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A coiled snake rises between rocks.
A coiled snake rises between rocks.

Gorakṣaśataka 16–19: Kuṇḍalinī and the Movement of Sarasvatī

The power is to move from its own place to the brow centre. Moving Sarasvatī and retaining the breath are introduced as two means.

Dr. Ronald Steiner Dr. Ronald Steiner
Gorakṣaśataka (Original) 16
शक्तिचालम् इदानीं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि समासतः |
śakti-cālam idānīṃ tu; pravakṣyāmi samāsataḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
śakti
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
śakti
substantive feminine
 of the power
cālam
accusative singular
cāla
substantive masculine
 the moving
idānīm
idānīm
adverb
 now
tu
tu
particle
 however
pravakṣyāmi
1st person singular aktive future
pra
previx
vac
verbal root
 I shall explain
samāsataḥ
samāsatas
adverb
 briefly
कुण्डल्य् एव भवेच्छक्तिस्तस्यास्संचलनक्रमः ||16||
kuṇḍaly eva bhavec chaktis; tasyās saṃcalana-kramaḥ ||16|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
kuṇḍalī
nominative singular
kuṇḍalī
substantive feminine
 the coiled one
eva
eva
particle
 indeed; precisely
bhavet
3rd person singular aktive optative
bhū
verbal root
 it would be
śaktiḥ
nominative singular
śakti
substantive feminine
 power
tasyāḥ
genitive singular feminine
tad
pronoun dem
 of her
saṃcalana
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
saṃcalana
substantive neuter
 of moving
kramaḥ
nominative singular
krama
substantive masculine
 sequence
Now (idānīm), however (tu), I shall explain (pravakṣyāmi | 1p sg act fut) briefly (samāsataḥ) the moving of the power (śakti-cālam | acc sg). The coiled one (kuṇḍalī | nom sg) herself (eva) would be (bhavet | 3p sg act opt) the power (śaktiḥ | nom sg); [what follows is] the sequence for moving (saṃcalana-kramaḥ | nom sg) her (tasyāḥ | gen sg f).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
The snake offers an image of something resting, still coiled. Which of your possibilities is ready to unfold?
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Kuṇḍalī, “the coiled one”, is identified here with śakti, power. The contemporary rendering uses the image; the historical teaching concerns the bodily practice that follows.

Apparatus Comment
Gorakṣaśataka (Original) 17
स्वस्थानादा भ्रुवोर् मध्यं शक्तिचालनम् उच्यते |
sva-sthānād ā bhruvor madhyaṃ; śakti-cālanam ucyate | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
sva
karmadhāraya-compound
sva
adjective
 own
sthānāt
ablative singular
sthāna
substantive neuter
 from the place
ā
ā
particle
 up to
bhruvoḥ
genitive dual
bhrū
substantive feminine
 of the eyebrows
madhyam
accusative singular
madhya
substantive neuter
 the centre
śakti
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
śakti
substantive feminine
 of the power
cālanam
nominative singular
cālana
substantive neuter
 moving
ucyate
3rd person singular passive present
vac
verbal root
 is called
तत्साधने द्वयं मुख्यं सरस्वत्याश्च चालनम् ||17||
tat-sādhane dvayaṃ mukhyaṃ; sarasvatyāś ca cālanam ||17|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
tat
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
tad
pronoun dem
 whose
sādhane
lokative singular
sādhana
substantive neuter
 in accomplishing
dvayam
nominative singular
dvaya
substantive neuter
 pair
mukhyam
nominative singular neuter
mukhya
adjective
 principal
sarasvatyāḥ
genitive singular
sarasvatī
substantive feminine
 of Sarasvatī
ca
ca
particle
 and
cālanam
nominative singular
cālana
substantive neuter
 moving
[Moving] from her own place (sva-sthānāt | abl sg) up to (ā) the centre (madhyam | acc sg) of the eyebrows (bhruvoḥ | gen du) is called (ucyate | 3p sg pas pres) moving the power (śakti-cālanam | nom sg). Two things (dvayam | nom sg) are principal (mukhyam | nom sg n) in accomplishing this (tat-sādhane | loc sg): moving (cālanam | nom sg) Sarasvatī (sarasvatyāḥ | gen sg) and (ca) …
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Unfolding needs a direction and a path. Give your attention a starting point and a clear destination.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Only when read with 18 does this sentence name two means: moving Sarasvatī and restraining the breath. Sarasvatī here names a channel or structure within the yogic model of the body.

