The Gheranda Samhita is one of the three classical texts of Hatha yoga, beside the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Shiva Samhita. It is written as a dialogue: the sage Gheranda teaches his student, Chanda Kapali, a complete path from cleansing the body to absorption in the Self. It is usually dated to the late seventeenth century, and it is the most systematic of the Hatha manuals.
Yoga of the body as a vessel
Gheranda calls his teaching ghatastha yoga, the yoga of the "pot" or vessel: the body. Like an unbaked clay pot, he says, the body must be fired and strengthened before it can hold the practice. Each of his seven limbs prepares it for the next.
The seven limbs
| Limb | Practice | What it brings |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Shatkarma | The six cleansing practices | Purification |
| 2. Asana | Postures | Strength |
| 3. Mudra | Seals and locks | Steadiness |
| 4. Pratyahara | Withdrawal of the senses | Calm |
| 5. Pranayama | Breath control | Lightness |
| 6. Dhyana | Meditation | Direct perception of the Self |
| 7. Samadhi | Absorption | Freedom |
Compare the eight limbs of Patanjali: Gheranda leaves out the ethical yamas and niyamas as separate steps and begins with the body instead, adding cleansing and mudra.
Shatkarma
The first chapter teaches the six cleansing practices, dhauti, basti, neti, lauliki (nauli), trataka and kapalabhati, each with several variations. Our guide to the shatkarmas explains them and their precautions; jala neti and kapalabhati have their own guides.
Asana
Gheranda says there are as many postures as there are living beings; of these Shiva taught 84 as the best, and 32 are useful for people. He describes all 32, from Siddhasana and Padmasana to Bhujangasana and Shavasana, twice as many as the Pradipika.
Mudra
The third chapter describes 25 mudras, including the bandhas, maha mudra, khechari mudra and viparita karani. They are taught to make the practitioner steady and to direct prana.
Pratyahara
Wherever the mind wanders, bring it back under the control of the Self. This short chapter is the turning point from outer to inner practice.
Pranayama
Gheranda begins with the right place, season and diet for practice, and purification of the channels, then teaches eight kumbhakas, including ujjayi, sheetali, bhastrika and bhramari. Our guide to the types of pranayama describes them.
Dhyana and samadhi
He describes three kinds of meditation: on a form (sthula), on light (jyotir) and on the subtle (sukshma), and several kinds of samadhi reached through practices such as mudra, sound and devotion.
Gheranda Samhita and Hatha Yoga Pradipika
- Structure: seven limbs, against the Pradipika's four chapters.
- Asanas: 32, against 15.
- Cleansing: many more variations of the shatkarmas.
- Approach: a step-by-step manual, where the Pradipika is closer to a teaching on the goal of Hatha yoga as a path to Raja yoga.
Read together, the two texts show how classical Hatha yoga was taught: the body first, then the breath, then the mind.
How to read it
Choose a translation with commentary and read it alongside practice with a teacher. Several of the practices it describes, especially the stronger cleansing techniques and mudras, are not safe to learn from a book.
Studying the classical texts with us
The Hatha texts, including the Gheranda Samhita and the Pradipika, are part of the philosophy module of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, and the practices they describe are taught daily in the Shatkriya, pranayama and asana sessions. They are studied in more depth on the 500 Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training.
