Unit - I:  General introduction to Hatha yoga                                      

Hatha Yoga: Origin, Meaning, Definition, Aim, Objectives and Misconceptions, Philosophy and
Foundations;  Hatha  Yoga  Parampara,  Natha  Cult  Hatha  Yogis  and  their  contribution;
Ghatashudhi: its importance and relevance in Hatha Yoga sadhana; Inter-relation of Hatha Yoga
and Raja Yoga
 
Unit - 2: Pre-requisites
Badhaka Tattva (Obstacles) and Sadhaka Tattva (Facilitatory factors) in Hatha Yoga; Concepts
of Matha, Concept of Mitahara, Pathya (conducive) and Apathya (non-conducive), Types of
aspirants;  Dasha  Yama  and Niyama  and  its  relevance  in  Hatha  Yoga  Sadhana;  Swara,
Importance of Svarodaya-jnana in Hatha Yoga Sadhana; Hatha Siddhi Lakshanam
 
Unit - 3: Principles and Introduction to Hatha Yoga texts
Concept of Swas-prashwas, Vayu, Prana and Upaprana; Concept of Kand, Nadi, Swar, Chakra
and Granthi; Kundalini prabodhan, Unmani avastha, Nadanusandhan; Concept of Samadhi;
Introduction  to  hatha  yoga  texts:  Brief:  Hatha  Yogic  Texts,  their  nature  and  objectives;
Siddhasiddhantapaddhati,   Goraksha   Samhita,   and   Shiva   Samhita;   Brief:   Hatha   Yoga
Pradeepika, Gheranda Samhita, Hatha Rathnavali
 
Unit-4: Relationship between Patanjala Yoga and Hatha Yoga
Jnana Yoga:   Meaning of Jnana and Jnana-Yoga, Sadhana Chatushtaya,  Means of Jñãna- Yoga; 
Bhakti Yoga: Meaning of Bhakti and Bhakti-Yoga, Stages of Bhakti, Types of Bhakti, Means 
of  Bhakti-Yoga;  Karma  Yoga:Meaning  of  Karma  and  Karma-Yoga,  Concept  of Nishkama 
Karma,  Means  of  Karma  Yoga;  Inter-relationship  between  Bhakti-Yoga  and Karma-Yoga,
Theory of Karma and Rebirth (Reincarnation); Patanjala Yoga: Philosophical Foundations of
Patanjala Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali, Relevance of Patanjala Yoga in day-to-day life;
Hatha Yoga: Philosophical Foundations of Hatha Yoga, Hatha Yoga Sadhana, Chaduranga  
Yoga and Saptanga Yoga, Relevance of Hatha Yoga in day-to-day life; Inter Relationship
between Patanjala Yoga and Hatha Yoga and their inter-dependance; Kundalini Yoga:
Philosophical Foundations and Practices of Kundalini Yoga

TEXT BOOKS FOR REFERENCES

 1.   Swami Muktibodhananda Saraswati Sahay G.S.: Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, Bihar school of
yoga publications, Munger, 2000
 2.   HathaYoga Pradeepika of Svatmarama, MDNIY Publication, 2013
 3.   Sharma BR: Jotsna (Comentory of HathaYoga Pradeepika) Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala,
2013 
BOOKS FOR REFERENC
1. Gharote, M.M. & others: Therapeutic references in Traditional Yoga Texts, the Lonavla
Institute, Lonavla, 2010.
 2.   Gharote ML: Hatharatnavali, The Lonavala Yoha Institute, Lonavala, Pune, IInd Edition,
2009
 3.   Briggs GW: Gorakhnatha and the Kanphata Yogis, 8th Edition, 2009
 4.   Swami Kuvalyananda & Shukla, S.A.: Gorakshasatkam, Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla, 2006
 5.   Gharote M.L. & Pai, G.K. (Edi):  Siddhasidhantpaddhati, Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla, 2005.
 6.   Burley, Mikel: Hatha Yoga, Its Context Theory and Practice, M.L.B.D. Delhi, 2000.
 7.   Swami Digambarji & Gharote M.L.: Gheranda Samhita, Kaivalyadhama, Lonavla, 1978.
 8.   Swatmaramaji :  Hathapradipika (Jyotsana- tika), Adyar Library, Madras.
  9.  Bharati, Swami Veda Reddy Venkata:Philosophy of Hatha Yoga (English), Himalayan,
Pennsylvania, Hatha Ratnavali
 
Unit - I:  General introduction to Hatha yoga                                      
Hatha Yoga: Origin, Meaning, Definition, Aim, Objectives and Misconceptions, Philosophy and
Foundations;  Hatha  Yoga  Parampara,  Natha  Cult  Hatha  Yogis  and  their  contribution;
Ghatashudhi: its importance and relevance in Hatha Yoga sadhana; Inter-relation of Hatha Yoga
and Raja Yoga

General introduction to Hatha yoga     

The term Yoga has its verbal root as Yuj in Sanskrit. Yuj means joining (Yujyate anena iti
Yogah). Yoga is that which joins. What are the entities that are joined? In the traditional
terminology it is joining of the individual self with the universal SELF. It is an expansion of
the narrow constricted egoistic personality to an all pervasive, eternal and blissful state of
REALITY. 
Pātañjala Yoga is one among the six systems of Indian philosophy known as Ṣaḍdarśanas. One
of the great Rishis (Seer), Patañjali, compiled the essential features and principles of Yoga
(which were earlier interspersed in Yoga Upaniṣads) in the form of ‘Sūtras’ (aphorisms) and
made a vital contribution to the field of Yoga, nearly 4000 years ago (as dated by some famous
western historians). According to Patañjali, Yoga is a conscious process of gaining mastery
over the mind field (The Citta).  
The scope of Yoga as portrayed in the Bhagavadgītā and Upaniṣads is far more comprehensive.
As Swami Vivekananda puts it "It is a means of compressing one's evolution into a single
life or a few months or even a few hours of one’s bodily existence". In general, there is a
growth process due to interactions with nature in all creation. But it may take thousands and
millions of years for this natural growth; that is the long, instinctive way in animals. Manas,
endowed with discrimination power, conscious thinking faculty, the intellect (Buddhi) and well-
developed voluntary control systems, aspires to accelerate his growth. Yoga is that systematic
conscious process which can compress the process of man's growth greatly. 
Sri Aurobindo emphasizes on all-round personality development; at the physical, mental,
intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels. He means by Yoga a methodical effort towards
self-perfection by the development of the potentialities latent in the individual. It is a process by
which the limitations and imperfections can be washed away resulting in a Super human race. 
Thus, Yoga is a systematic process for accelerating the growth of an individual in his or her
entirety. With this growth, one learns to live at higher states of consciousness. Key to this all-
round personality development and growth is the culturing of mind. 
Definitions of Yoga   
Yoga – mastery over the mind 
As mentioned earlier, Patañjali defines Yoga in his second aphorism – Yogaśchittavṙtti nirodḥ
(Yoga Sūtra: 1.2). Yoga is the control, the modifications and operations of the mind-field. Yoga
is a process of gaining control over the mind. Control involves two aspects – a power to
concentrate on any desired subject or object and a capacity to remain quiet for quite some time.
All of us have been developing the first aspect namely concentration. Rarely, the second capacity
of man, to remain calm and silent, has been harnessed. Hence, Yoga mainly emphasizes, this
second aspect. In Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha, one of the best texts on Yoga, the essence of Yoga is
beautifully portrayed thus, 'manaḥ praśamanopāyaḥ Yoga ityabhidhīyate' – Yoga is called a
skilful technique to calm down the mind. It is an (Upāyaḥ), a skilful subtle process and not a
mechanical gross effort to stop the thoughts of the mind. 
An unskilled layperson trying to repair a television set is almost sure to spoil it, while an
experienced and skilful person knows exactly what to lay hands on and to rectify the
malfunctioning. He operates at the right place. Knowledge is the key. 
Similarly, in the control of mind, a novice tries hard and gets disgusted when she/he finds
himself more messed up, while Yoga gives him/her the necessary techniques to operate at the
right place at the right time to gain complete mastery. This skill is the trick of allowing the mind
to calm down and not to use brutal force to stop it. 
In action, Yoga is a special skill which makes the mind reach its subtler state: 'Yogaḥ karmasu
kauśalam' (Gītā 2.50). Yoga is dexterity in action. The dexterity is in maintaining relaxation
and awareness in action. Relaxed action is the process. Efficiency in action is an outcome. Thus,
Yoga is a skilful science of gaining mastery over the mind. Yoga is popularly known as a process
or a technique to reach the ultimate state of perfection. However, Yoga is sometimes defined
even as the states of higher powers and potentialities and even as ultimate state of SILENCE.
Further Yoga is also described as the power of all creative endeavors and creation itself. We will
now see how Yoga is described as a state and a power in various Yoga and Upaniṣadic texts.  
Yoga – a state  
A person leaps into higher states of consciousness and learns to stay and act tuned to these states.
Yoga often refers to these subtle layers of the causal states of our mind, 
Yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya  Siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā
samatvaṁ Yoga ucyate. (Gītā 2.48) 
Perform action, oh, Dhanañjaya, being fixed in Yoga, renouncing attachments and staying even
minded in successes or failures. Evenness is verily Yoga. 
Thus, the subtle state of mind featured by 'Steadiness' is referred to as Yoga. Yoga is a state of
great steadiness at emotional level; balance of concentration and detachment at mental level and
homeostasis at body level.  It integrates the personality by bringing body-mind coordination in a
well-balanced way. 
Thus, Yoga is: 
 a process for elevating oneself through calming of mind, 
 also the very states of higher, subtler layers of mind, and  
 conceived as a creative power in man and that of the reality itself.

