Introduction of Shatkarmas (kriya)

Shat means ‘six’ and kriya means ‘cleansing’. Yogic Kriya remove the waste materials of our
internal organs which are not expelled normally. Therefore, the aims of Hatha Yoga and of the
Shatkriyas are to cleanse the internal organs and thereby create harmony between the major pranic
flows, Ida and pingala, and attaining physical and mental purification and balance.

The Shatkriyas are also used to balance the three doshas or humours in the body Kapha- the mucus,
Pitta- the bile and Vata-the wind. According to both Ayurveda and Hatha Yoga an imbalance of the
Doshas will result in illness. These practices are also used before Pranayama and the other higher
yoga practices in order to purify the body from toxins and to ensure safe and successful progression
along the spiritual path.

धौतिर्बस्तिस्तथा ने ति त्राटकं नौलिकं तथा।

कपालभातिश्चै तानि षट् कर्माणी प्रचक्षते ।
॥हठ योग प्रदिपिका २- २२॥

dhautirbastistathaa neti traaTakaM naulikaM tathaa.

kapaalabhaatishchaitaani ShaTkarmaaNii pracaxate.
..haTha yoga pradipikaa 2- 22..

Shatkarmas

DHAUTI Antar Dhauti vatsara (plavini)

(internal) varisara (shankha-prakshakans)
vahnisara (agnisara Kriya)
bahiskrita(rectal cleaning)
Danta Dhauti (teeth) jihva (tongue)
Karna (ear)
Kapalrandhar(frontal sinuses)
Chakshu (eyes)
Hrid Dhauti (cardiac) vastra (cloth)
danda(stick)
vaman (kunjal & vyaghra kriya)
Moola shodhana(anal)
BASTI Jala(water)
Sthala(dry)
NETI Sutra(thread)
Jala(water)
Dugdha(milk)
Ghrita(ghee)
TRATAKA Antaranga (internal)
Bahiranga(external)
NAULI Dhakshina(right isolation of rectus abdomini muscles)
Vama(left isolation of rectus abdomini muscles)
Madhyama(central abdominal contraction)
Nauli Chalana(abdominal rotation or churning)
KAPALBHATI Vatakrama(air cleansing)
Vyutkrama(sinus cleansing)
Sheetkrama(mucus cleansing)

 DHAUTI
1)VARSARA-DHAUTI-
Contract the mouth beak of a crow and drink air slowly, and fill the stomach, move it them and then slowly
force it out throw the lower passage.

Benefit-Purification of the body , destroys all disease and increase the gastric fire

2)VARISARA DHAUTI

Fill the mouth with water down to the throat, and then move it through the stomach forcing it downwards
expelling it through the rectum.

Benefits-it purifies the body and by practicing it with care .it purifies his filthy body and turns it a shining
one.

3)VAHNISAR (agnisara Kriya)-Press in the naval Knot or intestines towards the spine for one hundred
times

Benefits-By this Dhauti alone one certainly gets a luminous body.

4)BAHNISARAANTARA(rectal cleaning)-make acrow bill Mudra fill the stomach with air,hold it there
for one hour and a half and a half,and then force it down towards the intestines.

Benefits-by this one gets Devadeha (Godlike body).

 DANTa DHAUTI:
1)JIHVA (tongue)-join together the three fingers known as the index, middle, ring finger put them the
throat and rub well and clean the root of the tongue .

Benefits-The elongation of the tongue destroy old, deathand disease.

2)KARANADHAUTI-Clean the two holes of the index and ring fingers.

Benefits-By practicing it daily ,the mystical sound are head.

3)KAPAKRANDHAR(frontal sinuses)-Rub with the thumb of the right hand the depression in the
forehade near the bridge of the nose.

Benefits-By this practice of this diseases arising from derangements of phlegmatic humours are cured. The
vessels become purified and ckairvoyance is induced.

 HRID DHAUTI :
1)DANDA DHAUTI -Take a plantain stalk or a stalk of turmer5ic (Haridra) a stalk of cane, and thrust it
slowly into the esophagus and then draw it out slowly.

Benefits-It removes all the Phlegm, bile and other impurities are expelled out of the mouth, and it cure heart
disease is surely cured.

2)VAMANA DHAUTI -After the meal drink water full up to throat then looking upwards let him vomit it
out again

Benefits-By daily practice disorders of phlegm and bile are cured.

3)VASTRA DHAUTI-Let him swallow a thin cloth four fingers wide then let him drw it out again.

Benefits-This cures Gulma or abdominal disease fever enlarged spleen, leprosy and other skin disease and
disorders of phlegm and bile and day by day practitioner get health, strength, and cheerfulness .

4)MUKASODHANAKARMA-By the stalk of the root of Haridra (turmeric) or the middle fingers the
rectum should be carefully cleansed with water over and over again.

Benefits-This destroys constipations, indigestion and dyspepsia and increases the beauty and vigour of the
body and enkindles the s[here of the fire.

 BASTI :
1)JALA BASTI-Entering water up to the navel and assuming the posture called Utkatasana and contract
and dilate the sphincter muscle of the anus

Benefits-This cure urinary disorders, digestion and disorder of the wind the bout free from all disease.

2)STHALA BASTI-Sit in the pascimottana let him move the intestines slowly downward than contract and
dilate the sphincter muscles of the anus with asvini-mudra.

Benefits-It increase gastric fire and cure flatulence, constipation never occurs.

 NETI-
Take a thin thread measuring half a cubit and insert it into the nostrils and passing it through ,pull it out by
the mouth.

Benefits-by this practices one obtains Khecari Siddhi.It destroys the disorder of phlegm and produces
clairvoyance or clear sight.
  TRATAKA-
Gaze steadily without winking at any small object until tears begin to flow.

Benefits-By this practices Sambhavi Siddhis are obtained, all diseases of the eye are destroyed and
clairvoyance in induced.

 KAPALABHATI-
VATAKRAMA-Draw the wind through the left nostril and expel it through the right and draw it again
through the right and expel out through the left.

Benefits-This practice destroys disorder of phlegm.

VYUTKRAMA-Draw the water through the two nostrils and expel it through the mouth slowly.

Benefits- This practice destroys disorder of phlegm

SEETKRAMA: Suck water through the mouth and expel it through the nostrils

Benefits-Old age never comes to him decrepitude never disfigures him. The body becomes healthy, elastic
and disorders of phlegm are destroyed.