Did you know that according to the Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad obstacles in Yoga are self doubts, confusion, indifference, habit of giving up, being caught up in worldly drama, and suspicions?
The Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad (Sanskrit: योगकुण्डलिनी उपनिषत्), also called Yogakundalya Upanishad (Sanskrit: योगकुण्डल्युपनिषत्, a minor Upanishad of Hinduism, in Sanskrit text, is one of the 20 Yoga Upanishads, and is one of 32 Upanishads attached to the Krishna Yajurveda. In the Muktika canon, narrated by Rama to Hanuman, it is listed at number 86 in the anthology of 108 Upanishads.
It is a highly significant text related to the exposition of the Kundalini Yoga, describes Hatha and Lambika yoga, and the last chapter is primarily about the quest of self-knowledge, Atman, Brahman (the Non-dual Brahman) and living liberation. It is an important text in Tantra, to the Shakti tradition of Hinduism, and considered one of the most important texts on Kundalini Yoga.
The text is set in verse, structured into three chapters, with a total of 171 verses. The first chapter has 87 verses, and discusses yoga practice. The second chapter with 49 verses discusses Khecari (Sanskrit: खेचरि) knowledge. The last chapter consists of 35 verses and discusses soul, Brahman, meditation and living liberation.
The first chapter opens with the statement that human mind is influenced by memories and Prana (vital breath, inner life-force). First and foremost, states the text, a yogin should begin by mastering Prana. It asserts that this can be achieved by Mitahara, Asana and "rousing of inner power (Kundalini)" (Shakti-chalan). In this chapter two Asanas (postures) as a part of practice for the yogi and yogini – Padmasana (lotus posture) and Vajrasana (diamond or kneeling posture). The breath control practice in several ways including Surya-Kumbhaka, Ujjayi-Kumbhaka, Sitali-Kumbhaka and Bhastra-Kumbhaka are also elaborated.The text lists as obstacles to progress in a yogin as following: self doubts, confusion, indifference, abnormal sleep, habit of giving up, delusions, being caught up in worldly drama, failure to comprehend descriptions, suspicions regarding the truth of yoga. The text also states that those who are ill or injured should not do this yoga, and those who are suffering from excretory obstructions should refrain as well.
Further, in the first chapter, the Chakra (with sixteen petals called Anahata is awakened, linking vital fluids of the human body symbolically to moon and sun, that is arousing the awareness of cold and hot essence within respectively. Six chakras are listed as: the Ajna in the head (between the two eyebrows), Vishuddhi (root of the neck), Anahata (heart), Manipuraka (navel), Svadhishthana (near genital organ) and Muladhara (base of spinal cord). These are centers of Shakti (power, energy, subtle force). It also outlines the destination for the journey of Kundali-yoga practice to be the knowledge of Brahman (eternal, changeless reality), Atman (soul, self), and inner liberation.
The second chapter opens with a praise and wonders of Khechari (transversing the ethereal regions) knowledge, with the assertion that "one who has mastered this, is devoid of aging and mortality" and free from the suffering from diseases. Using a cryptic code the text explains how to extract Khechari-Vidya bija (seed). These are then constituted into a Khechari-mantra as "Hrīṃ, Bham, Saṃ,Shaṃ, Phaṃ, Saṃ and Kshaṃ".
The third chapter discusses the state of Samadhi and that is Jivanmukta (living liberation). It defines Samadhi as that state of Atman and pure consciousness in which "all is known as one" and the existence in the nectar of oneness.
Source: Extracts from article in Wikipedia posted on 17 January 2016 with major contributions from Ms Saraha Welch and Nvvchar
Narasipur Char
