The Gheranda Samhita: The Original Sanskrit and An English Translation - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0971646627 ISBN 13: 9780971646629

Publisher: Yogavidya.com, 2004

Synopsis

This affordable, definitive edition of the Gheranda Samhita contains a new introduction, the original Sanskrit, a new English translation, and 39 full-page photographs. It’s the most encyclopedic of the classic Yoga texts and teaches a unique sevenfold path to perfection of the person. This is the first edition to meet high academic, literary, and production standards. It’s for people who practice Yoga and for anyone with an interest in health and fitness, philosophy, religion, spirituality, mysticism, or meditation.

From the Introduction
The book you are about to read, a manual of Yoga taught by Gheranda to Chanda, is the most encyclopedic of all the root texts of Hatha Yoga. At the beginning of the book, Chanda asks Gheranda to tell him about the Yoga of the body, which is the cause of knowledge of the Ultimate Reality. Gheranda assents and the book is thus called the Gheranda Samhita, or “The Collection [of Verses] of Gheranda.”

It sets itself apart from other books on Hatha Yoga in two notable ways. Firstly, it calls its Yoga “ghata Yoga” or “ghatastha Yoga” and not Hatha Yoga. The usual meaning of ghata is “pot,” but here it refers to the body, or rather the person, since the techniques taught by Gheranda work on both the body and the mind. Secondly, it is unique in teaching a sevenfold path to perfection of the person.

Excerpt
The yogi should visualize a sublime ocean of nectar in his heart, with an island of jewels in its middle whose sand is made of gemstones. In every direction there are kadamba trees with abundant flowers. Bees and cuckoos buzz and call there. He should steady himself and visualize a great jeweled pavilion . . .

 

About this title

From the Publisher

From Chapter Six

The yogi should visualize a sublime ocean of nectar in his heart, with an island of jewels in its middle whose sand is made of gemstones. In every direction there are kadamba trees with abundant flowers. Bees and cuckoos buzz and call there. He should steady himself and visualize a great jeweled pavilion . . .
Table of Contents

Introduction
Purification
Asanas
Mudras
Pratyahara
Pranayama
Dhyana
Samadhi
About the Author

Residing in Oxford, England, James Mallinson is a graduate of Eton and Oxford, holds a master's from the School of Oriental and African Studies, and returned to Oxford University for his doctorate.
Reviews

"Smooth and accurate, this translation of the Gheranda Samhita is a very welcome addition to recent work on Yoga."
--George Cardona, University of Pennsylvania

"Mallinson's translation of the Gheranda Samhita includes the Sanskrit Devanagari script paired with clear, succinct English verses. The translation is lucid, making the threads of the teaching easy to understand."
--Felicia M. Tomasko, LA YOGA Magazine

About the Author

James Mallinson is a graduate of Eton and Oxford, holds a master's from the School of Oriental and African Studies, and returned to Oxford University for his doctorate.

Edition details

• Publisher: Yogavidya.com
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0971646627
• ISBN 13: 9780971646629
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 144