Are Chakras Ancient? The Real History of Chakras in Yoga and Sanskrit Texts

When an alumna wrote from Europe saying her teacher had called chakras a “modern Western creation,” I smiled. Sincere students often meet this claim. The short answer is: no, chakras aren’t a New Age bolt-on.

They are a time-tested map of consciousness, rooted in Sanskrit literature and living lineages for well over a millennium. What changed in the last century is not the chakras - it’s how they were simplified and decontextualized. I had written briefly on the Chakras earlier. However, this time I needed to give citations and Sanskrit textual sources.

Let’s walk the path from the Veda and Yoga Upaniṣads to Tantra and Haṭha Yoga, and see what the sources actually say on the real history of Chakras.

1) From Veda to Upaniṣad: Subtle Physiology Before the Word “Chakra”

Early Vedic literature speaks in symbols - cakra (wheel), ṛta (cosmic order), the Sun as the moving wheel - establishing a language of energy and movement. While the technical chakra model matures later, the conceptual soil is already fertile in the Upaniṣads - especially the Yoga Upaniṣads, a cluster of late Vedic texts focused on practice and inner anatomy (sūkṣma śarīra, the subtle body).

Yoga Tattva Upaniṣad (Yoga Upaniṣads)

देहे नाड्यः शतसहस्रसंख्याः, तासां प्रमुखाः चतुर्दश।

Dehe nāḍyaḥ śata-sahasra-saṅkhyāḥ, tāsāṁ pramukhāḥ caturdaśa.

“In the body there are (tens of) thousands of nāḍīs; among them, fourteen are foremost.”

Meaning: The Upaniṣadic yogins already describe a pranic network - nāḍīs - through which life-force (prāṇa) circulates. Chakras are precisely those nodal junctions (granthi, padma, “lotuses”) where many nāḍīs meet.

Yoga Bindu Upanishad

आधारं गुदमित्युक्तं स्वाधिष्ठानं तु लैङ्गिकम् ॥ Ādhāraṁ gudam ity uktaṁ svādhiṣṭhānaṁ tu laiṅgikam.

मणिपूरं नाभिदेशं हृदयस्थमनाहतम् । Maṇipūraṁ nābhi-deśaṁ hṛdayastham anāhatam,

विशुद्धिः कण्ठमूले च आज्ञाचक्रं च मस्तकम् ॥ Viśuddhiḥ kaṇṭha-mūle ca ājñā-cakraṁ ca mastakam.

Meaning:

The Ādhāra (Mūlādhāra) is said to be at the base of the spine, near the perineum; the Svādhiṣṭhāna is at the region of the generative organs. The Maṇipūra chakra is located at the navel region; Anāhata resides in the heart; Viśuddha is at the root of the throat; and Ājñā lies at the head (between the eyebrows or upper cranial center).

Tejo Bindu Upaniṣad & Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad

These Upaniṣads emphasize breath-mind linkage and inward luminosity. They teach that mind follows prāṇa; stabilize prāṇa, and attention collects at inner seats - again, precursors to the chakra map.

मनः प्राणानुगं नित्यम्।Manaḥ prāṇānugaṁ nityam.“Mind always follows prāṇa.” (Śāṇḍilya Up.)

Practice note: When students say, “I can’t concentrate,” the tradition replies: “Purify and direct prāṇa.” Chakra practice rides on this axiom.

2) Tantra: The Chakra System Blossoms

Between the 8th–11th centuries CE, Tantric traditions render the subtle body with extraordinary detail. Here chakras are not decorative diagrams; they are ritual-yogic interfaces - each with mantras, deities, elements (tattva), sounds (bīja), and visualizations.

Śāradā Tilaka Tantra (Śrīvidyā lineage)

One of the earliest systematic sources for ṣaṭ-cakra (six-chakra) yoga.

मूलाधारं चतुर्दलं तत्र कुण्डलिनी स्थिता।Mūlādhāraṁ caturdalaṁ tatra kuṇḍalinī sthitā.

“The Mūlādhāra is a four-petaled lotus; there abides the coiled Kuṇḍalinī.”

इडा पिङ्गला च सुषुम्ना च नाडित्रयं परम्।Iḍā piṅgalā ca suṣumnā ca nāḍitrayaṁ param.

“Iḍā, Piṅgalā, and Suṣumnā are the supreme triad of nāḍīs.”

Why this matters: The text ties each center to mantra, deity, and element - not as “beliefs,” but as precise tools for shaping attention, breath, and psycho-spiritual states.

Kubjikāmata Tantra & Kaula Sources

Kaula/Śākta scriptures (e.g., Kubjikāmata Tantra, Kaulajñāna-nirṇaya) preserve alternative chakra counts (five, nine), showing that multiple authentic maps exist within orthoprax lineages. The diversity reflects different sādhanā aims, not inconsistency.

3) Śaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa: The Real History of Chakras

By the 16th century, Pūrṇānanda Yati’s Śaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa (embedded in the Śrī-Tattva-Cintāmaṇi) offers the most famous description: six chakras (Mūlādhāra → Ājñā) plus the crown, Sahasrāra, “beyond the series.”

मूलाधारं चतुर्दलं … तत्र लं बीजम्।Mūlādhāraṁ caturdalaṁ … tatra laṁ bījam.

“Mūlādhāra has four petals … its seed-sound is Laṁ (Earth).”

स्वाधिष्ठानं षड् दलं… वं बीजम्।Svādhiṣṭhānaṁ ṣaḍ-dalaṁ … vaṁ bījam.

“Svādhiṣṭhāna has six petals … seed-sound Vaṁ (Water).”

मणिपूरं दशदलम् … रं बीजम्।Maṇipūraṁ daśa-dalam … raṁ bījam.“Maṇipūra has ten petals … seed-sound Raṁ (Fire).”

अनाहतं द्वादशदलम् … यं बीजम्।Anāhataṁ dvādaśa-dalam … yaṁ bījam.“Anāhata has twelve petals … seed-sound Yaṁ (Air).”

विशुद्धं षोडशदलम् … हं बीजम्।Viśuddhaṁ ṣoḍaśa-dalam … haṁ bījam.“Viśuddha has sixteen petals … seed-sound Haṁ (Ether).”

आज्ञा द्विदलम् … ओं बीजम्।Ājñā dvi-dalam … oṁ bījam.“Ājñā has two petals … seed-sound Oṁ.”

सुषुम्णा नाम नाडी मेरुमध्ये प्रवर्तते।Suṣumnā nāma nāḍī meru-madhye pravartate.“The nāḍī named Suṣumnā moves within the axis (Meru/spine).”

Meaning: This is the “standard” layout popular in global yoga. But note: the text integrates iconography, mantra, and deity for each lotus - this is ritualized contemplative science, not a color-wheel infographic.

4) The Haṭha Corpus: Practice Manuals, Not Just Philosophy

The Nāth Yogins took Tantric subtle physiology into method—mudrā, bandha, prāṇāyāma—turning map into movement.

Gorakṣaśataka (Nāth tradition)

कन्दोपरि कुण्डली सुप्ता योगिनां मुक्तिदा भवेत्।Kandopari kuṇḍalī suptā yogināṁ muktidā bhavet.

“Above the kanda (pelvic root) Kuṇḍalinī lies sleeping; for the yogin, she is the giver of liberation.”

Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā (Svātmārāma, 15th c.)

कुंडली जागृता यस्य सुषुम्ना शुद्धचेतसः।Kuṇḍalī jāgṛtā yasya suṣumnā śuddha-cetasaḥ.

“When Kuṇḍalinī is awakened in one whose Suṣumnā is purified, clarity of mind dawns.” (HYP III)

Method highlights:

• Bandha-traya: Mūla, Uḍḍīyāna, Jālandhara—seal and direct prāṇa into Suṣumnā.

• Mudrā: Mahā-mudrā, Mahā-vedha, Vajrolī, Kecharī—alter pranic pressure, attention, and reflex arcs.

• Prāṇāyāma: Nāḍī-śodhana, Bhastrikā, Sūrya-bhedana - purify, heat, and channelize.

Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā (17th–18th c.)

Seven-limbed discipline (sapta-sādhana): śatkarma, āsana, mudrā, pratyāhāra, prāṇāyāma, dhyāna, samādhi. Chakra dhyāna is embedded inside this gradual purification model.

Śiva Saṁhitā (c. 17th c.)

मेरुमध्ये सुषुम्णा नाडी … इडा पिङ्गला च तस्याः पार्श्वयोः।Meru-madhye suṣumnā nāḍī … iḍā piṅgalā ca tasyāḥ pārśvayoḥ.

“Within the spinal axis flows Suṣumnā, with Iḍā and Piṅgalā at its sides.”

Takeaway: In Haṭha, chakras are functional—they respond to breath-locks, gaze, and mantra. The body becomes a lab, not a diagram.

5) Nāḍīs: The Highways of Prāṇa

Almost every source insists: if you don’t understand nāḍīs, you don’t understand chakras.

• Counts: 72,000 is common; some texts give 350,000 (poetic for “many”).

• Fourteen chief nāḍīs: usually includes Suṣumnā, Iḍā, Piṅgalā, Gāndhārī, Hasti-jihvā, Yaśasvinī, Pūṣā, Alambusā, Kuhū, Śaṅkhinī, Pāyasinī, Sarasvatī, Varuṇā, Viśvodharā (lists vary slightly).

