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Index
Verse Chapter One: Asana
1 Salutations to Shiva
2 Purpose of hatha yoga
3 State of raja yoga is unknown because of misconception
4 First of the hatha yogis: Matsyendranath and Gorakhnath
5–9 Lineage of mahasiddhas
10 Three types of pain or tapa
11 Sadhana should be kept secret for success
12, 13 Place of practice
14 Practice of sadhana devoid of mental tension, according to guru’s instruction
15 Causes of failure in sadhana
16(i) Causes of success in sadhana
(ii & iii) Yama and niyama
17 Asana as the first stage of hatha yoga
18 Asana as described by Vasishtha and Matsyendranath
19 Swastikasana (auspicious pose)
20 Gomukhasana (cow’s face pose)
21 Veerasana (hero’s pose)
22 Koormasana (tortoise pose)
23 Kukkutasana (cockerel pose)
24 Uttankoormasana (stretching tortoise pose)
25 Dhanurasana (bow pose)
26 Matsyendrasana (spinal twist pose)
27 Benefits of matsyendrasana
28 Paschimottanasana (back stretching pose)
29 Benefits of paschimottanasana
30 Mayurasana (peacock pose)
31 Curative effects of mayurasana
32 Shavasana (corpse pose) and its benefits
33, 34 Four major asanas of the eighty-four taught by Shiva; the excellence of siddhasana
35 Siddhasana (adept’s pose)
36 Variation of siddhasana
37 Difference between siddhasana, vajrasana, muktasana and guptasana
38 Siddhasana is the most important asana
39 Siddhasana purifies the nadis
40 Perfection of sadhana takes twelve years
41 Perfection is attainable by siddhasana alone
42 Through siddhasana the bandhas occur spontaneously
43 No asana can rival siddhasana
44–47 Padmasana (lotus pose)
48 Method of awakening the shakti with padmasana
49 Method of liberation with padmasana; explanation of maruta
50–52 Simhasana (lion’s pose)
53, 54 Bhadrasana (gracious pose)
55, 56 Sequence of hatha yoga practice
57 Perfection after one year
58 Mitahara – moderate diet
59, 60 Food which is prohibited to the hatha sadhaka
61 Interactions to be avoided by the hatha yogi
62, 63 Food which is conducive to hatha sadhana
64 Those who can practise hatha yoga
65 Perfection results from practice
66 Neither the garb nor mere talk gives siddhi but only practical application
67 Asana, pranayama, etc., should be practised until perfection or siddhi is achieved
Verse Chapter Two: Shatkarma and Pranayama
1 Being established in asana, pranayama should be practised
2 Interconnection of mind and prana and their steadying through pranayama
3 What is life and death; the five functions of vayu
4 Impurities of the nadis, cleaning the middle channel
5 Purification of the nadis and chakras for retention of prana
6 Sattwic state of mind for pranayama; the three gunas
7–9 Nadi shodhana pranayama (alternate nostril breathing)
10 Alternate nostril breathing purifies the nadis within three months
11 Times and duration of practice
12 Signs of perfected pranayama practice
13 Rubbing the body with perspiration
14 Diet and pranayama
15 Control of prana to prevent destruction of the force
16, 17 Eradication of diseases by proper practice, otherwise, bad results
18 Skilful control of breath leads to siddhi
19, 20 Signs and results of purifying the nadis
21 Shatkarma should precede pranayama if fat and mucus are excessive
22 Shatkarma – six purificatory techniques
23 Shatkarma is secret, bringing wondrous results
24 Dhauti (internal cleansing)
25 Dhauti cures many diseases
26 Basti (yogic enema)
27, 28 Curative effects of basti
29 Neti (nasal cleansing)
30 Benefits of neti
31 Trataka (concentrated gazing)
32 Curative effects of trataka
33 Nauli (abdominal massaging)
34 Benefits of nauli
35 Kapalbhati (frontal brain cleansing)
36 Freedom from the excesses of doshas through shatkarma
37 Some say pranayama alone removes impurities
38 Gaja karani (elephant stomach cleansing)
39 Even Brahma and the gods practise pranayama
40 When kumbhaka and shambhavi are maintained, fear of death diminishes
