Yoga Taravali with Dr. H. V. Nagaraj Rao
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Lesson 1 — Śaṅkara, Yoga Tārāvalī, and the Inner Sound
Life and lineage
Born in 8th-century Kerala, Śaṅkara was a prodigy: by eight he could recite the four Vedas; by twelve he had mastered the śāstras and sciences. He met his guru, Govinda Bhagavatpāda, on the Gaṅgā, who sent him to Vārāṇasī to write commentaries. In barely thirty-two years he produced over a hundred works that shaped Indian thought.
What “Yoga Tārāvalī” means
Yoga Tārāvalī—“row of stars”—mirrors the 27 nakṣatras seen moving westward across the night sky; accordingly it has 27 verses (as do some japa-mālās). Other texts with 27 verses are also called Tārāvalī. Śaṅkara teaches that without the teacher’s blessing yoga does not succeed.
Vande gurūṇām: why we bow
The chant “Vande gurūṇāṁ” comes from Yoga Tārāvalī:
vande gurūṇāṁ — I bow to the teachers;
caraṇāravinde — lotus-like feet;
sandarśita-svātma-sukhāvabodhe — who reveal the joy (svātma-sukha) of one’s true Self;
jāṅgalikā — a “forest-healer” guiding us through the harsh wilderness;
saṁsāra-hālāhala-moha-śāntyai — calming the delusion (moha) from the poison (hālāhala) churned up before immortality. Hence we bow.
Verse 1: unlearning and attention
Real learning begins by unlearning wrong ideas and attending to the dissolution of ignorance. Ancient students did not write or record; they memorized, cultivating extraordinary memory.
Laya and the unstruck sound
Laya means “dissolution.” Sadāśiva is said to teach 125,000 kinds, ways of letting go of ignorance. Among them is nāda-bindu-kalā. Nāda (sound) is of two kinds: āhata (produced by contact—tongue striking the palate, etc.) and anāhata (unstruck, arising inwardly from the ātman). Concentration on anāhata-nāda is a yogic practice linked with a high samādhi—the finest laya.
Means: prāṇāyāma and nāḍī-śuddhi
Śaṅkara presents practice: prāṇāyāma as recaka (exhalation), pūraka (inhalation), and kumbhaka (retention), together with nāḍī-śuddhi (purification of channels). When the nāḍīs are purified, samādhi arises naturally; the inner anāhata sound appears of itself—not heard by the physical ear. When this sound is present, samādhi is near. Everyone, says Śaṅkara, participates in this universal truth; svātma-sukha, the joy of the individual Self, awaits discovery within.
Lesson 2 — The Vande Gurūṇām Chant, Bandhas, and the Inner Alchemy of Prāṇāyāma
Guru as the Jungle Doctor
Śaṅkara honors the guru as a kind of “jungle doctor,” a healer who dispels the fever of delusion (moha). The opening spirit of Vande Gurūṇām bows to this guide who cures ignorance in the wilderness of saṃsāra.
Prāṇāyāma and the Purification of the Nāḍīs
Śaṅkara explicitly speaks of prāṇāyāma and its three classic operations: pūraka (inhalation), recaka (exhalation), and kumbhaka (retention). The primary goal is śodhana—purification of the nāḍīs—so that prāṇa can move unobstructed. He likens this process to the striking of a bell: as the metal clarifies its tone, the purified channels reveal a mystical inner resonance called the “Amhara” sound (an esoteric name echoed in the unstruck anāhata-nāda tradition). Meditation on this eternal sound is revered; it arises from the spiritual heart and purifies the mind.
Devotion, Non-Dual Insight, and Viṣṇu
Śaṅkara pays respect to those who contemplate the infinite. “Viṣṇu Pāda” here points toward seekers who do not center on a personal deity; even so, the mind dissolves into the boundless Viṣṇu, the all-pervading ground.
The Three Bandhas: Architecture of Inner Control
Śaṅkara names the three bandhas that govern the movement of breath and attention:
Jālandhara-bandha (top throat lock),
Uḍḍiyāna-bandha (mid abdominal lift),
Mūlabandha (root lock at the pelvic floor).
When the “air” (vāyu) is concentrated at the top it is governed by Jālandhara; in the middle, by Uḍḍiyāna; at the base, by Mūlabandha. Revered by yogins, these bandhas draw one near to kaivalya—independence from prakṛti. They loosen the grip of time (kāla) and cut the noose (pāśa) of mortality—Śaṅkara alludes to a pāśa-kāla principle by which bondage to temporal becoming is released. Fully understanding the three bandhas enables one to slip free of the net of prakṛti and the tightening noose of time.
