Swami Vishnuswaroop - Goraksha Samhita: Also Known As Goraksha Paddhati

G ORAKSHA S AMHITA
Also Known As Goraksha Paddhati
The Yogic Path of Guru Gorakshanatha
(English Translation Accompanied by Sanskrit Text in Roman Transliteration)

Translated into English by Swami Vishnuswaroop
Published by Divine Yoga Institute Kathmandu, Nepal ALSO BY THE AUTHOR
Yoga Kundalini Upanishad (in English) Yoga Darshana Upanishad (in English) Minor Yoga Upanishads (in English) Yogatattva Upanishad (in English) Hatha Yoga Pradipika (in English) Two Yoga Samhitas (in English) Triyoga Upanishad (in English) Gheranda Samhita (in English) Shiva Samhita (in English) Shiva Samhita (in Nepali) Surya Namskara (in Nepali) Durga Strotram (in Nepali) Vagalamukhi Stotram (in Nepali) Amogha Shivakavacham (in Nepali)
Copyright 2017 Swami Vishnuswaroop All rights reserved. Dedication Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah! To My Guru Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Founder of Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, India Gratitude First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt salutations to Adinatha (the Primordial Master Lord Shiva) and my Guru Swami Satyananda Saraswati for their inspiration and guidance I have received for my work. I realize that my unwavering faith and belief in God and Guru is a motivational gift for me in completing this work. I could never have done it without their blessings. I am always thankful to Ms. Bhawani Uprety for her untiring support she has provided me during my involvement in writing and translating various classical texts on yoga.

My due thanks goes to her forever. May God and Guru inspire us to tread the path of yoga in order to achieve the ultimate goal of human life!
- Swami Vishnuswaroop Introduction Goraka Samhit is composed by the great YogGorakantha. Renowned spiritual masters in the East have highly acknowledged and honored him as a SiddhaYog for many centuries. His name is mentioned by SvmiSvtmrma in his classical text HathaYogaPradipik (Chapter One, Verses 4 and 5). He is also one of the Masters mentioned in the Pur nas and yogic texts. He is well known as Guru Gorakhantha, and a highly respected, revered and worshipped spiritual master in India and Nepal.

The followers of the N tha Tradition worship him as the incarnation of Lord iva , and say that the nine N thas and eighty-four Siddhas belong to Adin tha , Lord iva . So, he is also called iva Goraka , the founder of the Natha Siddha tradition. It is said that Gorakan tha was an Eighth Century Siddha Yog . But some say that his physical presence occurred somewhere from the 8th to 11th century. According to the Natha Siddha tradition, Guru Gorakhn tha is an immortal sage and takes care of human beings and their welfare. Gorkha, a historic district of Nep a l, was named after Gorakhan tha , and its inhabitants were called Gorkh li according to the legend.

There is a cave of Guru Gorakhn tha which lies next to the famous Gorakhak li Temple. Like Gorkha , the district of Gorakhapur in North Bihar of India, was also named after him. There is also a famous temple of Gorakhan tha in Gorakhapur. It is said that HathaYogMastsyendranth was the Guru of Gorakantha. YogMastsyendranth received Yoga Vidy (knowledge/wisdom) directly from the mouth of Lord iva through Parvati. It was Guru Gorakantha who summarized the yogic subject matter in two hundred verses, which he had received from his Guru Mastsyendranth, based on the teachings of ri dintha (Lord iva).

This summarized text by Gorakantha is called GorakaSamhit (compendium) which is also known as GorakaPaddhati: Yogic Path of GuruGorakhantha. Goraka Samhit highly emphasizes the purification of the body, prna and the mind. It is believed that total purification of all impurities on both the physical and prnic levels is absolutely necessary in order to purify the mind. When these impurities are eliminated from the body and the energy blocks are removed, then the foundation for the awakening of the akti is prepared. Therefore, Guru Gorakhantha in Goraka Samhit clearly outlines the various aspects of the Hatha Yoga practices e.g. sana, prnyma, mudr, bandha and dhyna, etc., which serve as a solid foundation for the preparation and practice of RajaYoga.

Originally, the science of Hatha Yoga was discovered for the expansion and evolution of human consciousness, and for the accomplishment of the ultimate goal of human life, moka (liberation) through samdhi (the super conscious state). According to Goraka Samhit, the objective of Hatha Yoga is to create a harmonious balance between the physical body, prna (the vital energy) and the mind. It is said that when the impulses generated by this harmonious balance stimulate the awakening of the Kual akti, only then is the evolution of consciousness or union between iva and akti possible. This accomplishment is the sole objective of the teaching of Goraka Samhit by Guru Gorakantha. It should be noted that the original Sanskrit Text is in Devanagari along with its Roman transliteration. All the Sanskrit words/phrases that appear in the English translation are given in the transliterated Roman alphabets.

It is hoped that this compilation will be helpful to all yoga lovers, yoga s dhakas , yoga teachers and yoga professionals to understand the traditional yoga, its objective and practice for the human welfare.
Publisher Prva atakam
Part One
Salutation to Guru

rguru paramnanda vande svnandavigraham / yasya sannidhyamtrea cidnandyate tanu //1//
I salute the teacher, who is in paramnanda (supreme bliss), and an embodiment of svnanda (self-bliss). Just by being near him, I find myself in a state of bliss. -1.1

namasktya guru bhakty gorako jnamuttamam / abha yogin brte paramnandakrakam //2//
Having expressed his devotion by saluting his Guru, Goraka imparts the supreme knowledge, which is beneficial for all yogs, and bestows ultimate bliss. -1.2
Objective of Goraka Samhit

gorakasahit vakti yogin hitakmyay / dhruva yasyvabodhena jyate parama padam //3//
He will now expound the Goraka Samhit with his good wishes for the benefit of all yogs. -1.3

etad vimuktisopnametat klasya vacanam / yad vyvtta mano bhogdsakta paramtmani //4//
This Samhit is a ladder of liberation, and a way to deceive death. -1.3

etad vimuktisopnametat klasya vacanam / yad vyvtta mano bhogdsakta paramtmani //4//
This Samhit is a ladder of liberation, and a way to deceive death.

It turns the mind away from the attachment of bhoga (worldly pleasures) towards Paramtma (the Supreme Self). -1.4
Taking Refuge in Yoga

dvijasevitakhasya rutikalpataro phalam / amana bhavatpasya yoga bhajata sattam //5//
The most exceptional ones take refuge in yoga to relieve their worldly pains and sufferings. This branch of revelation ( ruti ) which is served by the dvija (literally, twice-born) yields the fruit of kalpataru (a heavenly tree that fulfills all ones wishes). -1.5
Six Limbs of Yoga

sana prasarodha pratyhraca dhra / dhyna samdhiretni yoggni vadanti a//6//
sana, control over prna , pratyahra , dhrana , dhyna and samdhi are said to be the six limbs of yoga. -1.6

sanni ca tvanto yvanto jvajntava / etemakhiln bhedn vijnti mahevara //7//
There are as many postures as there are sentient beings. -1.7
Descriptions of sanas

caturtilakmekaika samudhtam / tata ivena phn oena ata ktam //8//
Of the eighty four hundred thousand sanas, one hundred thousand have been mentioned. -1.7
Descriptions of sanas

caturtilakmekaika samudhtam / tata ivena phn oena ata ktam //8//