41 Restraining the breath purifies the nadis and chakras and awakens sushumna
42 Manonmani (mind devoid of thought)
43 Practice of kumbhaka brings perfection
44 Names of the eight kumbhaka practices
45 Practice of bandha with pranayama
46 Maha bandha directs prana into brahma nadi
47 Uniting of prana and apana banishes old age
48, 49 Suryabheda pranayama (vitality stimulating breath)
50 Curative effects of suryabheda pranayama
51, 52 Ujjayi pranayama (psychic breath)
53 Curative effect of ujjayi pranayama
54 Sheetkari pranayama (hissing breath)
55, 56 Benefits of sheetkari pranayama
57, 58 Sheetali pranayama (cooling breath)
59–65 Bhastrika pranayama (bellows breath)
66, 67 Benefits of bhastrika pranayama; piercing of the three granthis
68 Bhramari pranayama (humming bee breath)
69 Moorchha pranayama (swooning breath)
70 Plavini pranayama (gulping breath)
71–74 Pranayama is of three types; kevala kumbhaka
75–77 Perfection of hatha yoga and raja yoga through kevala kumbhaka
78 Signs of perfection in hatha yoga
Chapter Three: Mudra and Bandha
1 Kundalini is the support of yoga practices
2 Guru’s grace and opening of the chakras
3 Sushumna becomes the path of prana and deceives death
4 Names of sushumna
5 Sleeping goddess is awakened by mudra
6, 7 Ten mudras destroy old age
8 Eight major siddhis obtained by mudra
9 Mudras must be kept secret
10–13 Maha mudra (the great attitude)
14 Power of maha mudra
15 Maha mudra practised an equal number of times on alternate sides
16 Nothing is toxic for the practitioner of maha mudra
17 Curative effects of maha mudra
18 Maha mudra must be kept secret
19–22 Maha bandha (great lock)
23 Maha bandha stops leakage from nadis
24 Maha bandha destroys time; unites three nadis in bhrumadhya
25 Necessity of maha vedha mudra for maha mudra and maha bandha
26–28 Maha vedha mudra (great piercing attitude)
29, 30 Benefits of maha vedha mudra
31 Regulations for maha vedha mudra
32–36 Khechari mudra (attitude of dwelling in supreme consciousness)
37 Technique of khechari mudra, the centre of ether
38–40 Benefits of khechari mudra
41 Khechari mudra means mind moving in Brahman
42 Khechari enables control of semen
43 Vajroli mudra controls semen
44 Through khechari the fluid of the moon is drunk and physical death conquered
45 Poison does not affect one who practises khechari
46 Khechari maintains prana in the body
47 Drinking the amaravaruni through khechari
48 Meaning of eating ‘cow’s meat’ in hatha yoga
49 Khechari produces heat, allowing nectar to flow
50 Nectar wards off old age and manifests siddhis
51 Nectar fluid releases kundalini, gives longevity, makes body as soft as a lotus and has effect on vishuddhi
52 Khechari mudra preserves nectar for perfection of body
53 Five nadis convene at the meru
54 Experience of oneness
55–57 Uddiyana bandha (abdominal retraction lock)
58, 59 Benefits of uddiyana bandha
60 Uddiyana bandha leads to mukti
61–63 Moola bandha (perineum/cervix retraction lock)
64 Union of prana and apana, nada and bindu through moola bandha
65 Physical effects of moola bandha
66, 67 Union of prana and apana intensifies heat in the body
68, 69 Kundalini is aroused
70, 71 Jalandhara bandha (throat lock)
72 Nectar does not fall into the fire due to jalandhara bandha
73 Sixteen adharas of vishuddhi are locked
74 Moola, jalandhara, uddiyana bandhas
75 Benefits of the three bandhas
76 The great siddhas practise these bandhas
77 The ambrosia or nectar is consumed
78, 79 Vipareeta karani mudra (reversing attitude)
80, 81 Vipareeta karani mudra, diet and practice
82 Benefits of vipareeta karani mudra
83 Anyone who practises vajroli mudra becomes a recipient of siddhis
84 Two requisites are difficult to obtain for vajroli mudra
85 A man or woman can achieve perfection of vajroli mudra
86 Vajroli mudra with a catheter
87 Bindu (semen) should not fall into the yoni
