41. What is the Haṭhapradīpikā?
Yoga Studies in Five Minutes - Theodora Wildcroft
Nils Jacob Liersch [+]
SOAS, University of London, University of Oxford and University of Marburg
Nils Jacob Liersch is a research assistant involved in the "Light on Haṭha" project at the
University of London (SOAS), the University of Oxford and the University of Marburg. This
project aims to produce a critical edition of the Haṭhapradīpikā between 2021 and 2024. In
addition to his role in the project, he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Institute for Indology and Tibetology at the University of Marburg under the supervision of Jürgen Hanneder.Liersch's Ph.D. research focuses on preparing a critical edition and annotated translation of Rāmacandra's Yogatattvabindu (possibly also called Tattvayogabindu), a yoga textbook from the 16th to 18th century that systematises fifteen different yogas. This particular text was likely compiled for a non-ascetic and courtly audience.
Description
The Haṭhapradīpikā, often known as Haṭhayogapradīpikā in the secondary literature, is a practical guide to the form of yoga known as haṭhayoga (“yoga of force”), written in Sanskrit verse. Due to its immense popularity and impact on the entire genre, the Haṭhapradīpikā is considered a milestone in yoga literature.