WHAT ARE THE KRIYAS IN YOGA - "SHATKARMAS"(षटकमॅ)

March 19, 2022

INTRODUCTION TO "SHATKARMAS ":

Yoga is not only about doing some asanas and be physically fit, but it teaches overall growth . We all know the importance of internal body needs cleansing so " Shatkarmas" Are mentioned in hatha yog pradipika & gherad samhita.

All stages of astanga yoga are interconnected., if your inner body is not clean practice of asanas and pranayama will not that much impactful.

Gherad samhita says

"आमकुम्भ इवाम्भस्थो जीर्यमाणः सदा घटः |

तद्वत्कर्मवशाज्जीवो भृमते जन्ममृत्युभिः || "

Means

"As raw Waterpot disolves In water time by time, the body warn out time by time, that is why human should provide the heat of yoga to the body so that it won't warn out in early age.

The " Shatkarmas" Are as under:

1Neti( नेति)

2.Dhauti ( धॏति)

3. Basti ( बस्ती)

4.Nauli ( नौली)

5.kapalbhati ( कपालभाति)

6.Trataka ( त्राटक)

1.Neti (नेति)

There are two types of neti

1 kathetar neti ( sutra neti)

2 jalneti

1.kathetar neti

When nosal Passage is closed by mucus soft rubber tube is used

2.sutra neti

When nosal passage is closed by mucus then clean the passage with cotton tread.

Kathetar neti

Jal neti

Video for neti :https://youtube.com/shorts/CXSkN9yqUR4?feature=share

2.Dhauti( धौति)

To clean the digestive parts from inside dhauti is used. Dhauti has 10 types

1. Dant dhauti

2. Jihva dhauti

3. Karna dhauti

4. Had dhauti

5. Dand dhauti

6. Vahinsar dhauti

7. Vaman dhauti

8. Varisar dhauti

9.vastra dhauti

10 . Vatsar dhauti

3 . Basti(बस्ती)

Basti is used for cleansing of the intestine pipe from. Inside.

It has two types

1.jala Basti

2.sthala Basti

4.Nauli (नौलि)

"Nauli" Comes from sanskrit word " Nadi" . Nauli gives exercise to the vertical muscles in stomach called " Rectus muscle" .

Nauli has three types

1.madhya nauli

2.vamanauli

3.dakshin nauli

5.kapalbhati( कपालभाति)

Kapalbhati is not pranayama it is kriya to clean the forehead passage from inside, kapalbhati is simple with forceful and active exhale and passive inhale .

6.Trataka( त्राटक)

Trataka is used to clean the eyes. In trataka one has to stair at the flame of candle without blinking the eye and tears from eyes will remove internal dirt from the eyes.