2026

Śivayoga Dīpikā And The Doctrine Of Pañcadhāraṇā: A Psychospiritual And Elemental Meditation Framework In Medieval Haṭha-Śaiva Yoga

Author(s): Dr. Rahul Kumar Sharma

Abstract

The Śivayoga Dīpikā is a significant yet insufficiently studied medieval yogic treatise embedded in the Haṭha-Śaiva tradition. Among its doctrines, the exposition of Pañcadhāraṇā (Five Elemental Concentrations) in offers a structured internal practice based on the five mahābhūtas—Pṛthvī (Earth), Aap (Water), Agni (Fire), Vāyu (Air), and Ākāśa (Ether). This article critically examines these elemental dhāraṇās from textual, philosophical, and psycho-energetic perspectives, situating them within broader Indian yoga systems including the Yoga Sūtra, Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, and Tantric subtle-body doctrine. Through increased citation density, Sanskrit technical vocabulary in original Devanāgarī, and modern academic references, the study argues that Pañcadhāraṇā functions as a transformative internal process culminating in higher states of Samādhi and Amanaska (no-mind state). By integrating cosmology, subtle anatomy, and meditative discipline, this technique contributes significantly to the evolution of medieval yoga praxis.