The basis of Yoga is search for happiness. But we search for happiness out there in the objects of
senses. The happiness is right within us. It is in silencing the mind. It is the state devoid of
thoughts. It is a state of Bliss, Freedom, Knowledge and Creativity. The Upaniṣads also
propound that this original state of Silence is also the causal state of the entire creation.  All
those who are in search of greater and permanent happiness and bliss, those who seek
knowledge, those who want to be totally free and who aspire to become more and more creative
will have one single aim to reach, that is Silence, a state with no thoughts! This happens when
we tune ourselves to that blissful inner awareness.   
Origin and history of development of Yoga 
Yoga means the classical Yoga system as set forth by Patañjali in the Yoga Sūtras. Patañjali
taught an eightfold (aṣṭāṇga) system of Yoga emphasizing an integral spiritual development
including ethical disciplines (Yama and Niyama), postures (Āsana), controlling and harmonizing
the breath (Prāṇāyāma), control of the senses (Pratyāhāra), concentration (Dhāraṇā), meditation
(Dhyāna) and absorption (Samādhi). This constitutes a complete and integral system of spiritual
training.  
However, classical Yoga was part of the Vedic tradition. Patañjali was only a compiler of the
teachings at a later period. Yogic teachings covering all aspects of Patañjali Yoga are common in
literature prior to Patañjali like in the Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata and the Upaniṣads. The
instigator of the Yoga system is said to be Hiraṇyagarbha, who represent the creative and
evolutionary force of the universe.  
Yoga can be traced back to the Ṛgveda itself, the oldest vedik text which speaks about yoking
our mind and insight to the light of Truth or Reality. Great teachers of early Yoga include the
names of many famous Vedic sages like Vasiṣṭha, Yajñavalkya, and Jaigiśavya. The greatest of
the Yogis is always said to be Yogeśvara Krishna himself, the propounder of Bhagavadgītā,
which is called as Yoga Śāstra – an authoritative work on Yoga.  
Origin of Yoga and the Indus Valley Civilization 
The stone seals excavated from the sites of the Indus Valley Civilization (3000 B.C.) depicting
figures in yogic postures indicate that Yoga was being practised even during 3000 B.C. 
The first indication of body-culture in Yoga is to be traced through the word Āsana (posture) and
Prāṇāyāma (the regulation, conservation and control of bio-energy). But since, we are concerned
primarily with postures, let us go to its origin. This involves not only how posture training came
to be regarded as a physical requisite for Yoga but also how its later development aided the most
comprehensive evolution of namely physical training, hygiene, social medicine, and
therapeutics. 
In the evolution of Āsana and its synthesis, besides the original prayer and meditative poses,
certain other postures have also been included which have been found to be definitely useful in
the development of the physical and meditative aspects of the individual’s personality. A series
of dynamic variations has been added to the static Āsanas to enlarge the scope of application and
meet the varied requirements.  
Yoga has been part of man's activities directed towards higher spiritual achievements in India.
The history of Yoga is divided into five categories: 
 Vedic period 
 Pre-classical period 
 Classical period 
 Yoga in Medieval Times 
 Yoga in Modern Times
Vedic period  
The ancient texts of Vedas are the oldest scriptures in the world. The Sanskrit word Veda means
“knowledge” and Rig means “praise”. Thus the Ṛig veda is a collection of hymns that are in
praise of a higher power. Other three Vedas are Yajur Veda (knowledge of Yajña), Sāma Veda
(Knowledge of chants), and Atharva Veda (knowledge of Atharva). In Vedic period the means to
higher attainment were through Knowledge or revelation from the Universe through meditation.
It comprises three Yogas – Mantra Yoga, where the power of mantra, through which the mantra
becomes active as a tool of transformation in the mind, Prāṇa Yoga – through Prāṇāyāma which
energizes the vital force. Dhyāna Yoga – The word dhī’, which means Buddhi or intellect is the
root for the term ‘dhyāna’ or meditation. Dhī is the higher and interior portion of the mind
(manas), which enables us to perceive the eternal truth. This cultivation of dhī or buddhi, the
main faculty of discrimination, is the main characteristic of Yoga, Vedanta and Buddhism.  
To keep the mind solely on one object is contemplation. "Contemplation is that state in which the
tendencies of the concentrated mind begin to flow around one single notion like an uninterrupted
stream of oil, and the mental faculties (manas) remain without any outward object.” The five
characteristics of Dhyāna are: single thought, effortlessness, slowness, wakefulness, effortless
expansion. Any state of mind having these five characteristics can be said to be in Dhyāna.  
In the Maitrāyanī Upaniṣad; Yoga is spoken about as: Ṣaḍanga-Yoga – The uniting discipline of
the six limbs (ṣad-aṅga), as expounded in the Maitrāyanī-Upaniṣad:            (1) breath control
(prāṇāyāma), (2) withdrawal of senses (pratyāhāra), (3) meditation (dhyāna), (4) concentration
(dharaṇā), (5) recalling and examination (tarka), and          (6) transcendental state (samādhi).
Yoga is the state in which all our Indriyas are beheld steadily i.e., a state of mastery over senses
and mind, as portrayed in Kaṭhopaniṣad (2.5.4).  
Pre-classical period 
One of the most outstanding Yoga scriptures is the Bhagavad-Gītā. According to the
Bhagavadgītā, there are three important paths which lead to establishing relationship with the
Supreme. These have been designated as the Yoga of perfect actions (Karma Yoga), the Yoga
of perfect devotion (Bhakti Yoga) the Yoga of perfect knowledge (Jñāna Yoga).  
The Bhagavadgītā consists of 18 chapters. Each chapter is called a Yoga. Each chapter is a
highly specialized Yoga revealing the path of attaining realization of the Ultimate Truth.
Bhagavadgītā gives specific knowledge regarding the purpose of human existence, the
immortality of the soul and our eternal relationship with the Supreme. This knowledge applies to
each and every one of us without exception. 
Classical period 
During the classical period which is around 2nd century BCE Patañjali, wrote Yoga Sūtra which
comprised 196 aphorisms which describes the eight limbs (Aṣṭāṅga) to reach the goal of human
life which is freedom from miseries of death and birth. This is known as the Yoga of will power
or Rāja Yoga or Aṣṭāṇga Yoga. 
Buddha was also contemporary to this period who taught us eight-fold path ārya- aṣṭāṅga-mārga
emphasising on meditation.     
Vipāsanā is one of India's most ancient meditation techniques. Long lost to humanity, it was
revived by Gautama, the Buddha more than 2500 years ago. The word Vipāsanā means seeing
things as they really are. It is the process of self-purification by selfobservation. One begins by
monitoring the natural breath to concentrate the mind. With a sharpened attentiveness one
proceeds to observe the changing nature of body and mind and experiences the universal truths
of mortal and miserable life. 
Ahiṁsā, Pratyāhāra and contemplation are important wings of Yoga in Jainism.  
Yoga in medieval times 
Buddha (around 6th century A.D.) had popularized meditation on the entire subcontinent.
However, there was a point of disagreement that one cannot start the spiritual practices
with meditation immediately. One has to prepare oneself for meditation. During 6th
century AD when the influence of Buddhism had declined, some great yogis like
Matseyendranātha and Gorakṣanātha set out to purify the system. There were many
treatises on Haṭha Yoga written during this time.   
The main texts written during this period are Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā by Svātmarāma,
Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā a conversational treatise, Haṭharatnāvalī by Śrinivāasa yogi which also
discusses Āyurveda along with Yoga, Śiva Saṁhita, Siddha siddhānta Paddhati by
Nityanātha etc.  
Guru Gorakṣanātha is believed to be the founder of the Nātha Sampradāya and it is stated
that the nine Nathas and 84 Siddhas are all human forms created as Yogic manifestations 
to spread the message of Yoga and meditation in the world. They were Yogis, who reveal
samādhi to mankind. Guru Gorakṣanātha is thought to have authored several books including:
Gorakṣa Saṁhitā, Gorakṣa Gītā and Yoga Cintāmaṇi. 
Yoga in modern times 
Integral Yoga or Pūrṇa Yoga by Śri Aurobindo emphasised surrendering to the Divine and
an opening to the Divine Force so that it may work to transform one's being.  
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahaṁsa, records for the path of Bhakti Yoga and Divine love. To
Ramakrishna all religions are revelations of God in His diverse aspects to satisfy the manifold
demands of the human mind. One of the greatest contributions of Śri Ramakrishna to the modern
world is his message of harmony of all religions.  
Swami Vivekananda summarised the Vedānta's teachings as follows:  
 Each soul is potentially divine.
 The goal is to manifest this Divinity within by controlling nature, both external and
internal. 
 Do this either by work (Karma Yoga) or worship (Bhakti Yoga), or psychic control (Rāja
Yoga) or philosophy (Jñāna Yoga)—by one, or more, or all of these—and be free. 
 This is the whole of religion. The doctrines, or dogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples,
or forms, are but secondary details. 
                             
Aims and objectives of Yoga 
 To remove ignorance (avidyā or lack of awareness of reality) from life, egoism (asmitā),
attachment-detachment (rāgadveṣa), fear of death (abhiniveśa), elimination of the 5
afflictions from life. 
 To enter into a state of highest consciousness that manifests in life as Satya (Truth),
Bodha (Pure Consciousness), Jñāna (Absolute Knowledge), Ānanda (Bliss), and Prema
(Love). 
 Awakening to the real Self.  
Misconceptions about Yoga  
 A person appeared on a spacious dais with a long rope in his hand. Drawing the attention of the
curious audience he threw one end of the rope holding the other. The rope went swirling up and
stood vertically quite unsupported in mid air. The person using the vertical rope as a ladder
climbed up effortlessly to reach the top and saluted the audience from his mid air position. This
rope trick cannot be called as Yoga.  
A long haired half naked person was seen ready to enter a pit and had been dug specially for the
demonstration. He entered into it and then the top of the pit is totally covered, so that no air
could pass in it. The man remained inside for several days. He emerged out of the pit after a long
stay, fresh and agile, with no symptoms of fatigue. This feat is called Bhūgata Samādhi. He is a
great yogi, the common folk think. But, infact, he is not.  
The demonstration of Bhūgata Samādhi, Siddhis, magic, mantra-tantra etc. is what most people,
even in India, associate with, when they hear the term YOGA. 
 To summarize there are varieties of misconception as associated with Yoga. Many
persons who are laymen or not acquainted with the Indian culture and traditions think
Yoga as associated with:  
 Religion – dogma, belief, cult or -ism  
 Magic, trick, mysticism  
 Physical culture – aerobics and anaerobics  
 Mental concentration  
 Self-mortification, self-torture  
But as we have seen earlier in various definitions describing the true nature of Yoga is not so. 
It is a complete system or better a Science or a way of life. Yoga being a way of life can be
applied irrespective of age, gender, profession, state, conditions, problems and sufferings. Yoga
can be applied in any/every human endeavour – personal, professional, social, family and
spiritual.

