Gheranda

Gheranda is the name associated with the author of the Gheranda Samhita, a classical text of the Hatha Yoga tradition. The work is presented as a teacher-student dialogue in which the sage Gheranda instructs a disciple in the practices and philosophy of yoga. The exact historical details of Gheranda are uncertain, and scholars generally place the text in the early modern period, often dating it to the 17th or 18th century. Some interpretations view Gheranda as a legendary figure or a representative of a particular lineage rather than a single historical person.

The Gheranda Samhita is one of the major surviving manuals of Hatha Yoga, alongside the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Shiva Samhita. It emphasizes a progressive approach to purification and practice as prerequisites for higher states of consciousness. The text is organized into sections that cover daily conduct, preparation through cleansing techniques (shatkarmas), physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), internal practices (mudras and bandhas), and meditation leading to absorption (dhyana and samadhi). It advocates discipline, self-control, ethical conduct, and detachment as essential components of the yogic path.

Influence and transmission: The Gheranda Samhita has had a lasting influence on traditional yoga schools and the historical development of Hatha Yoga. It has been studied, copied, and translated into several languages, contributing to our understanding of how yogic techniques were systematized and transmitted within Indian Yogic traditions.