घेरण्ड संहिता (महर्षि घेरण्ड - सप्ताङ्ग हठयोग सटीक)

xvi INTRODUCTION
color, a shape, a location in the body, and a mantra, but
these are confused and omitted in the Gheranda Samhita.
In verse 3.62, for example, the wind element is said to be
black, smoky, and white, while in the Goraksha Samhita it
is just black. I have somewhat boldly decided to adopt the
readings of the Goraksha Samhita for the entire passage.
That all the Gheranda Samhita manuscripts present a
similarly incoherent description of the dharanas is surpris-
ing and points to two possible scenarios. Either they are
descended from a single flawed manuscript or the compiler
of the Gheranda Samhita was using a flawed manuscript of
the Goraksha Samhita to write the text. The first hypothe-
sis requires a lengthy and improbably irregular manuscript
tradition predating the earliest extant manuscript, which,
in the absence of external evidence for the text's existence
prior to 1802 C.E., is unlikely. I am thus inclined to believe
the second hypothesis.
In translating, I have tried to be as literal as possible
without sacrificing readability. I have sought not to add
anything to what is found in the Sanskrit text—commen-
tary and elucidation are for the practitioner's guru. Thus
where the instructions for a practice are ambiguous, they
have been left that way. The photographs of the asanas and
mudras draw from the descriptions in the text. In a few
instances those descriptions do not provide all the informa-
tion necessary to be sure of the correct posture. For those
cases I have relied on current practice and common sense
to fill in the gaps.

तृतीयोपदेशः
Chapter Three
Mudras
महामुद्रा नभोमुद्रा उड्डीयानं जलन्धरम् ।
मूलबन्धो महाबन्धो महावेधश्च खेचरी ॥ 1
विपरीतकरी योनिर्वज्रोली शक्तिचालनी ।
ताडागी माण्डुकीमुद्रा शाम्भवी पञ्चधारणा ॥ 2
अश्विनी पाशिनी काकी मातङ्गी च भुजंगिनी ।
पञ्चविंशतिमुद्राश्च सिद्धिदा इह योगिनाम् ॥ 3
Mahamudra, Nabhomudra, Uddiyana, Jalandhara,
Mulabandha, Mahabandha, Mahavedha, and Khechari;
Viparitakarani, Yoni, Vajroli, Shaktichalani, Tadagi,
Mandukimudra, Shambhavi, the five dharanas, Ashvini,
Pashini, Kaki, Matangi, and Bhujangini: these twenty-five
mudras grant success in this world to yogis.
पायुमूलं वामगुल्फे संपीड्य दृढयत्नतः ।
याम्यपादं प्रसार्याथ करोपात्तपदाङ्गुलिः ॥ 4
कण्ठसंकोचनं कृत्वा भ्रुवोर्मध्ये निरीक्षयेत् ।
पूरकैर्वायुं संपूर्य महामुद्रा निगद्यते ॥ 5
60

MUDRAS 61
Firmly press the anus onto the left ankle, extend the right
foot, hold the toes with the hands, contract the throat,
and look between the eyebrows. Inhaling repeatedly, fill
yourself completely with air. This is called Mahamudra.
वलितं पलितं चैव जरामृत्युं निवारयेत् ।
क्षयकासगुदावर्तप्लीहाजीर्णज्वरं तथा ।
नाशयेत्सर्वरोगांश्च महामुद्राप्रसाधनात् ॥ 6
It can cure wrinkles and gray hair, old age and death,
consumptive cough, constipation, disorders of the spleen,
decrepitude, and fever. By mastering Mahamudra, the
yogi can get rid of all diseases.
यत्र यत्र स्थितो योगी सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा ।
ऊर्ध्वजिह्वः स्थिरो भूत्वा धारयेत्पवनं सदा ।
नभोमुद्रा भवेदेषा योगिनां रोगनाशिनी ॥ 7
Wherever the yogi may be, he should always, in every-
thing he does, be sure to keep the tongue turned upwards
and constantly hold the breath. This is Nabhomudra, the
destroyer of diseases for yogis.
उदरे पश्चिमं तानं नाभेरूर्ध्वं तु कारयेत् ।
उड्डीनं कुरुते यस्मादविश्रान्तं महाखगः ।
उड्डीयानं त्वसौ बन्धो मृत्युमातंगकेसरी ॥ 8

62 मुद्रा
Draw the abdomen backwards above the navel so that the
great bird flies unceasingly upwards. This is Uddiyana-
bandha, a lion against the elephant of death.
समग्राद्बन्धनाद्ध्येतदुड्डीयानं विशिष्यते ।
उड्डीयाने समभ्यस्ते मुक्तिः स्वाभाविकी भवेत् ॥ ९
This Uddiyana sets itself apart from all bandhas: when
Uddiyana is practiced, liberation arises spontaneously.
कण्ठसंकोचनं कृत्वा चिबुकं हृदये न्यसेत् ।
जालन्धरे कृते बन्धे षोडशाधारबन्धनम् ।
जालन्धरमहामुद्रा मृत्योश्च क्षयकारिणी ॥ १०
Contract the throat and put the chin on the chest. When
Jalandharabandha is performed, the sixteen adharas are
restrained.¹ The great Jalandhara mudra brings about
death's downfall.
सिद्धो जालन्धरो बन्धो योगिनां सिद्धिदायकः ।
षण्मासमभ्यसेद्यो हि स सिद्धो नात्र संशयः ॥ ११
A perfected Jalandharabandha bestows success upon yogis.
He who practices it for six months is an adept. In this
there is no doubt.
¹A bandha (lock) is a type of mudra. The sixteen adharas (literally “supports”
or “substrates”) are at various locations within the body. They are listed in the
Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati, verses 2.10–25.

MUDRAS 63
महामुद्रा – Mahamudra