AN INTRODUCTION TO HATHA YOGA

In India hatha yoga is associated in popular tradition with the 'Yogis' of the Natha
Sampradaya through its mythical founder Matsyendranath. Matsyendranath, also known as
Minanath or Minapa in Tibet, is celebrated as a saint in both Buddhist and Hindu tantric and
hatha yoga schools.
Swami Satyananda: The origin of yoga lies hidden in the mists of prehistory. It was
slowly evolved and developed by the ancient sages, not only in India but all over the world. It
has, however, been modified to suit regional languages, social ideas and other cultural
influences. The essence of yoga was wrapped up in or explained in different symbols, analogies
and languages. Some traditions believe that yoga was a divine gift revealed to the ancient sages
so that humanity could have the opportunity to realize its divine nature. Generally the techniques
of yoga were passed on from teacher or guru to their disciples by word of mouth. In this way
there was a clear understanding of the meaning of the techniques and aims of yoga as the guru,
through his personal experience, guided the students along the right path and away from any
confusion and misunderstanding. It was only when the various systems of yoga were written
down that people began to see contradictions in the teachings. These discrepancies were only
superficial, however, and arose through misinterpretation. The writers of the classical texts
cannot be blamed, for they recorded their ideas on yoga as clearly as possible in order to avoid
misinterpretation. They expounded their ideas with the minimum amount of words so that people
would not lose themselves by trying to intellectualize about word meanings, or in other cases
they clothed their writings in symbolism and analogies. This was done so that only a person
prepared and ready for a teaching would be able to understand the symbolism, if necessary with
the help of a guru. Nevertheless, even though these precautions were taken, many
misunderstandings arose, mainly among overly verbose and intellectual scholars who did not
have the personal experience to support their commentaries. Unfortunately people have listened
to the commentators without resorting to the original texts and the advice of people more in
touch with the spirit of yoga. The result has been confusion, and as a consequence many well-
intentioned people have performed the most bizarre acts in the name of yoga. Some often quoted
examples are walking on fire, sitting in the midday sun and torturing the body in a variety of
ways, such as standing on one leg in one place for months on end. The yoga that we now know
and which developed in India was used, at least in its rudimentary form, more than five
thousand years ago. In archeological excavations made in the Indus Valley at Harappa and
Mohanjodaro, in what is now Pakistan, various statues have been unearthed depicting
people practicing yoga. They show Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati sitting in asanas and
practicing meditation. These ruins were once the dwelling places of people who lived in the so-
called pre-vedic age. These discoveries are a definite indicator that yoga was practiced in India
even before the Aryan civilization started to flourish on the Indus subcontinent. The first books
to mention yoga are the ancient Vedas. Though scholars are not positive, it is generally felt that
these books were written at least four thousand five hundred years ago. They don’t give any
specific yoga practices but generally allude to yoga in symbolic form. The seers of the Vedas
clearly recognized that there existed a dynamic life principle which they called vayu, prana. They
also clearly saw that this prana was closely related to breathing. The Vedas also briefly mention
the existence of chakras, pranic centres, within but not of the physical body. The science of
sound was clearly recognized for they mention various mantras that can be used for the
attainment of both material goals as well as spiritual aims. Therefore, it can be said that the
concept of yoga was known in vedic times in one form or another, as it had been for many
thousands of years before. In all probability, however, the system of yoga was not properly
formulated before or during the time of the recording of the Vedas. The experiences of yoga
were known but the science of yoga had yet to be systematized. From the Upanishads until
today With the advent of the Brahmanas and the Upanishads we begin to see yoga take shape
and assume the form that it has today, and it is the Upanishads which put yoga on a firmer
foundation. The Sanskrit word upanishad can be interpreted to mean ‘to sit down near and
receive teachings from a master’, and also as ‘secret teaching’. There are believed to have been
about two hundred different Upanishads. The oldest was written somewhere around 600 BC and
the most recent as late as the fifteenth century AD. Many of the Upanishads devote much space
to describing prana and its implications. They describe the psychic pathways which exist within
and through which prana flows, including the major nadis, ida, pingala and sushumna. The
concept of kundalini in the form of a serpent power within the body is also indicated. One of the
so-called minor Upanishads, the Yoga Chudamani Upanishad, covers a wide range of practical
aspects of yoga ranging from asanas and pranayamas to psychic centres and self-realization. The
other Upanishads are also a source of many practical and theoretical principles of yoga. The
Upanishads, however, lack a systematic treatment and summary of the paths of yoga. They are a
conglomeration of profound ideas mixed with various other kinds of information. It can be said
that the Upanishads are intended more to inspire than to instruct. During the era of the writing of
the Upanishads, right up until quite recently, instructions were always imparted personally by a
guru. The writers knew this, so detailed techniques were not recorded. This was left to the
discretion of the guru and to later yogic texts. At the same time as the spiritual and yogic
literature was unfolding, yoga was being refined and developed by its practitioners and gurus,
who then passed on their teachings by word of mouth. In fact, it is certainly these people who
evolved and improvised yoga practices by their personal experience in an endeavour to achieve
the best results. All the texts can do is reflecting current and prevalent ideas. Since the teachings
of yoga were generally passed on orally, its development was haphazard. Different teachers
taught different methods so that before it was systematized, yoga was a collection of varied and
unrelated techniques, riddled with all types of personal beliefs and superstitions. It is here that
the writers of the classical texts served their greatest purpose by bringing all these different ideas
together and integrating them. One of the most successful of these writers was Sage Patanjali
who wrote the text called the Yoga Sutras some time before the birth of Christ. This is still
regarded as the classical and authoritative book on raja yoga. Large numbers of hatha yoga texts
were written throughout the ages. The most well known of these are the Hatha Yoga Pradipika,
the Shiva Samhita and the Gheranda Samhita. These texts give details on asanas, pranayamas
and other hatha yoga practices, together with techniques for performing mudras and bandhas. All
the books, however, emphasize that the hatha yoga practices are not specifically aimed at making
the body healthy. They are a means to higher ideals which first demand a healthy body. There
are many sages and yogis who have contributed to the growth of yoga, both in ancient and in
modern times. The list is endless. The number of books on yoga runs into the thousands and the
list grows with every year that passes. For personal growth through yoga, however, it is not
necessary to read any of these books, as yoga is one hundred percent practice. The techniques are
widely available in modern books on yoga, in ashrams and yoga schools and can be learnt from a
competent guru which is the best way. 
Introducing Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is considered to be the first yoga, and the original work on it is Shiva
Samhita. It is the first book written on hatha yoga and it contains the teachings given by
Shiva, the originator of yogas. He gave these teachings to Parvati, his wife and disciple. The
story goes that before beginning his discourse, Shiva told Parvati to keep acknowledging
that she had understood  what she was hearing, to let him know whether she was following
the satsang or not. Just as I say to you that if you have understood, say ‘Yes’. Then Shiva
closed his eyes and started to speak on yoga, and Parvati was listening. Now you know the
human nature, if you focus too hard the mind becomes introverted, there is drowsiness and
sometimes you fall asleep. Parvati went to sleep. However, Shiva continued, as he kept
hearing, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.” At the end when he opened his eyes, he saw Parvati in yoga
nidra, snoring away. He wondered who then was acknowledging his teaching all through,
so he looked around and saw a tiny fish. When gods speak, they speak in all languages. You
can understand God in English, I can understand God in Hindi or Sanskrit, somebody else
can understand God in their own language. Therefore when Shiva was speaking, even the
fish was able to understand him. As the fish had listened to all the instructions on yoga,
Shiva gave it a boon: “Become the first propagator of yoga in human
society.” The fish became Matsyendranath, the first hatha yogi who propagated yoga.
Credit goes to Matsyendranath for bringing the teachings of hatha yoga to our level. He
was the first human visionary, the first human disciple who understood what hatha yoga
was. The tradition which Matsyendranath started, the Natha sampradaya, still carries on
today. The Nathas are considered to be adept hatha yogis. They don’t have many ashrams,
yet they number in thousands. They don’t stay in any one place; they are constantly
travelling, and diligently practising their hatha yoga. They are masters in hatha yoga. 
Development of different schools
From the first tradition of hatha yoga evolved different branches and teachers, who in
different ages focused on the prevalent need of human society and propagated the subject
accordingly. When Swatmarama was propagating hatha yoga, he was teaching in villages and
towns, to people in active social life, so his approach was different. Gheranda, on the other hand,
was teaching not in society but to students who came to his ashram and had a spiritual bent of
mind. Therefore, his focus was more on using hatha yoga for spiritual gain, whereas
Swatmarama’s purpose lay in helping people manage their difficulties. There is also a third
school of hatha yoga, propagated by Sage Dattatreya, and that is a very tough school. There are
other schools not as commonly known as Swatmarama’s or Gheranda’s. For example, there is
another major treatise on hatha yoga, Hatharatnavali, which gives a detailed exposition on the
subject. When we look at this whole picture, it becomes clear that hatha yoga is not a subject
dealing only with the physical aspect of the body. It is a complete subject in itself with
progressive levels. 
Swamiji on Hatha Yoga
In yogic literature we have a number of reliable texts on hatha yoga. The Hatha Yoga
Pradipika by Yogi Swatmarama is a very well-known one. Another by Yogi Gorakhnath is
known as the Goraksha Samhita. A third text is Gherand Samhita by the great sage Gherand.
Besides these there is a fourth major text known as Hatharatnavali which was written later by
Srinivasabhatta Mahayogindra. All these texts are considered to have been written between the 6 th

and 15 centuries A.D. There are also minor references to hatha yoga in the ancient Upanishads
th

and Puranas. The Upanishads date back earlier than the Buddhist period, which was around the
6 century B.C. The references made in the Upanishads indicate that the science of hatha yoga
th

was known well before this period. There is another very important text known as Srimad 
Bhagavatam, the story of Krishna. In that voluminous book, there are references to hatha yoga in
several chapters. Evidence of hatha yoga has also been found in the pre-Colombian culture of the
Americas. Even now, at St. Augustine, a southern province of Colombia in South America, there
are large stone figures and carvings depicting hatha yoga practices. However, the systematic
form of hatha yoga began to emerge in India sometime in the 6 century A.D. This gives us a
th

