| 34. Aghora
Path Pashupatinath, Nepal |
Pagalananda demonstrates the Naga practice of 'penis yoga' in his den near the cremation grounds of Pashupatinath. This practice is based on the complete transcendence of sexual impulses, and involves a preliminary period of self-imposed celibacy for nine years. After this, the yogi is truly initiated during a ritual in which certain nerves of the penis are broken, thus enabling him to "lift" rocks weighing over one hundred pounds. However, the initiation ceremony for this practice makes it highly unlikely he will ever have another erection. |