Goraksha Śataka

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The Goraksha Śataka (Sanskrit गोरक्षशतक, Goraksha's Hundred) is an early hatha yoga
text, written in around the 10th century in the tantra tradition.[1]

Contents
1 Sixfold system
2 Mudras
3 Pranayama
4 Chakras
5 References
6 Sources
7 External links
Sixfold system
The Goraksha Śataka, unlike Ashtanga, the eightfold yoga of Patanjali, describes a
system of six limbs asana (posture), breath-restraint (which it calls
pranasamrodha), pratyahara (withdrawal), dharana (concentration), meditation, and
samadhi; omitting the first two limbs of Ashtanga, namely the Yamas and Niyamas. It
recommends gradually increasing breath retention as the best way to samadhi.[2]

The text does not mention mantras;[3] nor does it speak of preserving the vital
fluids of bindu or amrita, central to hatha yoga.[4]

Mudras
The Goraksha Śataka is one of the first hatha yoga texts in the tantra tradition.
It teaches four of what became known as mudras. Three of these, Mula Bandha,
Uddiyana Bandha, and Jalandhara Bandha are used to force breath up into the central
nadi or channel. The other, Shakti Chalana, stimulating the goddess, is used to
awaken Kundalini energy by pulling the tongue.[5]

Pranayama
The text states that pranayama, breath control, can bestow liberation by
controlling the mind. It describes four techniques of sahita kumbhaka, accompanied
breath-retention, namely solar, victorious (ujjayi), cool, and bellows (bhastri).
[6]

Chakras
The Goraksha Śataka mentions three knots (granthis), a kind of chakra, which have
to be pierced to allow the Kundalini to pass through. The three are the knots of
Brahma at the base of the Sushumna channel, of Vishnu at the heart, and of Rudra,
between the eyebrows.[7]

References
Kuvalayananda 2006.
Mallinson & Singleton 2017, p. 326.
Mallinson & Singleton 2017, p. 262.
Mallinson 2016, pp. 109–140.
Mallinson & Singleton 2017, pp. 230–231, 243–244.
Mallinson & Singleton 2017, pp. 127, 131–133, 157–159.
Mallinson & Singleton 2017, pp. 175, 214–215.
Sources
Kuvalayananda, Swami (translator) (2006) [1954]. Goraksa-Satakam. Kaivalyadhama.
ISBN 818948544X.
Mallinson, James (2016). Śāktism and Haṭhayoga. In Wernicke-Olesen, Bjarne (ed.).
Goddess Traditions in Tantric Hinduism History, Practice and Doctrine (PDF).
Routledge. pp. 109–140. ISBN 978-1317585213.
Mallinson, James; Singleton, Mark (2017). Roots of Yoga. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-
241-25304-5. OCLC 928480104.
External links
Text in Sanskrit and English, translated by Yoga Nath