Soul drinks nectar at Vishuddhi Chakra and attains immortality
In the previous part of this article series, we explored the stream of nectar that flows from the Sahasrara Chakra and its recipients—the Moon and the Sun. Upon receiving the Viparita Karani Mudra from the Guru's guidance, the yogi achieves a state where the Sun ascends and the Moon descends. In this reversed configuration, even the flow of nectar begins to travel in the opposite direction. What unfolds next is now revealed to us by Goraksha Maharaj.
"What unfolds through the practice of the Viparita Karani Mudra is —
त्रिधा बद्धो वृषो यत्र रौरवीति महास्वनम् ।
अनाहतं च तच् चक्रं हृदये योगिनो विदुः ॥
अनाहतमतिक्रम्य चाक्रम्य मणिपूरकम् ।
प्राप्ते प्राणं महापद्मं योगित्वममृतायते ॥
Just as a bull bound by three coils of rope cries out in helplessness, so too does the soul—entangled in the three gunas—begin to resonate within the heart through the subtle gradations of speech: Para, Pashyanti, and Madhyama. This inner space is referred to by yogis as the Anahata Chakra. When the life force ascends, crossing the Manipura Chakra at the navel and the Anahata Chakra at the heart, and reaches the Sahasrara Chakra, the yogi attains immortality.
Understand this verse closely. Just as a stubborn bull is brought under control by placing a nose ring (nose-bridle), causing it to cry out in helplessness and distress, Gorakshanath compares the bound soul to that tethered bull. The soul longs for freedom, a path of uninhibited movement. But nature does not allow such liberty. It binds the soul with the three gunas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—like sturdy ropes. The Primordial Shakti, residing in the body as the essence of speech, does not manifest abruptly in the external world. It gradually becomes outwardly expressive in the stages of Para, Pashyanti, Madhyama, and Vaikhari. In the practice of Ajapa meditation, this very speech reveals itself as the tenfold Anahata sounds, emerging from the Anahata Chakra. Through Ajapa Japa and meditative yoga, when the downward-facing Kundalini Shakti begins to ascend, it rises through the Muladhara, Swadhisthana, Manipura, and Anahata Chakras, reaching directly into the Sahasrara Chakra. Gorakshanath says that the 'Lake of Nectar' resides there—and upon reaching it, the soul attains immortality. This immortality, however, must not be interpreted in a gross or material sense, but rather understood in its spiritual and yogic essence.
As the life force (Prana) and Kundalini ascend toward the Sahasrara, they encounter a crucial milestone along their journey —
विशब्दः संस्मृतो हंसो निर्मलः शुद्ध उच्यते ।
अतः कण्ठे विशुद्धाख्ये चक्रं चक्रविदो विदुः ॥
विशुद्धे परमे चक्रे धृत्वा सोमकलाजलम् ।
मासेन न क्षयं याति वञ्चयित्वा मुखं रवेः ॥
The syllable 'Vi' points toward the Hamsa, while 'Shuddha' signifies purity. Thus, those who understand the chakras refer to the energy center at the throat as the Vishuddhi Chakra. By preventing the lunar nectar from being consumed by the Sun and instead retaining it at the Vishuddhi Chakra, a yogi can avoid the loss of this divine essence within a month.
Having previously explored the meaning of 'Hamsa' and its connection to the Ajapa Gayatri across multiple articles, we shall not revisit that subject here. What's crucial now is that through the practice of the Viparita Karani Mudra, as taught by the Guru, the yogi attains a state where the Sun ascends and the Moon descends. In this reversed configuration, the nectar that would normally enter the Sun at the Manipura Chakra begins to flow in the reverse direction. Crossing the Manipura and Anahata Chakras, it now reaches the Vishuddhi Chakra at the throat. The presiding deity of the Vishuddhi Chakra is the Jivatman or soul. Physiologically, all ingestion—whether of food or liquids—occurs in the domain of Vishuddhi. Hence, the soul now partakes in this nectar. This Jiva is referred to as the 'third one.' Since nectar is believed to confer immortality, Gorakshanath says that this 'third' becomes eternal and deathless. With this realization, the definition of Pratyahara given in the previous article reaches its full unraveling.
Now, Goraksha Maharaj reveals the way to make the method of nectar-drinking in the practice of Viparita Karani even more potent. It is as follows —
सम्पीड्य रसनाग्रेण राजदन्तबिलं महत् ।
ध्यात्वामृतमयीं देवीं षण्मासेन कविर्भवेत् ॥
अमृतापूर्णदेहस्य योगिनो द्वित्रिवत्सरात् ।
ऊर्ध्वं प्रवर्तते रेतोऽप्यणिमादिगुणोदयः ॥
The yogi should gently stimulate the cavity of the Rajadanta using the tip of the tongue and meditate upon the nectar-rich Divine Mother. By practicing this discipline, one attains poetic inspiration within six months. As the yogi continues their sādhanā for two to three years, the body becomes fully infused with nectar. This leads to the state of 'Ūrdhvaretā'—where the vital essence moves upward—and grants the yogi access to the great supernatural powers, known as the Mahāsiddhis, including Aṇimā and others.
Here, Gorakshanath describes a dual method of nectar consumption. While nectar is certainly to be imbibed through the Viparita Karani practice, it must also be partaken through the aid of the Khechari Mudra. Although the term 'Khechari Mudra' is not explicitly used by Gorakshanath here, the instruction to press the cavity near the Rajadanta with the tongue clearly implies it. I have previously written articles detailing what Rajadanta is and the procedures required for practicing Khechari Mudra. In light of brevity, I will not revisit those discussions here.
