yoga, which is the first known written
explanation of this tradition.
Although it is best noted for these
new ideas, the upanishad also reveals
continuity with the older tradition. The
second chapter begins with an extended
invocation to the god Savitr (Surya),
the sun, using verses drawn directly
from Vedic texts composed a thousand
years earlier. Such anachronisms
indicate that there was no clear dividing
line between the four differing types
of Vedic text—samhita, Brahmana,
Aranyaka, and upanishad—but rather
that these textual styles were composed
in overlapping periods.
Shyam
(“black”) Epithet of the god Krishna,
based on the dark color of his skin.
See Krishna.
Siddha
(“perfected one”) Name for a religious
adept who is believed to have attained
the perfect knowledge, enlightenment,
and ultimate spiritual realization.
Siddhapith
(“seat of the perfected”) Name denoting
a site believed to have particular power
in conferring spiritual attainments upon
those who carry out religious practices
there. This power is usually tied to a
mythic charter in which a deitybecame
resident at the site—and is thus still pre-
sent to assist people—but such sites
have often been further sanctified by the
presence of charismatic ascetics whose
lives and spiritual discipline serve as
examples to others.
Siddhasana
(“perfected posture”) One of the com-
mon sitting postures (asana) used for
meditation. In this position one foot
(often the left) is placed with the heel in
the area between the anus and genitals,
with the other foot resting on the oppo-
site calf, turned so that the heel is
straight up. This is called the “perfected”
posture partly because of its difficulty—
only those perfected in yogacan do it—
but also because it is believed to bring
substantial spiritual benefits.Siddhi
(“attainment”) The most common word
used to denote a superhuman power
or faculty. The siddhis are first referred
to in yoga’sfounding text, the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali (3.45), and are
traditionally said to number eight:
minuteness (anima), lightness (lagh-
ima), greatness (madhima), acquisition
(prapti), irresistible will (prakamyam),
control (vashitvam), superiority (ishit-
vam), and suppression of desire
(kamavasayitvam).
The possession of such siddhis is
generally seen as the evidence of high
spiritual attainment, but the attitude
toward the powers is mixed. They give
one great abilities, but they are also seen
as being highly seductive, since they can
be used for both good and evil. The abil-
ity to keep from being beguiled by them
is the true sign of spiritual maturity, and
a spiritually immature person could eas-
ily fall into using them for selfish pur-
poses. For this reason, religious aspi-
rants are discouraged from aiming to
gain such powers, since the very act of
seeking is considered a selfish desire. In
contrast, when one has gained such
powers as a by-product of spiritual
attainment, one is believed to be able to
keep them in proper perspective.Simantonnayana Samskara
Traditionally, the third of the life-cycle
ceremonies (samskaras), and the last of
the prenatal samskaras. This was per-
formed when the pregnancywas further
advanced, although various writers gave
differing times for this. The major ele-
ment in this rite is the husband parting
the hairof his wife, supposedly to pro-
tect her from the misfortune and black
magicthat are supposed to plague preg-
nant women. One can also interpretShyam