“In the body, the self is consciousness. It is without a second, eternal, and supreme.”
The verse: Gheranda Samhita 7.20
The quote above is our paraphrase. This is the verse as it reads in the Srisa Chandra Vasu translation (1915):
“The Atma confined in the body is Chaitanya or Consciousness, it is without a second, the Eternal, the Highest; knowing it separate from body, let him be free from desires and passions.”
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
- “Samadhi, the highest Yoga, is attained by the very fortunate.”
- “The yogi who practices Bhujanginimudra quickly destroys all gastric ailments.”
- “Through pranayama, the yogi gets the ability to move through space; through pranayama, diseases are destroyed.”
- “Separate the mind from the body and unite it with the supreme soul.”
- “The supreme, subtle dhyana is a hundred thousand times better than the luminous dhyana.”
- “Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Nauli, Trataka, and Kapalabhati — one should practice these six cleansing techniques.”