utkaṭa, and saṅkaṭa;
5. māyūra, kukkuṭa, kūrma, uttānakūrmaka, uttānamaṇḍūka, vṛkṣa, maṇḍūka, garuḍa, and vṛṣa;
6. śalabha, makara, uṣṭra, bhujaṅga, and yogāsana — these thirty-two postures grant success in the mortal world.
The practice of the āsanas
Siddhāsana
7. Pressing the heel against the perineum and placing the other heel on the genital, keeping the chin firmly resting on the chest, motionless as a trunk, with the senses controlled and the gaze fixed between the eyebrows — this is called siddhāsana, which opens the door of liberation.
Padmāsana
8. Placing the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh, passing the arms behind according to the paścima method and firmly grasping the toes, resting the chin on the chest and fixing the gaze on the tip of the nose — this is called padmāsana, which destroys all diseases.
Bhadrāsana
9–10. Placing both heels beneath the scrotum, crosswise, holding the toes with the hands behind the back, applying jālandhara-bandha, and fixing the gaze on the tip of the nose — this is bhadrāsana, which destroys all diseases.
Muktāsana
11. Placing the left heel at the base of the anus and the right heel upon it, keeping the body, head, and neck aligned — this is muktāsana, which grants success.
Vajrāsana
12. Placing both feet beside the anus, with the legs folded like a thunderbolt (vajra) — this is vajrāsana, which grants success to yogis.
Svastikāsana
13. Placing both soles of the feet between the thighs and the knees, sitting with the body upright — this is called svastikāsana.
Siṃhāsana
14–15. Placing the crossed heels beneath the scrotum, turned upward, with the feet resting on the ground and the hands on the knees, opening the mouth and tongue wide, fixing the gaze on the tip of the nose — this is siṃhāsana, which destroys all diseases.
Gomukhāsana
16. Placing the feet on the ground beside the body, behind, keeping the body firm — this is gomukhāsana, resembling a cow's face.
Vīrāsana
17. Placing one foot on the opposite thigh, and the other behind, in a similar manner — this is called vīrāsana.
Dhanurāsana
18. Stretching the legs on the ground like sticks, grasping both feet with the hands behind the back, bending the body like a bow — this is called dhanurāsana.
Śavāsana (Mṛtāsana)
19. Lying on one's back on the ground like a corpse — this is śavāsana, which eliminates fatigue and brings rest to the mind.
Guptāsana
20. Placing the feet between the thighs and the knees and hiding them, resting the anus upon them — this is known as guptāsana.
Matsyāsana
21. Assuming muktapadmāsana and lying on one's back, encircling the head with the elbows — this is matsyāsana, which removes diseases.
Matsyendrāsana
22–23. Twisting the abdomen backward with effort, placing the left foot on the right knee; placing the right elbow there, with the face turned toward the right hand, and the gaze fixed between the eyebrows — this seat is called matsyendrāsana.
Gorakṣāsana
24–25. Placing the feet turned upward between the thighs and the knees, carefully covering the heels with the hands turned upward; contracting the throat and fixing the gaze on the tip of the nose — this is called gorakṣāsana, a cause of success for yogis.
Paścimottānāsana
26. Stretching the legs on the ground like sticks, resting the forehead between the knees, holding the feet firmly with the hands — this is called paścimottānāsana, the supreme seat of the yogis.
Utkaṭāsana
27. Supporting oneself on the ground with the two big toes, with the heels suspended in the air, and placing the anus upon them — one should recognize this as utkaṭāsana.
Saṅkaṭāsana
28. Placing the left foot beside the heel, on the ground, and wrapping the left leg with the right leg, placing the hands on the knees — this is saṅkaṭāsana.
Mayūrāsana
29. Supporting oneself on the ground with the palms of the hands, placing the navel and the flanks upon the elbows, raising the body straight as a rod, in the air — this is called mayūrāsana.
30. It reduces to ashes even excess, poorly digested food, kindles the digestive fire, and is capable of digesting even the kālakūṭa poison. It quickly eliminates all diseases, such as tumors and fevers — this is the glorious and purifying mayūrāsana.
Kukkuṭāsana
31. Assuming padmāsana, placing the hands between the thighs and the knees, raising oneself up on the elbows — this is kukkuṭāsana.
Kūrmāsana
32. Placing the crossed heels beneath the scrotum, with the body, head, and neck upright — this is called kūrmāsana.
Uttānakūrmakāsana
33. Remaining in the kukkuṭāsana posture, holding the neck with the hands, one lies back like a tortoise — this is uttānakūrmaka.
Maṇḍūkāsana
34. Placing the soles of the feet behind, touching the big toes, with the knees in front — thus maṇḍūkāsana is practiced.
Uttānamaṇḍūkāsana
35. Remaining in the maṇḍūkāsana posture, holding the head with the elbows, one lies back like a frog — this is uttāna-maṇḍūkāsana.
Vṛkṣāsana
36. Placing the right foot at the base of the left thigh, standing like a tree — this is known as vṛkṣāsana.
Garuḍāsana
37. Pressing the ground with the legs and thighs, keeping the body firm upon both knees, with the hands interlaced over the knees — this is called garuḍāsana.
Vṛṣāsana
38. Placing the base of the anus on the right heel, and the other foot, on the left side, touching the ground in an inverted manner — this is vṛṣāsana.
Śalabhāsana
39. Lying on the chest, supporting the hands on the ground with the palms, raising the legs in the air to a height of one vitasti — the great sages call this seat śalabhāsana.
Makarāsana
40. Lying with the chest on the ground, extending the legs, resting the head on the two arms stretched out like sticks — this is makarāsana, which increases the bodily fire.
Uṣṭrāsana
41. Lying with the feet crossed over the back, holding them with the hands, firmly contracting the skin of the abdomen — the yogis call this seat uṣṭrāsana.
