S I D D H AA S A N A M

S. Ramacwtml
Whotfur lt l. slr.rr!n.m, Srrvrngrrrnrm or'rltalog' po.tur.r llkr Prdmrrnrm. tftrr conrldmblc prrctlor, thr body rdjurt. to th, d|ff.. po.ltlon. ,.nl lnd I o.?trln ddlehtful fcellne 3t.n. tlowino. lt mnlt |tr by a rlow rhythmlcbrcathlng ,nd Indlclf't prrfcctlon In thr porturr (Arfnr .lddhl). lha bcn.flcltl cffcctr mcn. tlon.d by Acharyd rnd mclant yoga taxtr thln tlan rccrulng. Th. crplclty to .try comton.b|' rnd .L!dy In r porturf rhosld bcrcqulnd, whrn Prlnlycma lnd Dhyana brooma rlrlrr, lnd b|ndlofrl. For thr puDo.. of more lntlmrt pr.otlc.r llkr Prcnr. yrma rnd th. lnthrrrnglar. dhrnr. || modlbtlonon onc't lahtdayata atc., c.rt! i n .Daalllo .ltttng !ran!. rrc Dorm.lly pr|otirad. In .n arrllfr brur, VrJrrtlnlrn rnd

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ll! Vinyrlra rnd tubrcqu. rnlly In thc Fcbruarv1978 lruo of Thr Indlrn Brvlrw Prdmrlanrmwllh thr V|nyr. trf wtr! datcrrbod Alcw lmportlnt 'rlttlng'or rl mo?a m or a c o m m o n l yk n o w n lmong modarn yog! prlctl. llonsrr,'mrdlbtlvo' portufa, rrc trkrn up.

SIDDHA ASATIIAM

This posture is comparaSrrerch the anKie, the toes p o in tin g o u twa r d s a n d th e tive ly easy for a few w ho T his pos t u r e , l i k e P a d m a - h e e l ke p t a lo n g th e g r o in a n d m a y have di ffi cutty i n doi ng sa namis eg u a l l y w e l l k n o w n th ig h . In th s n e xr sxh a la - , Pa d masanam etc.,si nce there and prac ti s e d . T e x t s l i k e tio n . in a sim ila r fa sh io n , is p r essure on the pubi c G herunda S a m h i t a , S i v a b e n d th e r ig h t kn e e a n d ke e p r e g io n and rectum. evi dentl ,/ works Samhit a, H a t h a y o g a p r a d e e - r h e r ig h t a n kle o n lo p o f th e it on K undal i nr. pik a, et c . , re f E r t o S i d d h a s a n a o u tstr e lch e d le ft a n kle , so M o r e speci fi cal l y,t hel ps i n i as an important one. How- that the right heel is on top cases of early piles, irnproves evr, thgre aro slight varia- of the'generative organ and circulation of knees, low ti o ns in t h e p r a c t i c e o f t h i s p r e ssin g e p u b is. T h e r ig h t b a ck and al so abdomen. The th asana and many texts do ?tatEral malleolus is between str Jb born sacro.i l i ac j oi nt ' ref ert ot hem . th e le ft m e d ia l m a lle o lu sa n d becomes supple. After sorne the heel' Then keeping the practice. it is refreshingly start with samasthithi b a ck str a ig h t' o n e sh o u ld r e la xing. Inhat e, rais i n g a r m s o v e r h e a d close the eyes and direct the exhale, do utkataasanam GOMUKHASANAM rhen keepins patms the by

the side of the buttocks (1)' 'sguat 's nd i n h a t i n g s t r e t c h ske tch th legs s t r a i g h t ,k e e p i n gt h e knees and ankles together. Th is is t he s t a r t i n g p o i n t o f all s it t ing p o s t u r e s a n d i s kn own as D a n d a s a n a ma n d i s des c ribe di n d e t a i l l a t e r . .. Y onim S a m p i d y a ( Y at nen a Padamulena Saadhakaha Medro p a r iP a a d a m o o l a m Y Viny as e t h o g a v i s a d a a .

