PERCEPTION OF KUNDALINI IN HATHA YOGIC TEXTS: PSYCHO-PHYSICAL EVALUATION AND INTERPRETATION

Kundalini is described as lying "coiled" at the base of the spine, represented as either a goddess or sleeping serpent waiting to be awakened. In modern commentaries, Kundalini has been called an unconscious, instinctive or libidinal force, or "mother energy or intelligence of complete maturation. The Shiva Samhita is one of the highly regarded texts on Hath Yoga; the other two being the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita. The Sanskrit verses are a conversation between Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. According to Hatha Yoga Pradipika, as the chief of the snakes is the support of the earth with all the mountains and forests on it, so all the Tantra (yoga techniques) rest on the kundalini. (The vertibretal column) and when the sleeping Kundalini awakens by favour of a guru, then all the lotuses (in the six chakras or centres) and all the knots are pierced through. Gheranda Samhita is a manual of yoga taught by Gheranda to Chanda Kapali. Unlike other hatha yoga texts, the Gheranda Samhita speaks of sevenfold yoga: Shatkarma for purification - Asana for strengthening, Mudra for steadying, Pratyahara for calming, Pranayama for lightness, Dhyana for perception and Samadhi for isolation. Kundalini yoga, as a ‘tool' is a process that helps cut through a state that reinstates in Gheranda samhita, there is no bond equal in strength to Maya and no power greater to destroy that bond than Yoga”. Though lot of conceptual developments and analysis have mean made in different texts, the work in this field is also at present very essential. Detailed scientific analysis is required to establish a link between ancient yogic texts and modern medical science. THE PSYCHO-PHYSICAL ANALYSIS is essential for harnessing this dormant energy, studying its effect and utilizing this also for individual as well as whole some development of society.