Universal Yoga and the Florida Vedic Institute.
Introduction to the roots of Kundalini and Kundalini Yoga.
by Yogi Harinam Baba Prem Tom Beal, Vedakovid, C.ay, C.va, CYI
The term ‘kundalini’ is becoming a familiar term amongst students of yoga, but few people are introduced to the depth and breadth of knowledge of this ancient system. Even fewer are familiar with the Vedic roots of kundalini yoga.
Within Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma-eternal teachings), all teachings defer to the spiritual authority of the Vedas. The Vedas are a series of ancient teachings of which the Rg Veda is considered the oldest. While the Vedas has become an obscure text to the general public, it is filled with powerful spiritual teachings, and continues to have much relevance to this day.
What the western scholar does not understand is that the Vedas can be interpreted in a variety of ways, and its meanings are multi-dimensional. From the Hindu viewpoint all truth must be founded or substantiated with the Vedas, or at minimum the Vedas is the final authority on spiritual matters. Within the Vedas is hidden a science and understanding of the kundalini energy. In reality, it is the oldest record of kundalini yoga. While it is not exactly the kundalini yoga currently known to mankind, all the foundational elements, pertaining to a kundalini awakening, are contained within the Vedas. The following will be a yogic interpretation of Vedic teachings, it is not the only understanding of the concepts, principles, and deities from the Vedas, and it is only one of the multi-dimensions of knowledge contained within the Vedas.
Within the Vedas we do find a variety of names and references to the kundalini, as well as to various related serpent energies that constitute one of the main groups of Vedic deities; while these are two numerous to list; we do find a few such as Shaya in the Rg Veda[1]. But the most important Vedic deity associated with the kundalini is Agni and Surya. Agni or the inner fire and power of speech and mantra can refer directly to the kundalini energy (which is also the power of mantra), while Surya is not the kundalini per se; it is the kundalini in its triumph or full awakening. Surya is the kundalini having moved to the crown chakra. This is often referenced as the sun being hidden and revealed in the Vedic journey.
While some systems place more importance on the heart than the crown chakra, this is not in conflict. In reality, the heart and crown chakra are connected via a nadi known as chitta nadi. This explains the strong associated with the sun (Surya) with the head (crown chakra) and the heart (anahata chakra). Within numerous later yoga texts we find references to the kundalini/Surya connection. Within the Hatha Yoga Pradipka the kundalini is often described as having the brilliance of a thousand suns. We find teachings of the sacred mount Meru within Hinduism. From a yogic perspective the sacred Meru is represented physically by the spinal column. In a variety of ancient texts meru is given a specific height, and located within an ocean, surrounded by seven islands. The seven islands are the seven primary chakras, and Meru is the spinal column or the Sushumna of the astral body. Within the Shiva Samhita, the sun is referred to as being at the bottom of Meru (II.10), which is the location of the kundalini energy.
The journey of awakening the kundalini begins with Ushas. Ushas represents the dawn or more correctly the spiritual dawn. She is our aspiration toward spiritual awakening. The spiritual journey begins with the grace of the spiritual dawn. Though she is called a variety of names in different cultures, in all systems of truth, Ushas is the aspiration for realization.
Once our aspiration is strong enough, we begin one of the great Vedic battles. The Vedic battle between Indra and Vrtra is our internal battle between our higher spiritual desires and the ego. Indra is the warrior (our higher consciousness) that defeats Vrtra (who is the brother or shadow of Indra—ego); the victory of Indra releases the waters. This is one of the main Vedic stories of slaying a dragon (avarana shakti) and releasing the seven rivers to flow into the sea. Vritra represents the Kundalini when it is asleep and its energy is blocked. Indra represents the awakening and release of that energy.
The battle between Indra and Vrtra opens the way for several additional Vedic deities, which are namely Vayu and the Ashvins. Vayu is the deity of the air, which indicates that it is the ruler of prana, the life-force energy. Within the Rg Veda it is taught that the Ashvins are responsible for the movement of the sun (Surya). They are responsible for the movement of Agni to the state or transformation into the state of Surya. The awakening of the kundalini involves the prana, not just prana itself, but specific forms of prana, called prana and apana in yoga, which are represented by the Ashvins. The Ashvins represent healing, which is one of the qualities of theses two major forms of prana. It is the two major forms of prana (the Ashvins) that is responsible for the kundalini awakening; and their ruler is Vayu, the lord of prana. In other words, the deities represent the higher forms of cosmic principles.
As mentioned earlier, Indra’s victory over Vrtra releases the waters, the Ashvins connection or pranic connection is indicated within the Rg Veda 1.116.22, which refers to the Ashvins as raising the water from the bottom of the well. This is a direct reference to the raising of the kundalini. Indra releases the seven rivers, which are the nadis or channels of the seven chakras.
