Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā (Sanskrit: haṭhayōgapradīpikā, हठयोगप्रदीपिका or Light on Hatha Yoga) is a classic fifteenth-century Sanskrit manual on hatha yoga, written by Svāmi Svātmārāma, a disciple of Swami Gorakhnath. It is among the most influential surviving texts on hatha yoga. The Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā is also one of three classic texts on hatha yoga, alongside the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita.

Because this work originated so long ago, different manuscripts offer various versions of its title. The database of the A.C. Woolner manuscript project at the Library of the University of Vienna gives the following variant titles, gleaned from different manuscript colophons: Haṭhayogapradīpikā, Haṭhapradīpikā, Haṭhapradī, Hath-Pradipika.

The Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā was composed by Svātmārāma in the 15th century CE. as a compilation of the earlier hatha yoga texts. Svātmārāma incorporates older Sanskrit concepts into his popular synthesis. In the Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā, Svātmārāma introduces his system as preparatory stage for physical purification that the body practices for higher meditation or Yoga. It is based on asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques).

Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā lists thirty-five earlier Haṭha Yoga masters (Skt. siddha), including Ādi Nātha, Matsyendranātha and Gorakṣanātha. The work consists of four chapters that include information about purification (Skt. ṣaṭkarma), posture (āsana), breath control (prāṇāyāma), spiritual centres in the body (cakra), coiled power (kuṇḍalinī), force postures (bandha), (kriyā), power (śakti), tubes (nāḍī), and symbolic gestures (mudrā), among other topics.

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