The Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Hatha Yoga Pradipika has established itself as the classic work on Hatha Yoga, Ddraws on sage Svatmarama’s own experience and older works. Here is a book written for students of Yoga, translated into English by Brian Dara Akers. Hatha Yoga Pradipiaka is divided into four chapters. In Chapters One, Svatmarama salutes his teachers, says why he is writing this book, who he is writing it for, where and how yoga should be practised, describes fifteen asanas, and recommends dietary habits. In Chapter Two, he establishes the connections between breath, mind, life, nadis and prana, then describes the six karmans and the eight kumbhakas. In Chapter Three, Svatmarama says what mudras are for, then describes the ten mudras. In Chapter Four, he discusses samadhi, laya, nada, two mudras, and the four stages of yoga.