(moksha) and enlightenment (samadhi). He exper-
imented with several types of yoga for 17 years
before achieving enlightenment. After his experi-
ence with the awakening of KUNDALINI energy, he
became a prolific writer, speaker, and teacher of
spiritual kundalini yoga.
Kundalini energy is believed to be a well-
spring of spiritual energy that is coiled at
the base of the spine. Seven invisible wheels
of energy (CHAKRAS) along the spine are the
sites of powers that must be accessed to allow
enlightenment to occur. Teachers of yoga, such
as Gopi Krishna, frequently speak of opening
these chakras with special breathing techniques
so that the life force (prana) can be utilized to
transform consciousness into a state of enlight-
enment (samadhi).
Gopi Krishna, with a wealth of knowledge
about yoga, wrote 17 books about various aspects
of the awakening of kundalini. In 1970, an Ameri-
can, Gene Kietter, realized the significance of
what Gopi Krishna had learned and founded the
Kundalini Research Foundation in New York in
1971 in order to promote his work. The founda-
tion, now headquartered in Darien, Connecticut,
seeks to promote the scientific investigation of
enlightenment, inspiration, genius, and the evolu-
tion of consciousness.
Further reading: Darrell Irving, Serpent of Fire: A Mod-
ern View of Kundalini (York Beach, Maine: Samuel Weiser,
1994); Gopi Krishna, Awakening of Kundalini (New
York: E. P. Dutton, 1975); ———, The Biological Basis of
Religion and Genius (New York: Harper & Row, 1971);
———, The Goal of Consciousness Research (Darien,
Conn.: Friends of Gopi Krishna, 1998); ———, The
Wonder of the Brain (Norton Heights, Conn.: Kundalini
Research Foundation, 1987).
Kurma Avatar
The Kurma Avatar or tortoise AVATA R (incarna-
tion) of VISHNU plays a small role in the myth of
the churning of the MILK OCEAN, which is widely
repeated in Sanskrit epics, the PURANAS, and story.
There, the story goes that the fate of the gods
took a bad turn when the king of the gods, INDRA,
was cursed by the sage DURVASAS for slighting
him. The gods asked Vishnu his advice on how
to restore their good fortunes. Vishnu suggested
that they churn the Milk Ocean, from which they
might obtain the nectar of immortality. They were
advised to do this in concert with their enemies
the ASURAS or antigods (demons), since the task
was monumentally difficult. When they stirred
the Milk Ocean, they used the divine serpent
Vasuki as the churning stick. Vishnu offered him-
self as a huge tortoise (kurma) upon which to rest
the churning stick.Further reading: Cornelia Dimmitt and J. A. B. van
Buitenen, Classical Hindu Mythology: A Reader in the
Sanskrit Puranas (Philadelphia: Temple University
Press, 1978); Shakti M. Gupta, Vishnu and His Incarna-
tions (Bombay: Somaiya, 1993); E. Washburn Hopkins,
Epic Mythology (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1986);
Pandrimalai Swamigal, The Ten Incarnations: Dasavatara
(Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1982); W. J. Wilkins
Hindu Mythology, Vedic and Puranic (Calcutta: Rupa,
1973).Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra (province of the Kurus) is a tract of
land south of present-day Delhi and is the site of
the great war depicted in the MAHABHARATA epic.
The Kurus were a great clan, including both the
PANDAVAS and the KAURAVAS, the main contenders
in that war. Both groups were descended from an
ancient progenitor named Kuru.
The place-name also appears in the first line of
the BHAGAVAD GITA, where it takes on a metaphori-
cal significance. The battle, as the Gita under-
stands, actually takes place in the consciousness
of every human being, who must ascertain right
action (dharma) in relation to God. In the sim-
plest terms this battle is between right and wrong,
or, yogically, between higher and lower states ofKurukshetra 253 J