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Siva Samhita recommends Pa va n a a b h ya sar p r a cticeo f o Pr a n a ya m a in th is p o stu r e a n d a cco td in g lo it, L o r d Siva ' s in str u ctio n to Pa a r va ti is th a t th e r e is n o p o stu fe m o r e co n fid e n tia( p o te n tia lly l Start w i th rhe i ni ti al si tti ng b e n e flcia l)th a n th is. p o siti on. E xhal o, bend l eft o u tst retchsd ankl e by the Since one has to pr actlse sid e of the l eft buttock. On keep the Pr anayam a and meditalion in th e n ext exhal ati on, B Urdhv a mN i r i k s h y a h r u - Siddhaasanam, n atu r a I ly, r ig h t ankl e by the si de of th m adhy a m N i s c h a l a h a M ula, Uddivana and Jaalan- left buttock. Now keep the Samyatend riyaha. dhar a Bandhas ar e also lo be p a lm s on the hsel i and V is es h a A v a k r a k a a y a - pr actised in Siddhasanam. slo wly prossi ng. rai se the s c ha R a h a s y u d v e g a v a - Mulabandha r s he!ped bv the b u tto cks and adj ust the posi Yonisthana - r io n o fthe knees,so that one on or essur e riiraha . Yet at h S r d d h a a s a n a m which is actually the per i- is e xactl y over the other. fsw broaths and G ney a m S i d d h a s a n a m neum. Br ahmananda in hr s Sta y for a r e p e aton tha other si de, fhe com m entar y on HathayogaSiddha d a y a k a m . p o sr ti onof tha l egs and the - S i v a S a m h i t a . pr adeepr ka r eler s lo Yonr sse a t resembl o l he face of a thana as gudha- UPasthayoho A Now, ex h a l e . s p r e a d l e l t M adhyanr , the place between co w (Gomr-rkhasya akl i tr). l eg, bend t h e k n e e k e e p r n g r ectur n and gener ative or gan T h e two knees w i th the gap ln betw een resembl e the the heel i n Y o n i s t h a a n a . which r s penneunl.

It coul d be obssrved that m a n y el derl y poopl e, not u se d to chai rs and sofas,si t fr r lo ng hours w i thout much ch a n gi ng tho posi ti on of the le g s as i s ths case w hen w e normally squat in a pdsition sim ilarto Gomukhasanam.

mouth, rhe shln the side of t he f ac e a n d t h e l e E st h o ea r g of a c o w . T h e c h i n i s k e p t in J'aalandharabandha.

S!vv6 Dskshin. Gulpham Tu P.ishtapaa.sve Niyojayerh. Dakshinopi Talha savyam Gomukhsm Gomukhskriti. -H8thayogspradipika

As s variation, raise one arm ovsr tho head and bending the elbow, lowet the forearm on the back between tho shoulders. The other arm is lowered, ths elbow bent, forearm raised up. Clasp the fingors of the downward hand w i t h t h e o t h e r , R e p e a t on the sido. One may stay for a fEw breaths, Refer cke:ch 2. People who hsvo disoroprotionately heavy thighs, buttocks may attempt to practise Gomukhasana and derive great advantage. The nc rm a l l y d o r m a n t g r o u p o f muscles in the lower baCk and butiocks, such Es gluteus, iliac etc., are well strstchsd and g6t a good flooC supply. One attains a certoin measureof sohincteric c ont ro l . M o n s h o u l d p r a ctice it c ar e f u l l y e s p e c i a l l y wh ile crossing the lsgs (in rhe init is l s t a g e s ) t o a v o i d a n y pressuteon the scrotum. S I MH A A S A N A I U I How m a n y a s 8 n a s a r e there? Thsr are different ans we r s e v e n a m o n g t.tg

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sncisnt Yoga exponsnts which resemble inanimato Acco r d in g a o Gn e r u n o a obiects lik Padma (lolus), Sa m h ita , th e r e a r a s m a n y P arvata (mountai n). danda Asanas as thsrs are.species. (srick), tc. Dwipad8poota and the author proceeds to (Oesk) C hatushpaadapeatam slale that there are,aciording (Tabl e) etc. In addi ti on, to Lord Siva 840000O asanas thgrg are asanas r.vhich are a r e th e r e ( ch a tu r a sitila ks- descnbed purel y on tho h a a n i) . Of wh r ch , a cco r d in g posi ti on of the l i mbs and to h im , 8 4 a r e th e b e st a n d organs or the effect they have on th syslem, such as 3 2 th e m o st b e n o ficia l. Jatarapafi vri thi (acti vati ng In airdition to asanas the stomach),P asch,mottana performed resemblingvarious (P osteri or sttetchi ng) etc. spocios, thgre ate asanas Then there arc classical

