The Hatha Yoga Pradipika - On Asanas - Chapter I, 1-9

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is a small book that consists of four parts and since I love yoga, the review of the text begins. The translating authors of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika to be used for this review are Pancham Sinh and Brian Dana Ackers.

Pancham Sinh's translation was done in 1915 and in his introduction he points out that there are two classes of students of Yoga. Those who studied it theoretically and those who combined the theory with practice. He stated that Yoga is of little use if studied theoretically.

Chapter one is named Asanas. As with all spiritual and or yogic text it begins with acknowledgement /salutations to the Guru or Deity responsible for the making of the text.

शरी-आदि-नाथाय नमोअस्तु तस्मै
येनोपदिष्ह्टा हठ-योग-विद्या
विभ्राजते परोन्नत-राज-योगम
आरोढुमिछ्छोरधिरोहिणीव १ १
śrī-ādi-nāthāya namoastu tasmai
yenopadiṣhṭā haṭha-yogha-vidyā
vibhrājate pronnata-rāja-yogham
āroḍhumichchoradhirohiṇīva 1 1

Salutations to Adinatha (Siva) who expounded the knowledge of Hatha Yoga, which is like a staircase that leads the aspirant to the high pinnacled Raja Yoga. - translated by Pancham Singh

Salutations to Shiva, who taught the science of Hatha Yoga. It is the aspirant's stairway to the heights of Raja Yoga - translated by Brian Dana Ackers

(Raja Yoga - the path of meditation combining all of the paths. Included also is the study of body as a vehicle of spiritual energy.)

परणम्य शरी-गुरुं नाथं सवात्मारामेण योगिना
केवलं राज-योगाय हठ-विद्योपदिश्यते २
praṇamya śrī-ghuruṃ nāthaṃ svātmārāmeṇa yoghinā
kevalaṃ rāja-yoghāya haṭha-vidyopadiśyate 2

Yogin Swâtmârâma, after saluting first his Gurû Srinâtha explains Haṭha Yoga for the attainment of Raja Yoga. 2. - Sinh

Ackers translates this line as Yogi Svatmarama, after saluting the Lord and Guru, explains the science of Hatha for one reason - Raja Yoga

भरान्त्या बहुमत-धवान्ते राज-योगमजानताम
हठ-परदीपिकां धत्ते सवात्मारामः कॄपाकरः ३
bhrāntyā bahumata-dhvānte rāja-yoghamajānatām
haṭha-pradīpikāṃ dhatte svātmārāmaḥ kṝpākaraḥ 3

Owing to the darkness arising from the multiplicity of opinions people are unable to know the Râja Yoga. Compassionate Swâtmârâma composes the Haṭha Yoga Pradipikâ like a torch to dispel it. 3. - Sinh

Ackers translation here is For those too ignorant of Raja Yoga, wandering in the darkness of too many opinions, compassionate Svatmarama gives the light of Hatha.

Verses 5 through 8 refers to the names of Siddhas (masters) that have existed in former times:—

इत्यादयो महासिद्धा हठ-योग-परभावतः
खण्डयित्वा काल-दण्डं बरह्माण्डे विछरन्ति ते ९
ityādayo mahāsiddhā haṭha-yogha-prabhāvataḥ
khaṇḍayitvā kāla-daṇḍaṃ brahmāṇḍe vicharanti te 9

These Mahâsiddhas (great masters), breaking the sceptre of death, are roaming in the universe. 9. - Sinh

Or as translated by Ackers - ...these and other great masters, having conquered death through the power of Hatha Yoga, roam the universe.

See related post:

Asana - Posture YS II 46

What is your Path?

What is your path in life? Which course, direction or roadway are you traveling? Everyone one is moving in some direction. Some are stuck at the crossroad not knowing which is the best way for them. So there is no movement, stagnation. Some people go down a path not to be alone so they follow others. Some just go down a path to keep it moving.

For some people singing is their path, others teaching, writing a book, having a family. For me my path is yoga. To me yoga is fascinating. Most people might think of physical postures or contortion when they hear the word yoga. There are different limbs of yoga. Yoga is the trunk of the tree and it has many branches. Major branches of yoga include Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Hatha Yoga.[3][4][5] Raja Yoga, compiled in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

I find that the practice of yoga brings my attention to many topics like health, mental health , peace of mind, how to deal with stress, etc. People might be having symptoms that they believe are related to an illness when it might be a sign of an awakened kundalini. A definition of kun·da·lini as a noun is Hinduism a cosmic or divine energy in human beings located at the base of the spine and released upward by means of yogic techniques. Or another definition is the yogic life force that is held to lie coiled at the base of the spine until it is aroused and sent to the head to trigger enlightenment. According to Swami Muktananda in his book 'Where Are You Going?' he states "When the inner energy awakened and this spontaneous yoga begins, your entire body will be purified from within. Your awareness will be turned inside, and you will begin to see inner worlds."

I remember mentioning this topic in a class I was teaching one day. A student that I had not seen for a while came to me after the class. She told me she had stopped the yoga practice for a while because she had a couple of experiences that was a related to the kundalini awakening I had mentioned. She was relieved to find out what was happening to her.

So yoga for me has been a major path in my life that is leading me to a deeper awareness of my inner self, as well as outer self. It is definitely not boring and is full of revelations to waking up in this seemingly complicated world of illusions.