Bhujaṅgāsana
42–43. Lying with the feet and the body up to the navel on the ground, supporting oneself on the ground with the palms of the hands, raising the head like a serpent — the bodily fire increases constantly, destroying all diseases; the serpent goddess [Kuṇḍalinī] awakens through the practice of bhujaṅgāsana.
Yogāsana
44–45. Placing both feet turned upward on the knees, placing both hands turned upward on the seat, inhaling the air and fixing the gaze on the tip of the nose — this is yogāsana, for the practice of yogis.
Thus ends, in the Śrī Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, in the dialogue between Gheraṇḍa and Caṇḍa, on Ghaṭastha Yoga, the second teaching, called "The Practice of the Āsanas."
Third Teaching (Tṛtīyopadeśa)
The Mudrās
Gheraṇḍa said:
1. Mahā-mudrā, nabho-mudrā, uḍḍīyāna, jālandhara, mūla-bandha, mahā-bandha, mahā-vedha, and khecarī;
2. viparītakaraṇī, yoni-mudrā, vajrolī, śakti-cālinī, tāḍāgī, māṇḍukī, śāmbhavī, and the five dhāraṇās (pañca-dhāraṇā);
3. aśvinī, pāśinī, kākī, mātaṅgī, and bhujaṅginī. In all, twenty-five mudrās grant success to yogis on this path.
The result of the mudrās
4. O goddess, I have set before you the series of mudrās, through which, by knowledge alone, all success manifests.
5. This must be kept secret, with effort, and should not be given to just anyone; it is a source of joy only for yogis, being difficult even for the gods (marut).
Mahā-mudrā
6–7. Pressing firmly on the base of the anus with the left heel, extending the right leg, holding the toe with the hand; contracting the throat and fixing the gaze between the eyebrows, filling with air through inhalation — this is called mahā-mudrā.
8. It destroys tuberculosis, cough, rectal obstruction, splenomegaly, indigestion, and fever; it eliminates all diseases through the practice of mahā-mudrā.
Nabho-mudrā
9. Wherever he may be, in any action, the yogi, keeping the tongue turned upward and remaining steady, should always retain the air. This is nabho-mudrā, which destroys the diseases of yogis.
Uḍḍīyāna-bandha
10. The abdomen is pulled backward and upward, above the navel. Because it makes [the prāṇa] fly (uḍḍīna) incessantly like a great bird, this bandha is called uḍḍīyāna; it is the lion that subdues the elephant of death.
11. Among all the bandhas, this uḍḍīyāna is the most excellent; when well practiced, liberation becomes natural.
Jālandhara-bandha
12. Contracting the throat, one places the chin on the chest. When jālandhara-bandha is performed, the sixteen supports (ādhāras) are locked. Jālandhara is a great mudrā that destroys death.
13. The perfected jālandhara-bandha grants success to yogis; whoever practices it for six months undoubtedly becomes an adept (siddha).
Mūla-bandha
14–15. With the heel of the left foot, one contracts the perineum; the sage presses the knot of the navel firmly against the spine, and keeps the penis firmly pressed against the right heel. This mudrā destroys old age; it is called mūla-bandha.
16–17. Whoever wishes to cross the ocean of existence (saṃsāra) should practice this mudrā secretly, in an isolated place. Through its practice one certainly obtains mastery over the vital air (marut); it should be practiced with effort, in silence, having conquered laziness.
Mahā-bandha
18–19. With the heel of the left foot, one obstructs the base of the anus; the sage presses that heel with the right foot, with effort. The heel is moved slowly, and the perineum is slowly contracted; retaining the prāṇa with jālandhara — this is called mahā-bandha.
20. Mahā-bandha is the supreme bandha, destroyer of old age and death. By the grace of this bandha, all desires are fulfilled.
Mahā-vedha
21–22. Just as the beauty, youth, and charm of a woman are useless without a man, so too mūla-bandha and mahā-bandha are useless without mahā-vedha. Assuming mahā-bandha, one practices breath retention with uḍḍīyāna — this is called mahā-vedha, which grants success to yogis.
23–24. The yogi who daily practices mahā-bandha and mūla-bandha, together with mahā-vedha, is the most excellent knower of Yoga; he does not fear death, nor does old age exist for him. This vedha must be kept secret by the best yogis.
Khecarī-mudrā
25. The frenulum beneath the tongue is gradually cut, and the tongue is constantly moved; it is "milked" with fresh butter and pulled with an iron instrument.
26. Thus, through constant practice, the uvula (lambikā) lengthens until it reaches the space between the eyebrows; then khecarī is accomplished.
27. The tongue is slowly introduced into the middle of the palate; inserted into the cranial cavity, it turns backward. With the gaze fixed between the eyebrows — this mudrā is khecarī.
28. Fainting, hunger, thirst, and laziness do not arise; there is no disease, old age, or death — [the body] becomes a divine body.
29. The body is not burned by fire, nor dried by wind; waters cannot cut it, nor can serpents bite it.
30. Charm arises in it, and samādhi is certainly accomplished; upon contact of the tongue with the cranial cavity, the tongue experiences various tastes.
31. [One experiences] daily ecstasy arising from various tastes: first salty and alkaline, then bitter and astringent.
32. [Then tastes such as] fresh butter, ghee, milk, curd, whey, honey, grape juice, and nectar — thus becomes the liquid that drips onto the tongue.
Viparītakaraṇī-mudrā
33. The sun resides at the base of the navel, and the moon at the base of the palate. The sun devours the nectar [dripping from the moon], and because of this man becomes subject to death.
34. One should therefore raise the sun and bring the moon down. This mudrā, viparītakaraṇī, is kept secret in all the scriptures.
35. Placing the head on the ground, with both hands supporting it, remaining steady with the legs raised upward — thus viparītakaraṇī is to be understood.
36. Practicing it constantly, old age and death are destroyed. Whoever masters it becomes an adept (siddha) in all the worlds, and does not perish even at the cosmic dissolution (pralaya).
