Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.11-2.14: Measure of Practice and Initial Signs

Four daily practice times, stages of effect, the massaging of perspiration, and initial dietary rules structure the early practice.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.11

प्रातर्मध्यंदिने सायम् अर्धरात्रे च कुम्भकान् |

prātar madhyaṃdine sāyam; ardha-rātre ca kumbhakān | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

prātar	prātar adverb	in the morning, at sunrise
madhyaṃdine lokative singular	madhyaṃdina substantive neuter	at midday
sāyam	sāyam adverb	in the evening, at sunset
ardha tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	ardha substantive neuter	half
rātre lokative singular	rātra substantive neuter	in the night
ca	ca particle	and
kumbhakān accusative plural	kumbhaka substantive masculine	kumbhakas, breath retentions

शनैरशीतिपर्यन्तं चतुर्वारं समभ्यसेत् ||11||

śanair aśīti-paryantaṃ; catur-vāraṃ samabhyaset ||11|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śanaiḥ	śanaiḥ adverb	slowly, gradually
aśīti dvigu-compound	aśīti numeral	eighty
paryantam accusative singular	paryanta substantive neuter	limit, up to
catur dvigu-compound	catur numeral	four
vāram accusative singular	vāra substantive masculine	times, practice rounds
samabhyaset 3rd person singular aktive optative	sam previx abhyas verbal root	he should practise thoroughly

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

In the morning (prātaḥ), at midday (madhyaṃdine | loc sg), in the evening (sāyam), and (ca) at midnight (ardha-rātre | loc sg), he should gradually (śanaiḥ) practise thoroughly (samabhyaset | 3p sg act opt) the retentions (kumbhakān | acc pl), up to eighty (aśīti-paryantam | acc sg), across four practice sessions (catur-vāram | acc sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The Kumbhakas should be practised carefully at four times of day: morning, noon, evening, and midnight. The daily total is gradually increased to eighty.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Brahmānanda defines the four practice times more precisely as dawn, noon, dusk, and midnight. At each session, the number is gradually to rise to 80, making a total of 320 breathing cycles. According to his tradition, one who cannot practise at midnight uses the three transitional times and completes 240.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

Kumbhakas should be performed gradually 4 times during day and night, i.e., (morning, noon, evening and midnight), till the number of Kumbhakas for one time is 80 and for day and night together it is 320.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

He should perform Kumbhakas four times a day—in the early morning, midday, evening and midnight-till he increases the number to Eighty.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Morgens, Mittags, Abends und um Mitternacht soll man langsam viermal achtzig Kumbhaka ausführen.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.12

कनीयसि भवेत्स्वेदः कम्पो भवति मध्यमे |

kanīyasi bhavet svedaḥ; kampo bhavati madhyame | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kanīyasi lokative singular neuter comperative	kanīyas adjective	at the lower stage
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	it should occur, happens
svedaḥ nominative singular	sveda substantive masculine	sweat
kampaḥ nominative singular	kampa substantive masculine	trembling
bhavati 3rd person singular aktive present	bhū verbal root	arises, occurs
madhyame lokative singular neuter	madhyama adjective	at the middle stage

उत्तिष्ठत्युत्तमे प्राणरोधे पद्मासने मुहुः ||12||

uttiṣṭhaty uttame prāṇa;-rodhe padmāsane muhuḥ ||12|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

uttiṣṭhati 3rd person singular aktive present	ud previx sthā verbal root	he rises, moves upward
uttame lokative singular neuter superlative	uttama adjective	at the highest stage
prāṇa tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	prāṇa substantive masculine	of the breath
rodhe lokative singular	rodha substantive neuter	in stopping, retaining
padma tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	padma substantive neuter	in lotus
āsane lokative singular	āsana substantive neuter	in the posture
muhuḥ	muhur adverb	repeatedly

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

At first, sweating often occurs; later, trembling may arise. During very intense retentions, the body in the lotus posture may sometimes repeatedly rise as if by itself.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Brahmānanda cites different measures for short, intermediate, and highest retention, indirectly warning against the appearance of a single unambiguous duration. What matters is his sequence of stages. As the duration and stability of Prāṇa held in the region of the crown increase, the same process is successively called Pratyāhāra, Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna, and Samādhi. The higher limbs of yoga thus appear as deepening forms of Prāṇāyāma.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

uttiṣṭhaty uttame prāṇarodhe padmāsane muhuḥ MBHDL2026 ] uttame sthānam āpnoti tato vāyuṃ nibandhayet NS1882

Critical Apparatus

In the beginning there is perspiration, in the middle stage there is quivering, and in the last or the 3rd stage one obtains steadiness; and then the breath should be made steady or motionless.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