glimpse of the historical aspect of hatha yoga. For centuries these books have guided spiritual
aspirants. Many sects were also formed in India, Nepal and Tibet on the basis of hatha yoga.
What is the subject matter of these books? Is it just to maintain a youthful body, or to obtain
psychic powers (siddhis), or is it to develop the capacity to awaken the potential energy
(kundalini) and attain supra consciousness (samadhi)? As we analyze these texts carefully the
purpose becomes very clear. In ancient times hatha yoga was practiced for many years as a
preparation for higher states of consciousness. Today, however, the real purpose of this great
science has been forgotten altogether. The hatha yoga practices, which were designed by the
rishis and sages of old for the evolution of mankind, are now being understood and utilized in a
very limited sense. Often we hear people say, “Oh, I don’t practice meditation, I only practice
physical yoga, hatha yoga.” Now the time has come to correct this point. Hatha yoga is a very
important science for humanity today.
The culling of hatha yoga
By the 6th century A.D. a lot of spiritual evolution had already taken place in India over
many centuries. Two great men were born in India in the 6th century B.C. One is known
internationally as Buddha and the other was Mahavir, the founder of the Jain sect, a tradition in
Indian culture. Both of them performed severe austerities and both also preached ‘non-violence,’
ahimsa. Finally, Buddha formulated his teachings, which are known as the ‘Four Noble Truths.’
Two of Buddha’s systems became widely known all over the world. One is known as vipassana
and the other is anapanasati, ‘contemplation.’ For this Buddha laid a basic foundation called the
‘Eightfold Path,’ which was a system of ethics more or less, like the yama and niyama of raja
yoga. As a result of Buddha’s popularity, meditation became the main form of spiritual practice
on the entire subcontinent. However, the preparatory practices were ignored. Ethics and morality
were very much overemphasized. It was at this time that the thinkers of India began to reassess
Buddha’s system. Indians believe that meditation is the highest path, but they disagree on one
point – that one can start meditation immediately. Instead they believe one has to prepare
oneself. Five hundred years after Buddha, and one hundred years before Christ, in India, at
Nalanda in Bihar, a great university was established in the Buddhist tradition, devoted to the
Hinayana system. Hinayana means the ‘narrow path,’ i.e. the orthodox Buddhist system. Many
thousands of students from all over the known world came to study religion there. However,
there was another group amongst the Buddhists who did not agree with the orthodox
interpretation of the teachings. They thought that it was not what Buddha himself had preached.
So they established another university called Vikram Shila, eighty miles east of Munger, in
Bihar, which became the teaching center of the Mahayana tradition. Mahayana means ‘great
path.’ They were not orthodox Buddhists, but open-minded, liberal Buddhists. In that Mahayana
tradition they also began to include tantra; however, this was not something Buddha had directly
preached about, so orthodox Buddhists did not believe in it. From Vikram Shila a sect arose
known as Sahajayana, the ‘spontaneous way,’ and Vajrayana, which includes the sexual matters
between a man and woman. So, the practices of the tantric sects were very much misinterpreted
by orthodox people. After about five hundred years or so, the popularity and influence of
Buddhism declined and so did these tantric sects and their practices. Then in the 4th, 5th and 6th
centuries A.D., after the period of Buddhist decadence in India, some great yogis took the
science and set out to purify the tantric system. Matsyendranath, Gorakhnath and a few other
yogis in the tradition found that this important science was being ignored by serious-minded
people and being wrongly taught by others. So they separated the ‘hatha yoga’ and the ‘raja
yoga’ practices of tantra from the rest and left out the rituals of tantra altogether, not even
mentioning them. When they culled the practices, they picked up the useful, practical and noble
practices of yoga from the tantric system. At that time it became necessary for them to classify
some of the unclassified instructions in tantra. Although Buddha was a great personality, his
teachings later remained merely what we can call psychological experiences. Therefore, it
became necessary to reintroduce a proper system of meditation. That is how the system of hatha
yoga was established. It was at this time that Matsyendranath founded the Nath cult which
believed that, before taking to the practices of meditation, you must purify the body and its
elements. This is the theme of hatha yoga. 
Science of purification
Of the many authorities on hatha yoga, one outstanding personality is Swatmarama who
compiled the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. It can also be translated as ‘Light on Hatha Yoga.’
However, the term pradipika actually means ‘self-illuminating’ or ‘that which illumines.’ It is a
text which illumines a multitude of physical, mental and spiritual problems for aspirants.
Gorakhnath, the chief disciple of Matsyendranath, had earlier written books, poems and prose on
the hatha yoga system in the local dialect, but Swatmarama compiled the entire wisdom of hatha
yoga in Sanskrit. In common with the other texts, he has expounded techniques such as asana,
pranayama and shatkarma. The beauty of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika is that it solves a very great
problem faced by every aspirant. Swatmarama has completely eliminated the yama (moral
codes) and niyama (self-restraints) which are the starting points in the Buddhist and Jain
systems, as well as in Patanjali’s raja yoga. Patanjali was a contemporary of Buddha and his
system of yoga was influenced by the Buddhist philosophy of yama and niyama. In the Yoga
Sutras he divided raja yoga into eight steps. Yama and niyama are the first two, followed by
asana and pranayama. Then come pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi, which are the final
four. Patanjali’s contention is that you have to first perfect yama and niyama, otherwise asana
and pranayama may fail to give desirable results. What are yama and niyama? Self-control, rules
of conduct and observances: truth, non-violence, celibacy, non-stealing, non aggrandizement,
external and internal purity, and contentment, are some of the regulations. However, the authors
of texts on hatha yoga, such as Swatmarama, were very much aware of the practical difficulties
every person faced in relation to yama and niyama. Moreover, yama and niyama have more to do
with religion than with a person’s spiritual life. Experience has taught us that in order to practice
yama and niyama, discipline and self-control, a certain quality of mind is needed. Often we
observe that when we try to practice self-control and discipline, we create more mental problems
in our mind and personality. If we were to take the statistics of patients in mental hospitals, we
would find that most of them are religious, because self-discipline and self control split the
personality. Therefore, before you try to practice self discipline and self-control, you must also
prepare yourself. If harmony is not created in the personality, then self- control and self-
discipline will create more conflict rather than peace of mind. Therefore, the principle of
antithesis should not be taught to everybody. It has always been expounded as a philosophical or
religious principle, but from the spiritual standpoint it has mercilessly failed to assist man
when confronted with the dilemma of his own evolution. 
Emphasis on shatkarma
In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika the first thing we see is that Swatmarama does not worry at
all about self-control and self-discipline in the form of yama and niyama. The order here is very
different. He begins by saying that you should first purify the whole body – the stomach,
intestines, nervous system and other systems. Therefore, shatkarma comes first, i.e. neti, dhauti,
basti, kapalbhati, trataka and nauli. Hatha yoga begins with these practices. However, shatkarma
alone does not constitute the whole of hatha yoga. After shatkarma you should practice asana and
pranayama. Selfcontrol and self-discipline should start with the body. That is much easier. Asana
is discipline; pranayama is discipline; kumbhaka (retention of breath) is self-control. Sit in
padmasana (lotus posture) for fifteen minutes. That is self-discipline. Why do you fight with the
mind first? You have no power to wrestle with the mind, yet you wrestle with it, thereby creating
a pattern of animosity towards yourself. There are not two minds, there is one mind trying to
split itself into two. One mind wants to break the discipline and the other mind wants to maintain
the discipline. You can find this split in everybody. When this split becomes greater, then we call
it schizophrenia. This danger was clearly realized by the authorities and masters of hatha yoga.
Therefore, they said, first discipline the body. They explained what they meant by the body. The
subtle elements (tattwas), the energy channels (nadis), within the body should be purified. The
behavior of the vital force (prana), the entire nervous system and the various secretions in the
body should be properly maintained and harmonized. After this one should go on to practice
mudras like vajroli, sahajoli, khechari, shambhavi, vipareeta karani and others. In this way it will
be possible to develop deep meditation. These practices will induce pratyahara and lead into
dharana, dhyana and samadhi. 
Aim of hatha yoga
In order to purify the mind, it is necessary for the body as a whole to undergo a process of
absolute purification. Hatha yoga is also known as the science of purification, not just one type
of purification but six types. The body has to be cleaned in six different ways for six different
impurities. When you clear the body of these impurities, the nadis function and the energy blocks
are released. Then the energies move like wave frequencies throughout the channels within the
physical structure, moving right up to the brain. Therefore, we consider hatha yoga as the
preliminary practice of tantra, raja yoga, kundalini yoga and kriya yoga. When the rishis 
discovered the science of hatha yoga, they did not have yoga therapy in mind. Although yoga has
proved to be very effective in the treatment of many impossible and incurable diseases, the
therapeutic effect of yoga is only a byproduct and incidental. The main objective of hatha yoga is
to create an absolute balance of the interacting activities and processes of the physical body,
mind and energy. When this balance is created, the impulses generated give a call of awakening
to the central force (sushumna nadi) which is responsible for the evolution of human
consciousness. If hatha yoga is not used for this purpose, its true objective is lost.
The interplay of the inner energy
In order to make the subject clear, it was termed hatha, i.e. ha and tha yoga, a
combination of two beeja mantras. It has been explained in hatha yoga that ha represents prana,
the vital force, and tha represents mind, the mental energy. So hatha yoga means the union of the
pranic and mental forces. When union between the pranic and mental forces takes place, then a
great event occurs in man. This is the awakening of higher consciousness. Prana shakti, the life
force, and manas shakti, the mental force, are the two fundamental creators. Every object in the
universe, right from the smallest atom to the largest star, is composed of these two shaktis or
energies. When they interact with each other, when the interplay of these two shaktis takes place,
then creation begins to unfold. When the two shaktis are separated from each other, or they are
dissolved back to their source, then creation is dissolved. That is the great pralaya, i.e. the total
annihilation of matter. In the field of physics also they speak along the same lines. All matter in
this creation is alive. This is the first point. It is also conscious. This is the second point.
Therefore, everything has potential consciousness and everything is alive. In yoga, life and
consciousness are known as prakriti and purusha; in tantra they are known as Shakti and Shiva.
In hatha yoga they are called ida and pingala; in Taoism, yin and yang, and in physics, matter
and energy. They have their own names in different times, in different philosophies. This
physical body as it is seen is the gross perception. If you look at this body with psychic eyes, or
with the eyes of specialized and sophisticated electronic equipment, perhaps you would
understand that it has its own subtle counterpart also. What happens internally whenever you
start to think? If you have never thought about it, please start thinking now. What is thought?
What happens within us when a thought is emerging, and a thought is diminishing, and when one
is superseded by another, or when thoughts intercept each other? This is called the interplay of
shakti. 
Harmony between the positive/negative forces
In hatha yoga there is the concept of harmonizing the twofold shaktis or energies in man,
because they normally remain in an unbalanced and unharmonized form. Either the prana shakti
is predominant and the mental shakti is subservient, or the mental shakti is predominant and the
prana shakti is subservient. Due to this imbalance, either physical diseases occur or mental
diseases manifest. When prana is subservient to mental shakti, then people are driven to bouts of
insanity. They are admitted to mental hospitals and lunatic asylums. This is because they have
too much mental shakti, and too little prana shakti to balance it. When prana shakti is 
predominant and the mental shakti is subservient, then you will find people becoming angry,
quarrelling, creating wars, causing murders, committing crimes and all sorts of violent behavior.
This is the effect of unbalanced prana shakti. The concept in hatha yoga is, therefore, to bring
about a harmony between these two great forces known as ida and pingala. In hatha yoga, first of
all the purification of the whole bodily mechanism, the physical complex, takes place. 
MEANING AND DEFINITION

Yogi Swatmarama goes on to explain that hatha yoga is to be utilized as a means of

preparing oneself for raja yoga, the supreme state of yoga. The word hatha is made up of two
Sanskrit roots, ha and tha. Ha means ‘sun’ and tha means ‘moon.’ This is symbolic of the twin
energy forces which exist in everything. Hatha represents the forces of mind, and prana or
vitality, which constitute the body and mind. The moon is the mental energy of chitta. It is the
subtle force which is concerned with the mental layers. The pranic force is like the sun, dynamic
and active. The two create the extremities of introversion and extroversion. It is the practice of
hatha yoga which enables the fluctuations between these two energies to become harmonious
and unified into one force. 