Yoni-mudrā
37. Assuming siddhāsana, the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth are closed with the thumbs, index, middle, and other fingers.
38. With the mouth shaped like a crow's beak (kākī), one draws in the prāṇa and unites it with the apāna. The sage then meditates, successively, on the six cakras, with the mantra "Haṃ" and "Haṃsa."
39. The consciousness of the serpent goddess (bhujaṅginī, the Kuṇḍalinī), who lies asleep, is awakened, raising the śakti, together with the jīva, up to the [supreme] lotus.
40. Becoming himself full of śakti, [one contemplates] the supreme union with Śiva; one contemplates the manifold pleasure and supreme happiness of that communion.
41. Through the union of Śiva and Śakti, one contemplates absolute oneness; the mind becoming full of ecstasy, the realization "I am Brahman" (Ahaṃ Brahmāsmi) arises.
42. Yoni-mudrā must be kept in supreme secrecy; it is difficult even for the gods. Whoever attains it, even once, obtains perfection and remains in samādhi.
43. Even one who has committed the murder of a brahmin, an abortion, who has drunk alcohol, or defiled the guru's bed — is not stained by these sins, thanks to the constant practice of yoni-mudrā.
44. All terrible sins and minor sins are destroyed through the constant practice of yoni-mudrā. Therefore, whoever desires liberation should practice it.
Vajrolī-mudrā
45. Supporting oneself on the ground with the palms of the hands, raising both legs upward, with the head in the air — the sages call this vajrolī-mudrā, for the awakening of śakti and longevity.
46. This Yoga is the best of Yogas, the cause of liberation for yogis; this Yoga is beneficial and grants success to yogis.
47. By the grace of this Yoga, one certainly obtains mastery over bindu [the vital essence]. When bindu is mastered with great effort, what cannot be attained in this world?
48. Even one given over to great pleasures, if he practices this mudrā, will certainly obtain complete perfection.
Śakti-cālinī-mudrā
49. In the mūlādhāra resides śakti herself, Kuṇḍalī, the supreme divinity, asleep in the form of a serpent, coiled three and a half times.
50. As long as she sleeps in the body, the jīva remains like an animal; knowledge does not arise, even if millions of Yoga techniques are practiced.
51. Just as a locked door is forced open with a key, the awakening of the Kuṇḍalinī opens the door of Brahman.
52. Covering the navel with a cloth, without being naked outside the house, one should practice śakti-cālana in a hidden, private place.
53. The cloth used to wrap the body should be one vitasti long and four fingers wide, soft, white, and fine.
54. Tying this cloth with a cord around the waist and anointing the body with ashes, one assumes siddhāsana.
55. Drawing the prāṇa in through the nostrils, one forcefully unites it with the apāna; the anus is then gradually contracted, with aśvinī-mudrā.
56. Until the air wishes [to enter] the suṣumnā, revealing itself from the body, [this continues]; then, through the retention of the air, the Kuṇḍalinī (the serpent),
57. her breath held, advances along the ascending path. Without śakti-cālana, yoni-mudrā cannot be accomplished; one should first practice cālana and then yoni-mudrā.
58. Thus was śakti-cālana taught to you, O Caṇḍa. It must be kept secret, with effort, and practiced daily.
59. This mudrā must be kept in absolute secrecy; it destroys old age and death. Therefore, it should be practiced by yogis who aspire to success.
60. Success lies in the hand of the yogi who practices it daily; he obtains perfection of the body, and all diseases are destroyed.
Tāḍāgī-mudrā
61. Contracting the abdomen backward, in the paścimottāna posture, in the shape of a tank (tāḍāga) — this is the supreme tāḍāgī-mudrā, which destroys old age and death.
Māṇḍukī-mudrā
62. Closing the mouth, the root of the tongue is moved; the nectar thus produced is slowly swallowed — this is known as māṇḍukī-mudrā.
63. Wrinkles and white hair do not arise — one remains ever young; the hair does not turn gray for one who constantly practices māṇḍukī.
Śāmbhavī-mudrā
64. Looking [outward at the world] while contemplating the Self (Ātmārāma) within — this is śāmbhavī-mudrā, kept secret in all the scriptures.
65. The Vedas, the scriptures, and the Purāṇas are like common courtesans, accessible to all; but this mudrā, śāmbhavī, is guarded in secret like the wife of a good family.
66. Whoever knows this mudrā, śāmbhavī, is Ādinātha himself; is Nārāyaṇa himself; is Brahmā himself, the creator.
67. Truth, truth, and truth again — I speak it in truth, O great Lord: whoever knows śāmbhavī is Brahman himself, and there is no other form [of being so].
The Five Dhāraṇās (Concentrations)
68. Having taught śāmbhavī-mudrā, hear now the five dhāraṇās. By attaining them, what can one not accomplish in this world?
69. With this very human body, it becomes possible to go and come from the heavens; the mind acquires such capacity that the power to move through space (khecaratva) is obtained — there is no other way.
Pārthivī-dhāraṇā
70. That element, colored like yellow arsenic, earthy, associated with the letter "La," filled with the [four] Vedas, seated upon a lotus, held firmly in the heart — dissolving the prāṇa there and keeping the mind concentrated for five ghaṭikās [about two hours] — this dhāraṇā, which stabilizes, always confers mastery over the earth element.
71. Whoever constantly practices pārthivī-dhāraṇā becomes himself a conqueror of death (Mṛtyuñjaya) and, as a siddha, wanders freely over the earth.
Āmbhasī-dhāraṇā
72. That water element, bright as the moon and white as the jasmine flower, an auspicious nectar, associated with the seed-sound "Va," ever united with Viṣṇu — dissolving the prāṇa there and keeping the mind concentrated for five ghaṭikās — this dhāraṇā, āmbhasī, removes suffering and unbearable sins.
73. Whoever knows this supreme mudrā, āmbhasī, is a knower of Yoga; for him, there is no death, even in deep and terrible waters.
