The Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā — trans. Pancham Sinh (1915)
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The translator’s English as printed (Pancham Sinh). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
Uddiyana is always very easy, when learnt from a guru. The practiser of this, if old, becomes young again. 57.
The portions above and below the navel, should be drawn backwards towards the spine. By practising this for six months one can undoubtedly conquer death. 58.
Of all the Bandhas, Uddiyana is the best; for by binding it firmly liberation comes spontaneously. 59.
The Mula Bandha.
Pressing Yoni (perineum) with the heel, contract up the anus. By drawing the Apana thus, Mula Bandha is made. 60.
The Apana, naturally inclining downward, is made to go up by force.
This Mula Bandha is spoken of by Yogis as done by contracting the anus.
61.
Pressing the heel well against the anus, draw up the air by force, again and again till it (air) goes up. 62.
Prana, Apana, Nada and Bindu uniting into one in this way, give success in Yoga, undoubtedly. 63.
By the purification of Prana, and Apana, urine and excrements decrease. Even an old man becomes young by constantly practising Mula Bandha. 64.
Going up, the Apana enters the zone of fire, i.e., the stomach. The flame of fire struck by the air is thereby lengthened. 65.
Note.—देहमध्ये शिखिस्थानं तप्तजाम्बूनदप्रभम् । त्रिकोणंतु मनुष्याणां चतुरस्रं चतुष्पदाम् ॥ मण्डलं तु पतंगानां सत्यमेतद्ब्रवीमि ते । तन्मध्येतु शिखातन्वी सदा तिष्ठति पावके ॥ याज्ञवल्क्ये—
In the centre of the body is the seat of fire, like heated gold. In men it is triangular, in quadrupeds square, in birds circular. There is a long thin flame in this fire. It is gastric fire.
These, fire and Apana, go to the naturally hot Prana, which, becoming inflamed thereby, causes burning sensation in the body. 66.
The Kundalini, which has been sleeping all this time, becomes well heated by this means and awakens well. It becomes straight like a serpent, struck dead with a stick. 67.
It enters the Brahma Nadi, just as a serpent enters its hole. Therefore, the Yogi should always practise this Mula Bandha. 68.
The Jalandhara Bandha.
Contract the throat and press the chin firmly against the chest.
This is called Jalandhara Bandha, which destroys old age and death. 69.
It stops the opening (hole) of the group of the Nadis, through which the juice from the sky (from the Soma or Chandra in the brain) falls down. It is, therefore, called the Jalandhara Bandha —the destroyer of a host of diseases of the throat. 70.
In Jalandhara Bandha, the indications of a perfect contraction of throat are, that the nectar does not fall into the fire (the Surya situated in the navel), and the air is not disturbed. 71.
The two Nadis should be stopped firmly by contracting the throat. This is called the middle circuit or centre (Madhya Chakra), and it stops the 16 adharas (i.e., vital parts). 72.
Note.— अंगुष्ठ गुल्फ जानूरु सीवनी लिंगनाभयः । हृद्ग्रीवा कंठदेशश्च लंबिका नासिका तथा ॥ भ्रूमध्यं च ललाटं च मूर्धाच ब्रह्मरंध्रकम् । एतेहि षोडशाधाराः कथिता योगिपुंगवैः ॥ The sixteen vital parts mentioned by renowned Yogis are the (1) thumbs, (2) ankles, (3) knees, (4) thighs, (5) the prepuce, (6) organs of generation, (17) the navel, (8) the heart, (9) the neck, (10) the throat, (11) the palate, (12) the nose, (13) the middle of the eyebrows, (14) the forehead, (15) the head and (16) the Brahma randhra.
By drawing up the mulasthana (anus,) Uddiyana Bandha should be performed. The flow of the air should be directed to the Susumna, by closing the Ida and the Pingala. 73.
The Prana becomes calm and latent by this means, and thus there is no death, old age, disease, etc. 74.
These three Bandhas are the best of all and have been practised by the masters. Of all the means of success in the Hatha Yoga, they are known to the Yogis as the chief ones. 75.
The whole of the nectar, possessing divine qualities, which exudes from the Soma (Chandra) is devoured by the Surya; and, owing to this, the body becomes old. 76.
To remedy this, the opening of the Surya is avoided by excellent means. It is to be learnt best by instructions from a guru; but not by even a million discussions. 77.
The Viparita Karani.
Above the navel and below the palate respectively, are the Surya and the Chandra. The exercise, called the Viparita Karani, is learnt from the guru’s instructions. 78.
This exercise increases the appetite; and, therefore, one who practises it, should obtain a good supply of food. If the food be scanty, it will burn him at once. 79.
Place the head on the ground and the feet up into the sky, for a second only the first day, and increase this time daily. 80.
After six months, the wrinkles and grey hair are not seen. He who practises it daily, even for two hours, conquers death. 81.
The Vajroli.
Even if one who lives a wayward life, without observing any rules of
Yoga, but performs Vajroli, deserves success and is a Yogi. 82.
Two things are necessary for this, and these are difficult to get for the ordinary people—(1) milk and (2) a woman behaving, as desired. 83.
By practising to draw in the bindu, discharged during cohabitation,
whether one be a man or a woman, one obtains success in the practice of
Vajroli. 84.
By means of a pipe, one should blow air slowly into the passage in the male organ. 85.
By practice, the discharged bindu is drawn out. One can draw back and preserve one’s own discharged bindu. 86.
The Yogi who can protect his bindu thus, overcomes death ; because death comes by discharging bindu, and life is prolonged by its preservation. 87.
By preserving bindu, the body of the Yogi emits a pleasing smell. There is no fear of death, so long as the bindu is well-established in the body. 88.