Two Yoga Samhitas: Gheranda Samhita and Goraksha Samhita

By Vishnuswaroop

This book is a compilation of two classical yogic texts Gheranda Samhita and Goraksha Samhita. A brief introduction to them is given below. About Gheranda Samhita Gheraa Samhita is a classical yogic text. Its author is Sage Gheraa. The form of yoga he taught in Gheraa Samhita is called Ghaastha Yoga. Initially, it deals with the body, prana, and the mind through various yogic practices step by step and finally, leads to atmaj?ana (knowledge of the Self). What is Ghaastha Yoga? It simply means body-based yoga (ghaa = body, stha = based, yoga = yoga). In this body, as ghaa abide prana (the vital energy), mind (with its four components) and five senses, heart (feeling, emotion, attachment) and an independent atma (the Self which is regarded as the source and support of all beings). Therefore, according to Sage Gheraa Ghaastha Yoga begins with the body, creates balance and harmony on the pranic, mental and emotional levels for a higher level of awakening, and finally, leads to samadhi, the Self-realization which is the ultimate goal of human life. About Goraksha Samhita The name of the great Yogi Goraksanatha is not unfamiliar at all. He is a highly acknowledged and honored Siddha Yogi, renowned by spiritual masters in the past and present. His name is mentioned by Svami Svatmarama in his classical text Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Chapter One, Verses 4 and 5). He is also one of the yogis mentioned in the Puranas and yogic texts. He is well known as Guru Gorakhanatha, and a highly respected, revered, and worshipped spiritual master in India and Nepal. The followers of the Natha Tradition worship him as the incarnation of Lord siva, and say that the nine Nathas and eighty-four Siddhas belong to Adinatha, Lord siva. So, he is also called siva Goraksa, the founder of the Natha Siddha tradition. Originally, the science of Hatha Yoga was discovered for the expansion and evolution of human consciousness, and for the accomplishment of the ultimate goal of human life and yoga, moksa (liberation) and samadhi (the superconscious state), respectively. According to Goraksa Samhita, the objective of Hatha Yoga is to create a harmonious balance between the physical body, prana (the vital energy), and the mind. It is said that when the impulses generated by this harmonious balance stimulate the awakening of the Kuali sakti, only then is the evolution of consciousness or union between siva and sakti possible. This accomplishment is the sole objective of the teaching of Goraksa Samhita by Guru Goraksanatha. It is hoped that this compilation will be helpful to all yoga lovers, yoga sadhakas, yoga teachers, and yoga professionals to understand traditional yoga, its objective, and practice for attaining peace, harmony, and spiritual development for one and all.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1521823251
• ISBN13: 9781521823255
• Release Date: July 2017
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 157 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"