74. This supreme mudrā must be kept secret, with effort; if revealed, perfection is lost — this I say in truth and in essence.
Āgneyī-dhāraṇā
75. That fire element, resembling the red indra-gopa insect, associated with the triangle, blazing and red, associated with the letter "Ra," which grants success — dissolving the prāṇa there and keeping the mind concentrated for five ghaṭikās — this dhāraṇā, vaiśvānarī, removes the deep fear of death.
76. If the practitioner should fall into a blazing, flaming fire, by the grace of this mudrā he survives and is not seized by death.
Vāyavī-dhāraṇā
77. That element resembling a cloud of collyrium, grayish in appearance, the supreme element that pervades all things, associated with the letter "Ya," whose deity is Īśvara — dissolving the prāṇa there and keeping the mind concentrated for five ghaṭikās — this dhāraṇā, vāyavī, grants practitioners the power to move through the air.
78. This is a supreme mudrā that destroys old age and death; it is unaffected by wind and confers the ability to move through space.
79. It must not be given to any deceiver or to one lacking devotion; if given to such a person, perfection is lost — this I say in truth, O Caṇḍa.
Ākāśī-dhāraṇā
80. That element of space (ākāśa), resembling the pure water of the ocean, radiant, associated with the god Sadāśiva and the seed-sound "Ha" — dissolving the prāṇa there and keeping the mind concentrated for five ghaṭikās — this dhāraṇā, ākāśī, opens the door of liberation.
81. Whoever knows this dhāraṇā, ākāśī, is a knower of Yoga; for him death does not arise, and he does not suffer even at the cosmic dissolution.
Aśvinī-mudrā
82. The anus is repeatedly contracted and relaxed. This is aśvinī-mudrā, which awakens the śakti.
83. Aśvinī is a supreme mudrā that destroys intimate diseases, confers strength and vigor, and prevents untimely death.
Pāśinī-mudrā
84. Both feet are placed behind the neck, firmly bound like a rope (pāśa). This is pāśinī-mudrā, which awakens the śakti.
85. Pāśinī is a great mudrā, which confers strength and vigor. It should be practiced with effort by aspirants who desire perfection.
Kākī-mudrā
86. With the mouth shaped like a crow's beak, one slowly drinks in air. This is kākī-mudrā, which destroys all diseases.
87. Kākī is a supreme mudrā, kept secret in all the scriptures. By its grace alone, whoever practices it does not fall ill, becoming, like a crow, immune.
Mātaṅginī-mudrā
88–89. Remaining in water up to the throat, one draws water in through the nostrils; it is then expelled through the mouth, and drawn in again through the mouth; it is then expelled through the nostrils, and the process is repeated. Mātaṅginī is a supreme mudrā that destroys old age and death.
90. Practicing mātaṅginī-mudrā in an isolated and deserted place, with the mind concentrated on a single point, one becomes [as powerful] as an elephant (mātaṅga).
91. Wherever he may be, the sick person obtains extreme happiness by practicing it; therefore, this supreme mudrā should be practiced with all effort.
Bhujaṅginī-mudrā
92. Opening the mouth slightly, air is swallowed through the throat. This is bhujaṅginī-mudrā, which destroys old age and death.
93. All diseases of the abdomen, especially indigestion, are quickly destroyed wherever bhujaṅginī-mudrā is practiced.
The General Result of the Mudrās
94. This, O Caṇḍa, is the auspicious series of mudrās that I have set before you, dear to all adepts, destroyer of old age and death.
95–96. It must not be given to any deceiver or to one lacking devotion; it must be kept secret, with effort, being difficult even for the gods. It should be transmitted only to the honest disciple, of a serene mind, devoted to the guru, and of good lineage, for it grants pleasure and liberation.
97. This series of mudrās destroys all diseases and increases the digestive fire of one who practices it constantly.
98. For him, death does not arise, nor old age; he fears neither fire nor water — and how could he fear the wind?
99. Cough, asthma, splenomegaly, skin diseases, and the twenty diseases caused by phlegm are all destroyed, without doubt, through the practice of the mudrās.
100. Why say more? I tell you the essence, O Caṇḍa: nothing in this world grants perfection as the mudrās do.
Thus, in the Śrī Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, in the dialogue between Gheraṇḍa and Caṇḍa, in the chapter on Ghaṭastha Yoga, ends the third teaching, called "The Practice of the Mudrās."
Fourth Teaching (Caturthopadeśa)
Pratyāhāra (Withdrawal of the Senses)
Gheraṇḍa said:
1. I shall now explain the excellent pratyāhāra, through mere knowledge of which enemies such as desire (kāma) and others are destroyed.
2. From wherever the restless and unstable mind wanders, one should, from there, control it and bring it under the dominion of the Self (Ātman).
3. Wherever the sight turns, the mind also goes; one should therefore withdraw it and bring it under the dominion of the Self.
4. In the face of praise, scorn, a pleasant or terrifying sound, one should restrain the mind and bring it under the dominion of the Self.
5. Whether cold or hot, whatever the mind experiences through touch, one should withdraw it from that and bring it under the dominion of the Self.
6. Whether a pleasant or unpleasant scent arises through smell, one should withdraw the mind from it and bring it under the dominion of the Self.
7. When the mind clings to tastes such as sweet, sour, bitter, and others, one should withdraw it and bring it under the dominion of the Self.
Thus, in the Śrī Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, in the dialogue between Gheraṇḍa and Caṇḍa, on Ghaṭastha Yoga, ends the fourth teaching, called "The Practice of Pratyāhāra."
Fifth Teaching (Pañcamopadeśa)
Prāṇāyāma
Gheraṇḍa said:
1. I shall now explain the method of prāṇāyāma, through the mere practice of which man becomes like unto a god.
2. First [one must consider] the appropriate place, then the appropriate time and moderate diet; then, the purification of the channels (nāḍī-śuddhi); only then should prāṇāyāma be practiced.
