Yoga Shikha Upanishat

योगशिखोपनिषत्

Yoga-Śikh-Opaniṣat

Exceprts from the first chapter

The Yoga Shikha Upanishad probably originates from the 13th century. This extract from the first chapter probably present the earliest known tantric view of Hatha yoga and Raja yoga. This Upanishad is also the oldest text in which the two terms are defined.

Raja yoga described as the union of male semen (Retas (रेतस्, Retas)) with female vaginal secretion (Rajas (रजस्, Rajas)) (YSU I.137).

This interpretation of Raja yoga was often literally translated particularly in tantric Kaula (कौल, Kaula) schools. In other tantric traditions, Raja Yoga (रजयोग, Raja-Yoga) is often translated as the union of "Siva ("सिव, "Siva) and "Sakti ("सक्ति, "Sakti), the male and female beings.

Modern interpretations of the term Raja yoga usually gloss over these tantric ideas.