Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, Hatha Ratnavali etc., are some of the authentic books on Hatha Yoga. According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika written by Svatmarama Yogindra, Hatha Yoga should be practiced in the following order:
Sloka:
|| āsanam kuṁbhakaṁ citraṁ mudrākhyaṁ karaṇaṁ tathā
athaḥ nādānu sandhāna mabhyāsa kramō haṭhē ||
1. Practice of Asanas
2. Pranayama
3. Practice of Mudras
4. Bandhas or Locks
5. Harnessing in Sound
Svatmarama Yogi also said that, “Any amount of Hatha Yoga practice is futile if it does not show the path to Raja Yoga”.
Sloka:
|| rāja yōgaṁ vinā pṛthvī rāja yōgaṁ vinā niśā
rāja yōgaṁ vinā mudrā vicitrāpi na śōbhatē ||
Hence, in due course of sadhana, Hatha Yoga should lead to Raja Yoga.
All rights reserved. This article has been translated by Padmaja A, which was originally posted in teluguyogi.net on February 15, 2009. The content or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express permission of the publisher.