Another Vedic deity of great importance for the kundalini awakening is Soma. As was mentioned earlier, Agni is the kundalini, but Agni is also the first deity to be invoked to drink of Soma. From a yogic/astral perspective, Soma drips down the Sushumna (spinal column) and is consumed by the manipura chakra (3rd chakra). From a yogic standpoint this process is stopped and the Soma is retained in the higher chakras namely the Sahasrara and the Ajna (6th & 7th). The practice of yoga is the pressing of the soma, and the kundalini awakening is the drinking of soma from a subtle astral perspective.
While Vedic yoga does address kundalini yoga per se; it does so in a variety of different forms. Vedic yoga clearly uses pranayama, mantra, and mediation; there are three questions that might come to mind: 1) Did the Vedic teachings contain yogic techniques that have become lost over the millennia? 2) Was the physical a part of the system, but preserved orally through other traditions? 3) Or was the Vedic form of yoga from the last world age, and did not require the initial preparatory techniques that would become critical in our current age? The current evidence points to probably all three. Clearly there is evidence that techniques such as mantra, pranayama, and meditation where the essence of the Vedic culture. In fact, the entire Sanskrit alphabet can be practiced using various techniques to awaken the kundalini energy.
We see postures such as sitting crossed legged (siddhasana posture, which is very important to present day yoga) present on the seals from ancient India. It is not difficult to speculate that the other postures would have been persevered by other systems just as systems such Vedic Astrology and Ayurveda are preserved by the different Vedangas and Upavedas[2] today. As the Veda is a general mantric teaching, it cannot be expected to carry specific information on particular techniques, but the broader tradition preserved this information and it eventually evolved into what initially appears to be a separate system. But in reality it is an extension of the Vedas as the Vedas is the spiritual authority as well. In addition, we know that several Vedic seer families have a yogic connection such as Kashyap, Vamadeva, Vashishta and others. In fact the lineages of all ancient Yoga traditions are entirely Vedic with Hiranyagarbha, Vasistha, Shakti, Krishna and other Vedic figures being the basis of Patanjali and other yogic lines.
The most compelling evidence comes from the Bhagavad Gita itself. Within the Gita (4.1) Krishna states “…Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam, vivasvaan manave praatha manur ikshvaakave `bavit.” Krisha states, loosely translated, “I have spoken this yoga to Vivasvat, Vivasvat passed [communicated] it to Manu, Manu related it to Ikshvaku.” Here we see a clear reference to yoga’s connection to the Vedic lineage, and yogic information being passed downward through the traditional Vedic lineage. This is a compelling statement that a form of yoga was present within the oldest Vedic traditions. While Krishna is the great teacher of Yoga, Patanjali is presented only as a compiler of older yogic teachings.
In reality, modern day kundalini yoga is just another form of the Vedic Yajna or ritual. It contains internal and external elements, though not the physical fire of the Vedic ritual, it relies on a more internal manifestation of fire and favors more internal approaches achieved through outward techniques such as asana. Kundalini yoga within modern society is an expression of the first words of the Rg Veda 1.1.1, AUM Agni ile, which means, “I worship Agni.”
Great appreciation and thanks are given to Dr. David Frawley (Pandit Vamadeva Shastri) for his help and insight into Vedic Yoga. This article is based upon his teachings.
Sources, references, and recommended reading:
Beal, Yogi Harinam Baba Prem Tom “Understanding the Kundalini” Universal Yoga
Beal, Yogi Harinam Baba Prem Tom “Qualities of a Student”
Beal, Yogi Harinam Baba Prem Tom “Vrtra: The Spiritual Adversary” Vedic Friends Journal #1 http://www.vedicfriends.org/vfa_journal_and_newsletter.htm
Beal, Yogi Harinam Baba Prem Tom “Introduction to the roots of the kundalini” Universal Yoga 2003
Frawley, David “Gods, Sages and Kings” Passage Press: Salt Lake City 1991
Frawley, David “The Rig Veda and the History of India” Aditya:Nw Delhi 2001
Frawley, David “Wisdom of the Ancient Seers:mantras of the Rg Veda” Passage Press: Salt Lake City 1992
Frawley, David “Yoga and Ayurveda” Lotus Press: Twin Lakes: Wisconsin 1999
Kashyap, Dr. R.L “Rig Veda Samhita:First Ashtaka Vol. 1,2,3” Saksivc:Bangalore
Web Pages:
Sanskrit texts:
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Shiva Samhita
Rg Veda Samhita
Bhagavad Gita
Copyright 2003, 2004. All rights reserved.
[1] Shayu is a reference to a snake, in particular a boa, and shaya is a reference to sleeping.
[2] Vedangas are limbs of the Vedas and Upavedas are secondary Vedas such as Ayurveda.