The Hatha Yoga Pradipika

I found all of the other reviews of this book to be very helpful, so am writing this review to emphasize that this book consists of a very basic translation of the original work which I found, as a beginning student, quite accessible (as opposed to being esoteric and full of weird terms).I second another reviewer's comment that the writer's translation style is "straightforward, clear and elegant".I will add, in this review, a comment about where this book fits into the overall study of yoga. This book is one of the basic reference texts. Not the only one, but its value is that it is short, and contains JUST the translation of the basic text by the same name (Hatha Yoga Pradipika) that was originally published in the fifteenth century, in Sanskrit.I think it would be difficult for anyone to just take this book and start learning yoga from scratch. One could do that, but most people will probably want to work with an instructor, and/or use videos which can be downloaded from the internet. Anyone starting yoga would also be well advised to try several different instructors, if that is possible, and practice with the style that seems to resonate best.I only started doing serious reading about yoga after I began to learn and practice Ashtanga Yoga, which -- unfortunately, I think -- wasn't until about three years into my own practice. Now, I consider this book to be a basic and indispensible reference source. Many other books might refer to its translations, but for what it is -- a simple and unadorned translation of the actual original text -- it is very useful. Kind of like having a "pocket" dictionary to walk around with when you are in a foreign country, compared to having a big, fat, huge comprehensive dictionary to use when you are at home with all of your other books when you are going into more detailed studies.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika was required for my yoga teacher training program. I found it to be an interesting and excellent supplement to the didactic and practical elements of my training. For a student just beginning the study of the written teachings of hatha yoga, the structure of the book makes it easy to get through. The pictures are both essential and helpful. Use of the original Sanskrit was a beautiful addition. While I think the book would be more difficult to practically use for a student beginning hatha yoga without other instruction, for a practicioner with a regular practice, or a newer student studying with a trained teacher, it would be a great enhancement to their study. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika

This is a beautiful English translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, originally in Sanskrit. To be precise, the title of this book as given by the author Svatmarama himself is simply Hatha Pradipika (see verse 1.3). It was renamed Hatha Yoga Pradipika or ‘light of hatha’ by Western translators some centuries ago.The current translator includes helpful photographs (black and white) of a Yogini demonstrating various hatha yoga postures.Svatmarama was an Indian Yogi living around the 15th to 16th century. He became renowned for popularizing hatha yoga through this book. He shows us in easy to understand verses how to prepare your body for internal and external purification using various kriyas.He also shows the various practices you require to attain miraculous powers of clairvoyance and telekinesis. Indeed, the master yogi’s soul can travel at will around the galaxy (brahmanda, Sanskrit), says Svatmarama. Additionally, when yoga is mastered, you experience God within your Self and you bathe in pure bliss or “samadhi,” free of bodily pain and disease.Indeed, new studies of ancient texts are indicating that Svatmarama’s (and Patanjali’s) claims could be genuine. It appears that ancient yogis were in possession of extraordinary knowledge concerning our universe. If this is true, not only will you become much healthier by practicing hatha yoga, you will generally become more intuitive and somewhat clairvoyant.Full disclosure: I’m a peer-reviewed researcher and author on this subject as well as emerging connections between ancient yoga and the Bible. ~ Sanjay C Patel ~ SanjayCPatel.com

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.

If you are completely new to yoga, DON'T buy any version of this. Or do, and spend some time with a yoga dictionary to figure out what is being talked about. This book is clearly written and is easy to understand, if you have some background in yoga. Sri Sri dear author, you did is a favor with this work!

The Hatha Yoga Pradapika is a must-read for anyone interested in Hatha Yoga. It should be required reading for any aspiring hatha yogi or yogini. This more recent translation is highly accessible and understandable. The Sankrit is nicely printed (not too small) and the pacing and spacing of the print run are excellent. The pictures are a nice addition without being overwhelming or tacky. Yogavidya.com is doing an awesome job publishing improved, or new English translations of yoga-relevant texts.