Asaestapataptanam Samashraymatho hatha:                                               

Asaesyogyuktanamadharkamatho hatha: HYP 1.10 
Meaning : like a house protecting one from the heat of the sun, Hatahyog protects the
practitioner from the burning heat of the 3 Tapas ( miseries of this world ). Similarly – it is the
firm, supporting Tortoise, for the those who are constantly devoted to the practice of Yoga

Definition of HathaYog in Siddhasiddanthpaddhati 

Hakara keertitah suryasa Thakara chandra uchyate Surya chandramasauyogad hathayogo
nigadyatae  
Meaning : ‘Hatha ‘ is the union of two letters- Ha & Tha. Ha means the Yoga to bring balance
between the 2 energies- Sun & Moon or the Ida & Pingala Nadis in us
 With this Union , the Kundalini ( Shakti ) which is in dormant state begins its upward journey –
through the Sushumna Nadi, Crossing all the chakras , it moves upwards towards the Sahasrara. 
 Here it unites with Shiv ( pure consciousness ). This is the union of Atma with Paramatma. 
With this union , ignorance is eliminated & the sadhaka glimpses divine enlightenment.  All
sufferings are uprooted. This state of union is called YOGA. This is the true sense of Hatha Yoga

CONCEPT OF NADI, CHAKRA AND KUNDALINI 

NADIS:
In the body there are specific pathways for the channelization of these two forces. Just as
in an electrical circuit you have suitable wires for the conduction of positive/ negative electrical
energy currents, similarly, there are energy channels within the structure of the body. These are
known as nadis. Nad means ‘flow.’ The mental energy travels along ida nadi which governs the
left side of the body. Pranic energy travels through pingala nadi and this governs the right side of
the body. The positive and negative effects of these energies have been equated to the
parasympathetic nervous system and sympathetic nervous system. However, although there is a
definite relationship between nadis and the nervous system, they are not the same. If these two
separate flowing energies, prana and chitta, can be unified, this creates a suitable condition for
kundalini, or spiritual energy, to awaken and ascend through the middle passage, sushumna nadi.
Hatha yoga is the process of establishing perfect physical, mental, emotional and psychic
equilibrium by manipulating the energies of the body. It is through hatha yoga that one prepares
for the higher spiritual experience. One’s whole being, starting from the physical body, has to be
refined and strengthened so it can act as a medium for the higher cosmic force. The system of
hatha yoga was, therefore, designed to transform the gross elements of the body so they can
receive and transmit a much subtler and more powerful energy. If the body is not prepared for
this higher form of energy, it would be like running 200 volts of electricity into a machine which
only has the capacity to utilize 6 volts. The machine would definitely ‘burn out.’ So, hatha yoga
systematically prepares the body, mind and emotions, so there will be no difficulties when the
aspirant is undergoing higher states of consciousness. Traditionally, hatha yoga consisted only of
six kriyas known as shatkarmas. These were the practices of dhauti, basti, neti, trataka,
kapalbhati and nauli. Later, hatha yoga also came to include asana, pranayama, mudra and
bandha, and the shatkarmas were practiced afterwards by advanced practitioners. Through these
practices the consciousness can be raised without having to come into a direct confrontation with
the mind. Through hatha yoga you regulate the body secretions, hormones, breath, brain waves
and prana; then the mind automatically becomes harmonious. Hatha yoga is the means and raja
yoga is the goal. Hatha yoga is the stairway leading to raja yoga. Once the sadhaka reaches the
stage of raja yoga, hatha yoga ceases to be necessary for him. 
Prostrating first to the guru, Yogi Swatmarama instructs the knowledge of hatha yoga
only for (raja yoga) the highest state of yoga. By first prostrating to the guru, Yogi Swatmarama
indicates that he is only a tool of transmission for the knowledge which is to be imparted. It is
also emphasized that hatha yoga is to be practiced for the sole purpose of preparing oneself for
the highest state of raja yoga, i.e. samadhi. Originally, a sadhaka practiced hatha yoga for many
years to prepare himself for the awakening of kundalini, or in terms of raja yoga, for the
experience of samadhi. However, in the last fifty years, with the revival of yoga in the West, it
seems that the real aim of hatha yoga has been overlooked or even completely forgotten. Today,
yoga is generally practiced to improve or restore health, to reduce stress, to prevent the body
from ageing, to build up the body or to beautify it. Hatha yoga does fulfill these objectives, but it
should be kept in mind that they are certainly not the goal. As one practices hatha yoga
techniques, one’s physical and mental potential begins to increase and unfold. We know that man
utilizes only one-tenth of his total brain capacity. This means that nine-tenths are lying dormant,
waiting to be brought into action. Science calls the dormant brain the ‘silent area.’ Little is
known about its capacity, but neurologists say it has something to do with man’s psychic
capacity. After long and arduous practice of yoga, the psychic potential manifests, maybe in the
form of clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy, telekinesis, psychic healing etc. These are called
siddhis or ‘perfections.’ Some people regard them as a grand achievement, but they are only
temporary manifestations which can even hinder further spiritual progress. The goal of all yogic
sadhana is to discover and experience the universal spirit within, and if siddhis are indulged in,
they take one away from the ultimate experience. Therefore, they are better ignored as they are
not the desired fruit of hatha yoga. Although regular practice of hatha yoga can bring about many
wonderful changes and desired results, it is essential to remember that they are only side-effects.
Hatha yoga is not being taught for its own sake, for therapeutic purposes, or for gaining worldly
or psychic powers, and this is something the hatha yoga practitioner should always keep in mind.
The vital air does not pass in the middle channel because the nadis are full of impurities,
So how can the state of unmani arise and how can perfection or siddhi come about? If our
perception was finely attuned to the pranic body, we would see a light body in which there were
thousands of fine, wire like structures conducting shakti. These wire like structures are the nadis.
Nadi is a flow of energy. The Shiva Samhita says that altogether there are 350,000 nadis in the
body, the Prapanchasara Tantra says 300,000 and the Goraksha Satarka says 72,000. There are
thousands upon thousands of nadis within the superstructure of the gross body and they distribute
consciousness and prana to every atom. However, as stated here and in the Gherand Samhita,
“When the nadis are full of impurities, vayu does not enter them.” What are these impurities?
They are waste and residue of sensuous living and desires. Just as excess fats accumulate around
blood vessels and can eventually obstruct the flow of blood, similarly on a pranic level also there
is an accumulation of wastes. With the buildup of waste matter, the body’s capacity to circulate
energy lessens. The body becomes lethargic, the energy level decreases and activation of the
chakras and higher brain functions is prevented. Supposing you have a one liter plastic bottle and
inside it some areas are coated with cement, and you try to fill it with a liter of nitric acid, two
things will happen. One, the full liter of nitric acid will not fit, and two, the plastic will melt.
Similarly, if kundalini shakti is released when the nadis are blocked and weak, you will not be
able to handle the experience.  Therefore, the whole body and network of nadis have to be
purified and the energy channels have to be made strong. The pranic body is the intermediate
link between the physical body and the mind. Therefore, it can be approached from either side,
however, easier to control and purify the pranic body through the physical body. By
strengthening the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, ida and pingala nadis are
directly affected, and by developing the central nervous system, sushumna is activated. 
Therefore, the most important practices of hatha yoga are those which arouse the central nervous
system and sushumna. 
When all the nadis and chakras which are full of impurities are purified, then the yogi is
able to retain prana.
LOCATION OF THE CHAKRAS
In the process of awakening kundalini, the sadhaka has not only to clear the energy
channels (nadis), but also increase the quantity and quality of prana and store it. Prana is
accumulated in six main centers along the spinal column. These centers are located in the subtle
body and correspond to the nerve plexuses in the physical body. In the subtle body they are
known as chakras. Chakra means a ‘circling motion or wheel.’ Prana shakti and manas shakti
collect in the chakras and form swirling masses of energy. Each chakra is a conjunction point for
many nadis. There are numerous chakras in the body but the seven major ones situated along
sushumna nadi are specifically concerned with human evolution. In deep meditation, the yogis
have seen these chakras and they described them as lotus flowers. Though the chakras are
situated in the subtle body, their influence extends to the gross and causal bodies. Each chakra
vibrates at a particular rate and velocity. The chakras at the lowest point of the energy circuit
operate on a lower frequency and are said to be grosser and to create grosser states of awareness.
Chakras at the top of the circuit operate on a high frequency and are responsible for subtle states
of awareness and higher intelligence. Some yogic texts describe only five or six chakras, others
describe seven. The lowest chakra is within the perineal floor in the male body and the cervix in
the female body. It is a four-petalled red lotus called mooladhara, and it influences the excretory
and reproductive organs, reproductive glands and hormonal secretions. Mooladhara is directly
connected to the nose and sense of smell and with our animal instincts. At mooladhara human
evolution begins and kundalini emerges. Two fingers width above mooladhara and closely
associated with it, is swadhisthana chakra, a six-petalled vermilion lotus. It is connected
to the sacral plexus, urinary and reproductive organs and glands. Swadhisthana is associated with
the tongue and the sense of taste. Its influence on the deeper personality arouses a selfish sense
of ego. The next chakra is behind the navel, within the spinal column. It is a ten-petalled yellow
lotus called manipura and it is associated with the solar plexus. Manipura influences the 
digestive process and the assimilation of food and prana. It is also connected to the eyes and
sight. At the level of manipura the consciousness is still bound by the grosser levels of existence
and sensualities, ambition and greed. Above manipura, in the proximity of the heart, is anahata
chakra, with twelve blue petals. It is connected to the cardiac plexus, heart, respiration and
thymus gland and is responsible for emotions of love/hate, compassion/cruelty, etc Anahata is
also connected to the sense of touch and the hands. Within the middle of the throat is the fifth
chakra vishuddhi, with sixteen purple petals. It is associated with the cervical plexus and
thyroid gland and it maintains purity in the body and mind. Vishuddhi is connected to the ears
and sense of audition, throat and speech. It arouses acceptance of the adversities of life, mental
balance and sensitivity to the needs of others. At the top of the spinal column, at the medulla
oblongata, is one of the most important chakras, ajna chakra, which has two silvery grey or
clear petals. Above vishuddhi the chakras are mainly concerned with higher intelligence. Some
authorities do not even consider them as chakras because, as the veiling power of prana shakti
decreases, manas shakti becomes more predominant. Ajna chakra is the command center. It
operates in conjunction with the reticular activating system, medulla oblongata and the pineal
gland. Ajna chakra is the third eye through which the whole subtle world can be perceived. It is
known as the gateway to liberation. When kundalini shakti passes beyond ajna, duality and ego
cease to exist. It reaches the highest center, sahasrara, the thousand-petalled lotus. Sahasrara is
situated at the crown of the head and is associated with the pituitary gland. When this chakra is
fully activated by kundalini it is the highest experience of human evolution. Between ajna and
sahasrara there are three other chakras which are briefly mentioned in the Tantras. Opposite the
uvula is lalana chakra, which is a twelve-petalled lotus. Above ajna is manas chakra, a
sixpetalled lotus, and above that, at the mid-cerebrum is soma chakra of sixteen petals. These
chakras are concerned with the flow of nectar from bindu visarga (which is discussed later), and
they are responsible for higher states of consciousness and intelligence. Through hatha yoga all
these chakras are influenced and stimulated, and blockages are removed. The influence of each
chakra can be felt in the body and seen in a person’s behavior. Correct balance of energy in each
of the chakras is extremely important. Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama of Japan has devised instruments
which can detect the activity of these chakras and he has found that depletion of energy and the
paranormal functioning of any of the chakras causes imbalance or disease in the associated
physical organs and body functions. This is exactly what is stated in the hatha yoga texts.
Purification of the chakras and nadis is the first step to physical/mental health and the awakening
of kundalini. Therefore, the chakras and nadis have to be strengthened so they are capable of
conducting the kundalini shakti. 
Sahasrara 
Bindu

Ajna
Vishuddhi

Anahata
Manipura

Swadhisthana
Mooladhara

KUNDALINI 
Kundalini is said to be coiled like a snake. Without a doubt, one who makes   that shakti
flow obtains liberation.