Kuṇḍalinī: Dormant Power Awakened
Śaṅkara speaks of kuṇḍalinī—the inner power depicted as a serpent—naturally present yet asleep in everyone. Yoga awakens this potential; by applying bandhas and prāṇāyāma, attention turns inward, unveiling a new interior reality.
Threading the Breath into Suṣumṇā
He uses the term “gandha-vāha” for the breath—described as a thread to be steadily drawn within and placed in the suṣumṇā-nāḍī. The three great nāḍīs—iḍā (moon), piṅgalā (sun), and suṣumṇā (the brahma-nāḍī)—frame this inner work. When kuṇḍalinī enters suṣumṇā, all becomes still, including the breath, and consciousness settles upon ātman.
Ādhāra, Fire, Moon, and Nectar
Ādhāra here refers to mūlādhāra. Śaṅkara speaks of a fire at the base—imagery for kuṇḍalinī’s power. Like meteors (ulkā) flashing through the sky, a spark rises in the body. Candra (the “moon” in the head/brain) is warmed by this spark and yields divine nectar; from this inner moon flows the bliss that balances opposing forces.
Kumbhaka and the Crown of Kevala
Kumbhaka is the state of no breath. Among its many methods, kevala-kumbhaka is king—the most honored source of highest knowledge. Here the inner power dries up outward cravings; the external world is abandoned and one stands alone in kaivalya. In this state neither natural (prakṛta) nor effortful (vaikṛta) breathing occurs.
Bandhas as the Infrastructure of Samādhi
The three bandhas form the fundamental infrastructure for samādhi. Mastery opens the “internal world” of higher knowledge. The anāhata condition of mind is utterly free—like a bell that has not been struck—signifying ekāgratā, one-pointedness. The practitioner becomes immovable, as if in suspended animation: breath stilled, mind unwavering, wholly absorbed in the present experience.
Antaḥkaraṇa and the Three-Peaked Metaphor
Śaṅkara notes the inner instruments—buddhi, manas, and citta—collectively the antaḥkaraṇa. He evokes a “Trikūṭa,” a mountain with three peaks, to suggest how these faculties stand within and must be steadied.
Sun, Moon, and the Goal of Prāṇāyāma
The solar and lunar nāḍīs (piṅgalā and iḍā) must be harmonized so the breath can finally enter suṣumṇā, the brahma-nāḍī. This, says Śaṅkara, is the very purpose of prāṇāyāma: to guide vāyu along the subtle thread within, awaken kuṇḍalinī, still the fluctuations, and ripen the yogi for the freedom of kaivalya.
Lesson 3 — Nāda-sādhana and the Inner Sound
Nāda-sādhana is the yoga of inner, divine sound. This practice centers on the mind’s absorption in anāhata—literally the “unstruck” sound that arises within when the mind grows still and receptive. It is revered as a direct pathway toward interiorization, concentration, and ultimately samādhi.
The Three Bandhas and the Rise of Kuṇḍalinī
Three foundational locks—mūla-bandha, uḍḍiyāna-bandha, and jalāndhara-bandha—govern prāṇa and stabilize attention. When these bandhas are truly mastered, one is said to slip free from the “noose of death,” for the mind no longer clings to the changing body and its fears. Through their coordinated application, kuṇḍalinī is awakened; prāṇa withdraws from its scattered movement, the breath turns inward, and awareness is drawn into the suṣumṇā-nāḍī. In this state, the breath becomes naturally suspended and still.
Kevala-kumbhaka and the Stream to the “Moon”
Among many forms of breath-retention, kevala-kumbhaka is extolled as supreme. Here the distinctions of effort and technique dissolve; breath becomes effortlessly quiet. As kuṇḍalinī ascends, it is poetically said to reach the “moon” in the head, releasing a current of amṛta (divine nectar). With the bandhas engaged and the mind tuned to anāhata, mental movement ceases.
Antaḥkaraṇa-traya and the Nāḍī System
The internal instruments (antaḥkaraṇa) of citta, manas, and buddhi are harmonized as the current of prāṇa leaves iḍā and piṅgalā (the “moon” and “sun” channels) and enters suṣumṇā. Ordinarily the breath is irregular—nirankuśa, “unbridled.” In prāṇāyāma it is tamed; when breath comes under mastery, the mind follows. In this interior stillness the latent power of the ātman awakens, and one is said to approach Viṣṇu-pāda—the “feet of the Divine,” a metaphor for the supreme refuge.
Cessation of the Indriyas
As prāṇa dissolves into stillness, the ten senses (jñānendriyas and karmendriyas) naturally subside. This is not suppression but resolution: the senses no longer pull outward, and awareness rests in itself.
