One more important thing which you would find in many places in the Yoga-Kundalini Upanishad is the Sushumna Nadi. You must have a complete knowledge of this Nadi.
Now, a word on Kundalini, the arousal of which is the immediate aim of the Kundalini Yoga. Kundalini, the serpent-power or mystic fire is the primordial energy or Shakti that lies dormant or sleeping in the Muladhara Chakra, the centre of the body. It is called the serpentine or annular power on account of serpentine form. It is an electric fiery occult power, the great pristine force which underlies all organic and inorganic matter.
Chitta And The Control Of Prana
1. Chitta is the Subconscious mind. It is the mind-stuff. It is the store-house of memory. Samskaras or impressions of actions are imbedded here. It is one of the four parts of Antahkarana or inner instruments, viz., mind, intellect, Chitta and Ahankara or ego.
2. Mind is formed out of wind. So, it is fleeting like the wind. Intellect is formed out of fire. Chitta is formed out of water. Ego is formed out of earth.
3. Chitta has two causes for its existence, viz., Vasanas or subtle desires and the vibration of Prana.
4. If one of them is controlled, the result is, both of them are controlled.
Mitahara, Asana And Shakti-Chalana
5. Of these two, viz., Prana and Vasanas, the student of Yoga should control Prana by moderate food (Mitahara), by Asanas or Yogic postures and thirdly by Shakti-Chalana.
6. O Gautama! I shall explain the nature of these three disciplines. Listen with rapt attention.
7. The Yogi should take sweet and nutritious food. He should fill half the stomach with food. He should drink water, one quarter of the stomach. He should leave the fourth quarter of the stomach unfilled in order to propitiate Lord Siva, the patron of the Yogins. This is moderation in diet.
The Padma And Vajra Asanas
8. Placing of the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh, is Padmasana. This posture is the destroyer of all sins.
9. Placing one heel below the Muladhara and the other over it and sitting with the trunk, neck and head in one straight line is the adamantine posture or the Vajrasana. Mulakanda is the root of the Kanda, the genital organ.
The Rousing Of The Kundalini
10. A wise Yogi should take the Kundalini from the Muladhara to the Sahasrara or the thousand-petalled Lotus in the crown of the head. This process is called Shakti-Chalana.
11. The Kundalini should pass through the Svadhishthana Chakra, the Manipura Chakra in the navel, the Anahata Chakra in the heart, the Vishuddha Chakra in the throat, and the Ajna Chakra between the eyebrows or the Trikuti.
12. Two things are necessary for the practice of Shakti-Chalana. One is the Sarasvati Chalana and the other is the restraint of Prana or the breath.
The Sarasvati Chalana
13. Sarasvati Chalana is the rousing of the Sarasvati Nadi. Sarasvati Nadi is situated on the west of the navel among the fourteen Nadis. Sarasvati is called Arundhati. Literally, it means that which helps the performance of good actions.
14. Through this practice of Sarasvati Chalana and the restraint of the Prana, the Kundalini which is spiral becomes straightened.
15. The Kundalini is roused only by rousing the Sarasvati.
16. When Prana or the breath is passing through one’s Ida or the left nostril, one should sit firmly in Padmasana and lengthen inwards 4 digits the Akasa of 12 digits. In exhalation Prana goes out 16 digits and in inhalation it goes in only 12 digits, thus losing 4. But if inhaled for 16 digits then the Kundalini is aroused.
17. The wise Yogi should bring Sarasvati Nadi by means of this lengthened breath and holding firmly together both the ribs near the navel by means of the forefinger and thumbs of both hands one hand on each side, should stir up Kundalini with all his strength, from right to left, again and again. This stirring may extend over a period of 48 minutes.
18. Then he should draw up a little when Kundalini finds its entry into Sushumna. This is the means by which the Kundalini enters the mouth of Sushumna.
19. Along with the Kundalini, Prana also enters of itself the Sushumna.
20. The Yogic student should also expand navel by compressing the neck. After this, by shaking Sarasvati, the Prana is sent above to the chest. By the contraction of the neck, Prana goes above from the chest.
21. Sarasvati has sound in her womb. She should be thrown into vibration or shaken daily.
22. Merely by shaking Sarasvati one is cured of dropsy or Jalodara, Gulma (a disease of the stomach), Pliha (a disease of the spleen) and all other diseases rising within the belly.
Varieties Of Pranayama
23. Briefly, I will now describe to you Pranayama. Prana is the Vayu that moves in the body. The restraint of Prana within is known as Kumbhaka.
24. Kumbhaka is of two kinds, namely, Sahita and Kevala.
25. Till he gets Kevala, the Yogic student should practise Sahita.
26. There are four divisions or Bhedas. These divisions are: Surya, Ujjayi, Sitali and Bhastrika. Sahita Kumbhaka is the Kumbhaka associated with these four.
Suryabheda Kumbhaka
27. Select a place which is pure, beautiful and free from pebbles, thorns, etc. It should be of the length of a bow free from cold, fire and water. To this place, take a pure and pleasant seat which is neither too high nor too low. Upon it, sit in Padmasana. Now, shake or throw into vibration Sarasvati. Slowly inhale the breath from outside, through the right nostril, as long as this is comfortable, and exhale it through the left nostril. Exhale after purifying the skull by forcing the breath up. This destroys the four kinds of evils caused by Vayu. It destroys also the intestinal worms. This should be repeated often. It is called Suryabheda.
Ujjayi Kumbhaka
28. Close the mouth. Draw up slowly the breath through both the nostrils. Retain it in the space between the heart and the neck. Then exhale through the left nostril.
29. This removes both the heat caused in the head and the phlegm in the throat. It removes all diseases. It purifies the body and increases the gastric fire. It removes all the evils arising in the Nadis, Jalodara or dropsy, that is water in the belly, and Dhatus. The name for this Kumbhaka is Ujjayi. It can be practised even when walking or standing.