While kundalini is asleep in mooladhara, she is depicted as a snake, usually a cobra,

coiled three and a half times around a smoky grey shivalingam (dhumralingam). The three and a
half coils present the form of the Om mantra. These three coils are the three states of existence
and experience; conscious, subconscious and unconscious; jagrat, swapna and sushupti, i.e.
waking, dream and deep sleep; objective experience, subjective experience and non-experience;
past, present and future.  The three coils also represent the three qualities of nature, prakriti or
Shakti – tamas, rajas and sattwa. The half coil represents that which is beyond the play of nature,
turiya or the fourth dimension which includes any other dimension beyond the third. The smoky
shivalingam around which kundalini is coiled is the subtle body or sukshma sharira, also known
as the astral body, but its ill-defined, smoky quality indicates that the inner consciousness is
obscured in the changing realities of the three realms of experience. In an unaware individual the
kundalini has her head downward, but in the yogi the head is lifted up as she begins to awaken.
When the kundalini serpent wakes up she should rise through sushumna, until she is perfectly
straight from the tip of her tail, anchored in mooladhara, to the top of the head which fills the
skull. It indicates pervading consciousness which is not limited by any influence or subject to
any modification. While kundalini lies dormant in mooladhara the connection to ajna chakra
takes place through ida or pingala nadis. Sometimes the connection does not even take place as
there is a blockage. Once kundalini has risen up so that the head is completely immersed in the
brain, the connection is direct (sushumna), the three states of experience merge into the fourth
(transcendental), as the coils of the kundalini are straightened. Then there is no separate
existence of any of the gunas, there is no longer separation of anything. It all becomes one
eternal cosmic experience. 
Between Ganga and Yamuna is the young widowed, Balarandam practicing austerity.
She should be seized forcibly, then one can reach the supreme state of Vishnu. 
Ida is the holy Ganga, pingala the river Yamuna. Between ida and pingala in the middle
is this young widow, kundalini.

