Vasishtha Samhita


The Vasishtha Samhita is a 13th century medieval Vaishnavite text, one of the first to describe non-seated hatha yoga asanas including the arm-balancing Kukkutasana, Cockerel Pose. It makes use of the 10th century Vimanarcanakalpa, whose verse it paraphrases in prose to describe what may be the first non-seated asana, the arm-balancing Mayurasana, Peacock Pose. These descriptions in turn were exploited by the 15th century Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
The text, ascribed to the earlier sage Vasishtha, was compiled by an unknown author of the Vaishnavite Shakta sect. Its 45 chapters cover peace, name-chanting, offerings, sacrifices, astrology, and donation.