• Three primaries: Iḍā (lunar, left), Piṅgalā (solar, right), Suṣumnā (central).

Upaniṣadic principle:

मनः प्राणानुगं—mind follows prāṇa. So we train prāṇa (through breath, bandha, mantra) and attention naturally collects at chakra sites.

6) Authentic Variations: One Mountain, Many Trails

The “six + one” model (Mūlādhāra→Ājñā + Sahasrāra) is classical—but not exclusive.

• Four-chakra streams (some Nāth sources): emphasize root, heart, throat, crown.

• Five-chakra schemes (elemental emphasis): align with pañca-mahābhūta.

• Nine-chakra layouts (Śākta/Śrīvidyā nuances).

• Minor chakras (upacakras): wrists, knees, ears, navel periphery—108/18/21 enumerations occur.

Key point: Differences are contextual tools, not contradictions. Different sādhanā goals require different maps.

7) How the Tradition Actually Uses Chakras (Sādhana Framework)

a) Mantra & Nyāsa (Installing Awareness)

• Bīja mantras:Mūlādhāra - लं Laṁ, Svādhiṣṭhāna - वं Vaṁ, Maṇipūra - रं Raṁ, Anāhata - यं Yaṁ, Viśuddha - हं Haṁ, Ājñā - ॐ Oṁ.

• Nyāsa: placing mantra awareness in specific body sites to “turn on” the contemplative circuit.

b) Prāṇāyāma Ratios & Bandhas

• Nāḍī-śodhana: classic ratios (e.g., 1:4:2; then 1:4:2:1 with kumbhaka) are used after capacity building.

• Bandhas:

  • Mūla-bandha stabilizes pelvic floor, raises apāna.

  • Uḍḍīyāna-bandha lifts prāṇa toward navel/heart.

  • Jālandhara stabilizes pressure in throat/cranial vault.

c) Mudrā (Neuro-pranic Skill)

• Mahā-mudrā/Mahā-vedha: coordinate bandhas with locked attention.

• Kecharī-mudrā: tongue posture changes cranio-facial fascia and breath reflexes, aiding dhyāna stabilization.

d) Dhyāna Protocols

• Visualize the lotus (petals, color, yantra), intone the bīja, contemplate the presiding deity’s qualities.

• Climb systematically from dense (Earth) to subtle (Space) to supra-elemental (Ājñā/Sahasrāra).

e) Ethics & Preparation

Yama and Niyama aren’t moral ornaments; they are pranic stabilizers. A restless life sabotages Suṣumnā work.

8) Clearing Modern Confusions (With Kindness)

• Not “just psychology.” Yes, chakras have psychological correspondences, but the texts place them in the sūkṣma śarīra - the subtle body aimed at mokṣa (liberation), not mere mood optimization.

• Not biomedical anatomy. Some teachers correlate chakras to plexuses or glands. It can be metaphorically helpful; it is not how Sanskrit sources frame it.

• Not crystal therapy. Classical sources center mantra, prāṇāyāma, nyāsa, mudrā, contemplation - not stones or commercial “balancing.”

• Not one fixed color wheel. Petal counts, bīja, deities are consistent within each lineage; color systems vary and are the least stable attribute across sources.

• Not DIY fireworks. The tradition urges guru-śiṣya guidance. Strong practices invoke strong effects.

Kula-Arṇava Tantra (teacher’s grace): गुरुकृपया लभ्यते नान्यथा।Gurukṛpayā labhyate nānyathā.“

This is obtained only through the Guru’s grace, not otherwise.”

9) For the Historically Curious: A Timeline-Style Glimpse

• Early Veda: Symbolic cakra imagery; cosmic order (ṛta).

• Yoga Upaniṣads (1st millennium CE): Nāḍīs, prāṇa, inner seats (heart, brow, throat), meditative centering.

• Tantra (8th–11th c. and later): Full chakra systems; Śāradā Tilaka, Kubjikāmata; mantra-deity-tattva integration; Suṣumnā ascent of Kuṇḍalinī.

• Haṭha texts (11th–17th c.): Gorakṣaśataka, Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā, Śiva Saṁhitā -turn symbolism into method (bandha, mudrā, prāṇāyāma).

• Modern era (19th–20th c.): English translations (Arthur Avalon/Woodroffe), Indological studies, global spread - and, sadly, oversimplification.

10) Frequently Asked (Quiet) Questions I Hear in Mysore

Q: Are chakras “real,” or just a helpful map?

A: In śāstra, they are ontologically real within the subtle body.

Whether you read them as “maps” or “structures,” the practices work when done properly. In yoga, “real” is what transforms.

Q: Which system should I follow - six chakras, seven, nine?

