Haṭha Pradīpikā 1.2
प्रणम्य श्रीगुरुं नाथं स्वात्मारामेण योगिना |
केवलं राजयोगाय हठविद्योपदिश्यते ||2||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
Having bowed (praṇamya | abs) to the glorious guru (śrī-guruṃ | acc sg), the Lord (nāthaṃ | acc sg), the Haṭha system (haṭha-vidyā | nom sg) is taught (upadiśyate | 3p sg pas pres) by the yogi (yoginā | ins sg) Svātmārāma (svātmārāmeṇa | ins sg) solely (kevalam) for Rājayoga (rāja-yogāya | dat sg).
Svātmārāma bows to his guru and makes the purpose clear: Haṭha is not taught here as an end in itself, but as a path to Rājayoga.
Brahmānanda interprets the word “alone” (kevalam) in relation to the goal: the true purpose of the Haṭha teaching is Rājayoga, not the acquisition of extraordinary powers. Siddhis may arise incidentally, but they are not the primary aim. Through Rājayoga, one is ultimately to reach Kaivalya, final liberation.
Yogin Swâtmârâma, after saluting first his Gurû Srinâtha explains Haṭha Yoga for the attainment of Raja Yoga.
Swatmarama Yogi, having saluted his own Guru, gives out the Hathavidya solely for the attainment of Raja Yoga.
Nach Verneigung vor dem erhabenen Lehrer, dem Meister, erklärt der Yogin Svâtmârâma bloss zum Zweck der Erreichung des Rajayoga die Lehre vom Hathayoga.
Haṭha Pradīpikā 1.3
भ्रान्त्या बहुमतध्वान्ते राजमार्गमजानताम् |
हठप्रदीपिकां धत्ते स्वात्मारामः कृपाकरः ||3||
Metre: Anuṣṭubh
For those who, through confusion (bhrāntyā | ins sg), do not know (ajānatām | gen pl pca) the royal path (rāja-mārgam | acc sg) in the darkness of many doctrines (bahu-mata-dhvānte | loc sg), Svātmārāma (svātmārāmaḥ | nom sg), full of compassion (kṛpā-karaḥ | nom sg m), holds up (dhatte | 3p sg med pres) the Lamp on Haṭha (haṭha-pradīpikām | acc sg).
For all who have lost their way in the darkness of many doctrines and cannot see the royal path, Svātmārāma holds up this lamp of Haṭha Yoga.
Brahmānanda reads the name Svātmārāma programmatically as “one who delights in his own self.” He thereby places the author at the highest of seven stages of knowledge:
- Śubhecchā: the desire for liberation founded on discernment and detachment.
- Vicāraṇā: listening to and critically reflecting on the teaching.
- Tanumānasā: the mind becomes “thin” and flows with concentration toward a single real object.
- Sattvāpatti: direct realization of “I am Brahman.”
- Asaṃsakti: non-attachment even to Siddhis that may arise.
- Parārthābhāvinī: what is other than Brahman is no longer regarded as an independent reality.
- Turyagā: uninterrupted absorption from which the yogi emerges neither independently nor through the intervention of others.
Brahmānanda thus understands the “lamp” as the compassionate instruction of one who is already liberated, offered for the sake of those who remain ignorant.
rājamārgam MBHDL2026 ] rājayogam NS1882
Owing to the darkness arising from the multiplicity of opinions people are unable to know the Râja Yoga. Compassionate Swâtmârâma composes the Haṭha Yoga Pradipikâ like a torch to dispel it.
To those who wander in the darkness of the conflicting Sects unable to obtain Raja Yoga; the most merciful Swatmarama Yogi offers the light of Hathavidya.
Denjenigen, welche in der Finsterniss der Meinungsverschiedenheiten, welche dem Irrthum entspringen, den Rajayoga nicht kennen, verleiht der mitleidige Svâtmârâma die Leuchte des Hathayoga.
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