Śivasaṃhitā 4.52
Caturthaḥ paṭalaḥ — Mudrā
Sanskrit text
Transliteration
Translation
Commentary
The techniques described here specifically target the awakening of kuṇḍalinī through precise psychophysical methods. Vasu’s 1914 translation, while sometimes archaic in language, preserves important technical nuances often lost in contemporary renderings.
Within the broader structure of the Śivasaṃhitā, this verse functions as part of a carefully orchestrated pedagogical sequence. The text’s compilers understood that spiritual instruction requires not just correct information but proper timing and context. Each verse builds upon previous insights while preparing the ground for subsequent revelations.
For contemporary practitioners, this verse offers both inspiration and practical guidance. The śaiva approach emphasized embodied realization over mere intellectual understanding, a perspective particularly relevant for modern yoga practice, which can sometimes lose sight of its contemplative core in favor of purely physical or therapeutic concerns.