Deep absorption blooms only after each link in the sevenfold chain clicks into place. First, cleansing (shatkarma) purifies the body’s inner channels, then steady postures (asana) and subtle sealings (mudra) lock in the prana. Breath mastery (pranayama) tames the mind’s wild horses, while sense withdrawal (pratyahara) reins in distractions. Dhyana, the calm river of focused awareness, carries the practitioner toward samadhi’s shore.

Gheranda Samhita paints samadhi as two-tiered delight. The first, sabija samadhi, stills the mind around a chosen seed—be it mantra, chakra or cosmic image—like a moth drawn to the flame. Thoughts don’t vanish entirely, but become faithful attendants. Advancing further, seedless (nirbija) samadhi emerges when even that anchor dissolves; awareness merges with its own source, beyond concepts or breath, in crystal-clear silence.

This text describes inner phenomena as vividly as a nature documentary: inner light or “pranava jyoti” gleams at the ajna center, lotus petals unfold, and a cool nectar—amrita—trickles down from bindu. Each drop feeds ecstatic bliss, nourishing the soul like a long-awaited rain. Modern neuroscience nods along: default-mode network quiets, neuroplastic shifts reinforce stability.

Achieving samadhi feels akin to hitting the sweet spot on a surfboard, catching the perfect wave that carries everything effortlessly. No longer chasing thoughts or sensations, the meditator rests in contentment beyond “self” and “other,” tasting freedom beyond measurement. It’s not a far-fetched sci-fi dream but an age-old formula still buzzing on today’s wellness circuits—mindfulness apps, silent retreats in dusty deserts, or evening Zoom satsangs under flickering candles.

Samadhi, Gheranda insists, isn’t a jackpot prize but the natural ripening of consistent practice. Let each limb lean on the next until, like gears in a clock, they synchronize. Suddenly, time collapses, duality evaporates, and pure awareness reigns—unbound, unbroken, utterly free.