rmount of raaclroh ou, lnclcntl havc donc cvcn ln thc rlprct ot thc phyrlcrl rnd broughtlt to pcrfcctlon. Oncgroup Flrhir practircd of rnd devcloped yog! rr rn rrt, Juat !r ! rculptor putr hlr ldcar ln an othorwbc formlerl ltone endconverlr lt into a beautifulart plccar,thc yogi urcd hls own body tnd mrde it e bcautlfuf, well sculpturcd,Dcrfcct obJcct. tlvc Approachlngyog! cvon merclyon thc phyclcalplanc, could bc hlghly rarldylng, mrtchingany otherrrt In it. contcnt, comple{lty and divinity. Slmhaooanam another ia Ascna, practisedby obrcrving E lion u/rltinotor it! proy with ,ts tonguehcnging out. ft is ,lro a vary lmgoilant sittingporturo. Startwlth rlrtlng oroctlnd keping^_the,legr ttretched. Jllii sno ! rftsr rhc Exhale, othcr the heehffiw tho thighs. contrariwirc e., thc l. lcft hcelbelow thr right lnd tho right balowthc lctr. jurt by th. lid of tho acrotum. a.ant. br'cd purcly in thc thrra rro mrn!, nrmodlttt Ono_rcrurlly wlil bc littlng nrm. of rh. Ffrhi who it tho avaturlr of thc trimunl! on tho hrab, wlth thc rnHa. ruppoard.to hrvo dlrcovorsd tnd ot hor goda, They rtrsfchad tho rMnr on ilrt rnd pg.hapr uaad lt tot include,for examplc,Trlvik. floor, Ktep the prlmt on th, 7u9al lllto mrntnr being r!maaEan!m, Sklndaasrnam, rctp.Ctivc knecr, wlth the !.|ocht d with rp.citic thair6vaaf!n!m,Virubhadrr. tlngorsstfstchod rnd rllghrly Rlthir. Exlmplee includr, !n!m, Yoganararimharu. tpan. Opln rhe mouth,ttre. Bhlaradwljmr!nam, V!3i3h- nfm, Nrtrrrr.irrsnam ctc, In tcfiing rh jaw, hang thr tmtlnam, Durvsataalanam,ldditlon, it,tho various Vin. tonguo r! much out al ,(!|.llaartn!m, Eudhsrtrflarn. Vatraa ata alro conridared, poribfo. exporing thc thrort Virw..mltrraarnrm, Then one could rpprocista the 3 it wre. With otc. open.y.r,

.llehtly lqulnt rnd look!t tonlc eflect on tht dlgc$lv. I HAi A D WA A J A A . th. top of the noso (Nmu. rystamall through" SAN A M : agra). Snotho th.oughth! moulh for r while. Ret.rto Rirhi tharadwcja lt wctl Certrln achoob rf.r to rkcrch 3. thir !!ana as Yog! Nri- known lnd rald to bc tho simhlsrrnam. Othcrvrria- father of Dhronacharya. Oulphruchr Vrl.hrnrryrdh.! ate i! tionr of Simharrna to rtry There mlny who belong Vy!thllam.nr UrdhwrtramG|ltu. Padmraranam lo tho grr't.rgc'r gotrr. in Adhomukho Chllimoo!u Ehum|[rDGthru ( rutrr to Indiln Rcvicw f,tulwat chr JarncvoptrL Vy.lthr vrkto Jrhnlhrrnchr Februrry 1978 iruc) cnd The Bhrndwrf group ot l{r|tl|grr mavrlokaydi. ltrorch tha tonguo out rnd a8rn!r, brtlcrlly rcqulro' Slnhrrtrnrm thrvrt.dd diroctthc virurl attlntionto twistingof thc trunk in ono t|fvrw||dhlvlr[t|krn rnd thc ncck and' r dirsction gtmhl!a. Naaarrgra. lt resmblaa -ohrunda llonrredy to pounca. hcad ln th. opporit. dlr.c.
Futthu accordlngto Svrat' m!!rrmt. lt lt aho hclpful In ms s t c ringt h s t h t a r B r n d h a s . It lhould bo ro, bocautc in porturot when onc ia seated wtth buttockr on tht gtound, lik. Padma, Sidh8, tc., tho anol murc l o r r t r n o t f r c g ; whercac In thii, rlncc ona aitr olovltod !r it wero on thr hools, the mulabandhl h arlier to do, CUREE BAD BREATH Onc Incldental advrntage ol thla postu'3 i8 that it halP. i n v c nt ilat i n g l h e o r l l a n d thro.t rcgioh! which hatbour brctcria. Ono ot th6 cau!t of brd broath is that lho thrort ragion i! gonarEllynot k.pt cloan. Ornt!rudhi kops out bsd brrsth, but thir lr'rtion of tho throEt rrgion will hclp orrl hygieno to a 0'r8tar axlnt, lt could also bo obgcrvcd that trom tho tlCtum upto rho tip ol thc tongua lh antiro alimontrry ryrtm ir pullcd up tr it r' ,uch hr. a sood ":::-t

