Hatha yoga pradipika is the oldest and most genuine textual supply of hatha yoga teachings and philosophy. A Nath sect yogi Swami Swatmarama compiled it across the fifteenth century CE. Nevertheless, aside from his personal expertise, Swatmarama took reference from Vedas and the teachings of his nice Gurus to compile this e book. He cleared this to start with verse that “I’m solely a software of transmission for the data“.
Certainly, initially the textual content title was Hathapradipika. Later when it’s decoded by yogis, they added the time period ‘Yoga’ in it, and so forth, completely different commentary printed with the title of Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
That means & Content material of Hatha Yoga Pradipika
The textual content title Hathapradipika or ‘Hatha Yoga Pradipika’ itself has an explanatory which means. Usually Pradipika is translated as ‘mild’ or ‘which lights’. So the title actually interprets as ‘Gentle on Hatha Yoga’.
Typically Pradipika interprets as ‘self-illuminating’; one thing that has its personal illuminating energy to make clear darkness or ignorance. The way in which a Hatha yogi acquires completely different powers and attain full yogic knowledge -everything on his will energy and by pressure (hatha). It exhibits all of us have that self-illuminating energy for all bodily, psychological, and non secular issues; we are able to get every thing we wish by efforts and powerful will energy (hatha). Therefore Hathapradipika may also be translated into ‘self-illuminating by pressure’.
The content material
It’s very fascinating to watch the sample and structure of chapters within the e book. There are 4 chapters in Hatha Yoga Pradipika that cowl all practices, philosophy, and directions of hatha yoga in 389 verses (shlokas or sutras).
- Chapter 1 incorporates 67 verses together with 2 verses on Yama & Niyama (sixteenth & seventeenth) and the remainder 50 verses on Asanas.
- Chapter 2 incorporates 78 verses on Shatkarma & Pranayama.
- Chapter 3 incorporates 130 verses together with round 100 verses on Mudras & Bandhas and the remainder 30 verses on kundalini.
- Chapter 4 is all about Samadhi together with the idea of Nadis and Ishvara (God) incorporates 114 verses.
If you will note the main practices which are coated in 4 chapters of Hatha Yoga Pradipika are 6 in quantity; Asana, Shatkarma, Pranayama, Bandhas, Mudras, and Samadhi. These 6 practices are referred to as the 6 limbs of hatha yoga. In distinction to Patanjali’s 8 limbs of yoga, Hatha yoga is known as six-limbed yoga or Shadanga yoga.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika Chapters in Nutshell
Swami Swatmarama has organized all of the content material of hatha yoga in an order that’s simple to comply with whether or not you’re a newbie or a sophisticated follower.
Right here’s the chapter sensible abstract of Hatha yoga pradipika;
First Chapter – Asana
- The primary two verses are devoted to Lord Shiva and outline the true objective of hatha yoga is simply to realize Raja yoga.
- Within the third verse, Swatmarama defines the explanation for compiling hatha yoga science over Raja yoga.
- The following 5 verses inform the title of nice Siddhas and masters of hatha yoga that got here earlier than Swatmarama; Matsyendranath, Goraknath, and so on.
- In verses 9 to 16, for hatha yoga seeker pointers are outlined to observe yoga; what causes failure and success in yoga, and ethics one has to comply with (Yama & Niyama).
- Verse 17 to 54 are devoted to 15 asanas of hatha yoga;
- Verse 17 & 18 is on the introduction of asana
- Verse 19 to 32 particulars the primary 11 postures
- Verse 33 and 34 talked about that Shiva taught 84 asanas out of which 4 are most necessary.
- In verse 35 to 54, 4 most necessary asanas of hatha yoga are outlined i.e. Siddhasana, padmasana, simhasana and bhadrasana
- In verses 55 to 65, the subsequent practices that come after asanas are talked about together with what kind of meals a yogi ought to eat and his behavioral qualities.
- The chapter first ends with verse 67 explaining “hatha yoga ought to maintain practising till success in Raja yoga is attained”.
Second Chapter – Shatkarma & Pranayama
- Chapter 2 begins with an introduction and significance of Nadi cleaning and pranayama within the first 6 verses
- In verses 7 to twenty, strategies to carry out pranayama are talked about with what illness it eradicates.
- After pranayama, verses 21 to 41 are on the 6 cleaning strategies generally known as Shatkarma.
- First Shatkarma Dhauti is on the cleaning of the meals pipe, outlined in verse 24 & 25
- The second is basti outlined in verses 26 to twenty-eight. It includes the strategy of cleaning the big gut.
- The third is Neti, cleaning of nasal passages outlined in verse 29 & 30
- Fourth is Trataka outlined in verse 31 & 32
- Fifth is Nauli kriya outlined in verse 33 & 34
- Verse 35 to 41 comprise the strategy of Kapalbhati and Gaja Karani
- Verse 42 to 77 are on kumbhakas that we observe in the present day as completely different sorts of pranayama. Nevertheless, in hatha yoga pradipika, 8 particular pranayamas are outlined.