The determination of the place
3. One should not begin the practice of Yoga in a distant and unknown land, in a strange forest, in the capital of a kingdom, or near crowds — for, if done so, the practice ruins success.
4. A distant land is untrustworthy, an unprotected forest is dangerous, and a place exposed to crowds compromises the practice; one should therefore avoid these three.
5. In a good place, in a just kingdom, where alms are plentiful and disturbances absent, one should build there a small hut, surrounded by walls.
6. With a tank, well, or lake within the enclosed area; the hut should be neither too high nor too low, and should be free of insects.
7. It should be well plastered with cow dung and have no cracks. In such safe and discreet places, prāṇāyāma should be practiced.
The determination of the time
8. One should not begin the practice of Yoga in winter, at the onset of winter, in summer, or in the rainy season; if begun in these seasons, Yoga causes illness.
9. It is recommended to begin the practice of Yoga in spring or autumn; thus Yoga is accomplished with success and certainly frees [the practitioner] from disease.
10. From Caitra to the end of Phālguna, and from Māgha to the end of Phālguna — each season spans two months, with four phases of intensity.
11. Spring comprises Caitra and Vaiśākha; summer, Jyeṣṭha and Āṣāḍha; the rainy season, Śrāvaṇa and Bhādra; autumn, Āśvina and Kārtika; the onset of winter, Mārgaśīrṣa and Pauṣa; and deep winter, Māgha and Phālguna.
12. I shall now explain the effects of each season, as has been said: from Māgha to Vaiśākha, the effect of spring is considered.
13. From Caitra to the end of Āṣāḍha, the effect of intense heat is considered; from Āṣāḍha to the end of Āśvina, the effect of the rainy season is considered.
14. From Bhādra to the end of Mārgaśīrṣa, the effect of autumn is considered; from Kārtika to the end of Māgha, the effect of the onset of winter; and the four months from Mārgaśīrṣa, the effect of deep winter.
15. Whether in spring or autumn, the practice of Yoga should be begun; thus it is accomplished with success and without strain, as is said.
The moderate diet (Mitāhāra)
16. Whoever begins the practice of Yoga without a moderate diet contracts various diseases, and nothing of Yoga is accomplished.
17. Cooked rice, barley or wheat flour, mung beans, urad, chickpeas and the like, cleaned and hulled;
18. patola (snake gourd), jackfruit, yam, kankola (cubeb pepper), bamboo shoot; cucumber, banana, fig, and the thorny vegetable;
19. tender shoots and buds of the banana plant, banana stem and radish; eggplant and others — the yogi may consume these.
20. Tender leafy vegetables, seasonal vegetables, and patola leaves; leafy vegetables such as vāstūka (Malabar spinach) and hilamocikā are recommended.
21. Pure, sweet, and unctuous foods, eaten leaving half the stomach empty, eaten with appreciation and pleasure — this is known as a moderate diet.
22. One should fill half the stomach with food, a third with water, and leave a quarter empty for the circulation of air (vāyu).
23. [One should avoid] spicy, sour, salty, bitter, and fried foods; curd, whey; excess of leafy vegetables; alcoholic beverages; palm fruits and jackfruit;
24. horse gram, lentils, white gourd, pumpkin, vegetable stalks; bitter gourd, jujube, elephant-apple wood, spiny jackfruit, and the palāśa flower;
25. kadamba, lemon, bimba, breadfruit, garlic, poison; star fruit, piyāla, asafoetida, silk cotton, and kemuka.
26. At the beginning of the practice of Yoga, one should avoid travel, [sexual] relations, and exposure to fire; likewise fresh butter, ghee, milk, jaggery, sugar, and sugarcane products.
27. Ripe banana, coconut, pomegranate, and sour grapes; Indian gooseberry and juices, except sour ones.
28. Cardamom, nutmeg, clove, areca nut, rose apple, and jambolan; chebulic myrobalan and dates — the yogi may consume these.
29. The yogi should eat food that is light and easy to digest, pleasant, unctuous, nourishing to the bodily tissues, suitable, and pleasing to the mind.
30. The yogi should avoid food that is hard, harmful, putrid, artificially heated, stale, extremely cold, or extremely hot.
31. He should also not practice excessive morning baths, rigorous fasting, or other practices that cause suffering to the body; nor should he eat only once a day, fast completely, or leave intervals of one yāma [three hours] between meals.
32. Practicing prāṇāyāma according to these rules: at the outset, one should drink milk and ghee daily; at midday and at night, one should take the two [main] meals.
Such is the moderate diet.
The purification of the channels (Nāḍī-śuddhi)
33. Seated on kuśa grass, deerskin, tiger skin, or a blanket, in a firm seat, facing east or north, one should first perform the purification of the channels and then practice prāṇāyāma.
Caṇḍakapāli said:
34. "How is the purification of the channels accomplished, and what is its nature? I wish to hear all of this; tell me, O you who are an ocean of compassion."
Gheraṇḍa said:
35. "In channels obstructed by impurities, the air does not flow. How, then, could prāṇāyāma be accomplished, and how would the knowledge of truth arise?
36. Therefore, one must first purify the channels, and only then practice prāṇāyāma. The purification of the channels is said to be of two kinds: with mantra (samanu) and without mantra (nirmanu).
37. With the seed-sound (mantra), samanu is practiced; without mantra, it is practiced through dhauti-karma [the cleansing action], already taught earlier, in the practice of the six actions.
38. Listen now, O Caṇḍa, how purification with mantra is accomplished. Sitting on a seat, the yogi assumes padmāsana.
39. He should perform the [ritual] installation of the guru and the deities, as taught by the guru, and purify the channels for the purification of prāṇāyāma.
40. Meditating on the seed-sound of air, smoke-colored and full of energy, the sage inhales air through the lunar [nāḍī], repeating the seed-sound sixteen times.
41. [The air] is retained with retention for the duration of sixty-four mātrās, and expelled through the solar nāḍī for the duration of thirty-two mātrās.
