“All together there are as many asanas as there are species of living beings. Shiva has taught 8,400,000.”
The verse: Gheranda Samhita 2.1
The quote above is our paraphrase. This is the verse as it reads in the Srisa Chandra Vasu translation (1915):
“There are eighty-four hundreds of thousands of Asanas described by Shiva. The postures are as many in number as there are numbers of species of living creatures in this universe.”
About the text: Gheranda Samhita
The Gheranda Samhita is a Sanskrit hatha yoga manual, probably from the late 17th century, framed as the sage Gheranda teaching a student named Chanda. Its seven chapters set out a sevenfold yoga, from cleansing practices and postures to breath control, meditation and samadhi.
More from the Gheranda Samhita
- “Like an unbaked pot in water, the body is always decaying. One should bake it with the fire of Yoga and make it pure.”
- “There is no fetter like illusion, no force greater than Yoga, no friend greater than knowledge, and no enemy greater than ego.”
- “Stare at a small object without blinking until tears start to fall. The wise call this Trataka.”
- “The yogi should visualize a sublime ocean of nectar in his heart.”
- “Shavasana removes fatigue and brings rest to the mind.”
- “Bhastrika removes illness and brings daily health.”