lion, giving a trsmendorts b u tr o ck, Exh a ls tu r n th e loning elfect to lhe spine, head over to the other side. duo to torsion. T h is a sa n a co m b in e s th e The well known posture is advantageof Virasanamand a s it t ing o n e . S t a r t w t l h hg$pgana. and in additidn Dandaasanam.Exhaling,flex h e lp s to lwist th e sp in e a n d lhe left kneo and Keep the hencs make it supple. The ank lo c lo s o a n d a l o n g s i d e cervrcal region, th lumbat th lfr thigh with the stret- snd the small back musclos ch6d anklos on the glound, ar6 strotchsd. just as in Vifasanam. Then cxhaling, bend the right knee, ASWINI MUDRA placing the right ankle'on Mudras are contracting a tho left rhigh, high up. Sit group of muscles, which also 6r9ct with both the buttocks include the Bandhas. We on thoground. Now slowly have already sesn some oxhale. hold the big toe of Mudras as Tstaka Mudra, tho right log with th lingers Sh a n n u kh i M u d r a , Yo g a of the right hand frorn behind. Mudra etc., and also Mula, I nhale, ra i s e t h e l s f t h s n d ; Ja la n d h a r a a n d Ud d iya n a . xhalo bend torward. Inhale ths three famous Bandhas, again,rais e a n d o n e x h a l i n g These Mudras are also to be keep the left palm fully on practisedand with Pranayama th ground bo(ween kneeand are very important in Hatha buttocks fingers turned inYoga, Sage Gherunda refers ward, and below the thigh, to 2 5 su ch M u d r a s. als o t urnin g t h e h e a d t o r h e left side lqoking over lhe left ahouldr. Close the eyes and do long inhalation and exhalation, strctching and twisting the spine a little mora on each exhalEtion' Ropoat on the other side, T his is B h a r a d w a j a s a n a m . Referto skerch No. 4. Another varialion would require srtttng in Parvataa. sanam (Refer Indian Review F bbruary 1 9 7 8 i s s u e ) . E x haling t w i s t t o o n g s i d e keepingthe interlockedpalms on the ground near the onc thigh botwoen knee and the

Contlabting and dilating the anal aperture as a horse ( Asw i ni ) does i n sny co nveni snt posture i s cal l ed Aswi ni Mudra. Thi s i s sai d to bs energy giving. A akunchayeth GudhadhpunavaaramPrakaasayeth fpunaha Saa thavod6swini Mudra Sakthiprabodhakaarini. ft could b observed that many of the Asanas,bandhas, rnudras, etc.. stress the importance of keeping the muscles and Naadis of th6 lower portion (Mula) in good tone. According to yogic theory, manv important nadis a r o si tuatedi n thE anal and th pelvic region and hence ropeatedly it is strEssed lo keepthat areain good control. Further it is the area of sex glands (pfoslate, utetu3