Apparatus Comment
Gorakṣaśataka (Original) 18
प्राणरोधम् अथाभ्यासादृज्वी कुण्डलिनी भवेत् |
prāṇa-rodham athābhyāsād; ṛjvī kuṇḍalinī bhavet | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
prāṇa
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
prāṇa
substantive masculine
 of the breath
rodham
accusative singular
rodha
substantive masculine
 restraint
atha
atha
particle
 now
abhyāsāt
ablative singular
abhyāsa
substantive masculine
 through practice
ṛjvī
nominative singular feminine
ṛju
adjective
 straight
kuṇḍalinī
nominative singular
kuṇḍalinī
substantive feminine
 Kuṇḍalinī
bhavet
3rd person singular aktive optative
bhū
verbal root
 it would be
तयोर् आदौ सरस्वत्याश्चालनं कथयामि ते ||18||
tayor ādau sarasvatyāś; cālanaṃ kathayāmi te ||18|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
tayoḥ
genitive dual masculine
tad
pronoun dem
 of these two
ādau
lokative singular
ādi
substantive masculine
 at the outset
sarasvatyāḥ
genitive singular
sarasvatī
substantive feminine
 of Sarasvatī
cālanam
accusative singular
cālana
substantive neuter
 the moving
kathayāmi
1st person singular aktive present
kath
verbal root
 I explain
te
dative singular
yuṣmad
pronoun pers 2p
 to you
… restraining the breath (prāṇa-rodham | acc sg). Then (atha), through practice (abhyāsāt | abl sg), Kuṇḍalinī (kuṇḍalinī | nom sg) would become (bhavet | 3p sg act opt) straight (ṛjvī | nom sg f). Of these two (tayoḥ | gen du m), I explain (kathayāmi | 1p sg act pres) to you (te | dat sg) first (ādau | loc sg) the moving (cālanam | acc sg) of Sarasvatī (sarasvatyāḥ | gen sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
With practice, a winding movement can find a clear direction. Begin with a step you truly understand.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer
bhyāsād ] bhyāsa R7874apJM
Critical Apparatus

prāṇarodham continues the list from 17 but is accusative rather than the expected nominative. I preserve this irregularity in the source.

Apparatus Comment
Gorakṣaśataka (Original) 19
अरुन्धत्य् एव कथिता पुराविद्भिः सरस्वती |
arundhaty eva kathitā; purā-vidbhiḥ sarasvatī | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
arundhatī
nominative singular
arundhatī
substantive feminine
 Arundhatī
eva
eva
particle
 indeed; precisely
kathitā
nominative singular feminine past participle passive
kath
verbal root
 called
purā
upapada-compound
purā
adverb
 ancient times
vidbhiḥ
instrumental case plural masculine
vid
adjective
 by those who know
sarasvatī
nominative singular
sarasvatī
substantive feminine
 Sarasvatī
यस्याः सञ्चालनेनैव स्वयं चलति कुण्डली ||19||
yasyāḥ sañcālanenaiva; svayaṃ calati kuṇḍalī ||19|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
yasyāḥ
genitive singular feminine
yad
pronoun rel
 whose
sañcālanena
instrumental case singular
sañcālana
substantive neuter
 through moving
eva
eva
particle
 indeed; precisely
svayam
svayam
adverb
 of itself
calati
3rd person singular aktive present
cal
verbal root
 moves
kuṇḍalī
nominative singular
kuṇḍalī
substantive feminine
 the coiled one
Sarasvatī (sarasvatī | nom sg) was called (kathitā | nom sg f ppp) precisely (eva) Arundhatī (arundhatī | nom sg) by those who knew the ancient lore (purā-vidbhiḥ | ins pl m). By moving (sañcālanena | ins sg) her (yasyāḥ | gen sg f) alone (eva), Kuṇḍalī (kuṇḍalī | nom sg) moves (calati | 3p sg act pres) of her own accord (svayam).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Sometimes a larger change begins in a small place. Notice which movement sets another in motion.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer
arundhaty eva ] arujakyaiva R7874apJM
Critical Apparatus

In this passage, Arundhatī is another name for Sarasvatī. I avoid assigning a precise anatomical identity that the text itself does not supply.

Apparatus Comment

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

Dr. Ronald Steiner

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The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

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