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The Hatha Yoga Pradipika

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The two best known English translations of Svatmarama's classical text on yoga from the Fifteenth Century are by Pancham Singh and Elsy Becherer. The former is 87 years old and the latter is a translation (with commentary by Hans-Ulrich Rieker) from the German, and is therefore twice removed from the original Sanskrit. Both books are out of print. Surprisingly there is virtually nothing else in English despite the fact that the hatha yoga teachings found in popular works, including B.K.S. Iyengar's celebrated Light on Yoga, are in no small part based on Svatmarama's text.

Brian Dana Akers brings us a new translation set with the English following the Sanskrit verse by verse. His style is straightforward, clear and elegant. He does not make the mistake of trying to translate yogic terms that are really not translatable, e.g., "nadi," "prana," "bandha," "mudra," etc. Instead he invites us to use a dictionary of yoga. He also makes the sly suggestion in his brief but graceful Introduction that "the scientifically minded do some empirical research. In a peaceful country, in a quiet place, free of all anxieties..." (p. xii)

Well, I have done some small research and I can tell you that Svatmarama knows whereof he speaks. I can also say along with Akers that I do not recommend some of Svatmarama's practices, (some of the "cleansing" mudras are unnecessary today; indeed they are dangerous) and clearly the old master exaggerates. However, his intention was not hyperbole. He spoke instead in what is called an "intentional language" that would guide teachers and advanced practitioners without confusing or revealing too much to beginners. This way of speaking is also called samdhya-bhasha ("twilight language") according to Georg Feuerstein. Thus a practice that allows one to become "young, even if old" may be distinguished from another practice that "destroys death," which in turn may be distinguished from one which leads to the place where "time is not."

Even though I first encountered the text almost 25 years ago and have read it several times, I did indeed find a dictionary helpful. I used Georg Feuerstein's definitive The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga (1997), but could have also used an English-Sanskrit dictionary to explore the more secular meanings of some words, which might have given me a better feel for some of the nuances of expression used by Svatmarama. To really appreciate Svatmarama's text perhaps this from Feuerstein might be helpful: "Language has the curious capacity to both disclose and veil the truth, and since ancient times the masters of India's spirituality have been especially sensitive to the possibilities and the limitations of linguistic communication." (Opus cited, p. 167) Rather than throw himself into the briar patch of Svatmarama's expression, Akers has wisely stepped to the side and let the text speak for (and against) itself.

But what is the Hatha Yoga Pradipika? It is simply a course in how to obtain samadhi, or liberation or freedom from the pairs of opposites that dominate our lives. It begins with asana and pranayama and ends with transcendence. All of the postures so familiar to us, and all of the breathing exercises have but one purpose: meditation leading to pushing aside the veil of ignorance that characterizes ordinary existence. It takes a long time to get there. The "empirical research" that Akers recommends will be a project of years (unless of course one is particularly gifted).

What is not mentioned in Svatmarama's delineation are the ethical and spiritual considerations called the yamas and niyamas that we find in Patanjali. I recommend that the Hatha Yoga Pradipika be studied in conjunction with Patanjali's celebrated sutras as aids to your practice. They have much in common, but there are some significant differences. Svatmarama makes no concessions to political correctness nor to social or religious considerations. His text is indeed striking in its terse and single-minded, even profane, ambition. Quite simply there is a problem: bondage to samsara. And there is a solution: hatha yoga leading to raja yoga leading to liberation.

Brian Dana Akers and the people at YogaVidya are to be complimented for bringing this text to the general public and for doing so in a most attractive manner. This is the book you want after you have finished with the popular texts.

This is a unique translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Sometime in the 15th Century, Yogi Svatmarama put down his principals of the practice of Yoga. Many of these include the mysteries of Kundalini --the coiled center of energy close to the base of the spine. But there is a lot more here for the student of yoga, including photos of the various "asanas" or positions, health, diet and mental hygiene. If you read Sanskrit, this would be a treasure. If you don't, you still have a line-by-line translation of this ancient and honored work. It's like listening to the yogi himself as he lectures his disciples. Fascinating reading--and if you are a practicing yogi or yogini, you'll find this insightful.