Gorakshanath's subtle references to two or three additional aspects are equally significant. First, while practicing Khechari, he instructs the yogi to meditate upon a nectar-bearing goddess. This is a subject transmitted through direct guidance from the Guru. The form of meditation taught to me by my own Śrī Gurumaṇḍala may not be applicable to others in the same manner. Due to the sacred and confidential nature of this practice, I will not elaborate further here. The fruit of this meditation is the blossoming of poetic inspiration. In practitioners whose Kundalini has awakened and reached a higher plane, faculties such as literary expression, poetic creativity, eloquence, and oratory begin to flourish. This doesn't happen in all sadhakas, but when a specific convergence occurs between the Ida Nadi and the Kundalini Shakti, these qualities naturally emerge. Moreover, their expression is often infused with an extraordinary divine power.
When a yogi increases the internal reservoir of nectar through its consumption, he becomes virile and attains the state of Ūrdhvaretās—where the vital essence rises upward. He is then able to uphold celibacy (brahmacharya) effortlessly. Though Gorakshanath was a disciple of Matsyendranath from the Kaula tradition, he himself was an advocate of brahmacharya. Saint Dnyaneshwar honored him with the epithet 'Vishaya-Vidhvamsaka-Vīru'—the heroic destroyer of worldly desires. In the Kundalini yoga system, there exists a profound interrelation between bindu (vital essence), amrita (nectar), virya (semen), and brahmacharya (celibacy). A yoga practitioner must understand this connection deeply. The innate energy, by its nature, tends to flow downward. A key purpose of yogic practice is to encourage its ascent. In this process, the ethical disciplines of 'Yama' and 'Niyama' play a crucial role.
According to Goraksha Maharaj, when the yogi's body becomes suffused with nectar through the practice of Amritapāna, he attains the eight great siddhis. Gorakshanath himself was considered a repository of such powers. These eight Mahāsiddhis are: Aṇimā (the ability to become minute), Mahimā (to become vast), Garimā (to become heavy), Laghimā (to become light), Prāpti (to reach anywhere), Prākāmya (to fulfill any desire), Īśitva (lordship), and Vaśitva (control or mastery).
Siddhi is a vast and profound subject. If granted permission by my Śrī Gurumaṇḍala, I may one day consider writing a dedicated article series on it. For now, I will simply note that siddhis are attained through four principal paths: by birth, through mantra, via sacred herbs, and through yogic practice.
Some yogis attain siddhis from birth or at a very young age, effortlessly and within a short span of time—thanks to virtuous deeds from past lives. Such yogis are called Janmasiddha (born accomplished). Gaining siddhi by pleasing divine beings through the chanting of mantras is known as Mantrasiddhi. In today's era, this method is commonly pursued by aspirants seeking siddhi. Even within this path, there are broad classifications—Vedic mantras, Tantric mantras, and Shabar mantras. Attaining siddhi through mercury alchemy, mystical compounds, and herbs falls under Aushadhi Siddhi (herbal or medicinal siddhi). In ancient times, certain siddha herb traditions from the southern regions of India were particularly renowned for this approach. Examples include: transmuting excreta into gold, becoming invisible by holding a specific pill or herb in the mouth, or achieving bodily hardness by applying the juice of certain plant leaves or flowers.
Among the three types of siddhis mentioned earlier, those attained through yogic discipline hold a special distinction. Not everyone is born with inherent accomplishments. Siddhis gained through mantras often obstruct spiritual progress and cause inner disturbances; they may diminish or even vanish over time. Siddhis obtained through herbal or medicinal means depend heavily on place, time, and availability. In contrast, yogic siddhis arise naturally as a milestone in the practitioner's sādhanā. The siddhis referenced by Gorakshanath—such as Aṇimā and others—are the fruits of profound yogic effort. Though such yoga-realized sages are exceedingly rare in today's world, the very mention of these siddhis serves to underline the significance of the yogic path. Regardless of how siddhis are attained, once the seeker becomes entangled in them, self-realization becomes distant and the pursuit of the Divine is obstructed. For this reason, saints and enlightened masters firmly caution their followers: do not chase after siddhis, or else regret shall follow.
As Gorakshanath concludes the discourse on Pratyāhāra in the Goraksha Shataka, he offers this insight —
इन्धनानि यथा वह्निस्तैलवर्ति च दीपकः ।
तथा सोमकलापूर्णं देही देहं न मुञ्चति ॥
Just as fire does not abandon its fuel, or the flame does not leave the oil-soaked wick of a lamp, likewise, the soul—suffused with divine nectar—does not part from the body. Thus, it becomes ageless and immortal.
Before concluding, one important point must be noted: the timeframes mentioned by Gorakshanath—six months, two to three years, and so on—are not aligned with today's way of life. Considering the modern lifestyle, most practitioners may require significantly longer periods to achieve success. Now that the process of Pratyāhāra has been detailed, the question arises—what comes next?
आसनेन समायुक्तः प्राणायामेन संयुतः ।
प्रत्याहारेण संयुक्तो धारणां च समभ्यसेत् ॥
After practicing āsana, prāṇāyāma, and pratyāhāra, a yogi should begin the study of dhāraṇā. With Goraksha's blessings, I shall explain in the next section which dhāraṇās are described in the Goraksha Shataka, and how they are to be practiced.
That's all for the moment!
May Bhagavān Sāmb Sadāśiva—who enshrines the stream of nectar, the Moon, the Sun, and the soul within the body—shower his grace upon all yoga practitioners during this sacred month of Shrāvaṇa. With this heartfelt wish, I bring this writing to a close.