Rāja-yoga: The Kingly Way
Āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi are collectively called Rāja-yoga—“the yoga of kings,” because India’s ancient rājās were celebrated as exemplary yogins. There are many yogas, yet Rāja-yoga is praised as best among them. Some seekers taste samādhi swiftly through āsana and prāṇāyāma; such methods are essential for a beginner. When Rāja-yoga is mastered, one moves beyond method and abides in samādhi at will.
States of Consciousness and the Limits of Perspective
In ordinary life we are absorbed in the “scenery.” The yogin in samādhi stands free of its claims, neither asleep nor conventionally awake. Just as the coordinates of east–west–north–south lose meaning in outer space, so do our conceptual directions, systems, creeds, techniques, and even philosophies lose their grip in samādhi.
Transcending “I” and “Mine”: Manonmanī
For the advanced yogin, ahaṅkāra (“I am”) and mamakāra (“mine”)—the classic enemies of yoga—fall away. Ownership becomes irrelevant; the subject–object split collapses. This culmination is symbolized as the goddess Manonmanī, “she in whom the mind is unmade.” In her presence not only do “I” and “mine” dissolve, but even the breath grows silent; worldly ambitions and dilemmas become weightless.
Yama Perfected and the Flame Simile
When yama is fully mastered and internalized, one becomes a “yamendra,” lord of the restraints. The stabilized mind is like a lamp-flame unmoving in a windless place—an image also cherished in the Bhagavad Gītā. With senses governed and breath serene, consciousness rests steady and clear. Immersion in the Manonmanī state is the pinnacle of yoga attainable while living in the body.
Vairāgya and the World as Apparent
To reach Manonmanī the vidvān-yogin relinquishes transient pleasures, jealousies, rivalries, titles, and honors. All are temporary and ultimately meaningless beside Self-realization. As with a film—where danger and desire do not truly bind the viewer—the realized yogin sees the play of life as mere appearance (māyā). Knowing this, one becomes free—doubts, pulls, pleasures, and aversions lose their force.
Śaṅkara and the Word “Haṭha”
Śaṅkara (7th–8th century) mentions “haṭha.” Though most haṭha-yoga texts are later (14th–16th centuries), we cannot assume a discipline begins only when it is written down. Elements of haṭha—especially prāṇāyāma—evidently predate the extant manuals. Here, the emphasis is clearly on prāṇāyāma as an integral means toward samādhi.
Conclusion
Nāda-sādhana, the triad of bandhas, kevala-kumbhaka, and the inward turning of prāṇa into suṣumṇā together open the royal road of Rāja-yoga. As the senses quiet and “I” and “mine” fade, the yogin abides in Manonmanī—steady as a flame, free in the midst of appearances, established at the metaphorical feet of the Divine.
Lesson 4 — From Moha to Manonmanī: Nāda-sādhana, Bandhas, and the Flowering of Turīya
Moha and the function of the teacher
In the Vande chant, moha (delusion) is singled out as the fundamental obscuration. The true guru is honoured precisely because he dispels this moha in the student, turning confusion toward clarity and devotion.
Nāda-sādhana and the highest samādhi
Nāda-sādhana—the yoga of inner sound—is presented as central. When practice matures, the anāhata (unstruck) sound arises of itself; this inner resonance is identified with the highest samādhi. The process is divine and revered, and through it the mind dissolves at Viṣṇu-pāda—“at the feet of the Divine.”
Purifying the nāḍīs through prāṇāyāma
The principal pedagogy for that higher state is the purification of the nāḍīs by prāṇāyāma. When the nāḍīs are purified, the anāhata sound spontaneously manifests. Śaṅkara exalts three bandhas as keys to freedom from material bondage and the noose of death: Jālandhara-bandha (throat lock), Uḍḍiyāna-bandha (abdominal lift), and Mūla-bandha (root lock).
Kuṇḍalinī, amṛta, and the stilling of prāṇa and mind
By these bandhas, the inner power present in all—kuṇḍalinī—awakens. At that point, the breath naturally becomes still. On account of this practice, a stream of divine nectar (often understood as amṛta) is said to flow from the crown, and the yogin tastes the sweetness of liberation. This sacred knowledge comes through mastery of the breath. When the anāhata sound arises, not only the breath but also the mind is stilled.
Kevala-kumbhaka and the shift to suṣumṇā-nāḍī
There are two modes of respiration—inhalation and exhalation—as automatic (sahaja) and intentional (saṅkalpita). At the moment of the anāhata sound, only kumbhaka remains—kevala-kumbhaka (effortless retention). Ida and Piṅgalā correspond to the lunar and solar channels; in kevala-kumbhaka, prāṇa leaves these and abides in suṣumṇā-nāḍī.
