हठयोग प्रदीपिका (योगी स्वात्माराम - ज्योत्स्ना टीका सहित सटीक)

HAṬHAYOGAPRADĪPIKĀ FIRST CHAPTER

1. I SALUTE the primeval Lord [Śiva], who taught [Pārvatī] the Haṭhayoga-vidyā, which is as a stairway for those who wish to attain the lofty Rāja- yoga. Commentary Nearly every work on Yoga and the Tantra-s is in the form of an exposition by Śiva, the great Yogin, to his consort Pārvatī. The word haṭha is composed of the syllables ha and tha, meaning the Sun and the Moon, i.e. Prāṇa and Apāna. Their yoga or union, i.e. Prāṇāyāma, is called Haṭha-yoga. In this stanza and through- out the work, it is stated that Haṭha-yoga is only a means to Rāja-yoga. 'There can be no Rāja-yoga without Haṭha-yoga and vice versa' (II. 76 below).
2. Svātmārāma Yogin, having saluted his Lord and Guru, teaches the Haṭha-vidyā solely for the attain- ment of Rāja-yoga. By using the word 'solely' it is made plain that the object of practising Haṭha-yoga is to prepare for Rāja-yoga, and not to obtain the siddhi-s (psychical powers). These powers are only incidental and secondary. The course of Haṭha-yoga is meant to give complete control over the bodily organs and the mind, so that the Yogin might keep good health and not be troubled during the ensuing course of Rāja-yoga, which will lead him to Kaivalya or final emancipation.