A: Follow your lineage and your practice aim. The map is chosen for the journey at hand.

Q: Can I start advanced chakra work now?

A: Build foundations: yama/niyama, stable āsana, gentle prāṇāyāma, mantra japa, and a teacher’s supervision. A strong base makes subtle work safe, steady, and meaningful.

11) A Short Practice Arc (responsible and safe)

1. Preparation (Weeks 1–4):

   • Daily Nāḍī-śodhana (simple 1:1 without retention), 8–12 rounds.

   • Japa of Oṁ and Gāyatrī (or your iṣṭa-mantra).

   • Guided śavāsana with breath-awareness at the heart center.

2. Stabilisation (Weeks 5–8):

   • Ratioed Nāḍī-śodhana (1:2, no kumbhaka), 10–16 rounds.

   • Add bīja awareness successively at Mūlādhāra → Svādhiṣṭhāna → Maṇipūra (alternate days).

   • Introduce uḍḍīyāna gently (empty-lung only), teacher-guided.

3. Structured Dhyāna (after supervision):

   • One chakra per week: petals/element/bīja/quality; then a consolidation week linking three centers (e.g., Maṇipūra - Anāhata–Viśuddha).

   • Never force imagery; stay with breath/mantra if mind strains.

This is a conservative, lineage-compatible arc. Always adapt to the student in front of you.

12) Concluding Reflection

To call chakras “modern” is to overlook a library of Sanskrit voices - Upaniṣadic sages, Śākta adepts, Nāth yogins - who mapped the inner sky with patient precision. The modern task isn’t to myth-bust tradition; it’s to reconnect practice with śāstra (scripture), paramparā (lineage), and anubhava (lived experience).

Walk this path with humility. Then each lotus is not a concept, but a doorway.

--- Compact Study References (for further reading)

Primary Sanskrit Sources (classical):

• Yoga Upaniṣads: Yoga Tattva, Tejo Bindu, Amṛta Nāda, Śāṇḍilya, Brahma

• Tantra: Śāradā Tilaka, Kubjikāmata Tantra, Kaulajñāna-nirṇaya, Kularṇava Tantra

• Haṭha Yoga: Gorakṣaśataka, Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā (Svātmārāma), Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā, Śiva Saṁhitā, Haṭha Ratnāvalī

Reliable Modern/Scholarly Guides:

• Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon), The Serpent Power (translation of Śaṭ-Cakra-Nirūpaṇa)

• Georg Feuerstein, The Yoga Tradition

• Gavin Flood, The Tantric Body

• James Mallinson & Mark Singleton, Roots of Yoga; Mallinson’s critical editions on Haṭha Tradition

• David Gordon White, The Alchemical Body, Kiss of the Yoginī

• Mark S. G. Dyczkowski, The Doctrine of Vibration (Kashmir Śaivism)

Appendix: A Small Anthology (Verses at a Glance)

1) On Nāḍīs (Yoga Upaniṣads)

देहे नाड्यः शतसहस्रसंख्याः, तासां प्रमुखाः चतुर्दश।Dehe nāḍyaḥ śata-sahasra-saṅkhyāḥ, tāsāṁ pramukhāḥ caturdaśa.

“In the body are myriad nāḍīs; fourteen are principal.”

2) On Mūlādhāra (Tantra)

मूलाधारं चतुर्दलं तत्र कुण्डलिनी स्थिता।Mūlādhāraṁ caturdalaṁ tatra kuṇḍalinī sthitā.

“Mūlādhāra is four-petaled; Kuṇḍalinī abides there.”

3) On Suṣumnā (Tantra/Haṭha)

सुषुम्णा नाम नाडी मेरुमध्ये प्रवर्तते।Suṣumnā nāma nāḍī meru-madhye pravartate.

“The channel named Suṣumnā moves within the spinal axis.”

4) On Kuṇḍalinī’s Role (Gorakṣa tradition)

कन्दोपरि कुण्डली सुप्ता योगिनां मुक्तिदा भवेत्।Kandopari kuṇḍalī suptā yogināṁ muktidā bhavet.

“Above the kanda, Kuṇḍalinī lies asleep; for the yogin she grants liberation.”

5) On Practice Purifying Suṣumnā (HYP)

कुंडली जागृता यस्य सुषुम्ना शुद्धचेतसः।Kuṇḍalī jāgṛtā yasya suṣumnā śuddha-cetasaḥ.

“When Kuṇḍalinī awakens and Suṣumnā is purified, clarity of mind arises.”

6) On Guru’s Grace (Kula-Arṇava)

गुरुकृपया लभ्यते नान्यथा।Gurukṛpayā labhyate nānyathā.“

This is obtained only through the Guru’s grace.”