Pratyāhāra perfected: inward-turned senses
Ordinary people breathe automatically; yogins govern the breath. This governance dissolves coarse breathing and turns the indriyas (senses) inward. In this higher yoga the yogin is wholly interiorized: there is no strain to control the mind, no effort to hold the breath, no fatigue, and no concern for place or circumstance. The gaze is free from outer objects; the eyes may be open yet do not see. The state is neither waking nor sleep, neither “alive” nor “dead”; it is beyond such oppositions.
Dissolution of “I” and “mine”
The two great bonds—“I” and “mine”—fall away. Seer and seen are known as one. This is kaivalya: the apparent plurality of “I, he, she, that” dissolves.
Manonmanī and śūnya: the hallmark of samādhi
This consummate state is also termed manonmanī. In samādhi the practitioner is utterly still; the mind is quiet; one enters śūnya, a universal “void” or spaciousness. In manonmanī the mind dissolves; the senses cease their outward hunt; concentration is effortless. The mind is like a flame in a windless room—motionless. Outwardly, the yogin resembles a statue.
Vairāgya demanded by Śaṅkara
To reach manonmanī, Śaṅkara counsels relinquishing all material aspirations. All projects of “doing this or that” are over in this state. One abides as the whole; distinction-making loses its function.
Signs and descriptions from the ṛṣis
The great ṛṣis often speak in paradox: the body “like stone,” a rapture shining in eyes “neither closed nor open.” The mind has been used to dissolve itself. In accomplished yogins the obstacles are destroyed; the mind is at peace; the senses are thoroughly mastered.
Permanent transformation of the aspirant
One who has glimpsed this state is permanently changed. Sensual cravings are finished; freedom abides. Identity rests in pure consciousness; there is no hunger for possessions or roles. The mind is free from “I should,” “mine,” and “I am.” External distractions are conquered; old impressions (saṃskāras) are burned away.
Joy without lethargy; Yoga-nidrā and non-duality of experience
Ordinary knowing does not function here, yet there is no laziness: joy pervades everything, not merely some things. Yoga-nidrā, too, is presented as a suspension and freedom—one “sees everything and nothing” simultaneously. There is no saṅkalpa or vikalpa, no seer distinct from the seen; such dualities lose meaning. Karmas accumulated in this life and others are burned down.
Ripening over time
Through unbroken practice these states arise. Like a tree that does not bear fruit for years, the fruits of yoga take time. Realization flowers in the right way and time, according to one’s karma.
The four states and nirvikalpa-samādhi
Everyone knows waking, dream, and dreamless sleep. The Māṇḍūkya speaks of a fourth—turīya. Viśva is the waking state, engagement with the world. In dream the mind creates experiences and reactions; yet there is also a condition in which even those functions cease. When all such activity subsides, the self abides in its own freedom and autonomy—pure concentration, turīya—where the whole world is apprehended as one. This is also called nirvikalpa-samādhi.
Vision and dispassion
In this clarity one beholds the supreme Self like the sun; darkness vanishes. The eyes of such beings are clear and beautiful. Former fluctuations—ups and downs, ins and outs—become meaningless; attachment to the material world grows obsolete and dull.
Śaṅkara’s longing for Śrīśaila and utter unconcern
Śaṅkara refers to Śrīśaila (Śrī-śaila) and to certain caves where he entered samādhi, longing to return to be completely free. He wants nothing but samādhi. He poetically invites vines to wind about his motionless body, birds to build nests in his hair or even ears—he will not notice. Whatever happens in the world, he is unconcerned; “I” and “mine” are long left behind. Buddhi may wander through any philosophy; it no longer matters—he stands beyond all philosophies.
Summary
Lesson 4 charts the path from moha to manonmanī: purify the nāḍīs through prāṇāyāma, stabilise the bandhas, awaken kuṇḍalinī, and rest in kevala-kumbhaka as prāṇa enters suṣumṇā. The senses turn inward, egoic claims dissolve, and samādhi reveals itself as effortless stillness—turīya and nirvikalpa-samādhi—where seer and seen are one, karmas are burned, and the yogin abides in the sweetness of liberation.
Thus ends the great Yoga Taravali which is certainly a very influential text in Mysore’s yoga culture. It is the source text of both the Vande Gurunam chant which Ashtanga Yoga practitioners across the world are familiar with and also the source of Tribandha, the use of Mula, Uddiyana and Jalandara Bandhas. Both the Vande Chant and the Tribandha concept do appear in other places, but our research indicates that Yoga Taravali was most probably the source and textual authority for their use in Mysore among its prominent teachers such as Sri Krishnamacharya, Pattabhi Jois and others. We hope you enjoyed the course and encourage you to keep revisiting it to absorb more and more of the deep knowledge shared here.