Misplaced Pages

The Vasishtha Samhita (Sanskrit: वासिष्ठसंहिता, Vāsiṣṭha Saṁhitā, Vasishtha's Collection) is a 13th-century medieval Vaishnavite text, one of the first to describe non-seated hatha yoga asanas including the arm-balancing Kukkutasana, Cockerel Pose. It makes use of the 10th-century Vimanarcanakalpa, whose verse it paraphrases in prose to describe what may be the first non-seated asana, the arm-balancing Mayurasana, Peacock Pose. These descriptions in turn were exploited by the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika.

The Vasishtha Samhita shares many verses with the Yoga Yajnavalkya, some of which originate in the earlier Padma Samhita.

The text, ascribed to the earlier sage Vasishtha, was compiled by an unknown author of the Vaishnavite Shakta sect. Its 45 chapters cover peace, name-chanting, offerings, sacrifices, astrology, and donation.

References

1. Mallinson & Singleton 2017, pp. 87–88, 104–105.
2. Atkinson, Simon (2022). Krishnamacharya on Kundalini : the origins and coherence of his position. Bristol: Equinox. p. 31-57. ISBN 9781800501522.
3. Joshi, Dinkar (2005). Glimpses of Indian Culture. Star Publications. p. 25. ISBN 978-81-7650-190-3.
4. Frawley, David (2014). Vedic Yoga: The Path of the Rishi. Lotus Press. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-940676-25-1.
5. Rosen, Richard (2012). Original Yoga: Rediscovering Traditional Practices of Hatha Yoga. Shambhala Publications. p. 264. ISBN 978-0-8348-2740-0.

Sources

• Mallinson, James; Singleton, Mark (2017). Roots of Yoga. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-241-25304-5. OCLC 928480104.
• Maheshananda, Swami; Sharma, B. R. (2005). Vasistha Samhita. Kaivalyadhama. ISBN 978-8189485375.

External links

• Sanskrit text of Vasishtha Samhita
• English prose translation by Manmatha Nath Dutt, Elysium Press, Calcutta, 1907

v t e Hatha yoga
Subtle body	Three bodies Five sheaths Chakra Nadi Sushumna Prana
Texts (Asanas)	Ancient meditation seats Darshana Upanishad, Pātañjalayogaśāstravivaraṇa, Goraksha Sataka Gomukhasana Muktasana Padmasana Siddhasana Simhasana Sopasrayasana Sukhasana Svastikasana Virasana Ancient non-meditation Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā, Pātañjalayogaśāstravivaraṇa Dandasana Kurmasana c. 7th C. Ahirbudhnya Samhita Kukkutasana c. 10th C. Vimanarcanakalpa Mayurasana c. 11th C. Amritasiddhi, Hemachandra's Yogashastra Muktasana Shirshasana 12th C. Amaraugha 13th C. Dattatreya Yoga Shastra, Goraksha Shataka, Vasishtha Samhita, Vivekamārtaṇḍa Viparita Karani 14th C. Khecarīvidyā, Shiva Samhita, Sharngadhara-paddhati, Yogabīja, Yogatārāvalī Gorakshasana Paschimottanasana 15th C. Hatha Yoga Pradipika Baddha Konasana Dhanurasana Matsyendrasana Utkatasana 17th C. Gheranda Samhita, Hatha Ratnavali, Yogacintamani, Bahr al-Hayāt Bakasana Bhujangasana Kakasana Kraunchasana Makarasana Mandukasana Matsyasana Vajrasana Vrikshasana 18th C. Hathabhyasa-paddhati, Joga Pradipika Adho Mukha Vrikshasana 19th C. Sritattvanidhi Akarna Dhanurasana Bhairavasana Durvasasana Garudasana Halasana Navasana Pashasana Setu Bandha Sarvangasana Tittibhasana Urdhva Dhanurasana Late 1905 Yogasopana Purvacatuska 1943 Hatha Yoga: The Report of A Personal Experience
Mudras	Mahamudra Maha Bandha Jalandhara Bandha Mula Bandha Uddiyana Bandha Viparita Karani Khechari mudra Vajroli mudra
Shatkarmas	Dhauti Basti Kapalabhati Nauli Neti Trataka
Pranayama	Anuloma Bhastrika Bhramari Kumbhaka Ujjayi
Related	Modern yoga Nath Roots of Yoga Yoga Yoga as exercise Yoga using props Category:Medieval Hatha Yoga asanas

• Hatha yoga texts