42. Raising the fire from the base of the navel, one meditates on the fire element united with the earth element; one inhales through the solar nāḍī, repeating the seed-sound of fire sixteen times.
43. It is retained for sixty-four mātrās, and the air is expelled through the lunar nāḍī for thirty-two mātrās.
44. Meditating, at the tip of the nose, on the disc of the moon with its radiant light, one inhales the air through iḍā, repeating the seed-sound "Ṭha" sixteen times.
45. It is retained with the seed-sound "Va" for sixty-four mātrās; meditating on the nectar that floods [the body], one visualizes the purification of the channels; with the seed-sound "La," repeated thirty-two times, it is firmly expelled.
46. Thus performing the purification of the channels, the nāḍīs are purified. Becoming steady, assuming the āsana, one should then practice prāṇāyāma.
47. Sahita, sūryabheda, ujjāyī, śītalī, bhastrikā, bhrāmarī, mūrcchā, and kevalī — these are the eight kumbhakas (retentions).
48. Sahita is said to be of two kinds: sagarbha (with seed-sound) and nigarbha (without seed-sound). In sagarbha, the seed-sound is uttered; in nigarbha, it is omitted.
49. I shall first explain sagarbha prāṇāyāma. Sitting comfortably, facing east or north:
50. one meditates on Brahmā (Vidhi), of the rajas quality, red in color, associated with the letter "A"; the sage inhales the air through iḍā, counting sixteen mātrās.
51. At the end of the inhalation, before the retention, one should practice uḍḍīyāna; meditating on Hari (Viṣṇu), of the sattva quality, associated with the letter "U," black in color.
52. It is retained for sixty-four mātrās; meditating on Śiva, of the tamas quality, associated with the letter "Ma," white in color.
53. It is expelled over thirty-two mātrās, according to the method; one then inhales again through piṅgalā and retains with the retention.
54. It is then expelled through iḍā, following the same sequence of seed-sounds. One should practice repeatedly in alternating order (anuloma-viloma).
55. From the end of the inhalation to the end of the retention, both nostrils are kept closed with the little finger, the ring finger, and the thumb, without using the index and middle fingers.
56. Nigarbha prāṇāyāma is performed without seed-sound; the palm of the left hand rests on the left knee, and [the mātrās] are counted with the fingers.
57. One counts from one to a hundred the inhalation, the retention, and the exhalation. The supreme count is twenty mātrās; the middling, sixteen mātrās;
58. the lowest, twelve mātrās — thus prāṇāyāmas are said to be of three degrees. From the lowest degree arises sweat; from the middle degree, trembling of the spine;
59. from the supreme degree, the rising of the body from the ground — these are the three signs of success. From prāṇāyāma [comes] the power to move through space; from prāṇāyāma, the destruction of diseases.
60. Through prāṇāyāma, the śakti is awakened; through prāṇāyāma, the state of manonmanī [transcendence of the mind is attained]. Ecstasy arises in the mind; the practitioner of prāṇāyāma becomes happy.
Sūryabheda-kumbhaka
61. Sahita kumbhaka has been taught; hear now of sūryabheda. External [air] is inhaled through the solar nāḍī, to the measure of one's own capacity.
62. It is retained with great effort, with the retention and jālandhara-bandha, until sweat appears at the tips of the nails and in the hair — thus should the retention be practiced.
63. Prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna, and vyāna; likewise nāga, kūrma, kṛkara, devadatta, and dhanañjaya [are the ten vital airs].
64. Prāṇa flows constantly in the heart; apāna, in the region of the anus; samāna, in the region of the navel; and udāna, in the middle of the throat.
65. Vyāna pervades the whole body; these are the five principal vital airs, beginning with prāṇa. There are also five others, beginning with nāga.
66. I shall also state the functions of these five: nāga is responsible for belching; kūrma, for opening the eyes;
67. kṛkara is responsible for sneezing; devadatta, for yawning. Dhanañjaya, omnipresent, never leaves [the body], not even after death.
68. Nāga confers consciousness; kūrma [controls] blinking; kṛkara, hunger and thirst; the fourth, devadatta, [causes] yawning. Through dhanañjaya arises the sound [of the body which, even after death,] does not depart even for an instant.
69. All these airs, united with the solar air, are raised from the base of the navel; it is then expelled through iḍā, with patience and continuous flow.
70. Inhaling again through the solar nāḍī, retaining according to the method, exhaling, one should practice repeatedly, in order.
71. Sūryabheda retention destroys old age and death; it awakens the śakti of the Kuṇḍalinī and increases the bodily fire. Thus was the excellent sūryabheda taught to you, O Caṇḍa.
Ujjāyī-kumbhaka
72. Drawing air in through the nostrils, one retains it inside the mouth; drawing [the air] through the heart and throat, it is retained in the mouth.
73. The mouth is closed and jālandhara-bandha is applied; retention is performed to the measure of one's own capacity, sustaining it without forcing.
74. Practicing ujjāyī-kumbhaka, all tasks are accomplished with success; diseases of kapha, malignant winds, or indigestion do not arise.
75. Rheumatism, tuberculosis, cough, fever, and splenomegaly do not exist [for the practitioner]. Man should practice ujjāyī to destroy old age and death.
Śītalī-kumbhaka
76. Drawing air in through the [curled] tongue, the abdomen is slowly filled. Retaining it for a moment, it is expelled again through the nostrils.
77. The yogi should always practice this auspicious śītalī-kumbhaka; indigestion, kapha, and pitta never arise for him.
Bhastrikā-kumbhaka
78. Just as the blacksmith's bellows moves rhythmically, so too should the air be moved gently through both nostrils.
79. Doing this twenty times, one should then practice retention; at the end, the air is expelled as previously taught.
80. The sage should practice this bhastrikā-kumbhaka three times; there is no disease nor suffering, and health [increases] day by day.
Bhrāmarī-kumbhaka
81. At midnight, when there are no sounds of creatures, the yogi, covering his ears with his hands, should practice inhalation and retention.
