Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The body-first yoga: posture, breath, and the locks around them.

What it is

A fifteenth-century manual of about 390 verses on the physical side of yoga: postures, breath control, and the locks and cleansings around them.

Why it matters

This is where the body-first yoga most people picture today gets written down. If the Sutras are about the mind, this is about the instrument that steadies it.

Where to start

The early verses on posture and breath are the most useful. The later chapters turn esoteric quickly.

The claim the whole book rests on: steady the breath and the mind steadies with it.
Respiration being disturbed, the mind becomes disturbed. By restraining respiration, the Yogî gets steadiness of mind
HYP 2.2tr. Pancham Sinhread it →
Why posture comes first, it makes everything after it possible.
The ten rules of conduct are: ahiṃsâ (non-injuring), truth, non-stealing, continence, forgiveness, endurance, compassion, meekness, sparing diet and cleanliness.
HYP 1.17tr. Pancham Sinhread it →
How the text places itself within a lineage.
Salutation to Âdinâtha (Śiva) who expounded the knowledge of Haṭha Yoga, which like a staircase leads the aspirant to the high pinnacled Râja Yoga.
HYP 1.1tr. Pancham Sinhread it →

Browse every verse

Haṭhayogapradīpikā (GRETIL e-text), Svātmārāma · The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, translated by Pancham Sinh (1914), Pancham Sinh · Plain-language gloss

Chapter 1

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.51 1.52 1.53 1.54 1.55 1.56 1.57 1.58 1.59 1.60 1.61 1.62 1.63 1.64 1.65 1.66 1.67 1.68 1.69 1.70

Chapter 2

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 2.36 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.40 2.41 2.42 2.43 2.44 2.45 2.46 2.47 2.48 2.49 2.50 2.51 2.52 2.53 2.54 2.55 2.56 2.57 2.58 2.59 2.60 2.61 2.62 2.63 2.64 2.65 2.66 2.67 2.68 2.69 2.70 2.71 2.72 2.73 2.74 2.75 2.76 2.77 2.78