88 Preservation of the bindu is life
89 Body becomes fragrant through preservation of bindu
90 Semen and mind must be controlled
91 Conserving the bindu and rajas
92–94 Sahajoli mudra (attitude of spontaneous arousing) – combining yoga and bhoga
95 Yoga is attained by virtuous and not selfish people
96, 97 Amaroli mudra (attitude arousing immortality)
98 After vajroli mudra, wiping a mixture of ash and semen on the body
99 A yogini is one who practises vajroli
100 By preserving rajas, bindu and nada unite
101 Union of bindu and rajas bestows siddhis by vajroli
102 A yogini conserving her rajas attains khechari
103 Vajroli brings liberation with bhoga
104 Names of kundalini shakti
105 Kundalini is the key to liberation
106, 107 The sleeping shakti is the means of release from bondage
108 Kundalini is coiled like a snake
109, 110 Kundalini is in the middle of ida and pingala
111 Kundalini when excited, rises up
112 Shakti chalana mudra (attitude of moving the energy)
113 Placement of the kanda
114 Kanda should be squeezed in vajrasana
115 Kundalini is aroused in vajrasana with bhastrika pranayama practice
116 Contractions of the ‘sun’ in manipura
117 Moving kundalini for an hour and a half, she enters and rises into sushumna
118 By practice, prana proceeds through sushumna of its own accord
119 Freedom from disease through moving the kundalini regularly
120 Benefits of moving kundalini regularly
121 Method of perfection in forty days
122 No fear of death if bhastrika pranayama is also practised
123 What other methods purify the nadis?
124 Sushumna is straightened through asana, pranayama, mudra and concentration
125 Shambhavi is the greatest mudra for bestowing perfection
126 There is nothing beautiful without raja yoga
127 Pranayama must be done with a concentrated mind
128 The ten mudras told by Adinath bring perfection
129 One who instructs mudra in the tradition of guru, is Ishwara
130 The ashta siddhi are attained through mudra and through following the guru’s instructions
Chapter Four: Samadhi
1 Salutations to the guru Shiva as nada, bindu and kalaa
2 The process of samadhi
3, 4 Names of the highest state
5 Mind and atma unite like salt in the sea
6 Cessation of prana and mind in samadhi
7 When jivatma unites with paramatma, desires are destroyed
8 Jnana, mukti, sthiti and siddhi come from the guru
9 Guru’s compassion bestows success
10 After kundalini is aroused, prana rests in shoonya (void)
11 Samadhi is natural when kundalini is awakened and karma freed
12 Destruction of karma in sushumna and the void
13 The mastery over time
14 Amaroli, vajroli and sahajoli are attained through equanimity of mind
15 No inner knowledge as long as prana is active and mind uncontrolled
16 Kundalini is to be blocked at brahmarandhra
17 Sushumna consumes time, i.e. day and night, ida and pingala
18 Sushumna, the shambhavi shakti, alone is important of all the 72,000 nadis
19 Kundalini is taken up by samana vayu
20 Manonmani is established when prana flows in sushumna, until then all practices are laborious
21 Prana and mind are restrained through one another
22 Chitta has two causes: vasana and prana
23 Stillness and interdependence of mind and prana
24 Prana and mind are mixed like milk and water
25 When one is eradicated so is the other
26 Mercurial properties of mind
27 Mercurial properties of prana
28 Sattwic state is created by stabilizing mind, prana and bindu
92 Mind rules the senses, prana rules the mind, nada rules the prana
30 Nada is liberation according to some authorities
31 Kevala kumbhaka precedes absorption of mind
32 Finishing off desires results in laya
33 Where the vision is directed and concentrated, laya occurs
34 Characteristics of laya
35 Shambhavi mudra is for the blessed ones and not everyone
36, 37 Shambhavi mudra (eyebrow centre gazing) internalizes pranic flow and mind
38 Shambhavi and khechari both create ecstasy