82. One should listen, with the right ear, to the auspicious internal sound: first the sound of a cricket, then the sound of a flute;
83. then the sound of thunder, a drum, a bee, a bell, a bronze cymbal; then the sound of a trumpet, a bherī drum, a mṛdaṅga, and other instruments. Thus, through constant practice, various sounds arise.
84. From the unstruck sound (anāhata), there is the resonance of that sound; within that resonance there is a light; within that light, the mind.
85. That mind dissolves into that supreme state of Viṣṇu. Thus, through the perfection of bhrāmarī, the perfection of samādhi is obtained.
Mūrcchā-kumbhaka
86. Comfortably practicing retention, fixing the mind between the eyebrows, abandoning all objects of the senses — this is mūrcchā, which produces mental happiness.
87. Through the union of the mind with the Self, ecstasy certainly arises. Thus, through constant practice, various kinds of ecstasy arise; thus, through constant practice, the perfection of samādhi is obtained.
Kevalī-kumbhaka
88. Through the respiratory flow of Bhujaṅginī [the Kuṇḍalinī], ajapā [spontaneous breathing] naturally arises; with the sound "Haṃ," [the air] goes out, and with the sound "Saḥ" it enters again.
89. Twenty-one thousand six hundred times a day and night, the jīva always recites this [spontaneous breathing], called Ajapā-Gāyatrī.
90. Just as Haṃsa resides in the mūlādhāra, so too does it reside in the lotus of the heart; likewise in the two nostrils — in these three places the encounter with Haṃsa occurs.
91. The body has a measure of ninety-six fingers [of its own width], related to karma. The air that naturally leaves the body reaches a distance of twelve fingers.
92. While singing, [the air travels] sixteen fingers; while eating, twenty fingers; while walking, twenty-four fingers; while sleeping, thirty fingers.
93. During sexual intercourse, it is said to be thirty-six fingers; during physical exercise, even more. When this natural flow is reduced, longevity increases.
94. It is said that the loss of life occurs when the air is expelled in excess [and not retained]. Therefore, as long as the prāṇa remains in the body, death does not occur.
95. When the air remains united with the body without effort, kevala-kumbhaka (spontaneous retention) occurs. As long as he lives, [the living being] recites the ajapā mantra, without counting, spontaneously.
96. Until now, the confusion of counting [the prāṇāyāmas] has been maintained; when the kevalī state is attained, that counting ceases. Therefore, men should practice kevalī-kumbhaka.
97. In the kevalī state, the count of ajapā doubles, and the state of manonmanī arises. Drawing the air in through the nostrils, one should practice kevala-kumbhaka.
98. On the first day, retention is held from one to sixty-four counts. Kevalī should be practiced eight times, in each yāma [a period of three hours], daily; or else five times, as I shall explain to you.
99. In the morning, at midday, in the evening, and in the fourth part of the night; or else at the three [traditional] times, equally, daily.
100. Five times a day, increasing by one each day, [one continues] until the measure of the ajapā [is such that] perfection arises.
101. Then the knower of Yoga calls this prāṇāyāma kevalī. When kevalī-kumbhaka is mastered, what cannot be attained in this world?
Thus, in the Śrī Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, in the dialogue between Gheraṇḍa and Caṇḍa, in the chapter on Ghaṭastha Yoga, ends the fifth teaching, called "The Practice of Prāṇāyāma."
Sixth Teaching (Ṣaṣṭhopadeśa)
The Yoga of Meditation (Dhyāna-yoga)
Gheraṇḍa said:
1. Meditation (dhyāna) is known to be of three kinds: gross (sthūla), luminous (jyotis), and subtle (sūkṣma). The gross is said to be endowed with form; the luminous is made of light; the subtle is Brahman made of bindu, the supreme divinity Kuṇḍalī.
Gross Meditation (Sthūla-dhyāna)
2. In the heart of one's own body, one meditates on an excellent ocean of nectar; in its midst, an island of jewels, with sand made of beautiful gems.
3. In the four directions, kadamba trees full of flowers; surrounded by groves of kadamba, like a moat.
4. Perfumed by mālatī jasmine, mallikā jasmine, jātī jasmine, saffron, campaka; by pārijāta and terrestrial lotuses, whose fragrance fills all directions.
5. In its midst, the yogi should recall the enchanting wish-fulfilling tree (kalpavṛkṣa), with four branches [representing] the four Vedas, ever in flower and fruit.
6. Bees and cuckoos hum and sing there. One should meditate, remaining steady, in a great pavilion of rubies.
7. In its midst, the yogi should recall a beautiful seat; there he should meditate on his chosen deity (iṣṭa-devatā), according to the guru's teaching.
8. Whatever the form of that deity, with its ornaments and vehicle, that form should be meditated upon constantly — this is known as gross meditation.
Another form [of gross meditation]:
9. In the great sahasrāra lotus, at its center, one meditates on a lotus with twelve petals,
10. white in color, of great splendor, illuminated by the twelve seed-sounds [inscribed on its petals], in due order.
11. At its center are the three lines [of the triangles] beginning with "a, ka, tha," joined to the triangle "ha-la-kṣa"; there resides the Praṇava (Oṃ).
12. One meditates there on a charming throne, made of nāda and bindu; upon it are the pair of swans (haṃsa) and the [guru's] sandals.
13. One should meditate there on the divine guru, two-armed and three-eyed, dressed in white, anointed with white sandalwood paste,
14. adorned with a garland of white flowers, accompanied by his red Śakti. By this meditation on the guru, gross meditation is accomplished.
Luminous Meditation (Jyotir-dhyāna)
Gheraṇḍa said:
15. Gross meditation has been taught; hear now from me of luminous meditation (tejo-dhyāna), through which the perfection of Yoga and direct perception of the Self are obtained.
