If the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are the philosophy of yoga, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika is its practice manual. Written in the fifteenth century, it is the best-known classical text on Hatha yoga, and much of what is taught in yoga classes today, from the postures to the breathing practices and bandhas, can be traced back to it.
Who wrote it and when
The Pradipika, "the lamp on Hatha yoga", was composed by Svatmarama, a yogi of the Nath tradition, usually dated to the fifteenth century. He opens by honouring Adinatha (Shiva) and the line of Hatha masters that includes Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath, and gathers the teachings of earlier texts into one systematic work. Its purpose is stated at the start: Hatha yoga is a staircase for those who wish to reach Raja yoga, the meditative path of the Yoga Sutras. The body and breath are trained so that the mind can become still.
The four chapters
Chapter 1: Asana
The first chapter describes fifteen postures, among them Swastikasana, Gomukhasana, Virasana, Kurmasana, Dhanurasana, Matsyendrasana, Paschimottanasana, Mayurasana, Shavasana, Siddhasana and Padmasana. It mentions that Shiva taught eighty-four asanas, and singles out Siddhasana as the most important. Most of the postures are seated, because their purpose is to prepare the body to sit steadily for pranayama and meditation. The chapter also covers the yogi's place of practice, diet, and the qualities that help or hinder progress; it is the classical source for the idea of a moderate, sattvic diet.
Chapter 2: Pranayama and the shatkarmas
The second chapter teaches breath control, beginning with the purification of the energy channels (nadis) through alternate nostril breathing. For people with an excess of fat or phlegm it first prescribes the six cleansing practices, the shatkarmas. It then describes eight kumbhakas: surya bhedana, ujjayi, sheetkari, sheetali, bhastrika, bhramari, murchha and plavini; our guide to the types of pranayama explains each one. It warns that the breath must be controlled gradually, as one tames a lion, an elephant or a tiger.
Chapter 3: Mudra and bandha
The third chapter teaches ten mudras, the "seals" that direct energy within the body, including the three bandhas or locks: mula bandha at the pelvic floor, uddiyana bandha at the abdomen and jalandhara bandha at the throat, as well as maha mudra, khechari mudra and viparita karani. Their stated aim is to awaken kundalini, the dormant energy at the base of the spine.
Chapter 4: Samadhi
The last chapter describes the goal: samadhi, the state in which the mind is absorbed and still. It teaches nadanusandhana, meditation on inner sound, and makes clear that all the physical practices exist for this end.
Why it still matters
The Pradipika shows that Hatha yoga was never only exercise. Postures, breath, cleansing and locks form one method, aimed at meditation, and the text is insistent about moderation, a teacher's guidance and an orderly life. Read today, it is also a useful corrective: many of its asanas are simple seated postures, and its warnings about forcing the breath are as relevant as ever. Two related texts are often studied alongside it: the Gheranda Samhita, which describes a sevenfold path and thirty-two asanas, and the Shiva Samhita.
Which edition to read
Choose a translation with commentary. The Bihar School of Yoga edition, translated by Swami Muktibodhananda, explains each verse from a practitioner's point of view. The Kaivalyadhama institute in Lonavala has published a critical edition, which includes a fifth chapter found in some manuscripts. Read it alongside practice: the text was written for people learning from a teacher, not as a self-study manual, and some practices it describes are not safe to try alone.
Studying the Hatha texts with us
The Hatha texts are part of the philosophy module of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, and the practices they describe, asana, pranayama, shatkarma, mudra and bandha, are taught daily, with their contraindications. The 500 Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training goes further into pranayama, bandha and the classical texts. Our article on Hatha vs Ashtanga yoga explains how today's styles relate to this tradition.
