The HYP is a medieval yoga text, dating from about the 15th or 16th century, and is as much about Tantra as about Yoga. It was compiled by Swātmārama. Its name means “special (pra) light (dipika) on forceful (hatha) yoga”. It is much later in date than the Yoga Sutras, and provides details of Hatha Yoga techniques which the Yoga Sutras don’t touch on. But there are also occasional sutras which touch on familiar concerns (for example, compare HYP 4.23 with YS 1.2). It is just about yoga practice, as contrasted with the Bhagavad Gītā, which is about how to live in the everyday world.
The word “hatha” requires a little comment. The concept is that we live in an energy
field; energy is behind all action. The energy field that we live in normally extends
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There is in fact a whole complex of energy channels or nādī within the body, of which there are 11 primary nadi, coming from a central hub (kanda) located in the lower abdomen, and branching out into many others (traditionally, 72,000).
There are 10 nadi associated with perception and action:
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perception |
action | ||
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link to
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eyes (sight) |
link to |
tongue (speech) |
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ears (hearing) |
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fingers & thumbs (grasping) |
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tongue (taste) |
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big toes (locomotion) |
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skin (feeling) |
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bladder & anus (excretion) |
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nostrils (smell) |
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sex organs (generation) |
If the quality of the nadi is poor, the quality of perception and action is also poor.
There is one more nadi, the suṣumna, which instead of flowing out, flows in, linking us to the inner world. It runs from the kanda to the base of the spine then to the top of the head. There are two processes in energy, ha and tha, which flow through the pingala and ida channels (or nādī) respectively, and then unite to flow into suṣumna. Usually it is not possible for energy to flow into suṣumna because of a blockage at the base of the spine. The practice of Hatha Yoga tries to create a state of breakthrough allowing energy to flow into suṣumna, bringing with it a stable state of mind. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika teaches techniques that allow this state to be achieved.
The difference between the Hatha Yoga of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Raja Yoga of the Yoga Sutras is that Hatha Yoga uses praṇa as a primary working tool, whereas Raja Yoga uses the mind as its primary working tool. These days very few people are able to practice Hatha Yoga sufficiently strongly for it to work properly.
Key Ideas
The key ideas in the text are:
Chapter 1 – āsana: used to stimulate energy (praṇa);
Chapter 2 – prāṇāyāma: used to contain/condense energy;
Chapter 3 – mudrā: used to direct energy;
Chapter 4 – dhyāna: used to integrate and merge energy.
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1
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Hatha yoga “shines forth as a stairway to raja yoga” (1); is “the greatest secret of the yogis who wish to attain perfection”.
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The “hermitage” described (12-
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The role of āsana is to develop steadiness of body and mind, flexibility of the limbs; sequence for practice is āsana → prāṇāyāma → mudrā → meditation (56).
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Mitāhāra – appropriate food (57, 62-
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Importance of practical application emphasised (64-
Chapter 2: Prāņāyāma
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First make the body steady, then bring steadiness to prāṇa (1); when prāṇa moves, citta moves (2)
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Nadīs must be purified so that prāṇa can flow.
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Practice daily (6); nadi śodhana (7-
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These should be practised only by persons with kapha imbalance (21).
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Some teachers say prāṇāyāma alone is enough to cleanse the system (37); prāṇāyāma
purifies the nādīs and cakras, and opens the door to suśumna (41); manonmani – mind
devoid of thought (42); eight types of kumbhaka (43-
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By practising kumbhaka, kundalini is aroused and suśumna is freed of obstacles (75); both hatha and raja yoga are essential for perfection (samādhi) (76).
78 Eight signs of perfection
lean body, bright face, strong voice, clear eyes, no disease, control of semen, active digestive fire, purification of nādis.
Chapter 3: Mudrā
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Kuṇḍalini the support of all yoga practices
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When kuṇḍalini awakens, suṣumnā becomes pathway of prāṇa (3); the “goddess sleeping at Brahma’s door” can be aroused by performing mudrā.
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Kuṇḍalini is coiled like a snake(108), 3½ times, at base of suṣumnā; you have to awaken the snake (111) [like getting rid of a snake in a tree by either hitting the tree with a stick or lighting a fire under it]; this moves kuṇḍalini so that it is drawn up into suṣumnā a little way (117), thus allowing prāṇa to enter suṣumnā (118). Best way to do this is to practise bhastrika with kumbhaka (122); other than arousing kuṇḍalini, the other way to purify the nadis including suṣumnā is regular practice of āsana, prāṇāyāma, mudrā and concentration (124).
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Prāṇāyāma should be practised with a focused mind.
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Chapter 4: Samādhi
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Mind and ātman come together in samādhi.
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When prāṇa flows in suṣumnā, the mind is blank (12); as well as prāṇa, air and fire enter suśumnā (19); when mind is still, prāṇa is suspended, when prāṇa is suspended, mind is still (23); if they are controlled, mokṣa (liberation) is attained (25); this brings steadiness to the body (28).
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Definition of laya (31).
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This “fourth state” is one in which the mind is quiescent.
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This is the state in which the conscious mind subsides but awareness remains. It’s like a pot filled with space (50).
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The sound created by the union of Śiva and Śakti.
Four stages of yoga practice (69-
Raja yoga (78-
Ten types of sound (85-
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