Shiva Samhita Quotes
The Shiva Samhita is a Sanskrit hatha yoga text of unknown authorship, framed as Shiva teaching Parvati. Scholars date it anywhere from about the 14th to the 17th century. Its five chapters move from nondual philosophy to the subtle body, postures, mudras and mantra, and it says householders can practise yoga too.
2 paraphrases of numbered verses, each shown with the verse from a public-domain translation, and 28 ideas from commentary on the text.
Paraphrases of verses
- Verse 1.31 “In yoga, the seeker must renounce all attachment to worldly desires and dedicate himself fully to the practice.”
- Verse 3.39 “The yogi who has mastered the prana (life force) can attain any goal he desires.”
Ideas from commentary on the text
- “The body is the temple of the soul; when it is purified, the soul becomes pure.”
- “Yoga is the path to liberation; it leads to freedom from the bondage of the mind and the ego.”
- “He who is unaffected by happiness or sorrow, he who remains steadfast in yoga, attains the highest state.”
- “The yogi should practice asanas and pranayama to purify the body and mind, for only then can the consciousness rise above the senses.”
- “The mind is restless; but through steady practice, it becomes calm and still, just like the ocean becomes calm after a storm.”
- “To conquer the mind is the highest victory. One who has mastered his mind is called a true yogi.”
- “The breath is the bridge between the body and the mind; when we control the breath, we control both.”
- “Yoga is the union of the individual soul with the supreme consciousness.”
- “The yogi who is free from desires, who has mastered his senses, attains the highest knowledge.”
- “The practice of asanas and pranayama purifies the body and prepares the mind for meditation.”
- “The true yogi is one who has learned to surrender his ego and sees himself in all beings.”
- “A yogi who has attained perfect concentration is like a lighted lamp in a windless place—steady and undisturbed.”
- “When the body is healthy, the mind is clear, and the spirit is calm, one attains the state of yoga.”
- “One should practice yoga with devotion, sincerity, and faith, without attachment to the results.”
- “True knowledge is the realization of the oneness of the individual soul and the supreme consciousness.”
- “The path of yoga is not easy; it requires discipline, patience, and perseverance.”
- “Meditation is the gateway to the inner world. Through it, one reaches the state of pure consciousness.”
- “The mind is like a mad elephant; the yogi must tame it through the practice of yoga.”
- “Through the practice of Hatha Yoga, the body becomes strong, the mind becomes steady, and the soul attains peace.”
- “The yogi who is not affected by praise or blame, who is free from attachment, is truly wise.”
- “A true yogi is not concerned with the world; he is only concerned with the realization of the self.”
- “One who practices yoga with sincerity will surely attain liberation, even in this lifetime.”
- “The greatest strength is found not in the body, but in the mastery of the mind.”
- “The breath is the king of the senses; when the breath is controlled, the mind becomes steady.”
- “The yogi who has attained control over the senses can see the divine presence in all things.”
- “Yoga is the art of knowing the self, the highest form of knowledge is the realization of the self as one with the infinite.”
- “The body is the temple where the soul resides; when it is purified, the soul shines in its true radiance.”
- “The yogi who has conquered the body and the mind attains the highest state of bliss.”