The following translations are samples taken from the
fairly voluminous Hathapradipika of which the
first chapter is used as a Bible for the majority of
yoga students around the world. Later chapters contain
some very false translations which can only be
attributed to a deliberate attempt to suppress the
methods for increasing inner creative powers.
Nevertheless, even when accurately translated, the truth
contained within these verses is quite safe in the
modern world, since the required preliminary mental and
physical abilities are virtually non-existent within the
majority of modern individuals. The distorted writings
shift the original teaching to advocate such things as
the obviously impossible task of cutting the base of the
tongue in the mouth so that it can stretch up into the
sinus cavity. Similarly, the original verses that
describe the development of powers within individuals
were generally shifted to promote obeisance to external
powers. This shift is quite obvious in the modern
definition of the word hathayoga as meaning
‘gentle’ yoga rather than the original and literal
meaning of being ‘forceful’ yoga.
The
Hathapradipika provides an excellent
explanation of the early Dionysiac mysteries depicted in
their references to lingams and winnowing baskets (Liknon)
similar to those in the Rig Veda. We therefore
start with 27th followed by the 35th verse in Book I, the supreme pose,
called the siddhasana, or the door to inner
powers. The preceding positions or asanas described in
Book I can be considered as preparation for this
position of stimulating the source of inner power. The
35th
verse is truly a door opener when the inner responses to
the interaction of upward pressure of the foot and
downward pressure of churning are found and controlled.
Before reading the
Hathapradipika, the reader is
advised to remember the experiences of childhood when
ecstasy, evolution and creative energy were so
prevalent. The highly developmental games of children
are quite forceful rather than quiet and gentle; inner
feelings and body motions are amplified rather than
suppressed as children learn to manifest their inner
dreams. Children learn to overcome their frustrations
and feelings though violent activities with the most
violent being the total body involvement in deep
sobbing. The area of the perineum that children delight
in stimulating through pratfalls and sliding etc. is
called the yoni in the following text. The
resulting rising power is an inner god called Indra.
The god Agni is used as an allegory for the
sensation of inner fire or heat.
Findingpower.com