ovorlos) aswell, snd s good musclo tono is especially o3tontiqt. Without these esane6,bandhas and mudfas tieoe creas aro nevsr exerci. ced. People equoto yoga rnd other torm6 of physicat oxercisa and ray that it is as good o, as bad as orher gamo8, sport! and sxercises. One nas to appreciate the oxtont to whhh minuto mulcler 8nd neadis aao attondd lo in yoga. lt roquir3 snornous conconttation, control and as such tha yogs of our ancionts ha8 attempted to prfect the human physical ayrtem. oo that whaterre. bost is ovailsble fiom out of rhir phyaical. was attomptod to be schiovd and oxporienced in full mgasuro. Aswini Mudra could be Practised as a preludo to achieving perfction in Mulabandha, lt can be learnt in cortain aEanas such as Sarvangasanam, Sirsssanam, olc. MAHAAMUDBA Thir Mudra i* referred to by almosr all tho Yoga toxrs. auch as Siva Ssmhite, Ghr. und Samhita, Hathayogapradeopika, Ohyanrbindoopanishadof Krishnayajurveoa. Yog aclroodamaniupsnishad of Saemaveda, tc, According to our Acharya this should bo included for sure in one's daily pnetlce of yog!.

right rnrgn fhefi prcctng the prinsqtn xhale keep. ing the bsck straight, hold tho big toe of rhe right, foot with both pslms. Lock tha chin for Jalandharabandha. ahd practics other bandhas Start with logs stretchad. on exhalation. Repeat a Press the perineum (yoni) few breaths. Change legs with tho lefi heel, with rhe position snd aepeal on otherkns6. bnt and pushed away side also. According to to tho sido at about 90o to Hathoyogsprsd60pika, MhF The sole of the mudra thobody. 3uch overcomeS left foot ie flush with the maladies liko consumption,

Paadamoolena Yaamena yo n im Sa m p id ya Da ksh insm .Prasaaritham Padam Kr u th wa Ka r a a b h ya a m DharayerhDhrudham. -Hathayoga Pradeepika

Irpry, conifpillon, rbdo. m.nrl di..|r.r, lndlglrtlon rts. gp.cltlc.lly ir htp. lona up th. p.lvlo orgrnr, lt ir orgrchlly ol lmpoltrncr to gynr.cologlcolprobl.m! llkc prolspr, Inconthcncc, .lc. F.f.r ro lk.rch (l). MA}IAAIAT{DHAM $rn wfth lrgr rtr.tch6d. Ertrb, bnd th. l.ft kn c .nd.lt on thr hrcl, rh. hc.t pto.lng rnd clorlng tht .ngr. On tha n.xt.xhal.. tlon, t|.p th. nght foot on tht l.tl thleh !. fn P.dmr. ..nam. lo.p thf prlm. on thr knol rnd grctlcc thr Mulr, Uddiyrnr rnd Jrltnd. hrnbrndhu. li lr I good p o . t utat or prrcIloo of lnnryrmt wlth tha Brndh!}

A! glnlhrltrnr, thc lrmr rre ?AftPECE frec for Mulabandhamand In Dlrlrnopanllad, belon i! turthlr helprdby thoprcr. ging to SalmavcOo, lart ttrc rurr ot thc hccl. Rcpeat on rlrne rEfcrred lr Sukhrto th. oth.r 3id.. lanlm, for onc who crn not Sk.lch (6) rhowr rhc do ditticult 6r!nr! lnd ono polltlon ot rh t6.r (and lnftrcrt.d In othrr yoglc hcrl). Thearms porltionin practlcrsllkcPrunayrma etc.. ! tlluting goltur. on th. Ycna Ktnr Pnkaucnc brch Gln bo rtbmot.d ln manyotharpolturq a! Prd. Sukhrm Dftrlrym chr mllrrnrm otc., though lt lr J!!yrt.l Trth Sukha.'rnlm not .p.cltlc to Mlhabrnd. I t hy u k t h l m A r r k t h a r r . h||n. thrth Srmlrrrlyrrh. In whstwor way (polturc) ll tmnar rro prrctirod wlth Srndhrr, Mudrar, Vln. ona !illlnr comfod .nd yrttt, corclponding brea. sto!din..r, thrt lr ..ld rr thlng lnd Prunryamr, lt lr bctbr to do ro underpropcr Sukhra!rn.m. Thrt rhould guldanco.Thb hrs besnthc b! rdopGd by the Intrrm o trrdlilonll approlchf o. otudy ( f ot pr c c t l c o f P r r a n r . yrmom). of Sartrr In lndh.

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