Dr. Santosh Kumar Gaur
Associate Professor,
Dept. of Physical Education,
J. N. M. P. G. College, Barabanki (U.P.).
Gheranda Samhita is a Sanskrit text of Yoga in Hinduism. It is one of the three classic texts of hatha yoga (the other two being the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Shiva Samhita), and one of the most encyclopaedic treatises in yoga. It was recorded as a conversation between Chanda Kapila and Gherand in which Chanda Kapila asked Gherand to impart him knowledge about the physical discipline of Yoga that would lead to knowledge of the tattvaas (truth). Gherand responds by saying that there are no fetters like those of illusion, no strength like that which comes from the discipline of yoga, no friend better than knowledge and no enemy greater than ego. Just as by learning the alphabet, one can read, similarly by practicing yoga one can obtain knowledge of the truth. Mahrishi Gheranda says that the body should be purified and strengthened and the exercises that lead to this purification and strengthening can be put in the seven categories.
Yoga is the communion of the individual consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness. Yoga is equanimity of mind in success and failure. Yoga is mental and physical discipline.
The term yoga can be derived from either of two roots, yujir yoga (to yoke) or yuj samadhau (upanishada) meaning to unite, to combine or to integrate of individual to supreme. Yoga has also been popularly defined as “union with the divine” in other contexts and traditions. According to srimad bhagwat geeta, Yoga is defined as “yogah karmasu kaushalam” i.e. yoga is excellence in performance. “samatvam yogamuchyate” (Bh. Geeta 2/47) balanced state in situations like sukha dukha, and other situations.
Gheranda Samhita is a Sanskrit text of Yoga in Hinduism. It is one of the three classic texts of hatha yoga (the other two being the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Shiva Samhita), and one of the most encyclopaedic treatises in yoga.
Gherand Samhita which means Gherand’s collection is a revered yogic text. It was recorded as a conversation between Chanda Kapila and Gherand in which Chanda Kapila asked Gherand to impart him knowledge about the physical discipline of Yoga that would lead to knowledge of the tattvaas (truth). Gherand responds by saying that there are no fetters like those of illusion, no strength like that which comes from the discipline of yoga, no friend better than knowledge and no enemy greater than ego. Just as by learning the alphabet, one can read, similarly by practicing yoga one can obtain knowledge of the truth.
Gherand touches upon the subject of karma and rebirth. One’s karmas cause a person to be reborn and once reborn the person gets caught up in karmas again, so it is a cycle or a wheel that never ends. One feeds the other. One perpetuates the other. He says that the body should be purified and strengthened and the exercises that lead to this purification and strengthening can be put in the following seven categories:
1. Shatkarma – for purification of body
2. Asana – Strengthens the body
3. Mudra – Bring Steadiness in body
4. Pratayahara – Withdrawal of senses from the outer world
5. Pranayama – Bring lightness in the body
6. Dhyana – for inner perception
7. Samadhi – the ultimate goal of yoga
1. Shatkarma: It iscleansing of our internal system of organs. In the yogic tradition, this cleansing is known as Shatkarma or Shat kriyas or Six Steps. Modern science says1, our internal organ comprised of 11 major systems includes circulatory, respiratory, digestive, excretory, nervous, and endocrine systems. To make sure the healthy & proper functioning of the body as a whole, the cleansing of organ systems is very important on a regular basis.
Traditionally, there are 6 method yogis used for cleansing of internal organs for a healthy body is called as Shatkarma.
The shatkarma sequence is:
1) Dhauti
2) Basti
3) Neti
4) Nauli
5) Trataka
6) Kapalbhati
2. Asana – Strengthens the body: The Gheranda Samhita asserts that Shiva taught 8,400,000 asanas, out of which 84 are preeminent, and “32 are useful in the world of mortals. These 32 are:
1. siddhasana 2. padmasana 3. Bhadrasana 4. muktasana
5. vajrasana 6. svastikasana 7. simhasana 8. gomukhasana
9. virasana 10. dhanurasana 11. mritasana 12. guptasana
13. matsyasana 14. matsyendrasana15. gorakshana 16. paschimottanasana
17. utkatasana 18. sankatasana 19. mayurasana 20. kukkutasana
21. kurmasana 22. uttanakurmakasana23.Uttanamandukasan 24. vrikshasana
25. mandukasana 26. garudasana 27. vrishasana 28. shalabhasana
29. makarasana 30. ushtrasana 31. bhujangasana 32. Yogasana.