In yogic and tantric lore, the river Ganga is known as ida, and Yamuna as pingala.
Ida/pingala are the two major nadis sustaining the individual body/mind. A third, subterranean
river, Saraswati, is also described. This is sushumna nadi, the hidden channel conducting
spiritual energy. In this way, the geography of the subtle body has been incorporated into the
mythology of the people who lived beside these two great rivers since the dawn of civilization.
Ganga/Yamuna have always been the source of life sustaining water, while Saraswati is the
subtle undercurrent of spiritual awareness which so tangibly permeates life on the Indian
subcontinent.
Ida is dark in color, just as the river Ganga is deep blue at its origin. Ganga is fathomless,
mysterious and raging like the mental force. The mythology of Ganga’s first descent on the earth
describes her as wild and uncontrollable, capable of demolishing anything standing in her way.
When she was released from her home ground in the Himalayan heavens, Lord Shiva had to
catch her in his matted locks. After some time, he released her and Bhagirathi guided her gently
down to the earth (through the body). Likewise the force of ida, if not controlled, can make a
person turn into a lunatic. The tendency of Ganga to spill her banks and flood in every direction
is an indication that she represents space, the unique quality of ida and the right brain
hemisphere. There is no such story about the origin of the Yamuna river in relation to pingala
nadi. Like the male or positive aspect of pingala, Yamuna is sober in nature. It is the river by
which Lord Krishna lived for many years. He overpowered the great serpent Kaliya in Yamuna
and danced on her fan. Kaliya represents time, the quality of pingala nadi and the left brain
hemisphere. Yamuna, too, is deep but there are times in summer when it becomes dry, just as the
prana shakti (vitality) also is sometimes lost and must be regenerated. These two rivers are
terrestrial, just as ida and pingala nadis are manifest forces. Sushumna nadi lies deep within the
central axis of the spine just as the subterranean Saraswati river lies within the earth. These three
rivers convene at Prayag, near Allahabad in northern India. It is a powerful energy point in the
geological structure of the earth and is associated with the union of ida, pingala and sushumna in
ajna chakra in the subtle body. 
` The kundalini is described in this sloka as a young widow practicing austerity midway
between Ganga/Yamuna or ida/pingala. She is said to be youthful because the potential of
kundalini is likened to the irresistible power of a young and attractive woman. She is widowed
because her husband, Shiva, remains in the lofty heavens, at Mount Kailash, the sahasrara
chakra. She practices austerity in the sense that separation from her husband is the greatest
penance (tapasya) a young and beautiful widow has to endure. She longs to be united again with
her husband in Kailash. This is symbolic of the bliss to be attained with the ascent of kundalini
from mooladhara to sahasrara chakra. Mooladhara is the source of energy or Shakti and
sahasrara is the abode of consciousness, Shiva. 
By seizing the tail of kundalini serpent, she becomes very excited. Abandoning sleep that
shakti is released and rises up.If you hold any snake by its tail it will definitely become alarmed
and immediately rise up and attempt to break loose from the grip. The tail end represents
mooladhara chakra. By activating mooladhara, the energy is agitated and will seek to rise up out
of its bondage there. Ida and pingala must be closed. Sushumna must be opened or cleared.
Whether or not sushumna is open can be judged by the natural flow of breath through the
nostrils. When both nostrils are open simultaneously, sushumna’s door is open. Therefore at the
conclusion of your sadhana, when you are sitting for concentration, make sure both nostrils are
functioning. If they are imbalanced, try to manipulate the breath so that it flows evenly.
PURPOSE OF HATHA YOGA
Swami Sivananda: By the process of hatha yoga the yogi attains a perfect physical body.
Bala vajrasam-hanana kaya sampat – “The perfection of the body consists in beauty, grace,
strength and adamantine hardness.” The power to bear extreme cold and heat, the power to live
without water and food and other powers come under the category of kaya sampat, perfection of
the body. Since the body of the hatha yogi is perfect and firm, his mind is also firm and one-
pointed. By practising dharana and dhyana he reaches the highest rung in the yogic ladder and
attains immortality through yogic samadhi. The yogi who has reached the highest stage, will
have the eight major and all the minor siddhis. This is stated in Hatha Yoga Pradipika (3:8):
Aadinaathoditam divyamashtaishvaryapradaayakam;
Vallabham sarvasiddhaanaam durlabham marutaamapi.
Adinath said the mudras and bandhas are the bestowers of the eight divine powers. They
are held in high esteem by all the siddhas and are difficult for even the gods to attain. Many
Vedantins who are in a sickly condition with a very poor physique. A Vedantin is afraid to do
asanas and pranayamas on the grounds that their practice will intensify body awareness, and
adversely affect the practice of vairagya. Although the two paths of hatha yoga and Vedanta are
different, a Vedantin can harmoniously use pranayamas and asanas to great advantage. The body
is closely related to the mind. A weak, sickly body also means a weak mind. This body is a horse
to take one to the goal. The body may be inert and useless but it is an important instrument for
self realization. So it must be kept clean, strong and healthy. The Vedantin who practices a little
hatha yoga to keep his body and mind healthy and strong is capable of doing very good sadhana
and reaching the goal of life quickly.
Does physical weakness limit one’s spiritual potential?
Swami Sivananda: Unfortunately, yoga is more or less regarded as a form of physical
culture divested of all its psychological and spiritual significance. This is due to an exaggerated
emphasis on the yoga asanas. Hatha yoga practices do form a preliminary background for
progress in yoga, but they are not absolutely indispensable for yoga sadhana. While a strong
body is an asset, a weak body is not always a handicap. There are instances in the history of yoga
where the ultimate has been achieved while dispensing with the practices of hatha yoga.
Hatharatnavali (1:22), states: 
Yuvaa bhavati vriddho vaa vyaadhito durbalo’pi vaa;
Abhyaasaatsiddhimaapnoti sarvayogeshvatandritah.
He who untiringly practises yoga in all its aspects attains success even if he is young, old,
diseased or weak 
The real purpose of hatha yoga
In the last forty years hatha yoga has been accepted as a therapeutic science all over the
world and many scientific studies have been conducted in this field. Today we teach yoga to
people because it is very necessary. Man has become sick and medical science is not able to meet
the challenge. Hatha yoga, however, has been helping everybody. Therefore, we do not want to
discourage this aspect, but at the same time we should not forget what hatha yoga really stands
for. Behind every sick man there is a spiritual man. Behind a diabetic there is a yogi. Behind a
man suffering from depression there is an aspirant. When a patient comes for help, teach him
yoga and make him better. Treat his sickness, but do not stop there. Take him further into the
spiritual domain of life. This is the mistake that most yoga teachers make in the West. They just
take a patient with arthritis, rheumatism or insomnia, teach him a few exercises and that is it.
Hatha yoga has not been used to treat the total personality. This is why teachers are not able to
raise the level of their pupils. Just to improve the physical health is not enough. The mental
health must also improve, the nature must change, the personality must change, the
psychological and the psychic framework also has to change. You should not merely feel
freedom from disease, but freedom from bondage and from the vagaries of the mind. Now, the
time has come when teachers in every part of the world must understand and transmit the true
spirit of hatha yoga. 
  Yogi Swatmarama instructs the knowledge of hatha yoga only for (raja yoga) the highest
state of yoga. By first prostrating to the guru, Yogi Swatmarama indicates that he is only a tool
of transmission for the knowledge which is to be imparted. It is also emphasized that hatha yoga
is to be practiced for the sole purpose of preparing oneself for the highest state of raja yoga, i.e.
samadhi. Originally, a sadhaka practiced hatha yoga for many years to prepare himself for the
awakening of kundalini, or in terms of raja yoga, for the experience of samadhi. However, in the
last fifty years, with the revival of yoga in the West, it seems that the real aim of hatha yoga has
been overlooked or even completely forgotten.
Today, yoga is generally practiced to improve or restore health, to reduce stress, to
prevent the body from ageing, to build up the body or to beautify it. Hatha yoga does fulfill these
objectives, but it should be kept in mind that they are certainly not the goal. As one practices
hatha yoga techniques, one’s physical and mental potential begins to increase and unfold. We
know that man utilizes only one-tenth of his total brain capacity. This means that nine-tenths are
lying dormant, waiting to be brought into action. Science calls the dormant brain the ‘silent area.’
Little is known about its capacity, but neurologists say it has something to do with man’s psychic
capacity. After long and arduous practice of yoga, the psychic potential manifests, maybe in the
form of clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy, telekinesis, psychic healing etc. These are called
siddhis or ‘perfections.’ Some people regard them as a grand achievement, but they are only
temporary manifestations which can even hinder further spiritual progress. The goal of all yogic
sadhana is to discover and experience the universal spirit within, and if siddhis are indulged in,
they take one away from the ultimate experience. Therefore, they are better ignored as they are
not the desired fruit of hatha yoga. Although regular practice of hatha yoga can bring about many
wonderful changes and desired results, it is essential to remember that they are only side-effects.
Hatha yoga is not being taught for its own sake, for therapeutic purposes, or for gaining worldly
or psychic powers, and this is something the hatha yoga practitioner should always keep in mind.
The highest state of raja yoga is unknown due to misconceptions (darkness) created by varying
ideas and concepts. In good will and as a blessing, Swatmarama offers light on hatha yoga.
There is a proverb: “Many sages, many opinions.” The highest goal in yoga is attainment of
kaivalya, the point at which raja yoga culminates. Ultimately, all spiritual practices and branches
of yoga lead to that state, but there are as many ways of reaching the goal as there are individuals
in the world. If we try to follow and believe that every path is applicable to ourselves, we will
never attain the final experience. A person’s individual method has to be systematic. Whether
one
practices karma yoga, bhakti yoga, kriya yoga, jnana yoga, Zen Buddhism, or a combination of a
few varying techniques, one has to have an ordered system and that system has to be followed
from beginning to end, without diverging and trying other systems and gurus along the way.
Believing in one system, following it for a while and then leaving it for another, leads nowhere.
Yogi Swatmarama offers hatha yoga so that people may be guided along an assured path. The
word ‘offers’ or kripakara should be noted. Kripa means ‘blessing,’ and a blessing can only be
given by someone with spiritual attainment. It can be said that hatha yoga comes in the form of a
‘saving grace’ to those who are stumbling in darkness. Swatmarama is not preaching or
propagating, but humbly showing a way which may be easier for the average person to follow in
order to come closer to raja yoga. 
Yogi Matsyendranath knew the knowledge of hatha yoga. He gave it to Gorakhnath and
others, and by their grace the author (Swatmarama) learned it. In this and the next four verses,
Yogi Swatmarama shows the lineage of the siddhas of hatha yoga. Gorakhnath, who was
probably the guru of Swatmarama, belonged to a very popular yoga sect called the Nath panth.
Nath is a general term meaning ‘master.’ Members of the Nath sect are commonly called
kanphata yogis. Kanphata means ‘split-eared’ and refers to the yogis’ unique practice of having
the cartilage of the ears pierced for the insertion of huge earrings. It is believed that the Nath sect
came into existence in the middle of the seventh century, when the influence of the tantra
shastras was prevalent all over India, and yoga was associated with black magic and sorcery. The
Nath sect was established to save society from the heinous practices that were being carried out
in the name of spirituality. There are many interesting stories about how the sect was originally
formed.
One common belief is that to prevent the decline of spirituality, Vishnu and Mahesh took
the incarnations of Gorakhnath and Matsyendranath to propagate the message of yoga. Although
Adinath, who heads the lineage of Naths, may have been a yogi who preceded Matsyendranath,
he is generally identified with Shiva, and with his name at the head of the list, this would indicate
that the origins of the sect can be traced back to the greatest of yogis, Lord Shiva.According to a
story in the Puranas, Lord Shiva was instructing Parvati into the secret sadhanas of yoga while
standing on the seashore. A large fish overheard all that was said and from this fish, the
allknowing Matsyendranath was born. Hence his name is Matsya-indra or ‘lord of the fish.’
There are also many stories concerning the birth of Gorakhnath. It is said that when
Matsyendranath was begging for food as a parivrajaka, he met a woman who lamented to him
her woe of not having a son. Matsyendranath gave her some siddha vibhooti and told her that if
she ate it, she would obtain a son. The woman did not eat the substance but cast it upon a pile of
cow dung. Twelve years later, when Matsyendranath was passing through the same village, he
called her to see the child. The woman told the yogi what she had done and he asked to be taken
to the spot where she had thrown the vibhooti. He called the name ‘Gorakhnath’ and
immediately a radiant twelve-year-old lad emerged from the pile of cow dung. Gorakhnath
became the dutiful disciple of Matsyendranath and later become an expounder of hatha yoga and
the founder of the Nath sect. He was an accomplished guru credited with the performance of
many miracles. Members of the Nath sect were held in high esteem because of their severe
penances, austere yogic lifestyle and the accomplishment of many siddhis. The effect of the Nath
yogis was felt right across the old world. Great Nath yogis journeyed through Persia,
Afghanistan and the entire
Middle and Far East. Their influence was felt all over India and Nepal and particularly around
Gorakhpur and the Nepalese border. Even to this day, Nath yogis can still be found in India
although few have the same reputation as the original masters. 
Sri Adinath (Shiva), Matsyendra, Shahara, Anandabhairava, Chaurangi, Mina, Goraksha,
Virupaksha, Bileshaya, Manthana, Bhairava, Siddhi, Buddha, Ranthadi, Korantaka, Surananda,
Siddhipada, Charapati, Kaneri, Pujyapada, Nityanath, Niranjan, Kapali, Bindunath,
Kakachandishwara, Allama, Prabhudeva, Ghodacholi, Tintini, Bhanuki, Naradeva, Khanda,
Kapalika.  mahasiddhas (great masters), having conquered time (death) by the practice of hatha
yoga, roam about the universe. These mahasiddhas, having accomplished the goal of yoga, have
released their own personalities from the cycle of birth and death in the physical world. Being
jivanmuktas, liberated while still in the confines of prakriti, their will is sufficiently strong to
enable them to do anything, anywhere and at any time. This is one of the advantages of being
beyond the confines of time and eventually space. Mahasiddhas are great beings who attained
powers through the perfection of sadhana. In Sanskrit the word sadhana means ‘to practice,’ and
hence the practitioner is known as a sadhaka. What he practices is known as sadhana. The object
of practice is known as sadhya, and when the sadhana has matured, the results which are
accomplished are known as siddhis. Often the word siddhi is interpreted to mean psychic
accomplishment but, according to raja yoga, it means perfection of mind, and sadhana means to
train and perfect the crude mind. As far as siddhis go, there are eight major ones which a sadhaka
has to master before he is called a siddha: 
1 Anima – the ability to become as small as an atom
2 Laghima – the ability to become weightless
3 Mahima – the ability to become as large as the universe
4 Garima – the ability to become heavy
5 Prapti – the ability to reach any place
6 Prakamya – the ability to stay under water and to maintain the body and youth
7 Vashitva – control over all objects, organic and inorganic
8 Ishatva – the capacity to create and destroy at will.
A mahasiddha becomes omnipresent and omnipotent because he has purified and
perfected the functioning of his physical and pranic bodies through mastery of hatha yoga, and
has transcended the normal limitations of mind by traversing the path of raja yoga. To one
immersed in the ordinary mind as we know it, such a concept as transcendence of the barriers of
time and space would appear to be impossible. The human mind has its limitations and is by no
means perfect and infallible. However, as the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali contend, the imperfect