39 Perfection of shambhavi leads to unmani
40 Confusion created by intellectual knowledge
41 Nasikagra drishti and suspension of ida and pingala
42 ‘Worship’ of the shivalingam
43 Khechari mudra is perfected when sushumna flows
44 Khechari is established when prana is in shoonya
45 Khechari stimulates vyoma chakra
46 Sushumna’s opening should be filled by the tongue; in the moon’s flow is Shiva
47 Raja yoga form of khechari also results in unmani
48 Bhrumadhya is the place of Shiva and realm of turiya
49 Yoga nidra through khechari
50 Unsupported mind is like a pot in space
51, 52 Suspension of breath and stilling of mind
53 When the body is filled with nectar it becomes superior
54 Centring the mind and shakti
55 Centring the atma in Brahma
56 Shoonya within and without
57 Being devoid of thought
58 The world is the fabrication of thought
59 Mind dissolves in samadhi
60 Knower, known and knowing merged
61 Duality dissolves with dissolution of mind
62 Dissolution of mind results in kaivalya
63 There are various methods to attain samadhi
64 Salutations to sushumna, kundalini, amrita, manonmani, shakti, atma
65 Concentration on nada as told by Gorakhnath
66 Nada anusandhana leads to laya
67, 68 Nada anusandhana – exploration of sound
69 Four stages of yogic practice and hearing the nada
70, 71 Arambha avastha (beginning stage)
72, 73 Ghata avastha (vessel stage)
74, 75 Parichaya avastha (stage of increase)
76 Nishpatti avastha (stage of consummation)
77 Raja yoga is the state of Ishwara tattwa
78 Through laya there is pleasure even if there is no liberation
79 Practice of hatha yoga without realization of raja yoga is unfruitful
80 Intellectual brilliance is unnecessary for practice of shambhavi mudra and nada yoga
81 Plenitude of ecstasy through samadhi attained by nada anusandhana
82 By practising yoni mudra, nada is heard and stillness achieved
83 External awareness subsides when listening to nada, within fifteen days the pleasure is felt
84 Prominent nadas heard
85–87 Types of nada perceived
88 Listen only to the deep and more subtle sounds
89 Mind adheres to nada and merges with it
90 Mind ceases to crave sensual experience when absorbed in nada
91 Nada subdues the roaming mind and controls the senses
92 Mind absorbed in nada becomes immobile
93 One who desires yoga should listen to nada
94 Nada is like a net which snares and slays the mind
95 Nada is like a bolt which locks the mind
96 Nada is like sulphur which solidifies the mercurial mind
97 Mind becomes hypnotized like a captivated snake when it hears nada
98 Mind is burnt by nada
99 Mind is attracted to nada, like a deer to music
100 The essence of nada is consciousness, i.e. Vishnu
101 Akasha tattwa exists as long as nada is heard
102 Sound is shakti and dissolves in consciousness
103 Hatha yoga and laya yoga are the means to raja yoga
104 Tattwa is the seed, hatha yoga the soil, desirelessness the water, so unmani, the kalpa vriksha, sprouts forth
105 Concentration on nada burns ‘bad karma’
106 During unmani the body becomes immobile and not even the nada is heard
107 One who is beyond the three states of mind, freed of thought and appears dead, is liberated
108 In samadhi a yogi is unaffected by time, karma, or any influence
109 In samadhi there is neither sense nor ego perception
110 The liberated one is neither asleep nor awake, neither conscious nor unconscious
111 In samadhi there is no dual experience
112 One who seems asleep but is awake, who is healthy but without breath, is liberated
113 In samadhi a yogi is unaffected by weapons, people, mantra and yantra
114 One who speaks about spiritual knowledge but has not activated sushumna, steadied bindu or achieved spontaneous meditation, utters false words
Appendicies
Appendix A: Sanskrit Text
Appendix B: Translation
Glossary
Index of Practices
Index of Illustrations
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