3. Mudra – Bring Steadiness in body: Through the practice of these mudras, the yogi can accomplish victory over death, decay, old age, diseases. The mudras described in the Gherand Samhita are:
1) Mahamudra 2) Nabho mudra 3) Uddiyana Bandha 4) Jalandhar Bandha 5) Mula Bandha 6) Maha Bandha 7) Mahabheda 8 ) Khechari Mudra 9)Viparitkarni 10) Yoni Mudra 11) Vajroni Mudra 12) Shakti chalani 13) Tadagi (tank) Mudra 14) Manduki Mudra 15) Shambhavi Mudra 16) Panchadharan or five dharanas (see below) 22)Ashwini 23) Pasini 24) Kaki 25) Bhujangini
4. Pratayahara – Withdrawal of senses from the outer world: One should bring their restless mind/thoughts under control whenever it wanders off and gets distracted by material sense objects. Mind follows sight. SO bring the mind under your control.Whether it is praise or criticism by others, good speech or bad speech, good smells or odors, tastes etc, one should constantly practice withdrawal of the mind from distracting thoughts and bring it under his control.
5. Pranayama – Bring lightness in the body: Four things are necessary for practicing Pranayama in Good place. Moderate food. Purification of the Nadis The purification of the Nadis is of two sorts. Samanu and Nirmanu. The Samanu is done by a mental process with Bijamantra. The Nirmanu is performed by physical cleanings. After purification of the Nadis one has to sit firmly in a posture and be in regular Pranayama.
6. Dhyana – for inner perception: The sixth sadhana deals with Dhyana, the three kinds of dhyana, Shale, Jyoti and Suksma are graded and raise one above the other, the last ending in Atma – Pratyaknam. The main aim of dhyana yoga is the direct perception of the self. By this dhyanaYoga Atma is revealed. Having perceived the self by dhyana Yoga, the next step is of course the Samadhi by which one realizes ones identity with Brahman.
7. Samadhi – the ultimate goal of yoga: The seventh and most important sadhana is Samadhi. This is six folds.
1) Through Sambhavi Mudra leading to Dhyana and terminating in Samadhi.
2) Through Khecari Mudra leading to Rasananada and termination of Samadhi.
3) Through Bhramari leading to Nada and terminating in Samadhi.
4) Through yoni Mudra leading to laya and terminating in Samadhi.
5) Through Bhakti leading to Astika bhava and terminating in the Samadhi.
6) Through Mani Mudra leading to restraints of mind and terminating of Samadhi.
Through Samadhi the quality of Nirliplatva or detachment and therefore mukti is attained Samadhi is both a process as well as the result of that process. As a process Samadhi means intense mental concentration free from all Samskaras and attachments to the world expressed in terms of Ahamta and Mamata. As a result of soul process it is the union of Jiva with Paramtma.
References
1. Alphonse Sunil (2018). Detailing asanas in hathayoga pradipika and gheranda Samhita-A Comparaitive Study. Sunil / Star International Journal, Volume 6, Issue 3(1), March (2018). (ISSN: 2321-676X).
2. Asana, Pranayama,Mudra & Bandha,Swami Satyananda Saraswati,Bihar School of Yoga,Munger,2002
3. B. Heimann (1937), Review: The Ghera?da Samhita. A Treatise on Ha?ha Yoga by Shri Chandra Vasu, The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Cambridge University Press, No. 2 (Apr., 1937), pp. 355-357.
4. Gheranda Sanhita.S.C.Vasu,Satguru Publication,Delhi,
5. Georg Feuerstein (2011). The Path of Yoga: An Essential Guide to Its Principles and Practices. Shambhala.
6. Hatha Yoga Pradipika,Commentary by Swami Muktibodhananda and Swami Satyananda Saraswati,Bihar School of Yoga,Munger,India,1905.
7. https://beinks.com/shatkarma-yoga-cleansing-techniques/?v=c86ee0d9d7ed
8. James Mallinson (2004). The Gheranda Samhita: The Original Sanskrit and an English Translation. Yoga Vidya. pp. ix-x.(ISBN 978-0-9716466-3-6).
9. Upadhyay Devanand (2014). An Approach to Healthy Life through Yoga in Ayurveda. International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-3 April 2014.
