THE LIGHT ON HATHA YOGA

original title: "The Hatha Yoga Pradipika"

...feet firmly joined to one another with both the hands. This Auspicious Posture: Bhadrâsana is the destroyer of all diseases. 55 and 56.

The expert Yogîs call this the Posture of Gorakṣa: Gorakṣa âsana. By sitting in this posture, the master of Yoga gets rid of fatigue. 57.

original: "gorakṣāsanamityāhuridaṃ vai siddhayoginaḥ || evamāsanabandheṣu yogīndro vigataśramaḥ || 57 ||"

The energy channels: Nâdis should be cleansed of their impurities by performing the seals: mudrâs, etc., (which are the practices relating to the movement of breath), postures: Âsanas, breath retentions: Kumbhakas, and various extraordinary seals: mudrâs. 58.

original: "abhyasennāḍikāśuddhiṃ mudrādipavanakriyām || āsanaṃ kumbhakaṃ citraṃ mudrākhyaṃ karaṇaṃ tathā || 58 ||"

By regular and close attention to the inner sound: Nâda (the unstruck sound: anâhata nâda) in Haṭha Yoga, a celibate student: Brahmachari who is sparing in diet, unattached to objects of enjoyment, and devoted to Yoga, gains success, without a doubt, within a year. 59.

original: "atha nādānusandhānamabhyāsānukramo haṭhe | brahmacārī mitāhārī tyāgī yogaparāyaṇaḥ | abdādūrdhvaṃ bhavetsiddho nātra kāryā vicāraṇā || 59 ||"

Moderate diet: Mitâhâra is that in which three-quarters of hunger is satisfied with food that is well-cooked with clarified butter (ghee) and sweets, and eaten as an offering to the Lord of Yoga: Śiva. 60.

original: "susnigdhamadhurāhāraścaturthāṃśa vivarjitaḥ | bhujyate śivasaṃprītyai mitāhāraḥ sa ucyate || 60 ||"

कट्वम्ल तीक्ष्ण लवणोष्ण हरीत्शाक

सौवीरतैलतिलसर्षप मद्य मत्स्यान् ।

आजादि मांस दधि तक्र कुलत्थ कोल

पिण्याक हिंगु लशुनाद्य मपथ्य माहुः ॥ ६१ ॥

original Sanskrit listing prohibited items for the student of Yoga

Foods injurious to a Yogî.

Bitter, sour, saltish, hot, green vegetables, fermented liquids, oily substances, foods mixed with sesame seed or mustard seed, intoxicating liquors, fish, meat, curds, buttermilk: chhaasa, certain pulses, plums, oil-cake, asafœtida: hinga, garlic, onion, etc., should not be eaten. 61.

One should know that food which is reheated, dry, excessively salty, or sour, as well as poor-quality grains and vegetables that cause a burning sensation, must be avoided.

The practitioner should, at the beginning, avoid the company of fire (hearths), women, and long journeys. 62.

original: "bhojanamahitaṃ vidyātpunarasyoṣṇīkṛtaṃ rūkṣam | atilavaṇamamlayuktaṃ kadaśanaśākotkaṭaṃ varjyam | vahnistrīpathisevānāmādau varjanamācaret || 62 ||"