Yoga Tārāvalí of Sankarācārya

Vande gurunam caranaravinde sandarshita svatmasukhavabodhe nihsreyase jangalikayamane samsara halahala mohashantiai

1) I bow to the two lotus feet of the (plurality of ) Guru(s), which awaken insight into the happiness of pure Being, which are the absorption, the jungle physician, which eliminate the delusion caused by the poisonous herb of Samsara (conditioned existence).

2) There are 125,000 (meaning numberless) methods of Laya (yogic disolution) described by Lord Siva in the world. It is my opinion that Nada-anusandhana (pursuit of “Inner Sound”) into the deepest Samadhi is the best of all these Layas.

3) With full exhaling, full inhaling and retention of the breath, all of the Nadis are cleaned out. Then through the Anahata Cakra (the heart / “wheel of unstruck sound”) many types of internal sound are expressed inside.

4) Obeisances to you, Nadanusandhana (also a name of Siva).

The practice of you gives birth to experience of the highest truth. By your kindness and with the internal breath may my mind dissolve into the lotus feet of Visnu.

5) They say that Jalandhara, Uddīyāna and Mula Bandhas are deep in the throat, the abdomen and the root of the anus. Having established these three Bandhas all around, where is the dread noose of time?

6) By Uddīyāna, Jalandhara and Mula Bandhas the sleeping serpent wakes up (makes and about face) turns back, and enters the Susumnā (central channel). The the going and going of the breath ceases.

7) By constantly squeezing the Apāna Vāyu a bright torch of fire rises up from Mūlādhāra. Because of that heat streams of nectar fall from the moon (at the root of the palate) to be drunk by the fortunate.

8) I adore the Vidya in the form of Kevalakumbhaka, which is born from the ripened practice of the three Bandhas, which has left behind exhaling and inhaling, and dries up the flowing stream of the sense object.