Sirshasana

Spread a fourfold blanket. Sit on the two knees. Make a finger-lock by interweaving the fingers. Place it on the ground up to the elbow. Now, keep the top of your head on this finger-lock or between the two hands. Slowly raise the legs till they become vertical. Stand for five seconds in the beginning and gradually increase the period by 15 seconds each week to 20 minutes or half an hour. Then slowly bring the legs down. Strong people can remain in this Asana for half an hour within a period of 2 or 3 months' practice. Do it slowly. Do not be anxious. Be calm. Be cool. There is eternity before you. On this score do not be sluggish in your practice. Do this Asana on an empty stomach. If you have time, do twice daily both morning and evening. Perform this Asana very, very slowly and avoid jerks. While standing on the head, breathe slowly through the nose and never through the mouth.

You can place the hands on the ground one on each side of the head. You will find this easy to practise if you are fat. When you learn balancing, then you can take to finger-lock method. This Asana is nothing for those who can do balance in parallel bars or on the ground. Ask your friend to assist you to keep the legs steady while practising or get the help of a wall when you begin to learn this.

In the beginning, some may have some sensation during practice but soon this vanishes. It brings joy and glee. After the exercise is over take a little rest for five minutes and then take a cup of milk. Those who do this Asana for a long time, say, 20 minutes or half an hour, should take some kind of light refreshment, milk or anything, when this Asana is over. This is very important. This is sine qua non. In summer do not practise this Asana for a long time. In winter you can practise as long as you desire.

There are people who are doing this Asana for two or three hours at one stretch. Pandit Raghunath Sastri of Badrinarayan was very fond of this Asana and used to practise it for 2 or 3 hours. There was a Yogi at Varanasi who entered into Samadhi in this Asana. Sri Jaspat Rai, P.V. Acharyaji Maharaj, and others, were doing this Asana regularly for more than one hour daily at one stretch.

BENEFITS

This is very useful in keeping up Brahmacharya. It makes you an Urdhvaretas. The seminal energy is transmuted into spiritual Ojas-Sakti. This is also called sex-sublimation. You will not have wet dreams, spermatorrhoea. In an Urdhvareto-Yogi the seminal energy flows upwards into the brain for being stored up as spiritual force which is used for contemplative purposes (Dhyana). When you do this Asana, imagine that the seminal energy is being converted into Ojas and is passing along the spinal column into the brain for storage. Sirshasana invigorates, energises and vivifies.

Sirshasana is really a blessing and a nectar. Words will fail to adequately describe its beneficial results and effects. In this Asana alone, the brain can draw plenty of Prana and blood. This acts against the force of gravity and draws an abundance of blood from the heart. Memory increases admirably. Lawyers, occultists and thinkers will highly appreciate this Asana. This leads to natural Pranayama and Samadhi by itself. No other effort is necessary. If you watch the breath, you will notice that it becomes finer and finer. In the beginning of practice, there will be slight difficulty in breathing. As you advance in practice, this vanishes entirely. You will find real pleasure, exhilaration of spirit, in this Asana.

Great benefit is derived by sitting for meditation after Sirshasana. You can hear Anahata sounds quite distinctly. Young, robust persons should perform this Asana. The advantages that are derived from this Asana are incalculable. Those who practise this should not have frequent copulation.

This is a panacea, a cure-all, a sovereign specific for all diseases. It brightens the psychic faculties and awakens Kundalini Sakti, removes all sorts of diseases of the intestines and stomach and augments mental power. This is a powerful blood-purifier and nervine tonic. All diseases of the eye, nose, head, throat, stomach, genito-urinary system, liver, spleen, lungs, renal colic, deafness, gonorrhoea, diabetes, piles, asthma consumption, syphilis, etc., are cured. It augments the digestive fire, Jatharagni. Wrinkles and grayness will disappear. "He who practises this for three hours daily conquers time"-Yoga Tattva Upanishad. Even ladies can practise this Asana. Many uterine and ovarine diseases are cured. Sterility disappears. Asana, Pranayama and Japa should go hand in hand. Repeat the Mantra of your Ishta Devata or the Mantras given by your Guru during the practice of this Asana.

Remember always the precious words of Lord Krishna: "Tasmat Yogi Bhava"-"Therefore become thou a Yogi" (Gita, Chapter VI-46).

Sri Prakash Jung, Private Secretary to the late Maharaja of Tehri State, Himalayas, had swelling of feet and disease of heart. The muscles of the heart were not able to contract and dilate properly in its function of pumping. That was the diagnosis of the doctors. He practised Sirshasana regularly for a few days. All swelling disappeared. The heart functioned properly. There was no pain at all. He used to do this Asana for half an hour daily.

Pandit Surya Narayan, Advocate, Lakhimpure Kheri, was doing this Asana. His memory has been considerably improved. The pain in the back and shoulders (chronic rheumatism) vanished completely.