If you have ever glimpsed at an ancient Indian writing, you are bound to be stuck with the interpretation of the author - whether you agree or disagree. With his translation of the 'Hatha Yoga Pradipika', Brian Dan Akers does a wonderful job of keeping his aim of interpretation to the reader. The translation is simple and clear; loyal to the original text. The English translation juxtapositioned with the Sanskrit text provides clear insight into what Svatmarama had in mind. You can see a lot of thought has gone into making this text clutter-free and simple.

As with many aged Indian texts, you will find the verses often flowery or redundant, but that is the way it was. Brian manages to stick to his objective of passing this ancient text to the reader in its original sense as you can read from his acknowledgement. What I like about this text is that I can go back to the 'source' and quickly read up on an asanas or a mudra as it was taught by the teacher. This gives me the freedom to mould my yoga experience with the ancient teachings. As with other publications from the publisher - [...] - you will find many clear contextual photographs that aid your interpretation. Now I can rest assured when I travel I can take a whole set of Yogic teachings - Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva Samhita, Gherand Samhita and Bhagavad Gita - along with me without burdening the baggage. These books are a must have in your Yoga libraray for their original content and conciseness.

After finding this book in the lending library at a studio near bye, was happy to read this simple translation with some of the deeper practices. It is not very often you come across information like this in a studio library; as they generally tend toward only sharing practices that are "socially acceptable". It seems if a practitioner is attracted to this book and these practices then that is the guru the student needs at that time. Also the very affordable price and free shipping made it even sweeter:)

This is one of the best books ever you can get.... I love the way it makes yoga simple and how it really gets you going with your practice very motivating!

Aker's translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika includes both Sanskrit and English, along with helpful pictures that bring the poses described to life. As a Yoga teacher and Ayurvedic practitioner, I recommend this translation in many of my yoga teacher trainings and advanced trainings. I also leave a couple of these books in our studio library for those new to yoga. This book is very affordable and good quality.

I suggest caution with some of the practices in this both. Please consult a qualified and experienced Yoga or Ayurveda teacher for guidance when seeking to practice what is described in this book.

For anyone starting or keeping a yoga practice, this book is a clear and sincere reference to some age-old wisdom. Akers' translation of the Pradipika appears free of any interpretation or indoctrination sometimes found in mass-market translations. Anything worth doing, like yoga itself, requires effort. This book requires effort. You will do the work of understanding its metaphors through your own experiences and developments. You'll want to look up the occasional yoga-jargon, left to preserve Svatmarama's original intentions in writing the Pradipika. We're lucky to have translations like this available today to help complete a practice, study, or library of yoga. Recommended without hesitation.

This is my first copy of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and as a beginner in yogic philosophy I found this book easy to follow and understand. Even though I can not read sanskrit, I like that it is included in the text. The photos are clear and a nice addition to the text. From asanas to mudras, this book is a gem.

As a student of yoga, I have seen "The Hatha Yoga Pradipika" on several Yoga-teacher trainers' lists of recommended or required reading. The generally short verses focus on:

1) Asana, the physical practice of yoga postures, which are accompanied by helpful photos of an accomplished practitioner;
2) Pranayama, or energy control facilitated mainly by the breath;
3) Mudras or energy seals; and
4) Samadhi, the non-dualistic state of super-consciousness achieved through dedicated practice and meditation.

As such, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika concentrates and expands on three of the eight limbs of classical Raja Yoga (Ashtanga) described in the Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali. The verses assume that the reader has a working knowledge of Yoga philosophy, practice, and terminology and Brian Akers acknowledges that the translation reflects an "esoteric work that is purposely oblique at times...."; one that will require some work from the reader. To me this adds a measure of mystique to the book that may entice the reader to further study. It would be nice if there were photos or diagrams to accompany the verses in Chapter Two - Pranayama and Chapter Three - Mudras to support and help to explain the narrative, but even still, I would recommend the book to any serious yoga student who seeks a fuller understanding of traditional Hatha Yoga.

Ably translated into English by Brian Dana Akers, The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is the classic sourcebook on Hatha Yoga, written by an East Indian yoga master named Svatmarama in the fifteenth century C.E. to preserve for future generations his own experience and the wisdom of older works now lost. This faithful reproduction of the crucial text features the original Sanskrit side-by-side with the exacting English translation. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika reads as a selection of individual phrases describing the hatha yoga poses and giving insight into the spiritual nature of yoga. Black-and-white photographs illustrate several of the poses. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika is an impressive and highly recommended reference for students and devoted practitioners of Hatha Yoga.