Hatha Yoga

AMRITA GITA

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION Fourth Edition: 1998 (1,000 Copies) World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 1999. http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/home.html
This WWW reprint is for free distribution � The Divine Life Trust Society
Published By THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192 Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh, Himalayas, India.

CONTENTS

PUBLISHERS’ PREFACE

AMRITA GITA or the Song of Immortality is a boon to seekers after Truth. It fulfils the long-felt need of aspirants who were eager to have in a nutshell the essentials of Yoga Sadhana, the fundamentals of spiritual life, the very cream of the scriptures, which they could read or recite daily.

AMRITA GITA is a Scripture for the Sadhaka’s Svadhyaya. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj has, in his inimitable characteristic style, summarised in this small book the very essence of all religious teaching, and he has strung together a garland of very powerful Yoga-assertions that will at once elevate and inspire the reader.

AMRITA GITA tells you what you ought to know and what you ought to practise. Amrita Gita points to you the Path to Immortality. Daily study of this precious scripture, especially in Brahmamuhurta before the morning meditation, is bound to awaken the spiritual forces lying dormant in the reader, to goad him to more and more intense spiritual Sadhana, and ultimately to take him to the realms of Immortality.

—THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY

Adhyaya I

Hatha Yoga

Hatha means any tenacious practice till the object or end is achieved. “Ha” and “tha” mean the union of the Sun and the Moon, union of Prana and Apana Vayus.
Hatha Yoga concerns with the body and the Prana. It helps to control the body and the Prana, through Asanas and Pranayama.
Hatha Yoga itself is not the goal. Meditation helps you to attain Samadhi or Superconscious State.
The practice of Hatha Yoga awakens the Kundalini Sakti that lies dormant in the Muladhara Chakra.
There are Six Chakras or lotuses in the body. They are Muladhara (near the anus), Svadhisthana (midway between Muladhara and Manipura which is in the navel). Anahata Chakra in the heart, Vishuddha in the neck and Ajna in the space between the two eyebrows and Sahasrara or the thousand-petalled lotus (Chakra) in the crown of the head.
Sushumna rises through all the Chakras. Kundalini passes through the Chakras and joins with Lord Siva in the Sahasrara.
Learn the Asanas, Pranayama, Bandhas, Mudras and the Shad Kriyas under an expert Hatha Yogi.
Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are the three important Nadis in the body.
Ida is the Chandra-Nadi. It cools the body. It flows through the left nostril.
Pingala is the Surya-Nadi. It heats the body. It flows through the right nostril.
Sushumna Nadi flows through both nostrils. It helps meditation. It is Agni-Nadi.
Attain good health through the practice of Yoga Asanas and Pranayama. Without good health, how can you earn, how can you succeed in any undertaking, how can you sit for meditation?
Practise Yoga Asanas and Pranayama on an empty stomach in the early morning.
Be moderate in eating and sleeping. Then alone can you have success in Hatha Yoga.
Be regular in your practice. Regularity is of paramount importance.
Drink a tumbler of milk after finishing the Asanas.
Wait for half an hour after finishing Asanas for taking a bath.
Do Asanas first and then practise Pranayama.
Spend half an hour daily in the practice of Asanas and Pranayama. This will give you health, vim, vigour and vitality. This will remove all diseases.
Dhauti (cleansing of stomach with a piece of cloth), Basti (drawing up of water through anus), Neti (cleansing of nostrils with the help of a thread), Nauli (manipulation of the abdominal muscles), Trataka (gazing on an object), Kapalabhati (a kind of Pranayama)—are the Shad Kriyas of Hatha Yoga.
Sirshasana is the king of all Asanas. It strengthens the brain and the brain-centres and improves memory, and helps Brahmacharya.
Sarvanga, Hala and Ardhamatsyendra Asanas make the spine elastic. Sarvanga develops thyroid gland and bestows good health. It helps Brahmacharya and gives longevity.
Paschimottanasana reduces fat and helps digestion. So does Mayurasana.
Bhujanga, Salabha and Dhanur Asanas remove constipation and muscular rheumatism of the back.
Relax all the muscles through Savasana. Do this Asana in the end.
Ujjayi, Sitkari, Sukha-Purvaka, Suryabheda are other kinds of Pranayama. Through the practice of these Pranayamas Kevala-Kumbhaka results.
Puraka is inhalation of breath; Rechaka is exhalation; Kumbhaka is retention. Kumbhaka gives you longevity and energy.
Sitali Pranayama cools your body and purifies the blood. Bhastrika warms your body and removes asthma and consumption.
Practise Bhandatraya Pranayama. It includes Mula-Bandha or contraction of anus, Jalandara-Bandha or chin-lock and Uddiyana-Bandha, drawing the belly backwards at the end of exhalation.
Maha Mudra is an important Mudra. This removes piles, enlargement of spleen, indigestion, constipation.
Practise Yoga-Mudra daily. This is a good exercise for the abdominal organs.

THUS ENDS HATHA YOGA