Upanishads · Yogakuṇḍalinī 2.16
॥
Devanāgarī
अनया विद्यया योगी खेचरीसिद्धिभाग्भवेत् । खेचर्या खेचरीं युञ्जन्खेचरीबीजपूरया
Transliteration (IAST)
anayā vidyayā yogī khecarīsiddhibhāgbhavet | khecaryā khecarīṃ yuñjankhecarībījapūrayā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
अनया विद्यया योगीanayā vidyayā yogīby this science, the yogi
खेचरी-सिद्धि-भाक् भवेत्khecarī-siddhi-bhāk bhavetbecomes a partaker of the attainment of khechari
खेचर्या खेचरीं युञ्जन्khecaryā khecarīṃ yuñjanjoining khechari to khechari
खेचरी-बीज-पूरयाkhecarī-bīja-pūrayāfilled with the seed-syllable of khechari
Translation
"By this science does the yogi become a partaker of the attainment of khechari, joining khechari to khechari, filled with the seed-syllable of khechari".
Version
05db6a8566be · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The line is built on the repetition of one word: khechari is said four times in two lines. This device, in Sanskrit literature, is called yamaka, and was discussed when reading Tripuratapini (38). Here it is used to its limit: one word stands in different cases and means different things — the science, the position of the tongue, the syllable of the mantra.
Let me say this plainly, for to the reader this passage is simply a heap of words. Verses of this kind are written in tantric literature for two purposes. The first — memory: a verse built on one root is easily remembered and does not get confused. The second — concealment: without the key, it cannot be read, and this was discussed when reading the preceding line.
The Vaishnava side does not write verses of this kind, and it is worth saying why. Her compositions are meant for reading aloud before people, and moreover before uneducated people; and a verse requiring a key is useless to read aloud. This difference is visible in the very style. The Bhagavatam is written to sound and to be understood; the Gita, so that children learn it by heart; and compositions like this one are written so that a teacher may expound them close to the ear. Both are legitimate; but the first is meant for many, the second for few.