mind can be made more perfect and efficient through the practice of sadhana. Our present day
scientists acknowledge the fact that man is only utilizing one-tenth of his total brain power. If
you consider all that man has accomplished in the fields of science and technology, etc., utilizing
only one small compartment of the brain, you may gain some idea of how much might be
possible with development of the nine silent centers of the brain. As the mind expands, it
increases in power and all physical barriers are transcended. For those continually tempered by
the heat of tapa (the three types of pain - spiritual, environmental and physical) hatha is like the
hermitage giving protection from the heat. For those always united in yoga, hatha is the basis
acting like a tortoise.
Through the practice of hatha yoga, one’s entire being is made fit and strong, as a shelter
from the effects of the pains which come in life. The Sanskrit word tapa has two meanings: one
is ‘to heat,’ the other is ‘pain.’ Pain itself is a type of heat. It tempers and heats the mind,
emotions and physical body. Pain is of three types: adhyatmik, ‘spiritual,’ adhidevik,
‘natural/environmental,’ and adhibhautik, ‘physical.’ As long as we feel the separation from our
true identity, we will always suffer spiritually. Adhyatmik tapa is that which comes from living
without realization of the inner being, and it is essential so that we strive for a purer experience.
Pain brought by natural circumstances is also unavoidable. The course of nature always brings
some climatic or
geological imbalance such as flood, drought, earth tremors, winds, storms, etc. which affect the
balance of the body’s functions, and generally disturb the normal functioning of life. Business is
affected, crop growth is affected and so are many things. Thirdly, there is physical suffering.
Nature continually tests the body, sometimes by an imbalance of bacteria, sometimes by
accidents, or sometimes by mental and emotional shocks. Therefore, it is essential that the hatha
yogi prepares himself, not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally and psychically, in
such a way that he can remain unaffected by these three types of external tempering. The body
and mind should be structured in such a way that they remain unaffected by the mundane
circumstances of worldly events. In this way the body/mind becomes like a tortoise which can
extend its limbs when necessary or retreat into the protection of its hard covering shell when
threatened. The limbs are symbolic of the external senses, which should be externalized when
necessary, but which, at our command, can be internalized and unaffected by the external
happenings of the world. To perfect this condition, Swatmarama advises us to practice hatha
yoga because this will enable such strength and control of the body and mind. The symbology of
the tortoise is very significant. The creation of the world we know is said to rest on the tortoise.
It is an emblem of patient endurance. According to Hindu mythology, when dissolution of the
universe started to take place, the earth lost its support and was threatened with destruction. Lord
Vishnu came to the rescue and manifested in the form of a tortoise, supporting the earth on his
back. Thereby the earth was saved. Of course, this legend is not meant to be taken literally. It is
the explanation of what happens during the process of creation and evolution, both externally
and internally, and of movement back to the center of being. As the individual consciousness
moves closer to the real self, the supports on which the mind is dependent, i.e. the senses and
sensorial world, become less influential. Consciousness can fall into a void if the mind
completely dissolves without having a base to fall back on. Preservation of the mind and body
must take place when the consciousness moves into higher states. The senses must be
conditioned to retract and extend at will. The concept of Vishnu is an aspect of existence which
links prana and consciousness to the physical body and creation. According to the Tantraraja
Tantra, there are four types of koorma, ‘tortoise,’ known as para, deshagata, gramaga and
grihaga. Para koorma is that which supports the earth, deshagata countries, gramaga villages and
grihaga individual households. “He who does japa without knowing koormasthiti (the position of
koorma) not only fails to get the fruit thereof but he meets with destruction.” In order to
experience a higher or purer state of existence and still maintain the body/mind in the gross
realm so that the consciousness can return, we have to be prepared. The body and senses should
be trained in such a way that consciousness is able to withdraw and come back again to continue
the sensorial experiences. Hatha yoga is the process through which the body becomes like a
tortoise so that the external form is not the breeding place of disease and disharmony, but rather a
protective covering. Hatha yoga is the greatest secret of the yogis who wish to attain perfection
(siddhi). Indeed, to be fruitful, it must be kept secret; revealed it becomes powerless. This sloka
is typical of any yogic shastra expounding higher knowledge, i.e. the science should be kept to
oneself. Whatever a sadhaka gains or achieves during the period of sadhana should be a private
affair. This may seem a little out of context as the book itself appears to be disclosing the secrets
of the practices, but in fact, when you learn under the guidance of a guru, you will find that
Swatmarama has only stated the bare essentials as guidelines for the practice of asana etc., so
that the science of hatha yoga will be preserved for humanity. Originally, Gorakhnath had
written much about hatha yoga in the form of prose and poetry. Traditionally, a shastra must be
in Sanskrit; local dialects are not accepted as authentic works. Therefore, Swatmarama is
continuing Gorakhnath’s original work. What has been given here is the system of hatha yoga
without too much elucidation. It is left up to the practitioner to find out from his guru what is
actually involved. Swatmarama is not advocating the performance of a particular sadhana; he
merely noted down the system and outlined the correct methods of practice. Your specific
sadhana is between you and your guru. When your sadhana is mastered, the result is siddhi or
perfection, and whatever you have managed to perfect is your own attainment and what the guru
has enabled you to become. Gorakhnath used to tell his disciples that hatha yoga is the science of
the subtle body. It is the means by which the body’s energy can be controlled. He said that hatha
is the means of controlling the two main energy channels of the positive/negative currents.
The positive/negative nature of energy exists in every part of our being. Hatha yoga not only
brings a balance in the energy, but also in the duality of the mind, and between the lower nature
and the higher mind, between the individual soul and the universal spirit. It involves yourself
and the atma, so why bring anyone else into the picture? In the Shiva Samhita it says that the
practitioner should keep his practice secret “just as a virtuous wife keeps her intimate relations
between herself and her husband quiet.” This develops the love between husband and wife.
Similarly, if you have any respect for your own beloved, the pure atma, whatever experience and
power you are bestowed with is your own affair and has to be cultivated privately. This is a
purely logical and scientific process. When you have a small light burning in a room at night, the
whole room is illumined. If you take your little light outside into the vast, open space, the light is
engulfed by the night and absorbed in the darkness. The same principle applies to the power
gained through your sadhana. The power may enlighten your own consciousness, but displayed
and dissipated in the magnitude of the outside world, it loses strength. Sadhana is like a seed and
siddhis are like flowers. If you want a seed to germinate you have to leave it in the soil. If you
dig it up to show your friends and neighbors how it is progressing, it will not grow any further, it
will die. Likewise, the siddhi is just the germinating point of your sadhana. If you are trying to
cultivate fully bloomed awareness of atma, you will have to act properly. Sadhana is not a
biology lesson where you dig up the plant to investigate its roots. Sadhana involves the growth of
your own spirit and it is like the process of giving birth. When a fetus is growing in the womb,
we cannot peep into the intermediate stage of its development, we have to wait for the final
product. Keeping sadhana and siddhis under cover has a powerful psychological effect. If you
talk about and display your attainments, the sense of ‘I’ or ego becomes very acute. I have
achieved, I had this experience, or I can do this. If you want to experience cosmic consciousness,
ego or ahamkara is the greatest barrier. Siddhis never last long, they are impermanent. After a
certain stage of evolution they disappear. If you associate yourself with the feeling that ‘I’ have
Perfected this and that, you will expect yourself to be able to perform a great feat and so will
others. You will be living to meet the expectations of others, otherwise they will not think that
you are great. One day when the siddhi leaves you, how are you going to cope with the situation?
In spiritual life it is very important to keep ego under control. Most of the great saints and
siddhas who had powers rarely displayed them. Only the people who lived very close to them
knew their greatness. Many siddhas who did display their powers were persecuted, e.g., Christ.
Therefore, for your own good and for the good of others it is said, as a warning rather than mere
advice, that sadhana and siddhis are to be kept secret. 
RELEVANCE OF HATHA YOGA
Yoga is the path to bliss and good health. It gained so much importance especially
because of its benefits for health. Each asana in Hatha Yoga has direct effects on particular parts
of the body. Not only the muscles get a nice stretch, but also the inner organs are affected and
benefit from the different postures Unfortunately in the western part of the world, if you utter the
word “yoga,” people think you must twist yourself out like rubber bands or stand on your head.
Yoga is not an exercise form. The word “yoga” means union. Today, modern science has proved
that the whole existence is just one energy. So if all this is one energy, why is it that you are not
experiencing it that way? If you can break the limitations of the illusion that you are separate,
and begin to experience the oneness of the existence, that is yoga. The religions of the world
have always been talking about God being everywhere. Whether you say God is everywhere or
everything is one energy, is it any different? It is the same reality. When it is mathematically
deduced, we call it science. If you believe it, we call it religion. When you find a method to get
there, we call it yoga. So what is yoga, what is not yoga? There is no such thing.
Hatha Yoga: Directing Your Energies
To lead you towards the experience of yoga – of union and boundlessness – we
manipulate the energy and move the system in a certain way. Physical postures are one aspect of
this. Understanding the mechanics of the body, creating a certain atmosphere, and then using the
body or body postures to drive your energy in specific directions is what Hatha Yoga or
yogasanas are about. Hatha yoga is not exercise. Asana means a posture. If I sit in one way, it is
one asana. If I sit in another way, it is another asana. So innumerable asanas are possible. Out of
these innumerable postures that the body can take, eighty-four fundamental postures have been
identified as yogasanas.
Hatha Yoga: A Preparatory Process
Hatha yoga is a preparatory process of yoga.  “Hatha” means the yoga to bring balance
between the sun and the moon in you, or the Pingala and Ida in you. You can explore Hatha yoga
in ways that take you beyond certain limitations, but fundamentally, it is a physical preparation –
preparing the body for a higher possibility.
There are other dimensions to this, but to put it simply, just by observing the way somebody is
sitting, you almost know what is happening with them. If you have observed yourself, if you are
angry, you will sit one way; if you are happy, you sit another way; if you are depressed, you sit
yet another way. For every different level of consciousness or mental and emotional situation
that you go through, your body naturally tends to take certain postures. The converse of this is
the science of asanas. If you consciously get your body into different postures, you can also
elevate your consciousness. The practice as you see it currently in most places – the mechanics
of it – is simply of the body.
Classical Hatha Yoga
After twenty years of yoga entering the West and becoming popular, despite it being
taught sometimes in ways that leave much to be desired, still, the health benefits of it are
undeniable, wherever you live and whatever you do. Right now the number of people practicing
yoga is growing in a big way. This could be simply because the scientific community is slowly
beginning to recognize the depth and dimension of what this is. But if improper, distorted kind of
yoga spreads, in fifteen years’ time, scientific studies will clearly come out and tell you in how
many ways it is harmful to human beings, and that will be the downfall.  So it is important that
we bring back classical yoga as it was. If it is taught in a proper atmosphere with a certain sense
of humility and inclusiveness about the whole process, it is a really fantastic process of shaping
your system into a fantastic vessel, a fabulous device to receive the Divine.
 Hatha yoga, the process of purification, has significant relevance in many cultures of
today's world. Leading the lifestyle as outlined in the teachings of hatha yoga is extremely
beneficial on a personal level, and it could be, and indeed is, for the culture we were born into.
India is a historical country with a mystical and mythical heritage. In ages past, it was a place in
which religions thrived. Nature was worshipped as a divine provider and sustainer of life and
recognized as a definite part of who we are and of consciousness. Mother Nature was respected,
adored and the religions were able to live in harmony with the rhythms and cycles of the
universe.
However, things have changed, and the culture has adapted to modern ways of living,
which appear to be quite separate from nature. Nevertheless, the young generation has opted for
alcoholism, shopping, technology and quick fixes. We seem to have forgotten our unity with all
that is. We seem to have forgotten that what we put into the earth we become, that what we think
and do to ourselves and others directly affects our lives, and most of all, we seem to have
forgotten our potential in the face of quick fixes, pleasures and depression. For many reasons,
hatha yoga is relevant in this culture.
Diet
Fish and chips deep fried pizza next, burgers and mash for school dinners and ready-
made macaroni cheese stuck in the microwave to be eaten in front of the TV. All of the above
foods are a normal part of everyday life and not even thought of as unhealthy or lacking in
nutrition. The same things work on the other end of the scale; for those who have enough money
to `eat well', people can also become obsessed about taste and presentation of food and lose
appreciation and sensitivity for the more simple meals, which subsequently can lead them to
craving and dissatisfaction in the long term.
Hatha yoga offers a solution for both these extremes, by teaching that simple, nutritious
food gives us what we need to survive and is best for body and mind. This could be so relevant
for the culture, since it provides a balance between the divide of the rich and poor, the tasteful
and tasteless. People could come to understand that to eat healthily, they need not go to
expensive restaurants to have a huge variety of flavours. Instead, they can eat a satisfying,
affordable diet at home, stay healthy and in harmony with their bodies.
Philosophy and Foundations
See the other word file Hindu Philosophy
Hatha  Yoga  Parampara
Natha  Cult  Hatha  Yogis  and  their  contribution
The natha yogis played a very important role in the history of mediaval Indian mysticism. These
yogis worshiped God as Natha  or the supreme master, who according to their faith, transcends
not only the finite but the infinite as well. The worshipers of natha were adepts in yogic cult
which was supposed to give them supernatural powers. Among them Sree Guru natsyendranath
and his most able disciple sree Gorakhnath or Gorakshanath have been known throughout India
for their marvelous performances of miracles. Legends of of the superhuman powers of the natha
gurus (spiritual teachers) abound in indian literature- Sanskrit, hindi,marati, gujarati, oriya,
nepalise and extensively in Bengal i. matsyendranath I the mforemost of the naths guru was born
in Bengal and some scholar mension that goraksanath too hailed from eastern Bengal. Thus the
natha guru must have profoundly influenced the religious life of the people of Bengal in the
mediaeval period and their cult naturally found expression in Bengali literature.
Besides popular legends and ballads, the contributions to natha philosophical texts, both in prose
and poetry, by the natha guru themselves are by no means negligible, luipada or minanath, which
were other names by which matsyendranath was known, was one of the first verse writers in
Bengali in the tenth century, and gorakhnath was probably the first prose writer in hindi. Other
important works by these two gurus are found in Sanskrit
Ghatashudhi and its importance and relevance in Hatha Yoga sadhana
(PPT)
Inter-relation of Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga