Philosophy
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
by Swami Muktibodhananda
At one time or another
every serious yogi will want to spend time exploring this
hard to find book. After the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali (various versions of each are found
elsewhere on this site), the Hatha Yoga Pradipika is
a foundational text of yoga. The author, Svatmarama, set
down in text an
outline of the physical postures, breathing exercises, mudras
and various other practices that composed the Hatha Yoga
of his time. This is the first surviving book to do so, so
in some sense, all asana primers that have followed are based
on this book.
This particular translation is
a gem. It
is the most complete translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika that
I
have
encountered.
The original text is skimpy on details of the practices
outlined. Most translators flesh out the material a bit and
the resulting volume is still slim, but Swami Mukhtibodhananda
has delved deep into each of the practices
and describes them and their multiple variations at some
length. As a result, the book is quite long. For the avid
practitioner of Hatha Yoga, each word is like another drop
of precious nectar and the reading is easy.
This translation includes
the original Sanskrit text compiled by Maharshi Swatmarama with a translation
and thorough commentary in english by Swami Muktibodhananda.
This text elucidates the entire science of hatha Yoga (asana, pranayama, shatkarma,
mudra
and bandha) as it was conceived and practiced not only for health and fitness
but for awakening the vital energies: pranas, chakras and kundalini shakti. It
points
out that hatha yoga is not just a physical practice but a process of cellular
transmutation from gross to subtle to divine. Thus, hatha yoga was considered
to
be the foundation of all higher yogas. Line drawings and diagrams illustrate
the text.
Swami
Muktibodhananda was born 8 December 1959, in Melbourne,
Australia. From childhood she was drawn to the disciplines
of yogic
sadhana and ashram life. At the age of seventeen, she moved
to India and became a worthy disciple of Swami Satyananda
Sarawati.
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