- Chapter 2 ends with verse 78 defining the indicators of getting success in hatha yoga observe.
Third Chapter – Mudra & Bandha
- Chapter 3 begins with the idea of tantra & kundalini and mudras significance to awaken goddess kundalini within the first 5 verse
- Verse 6 to 9 title the completely different mudras of hatha yoga together with 8 divine energy (ashta siddhi) a seeker can get by the observe of mudras & bandhas. Nevertheless, in all, there are 10 mudras and bandhas are outlined in hatha yoga pradipika.
- Subsequent consecutive verses elaborate particular mudra intimately;
- Verse 19 to 25 outline Maha Bandha and Triveni (conjunction of Ida, Pingala, and sushumna Nadi)
- Verse 26 to 31 outline Maha Vedha mudra to make prana into the central Nadi.
- Verse 32 to 54 covers every thing about khechari mudra and the way it helps in kundalini awakening
- Verses 55 to 77 covers 3 bandhas particularly Uddiyana Bandha, Mula bandha, and Jalandhar bandha
- Verses 78 to 112 elaborates on necessary mudras for kundalini arousal that are; Viparita Karani, Vajroli, sahajoli, amaroli, and shakti chalana.
- Verse 112 to 130 clarify particulars of Kundalini and varied methods to awaken it by combining the observe of pranayama, asanas, and mudras.
Fourth Chapter – Samadhi
- Chapter 4 first verse begins with introducing Nada, Bindu, & Kala because the supreme state of bliss and so within the subsequent verse Swatmarama introduce Samadhi.
- Verse 3 to 4 provides synonyms of the upper state of bliss i.e. Raja yoga, samadhi, unmani, Manonmani, Amaratwa, Laya, Tatwa, Sunya, Asunya, Parama, Pada, Amanasska, and so on.
- In verses 5 to 7, Samadhi is outlined utilizing varied analogies.
- Verse 8 & 9 describe the significance of a guru in achieving Samadhi.
- Verse 10 to 17 are on the varied refined indicators by way of Prana move are outlined when a yogi is about to realize Samadhi.
- Verse 18 to 21 clarify how the situation of manomani (samadhi) is attained when Prana begins flowing by central Nadi Sushumna.
- Verse 22 to 25 mild on the relation between breath & thoughts and the way by controlling breath yogi results in moksha (liberation).
- verse 26 to twenty-eight talks about how preservation of Bindu takes place when yogi management their breath.
- Verse 29 to 33 are one the laya and nada.
- In verses 34 to 68, varied mudras are defined on Bindu preservation which stops it from flowing downward.
- In verse 69 to 76 4 levels of any yoga observe outlined the place 4th verges on samadhi. These 4 levels are arambha – the start stage, ghata – vessel stage, parichaya – recognized stage; nishpatti – consummation stage.
- Verse 76 to 102 are on the Nada yoga.
- Verse 102 to 114 listing varied phenomena of a yogi within the state of samadhi.
The Major Teachings of Hatha Yoga
When you perceive the central message of Hatha Yoga Pradipika, you possibly can higher emulate its strategies and philosophy in your life.
The way in which completely different ideas have appeared within the textual content portrays the next message;
- Swami Swatmarama introduces the teachings of hatha yoga pradipika as a prefatory sadhana to achieve the very best aim of Raja yoga i.e. to attain a state of liberation and acquire Moksha.
- To realize moksha, HYP elaborate it’s a step-by-step course of of seven practices referred to as ‘Sapta Sadhanama‘. The 7 processes are; purification (by shatkarma), energy (by asana), steadiness (by mudra), calmness (by pratyahara), lightness (by pranayama), proper notion (by dhyana), and isolation (by samadhi).
- Hatha yoga’s important intention is to convey the other vitality into stability. It balances prana move in Ida and Pingala which ends up in the opening of Sushumna Nadi. Such, the awakening of Sushumna Nadi makes the passage for kundalini to journey upward into greater chakras.
- The physique is claimed merely a bodily software on this course of that’s strengthened by hatha yoga asanas. In distinction to Patanjali yoga the place asanas are supposed to settle down Rajas guna, in hatha yoga, asanas are dynamic in nature which have the primary objective to take away Tamas (inertia).
- HYP explains some best situations which a seeker will need to have comply with so as to obtain success in hatha yoga. Together with it, the textual content incorporates six causes that destroy the seeker’s yoga observe.
Conclusion
In Hatha Yoga Pradipika significance is given to stability the other flowing energies by forceful bodily postures. When the prana doesn’t move in Sushumna, when the Bindu just isn’t conserved, when the thoughts is affected by exterior forces whereas meditation, then the individual can’t be referred to as a Hatha yogi. A householder or a married individual can turn out to be a Hatha yogi if he learns to self-discipline himself by hatha yoga practices.