16. In the mūlādhāra resides the Kuṇḍalinī, serpent-shaped; there resides the jīvātmā (the individual soul), in the form of a small lamp-flame. One should meditate on the Brahman made of light — this is the supreme and transcendent luminous meditation.
17. At the base of the navel is situated the solar disc, united with fire. One should meditate with great effort on this great light — this too is luminous meditation.
Another form:
18. Between the eyebrows, above the mind, there is a light of the nature of the Praṇava (Oṃ); one should meditate on it as if wrapped in flames — this too is luminous meditation.
Subtle Meditation (Sūkṣma-dhyāna)
Gheraṇḍa said:
19. Luminous meditation has been heard, O Caṇḍa; hear now from me of subtle meditation. He who, by great fortune, awakens the Kuṇḍalinī...
20. ...united with the Self, she exits through the openings of the eyes and others; she wanders along the royal path [the suṣumnā], but, due to her volatile nature, is not seen.
21. Through śāmbhavī-mudrā, the yogi attains success by the path of meditation. This subtle meditation must be kept secret; it is difficult even for the gods.
22. It is said that luminous meditation is a hundred times superior to gross meditation; and subtle meditation, a hundred thousand times superior to the luminous — being the supreme among the supreme.
23. Thus you have been taught, O Caṇḍa, this rare Yoga of meditation. As the Self manifests directly through it, meditation (dhyāna) is the most excellent [of practices].
Thus, in the Śrī Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, in the dialogue between Gheraṇḍa and Caṇḍa, on Ghaṭastha Yoga, in the seven practices, ends the sixth teaching, called "The Yoga of Meditation."
Seventh Teaching (Saptamopadeśa)
The Yoga of Samādhi
Gheraṇḍa said:
1. Samādhi is the supreme Yoga, obtained only through great fortune. It is attained through the grace and compassion of the guru, through devotion to him.
2. Trust in knowledge, trust in one's own guru, trust in the Self — this awakening of the mind — in that yogi in whom this grows day by day, the excellent practice is swiftly established.
3. Separating the mind from the body and other [objects], one should realize unity with the Supreme Self. This is to be known as samādhi, called "liberated," characterized by ten [or more] signs.
4. "I am Brahman, I am nothing else; I am Brahman itself, free from suffering. I am of the nature of Sat-Cit-Ānanda [Existence-Consciousness-Bliss], eternally free — this is my true, natural state."
5. Through śāmbhavī, khecarī, bhrāmarī, and yoni-mudrā, one obtains, respectively: dhyāna (meditation), nāda (sound), rasānanda (the ecstasy of taste), and laya-siddhi (the perfection of dissolution) — in four ways.
6. Through bhakti-yoga [a fifth way is obtained], and manomūrcchā is the sixth. This Rāja Yoga is thus of six kinds; each should be understood individually.
Samādhi through the Yoga of Meditation
7. Performing śāmbhavī-mudrā, one brings about direct perception of the Self; seeing the Brahman made of bindu, the mind is fixed there.
8. One places the Self in the midst of space (ākāśa), and space in the midst of the Self; seeing the Self as composed of space, nothing else is perceived. Becoming ever full of ecstasy, the man remains in samādhi.
Samādhi through the Yoga of Sound
9. Bhrāmarī-kumbhaka is practiced with slow movement; the air is expelled very slowly, and then the sound of a bee arises.
10. Hearing the inner sound of the bee, the mind is fixed there. There samādhi arises, and the ecstasy of [knowing] "I am That" (So'ham).
11. When, through the practice of khecarī-mudrā, the tongue rises [to the roof of the mouth], then samādhi is accomplished, ordinary activities being abandoned.
Samādhi through the Yoga of the Ecstasy of Taste
12. Assuming yoni-mudrā, one becomes full of śakti; one delights in the Supreme Self through the pure, loving flavor (śṛṅgāra-rasa).
Samādhi through the Yoga of the Perfection of Dissolution
13. Becoming full of ecstasy, unity with Brahman is realized; through the non-duality "I am Brahman," samādhi arises.
Samādhi through the Yoga of Devotion
14. One meditates, in one's own heart, on the form of the chosen deity; one contemplates through bhakti-yoga, preceded by supreme joy.
15. With tears of ecstasy and horripilation, the ecstatic state arises; through this, samādhi arises, and also the state of manonmanī.
Samādhi through Rāja Yoga
16. Attaining manomūrcchā [the state of mental absorption], the mind is united with the Self; through union with the Supreme Self, samādhi is obtained.
The Greatness of the Yoga of Samādhi
17. Thus you have been taught, O Caṇḍa, samādhi, characterized by liberation. The samādhi of Rāja Yoga is itself the practice of unity [with the Self].
18. Unmanī [mental transcendence] and sahajāvasthā [the natural state] — all these terms express the same unity. Viṣṇu is in the water, Viṣṇu is in the earth, Viṣṇu is at the summit of the mountain.
19. Viṣṇu is amid garlands of flame — the whole universe is full of Viṣṇu. All living beings, those that move upon the earth and those that move through the sky...
20. ...trees, shrubs, creepers, vines, grasses and the like, water, mountains — one should know that all is Brahman, and see everything within one's own Self.
21. The Self is the consciousness that dwells in the body, non-dual, eternal, supreme. Knowing it as distinct from the body and other [objects], free from attachment and desire — thus samādhi is mutually realized, free from all mental intention.
22. Becoming free from all possessive attachment to one's own body, children, wife and relatives, wealth and other possessions, above all of them — thus samādhi is obtained.
23. The truth of the nectar of dissolution (laya), taught by Śiva, and its various forms, must be kept secret. From these, taking a summary, the characteristic of liberation has been set forth.
24. Thus you have been taught, O Caṇḍa, this supreme and rare samādhi. Knowing it, one is not born again into this world.
Thus, in the Śrī Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, in the dialogue between Gheraṇḍa and Caṇḍa, in the practice of Ghaṭastha Yoga, in the seventh essence of Yoga, ends the seventh teaching, called "The Yoga of Samādhi." The End.