Śivasaṃhitā 2.28

This verse draws attention to a rarely emphasized aspect of yogic anatomy: the suṣumṇā is not a single, homogeneous channel but a structure with five distinct stages or phases. Each stage carries its own name and energetic quality, implying that the ascent of consciousness through the central channel is a layered, graduated process rather than a single dramatic event.

The multiplicity of names assigned to suṣumṇā across tantric literature — including brahmanāḍī, citrā, and vajriṇī — reflects a tradition in which different schools emphasized different aspects of this channel. Each designation highlights a particular quality: luminosity, hardness like a diamond, or direct connection to Brahman. The Śivasaṃhitā acknowledges this plurality without eliminating it.

The author’s claim that these names are revealed «in this book» is a common rhetorical strategy in Sanskrit śāstric literature, asserting textual completeness and authority. It situates the Śivasaṃhitā within a lineage of revealed knowledge while also distinguishing it as a comprehensive synthesis — a self-conscious effort to consolidate esoteric teachings for the qualified student.