In the first stage, the body perspires; in the second, a tremor is felt throughout the body, and in the highest stage, the Prana goes to the Brahmarandhra; so one should perform Pranayama.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

(Es gibt drei Grade des Prânâyâma:) Im geringeren wird Schweiss erzeugt, im mittleren entsteht Zittern, im höchsten erreicht der Athem das Brahmarandhra (nach Com. sthana = brahmarandhra); dann lasse man den Athem wieder heraus.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.13

जलेन श्रमजातेन गात्रमर्दनमाचरेत् |

jalena śrama-jātena; gātra-mardanam ācaret | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

jalena instrumental case singular	jala substantive neuter	with water, here fluid or sweat
śrama tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	śrama substantive neuter	from exertion
jātena instrumental case singular neuter past participle passive	jan verbal root	arisen, produced
gātra tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	gātra substantive neuter	of the limbs, body
mardanam accusative singular	mardana substantive neuter	rubbing, massaging
ācaret 3rd person singular aktive optative	ā previx car verbal root	should perform

दृढता लघुता चापि तेन गात्रस्य जायते ||13||

dṛḍhatā laghutā cāpi; tena gātrasya jāyate ||13|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

dṛḍhatā nominative singular	dṛḍhatā substantive feminine	firmness
laghutā nominative singular	laghutā substantive feminine	lightness, mobility
ca	ca particle	and
api	api particle	also
tena instrumental case singular	tad pronoun dem	thereby
gātrasya genitive singular	gātra substantive neuter	of the body, limbs
jāyate 3rd person singular medial present	jan verbal root	arises, becomes

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

After practice, gently rub the perspiration into the skin and massage the body with it. This is said to foster both stability and lightness.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The perspiration produced by exertion is not to be wiped away. Brahmānanda has it rubbed into the body as in an oil massage; this is said to produce firmness and lightness. The commentary thus treats perspiration as part of the historical practice.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

cāpi MBHDL2026 ] caiva NS1882

Critical Apparatus

The perspiration exuding from exertion of practice should be rubbed into the body (and not wiped), as by so doing the body becomes strong.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

Rub well on the body the perspiration given out. This gives firmness and lightness to the whole constitution.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Mit dem Schweiss, den die Anstrengung hervorbringt, reibe man den Körper ein. Dadurch entsteht Festigkeit und Leichtigkeit des Körpers.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.14

अभ्यासकाले प्रथमे शस्तं क्षीराज्यभोजनम् |

abhyāsa-kāle prathame; śastaṃ kṣīrājya-bhojanam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

abhyāsa tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	abhyāsa substantive masculine	of practice
kāle lokative singular	kāla substantive masculine	at the time
prathame lokative singular neuter	prathama adjective	at the first stage, initially
śastam nominative singular neuter	śasta adjective	wholesome, recommended
kṣīra dvandva-compound	kṣīra substantive neuter	milk
ājya dvandva-compound	ājya substantive neuter	ghee, clarified butter
bhojanam nominative singular	bhojana substantive neuter	food

ततो ऽभ्यासे दृढीभूते न तादृङ्नियमग्रहः ||14||

tato 'bhyāse dṛḍhī-bhūte; na tādṛṅ-niyama-grahaḥ ||14|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tataḥ	tatas adverb	then, afterward
abhyāse lokative absolutus singular	abhyāsa substantive masculine	in practice
dṛḍhī karmadhāraya-compound	dṛḍha adjective	firm, established
bhūte lokative absolutus singular masculine past participle passive	bhū verbal root	having become, entered
na	na particle	not
tādṛś karmadhāraya-compound	tādṛś adjective	such, of this kind
niyama tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	niyama substantive neuter	rule, prescription
grahaḥ nominative singular	graha substantive masculine	taking up, observing

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

During the period of practice (abhyāsa-kāle | loc sg), at the first stage (prathame | loc sg n), a diet of milk and ghee (kṣīra-ājya-bhojanam | nom sg) is recommended (śastam | nom sg n); afterwards (tataḥ), when the practice has become firmly established (abhyāse dṛḍhī-bhūte | loc sg), there is no clinging to such rules (na tādṛṅ-niyama-grahaḥ | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

At the beginning, simple and nourishing food, such as milk and ghee, is helpful. Once your practice is stable, you no longer need to cling so strictly to such instructions.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

According to Brahmānanda, the initial diet of milk and ghee remains binding until the practice is established in Kevala Kumbhaka. “Established practice” denotes the already attained spontaneous suspension of breath.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

During the first stage of practice the food consisting of milk and ghee is wholesome. When the practice becomes established, no such restriction is necessary.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

In the early stages of practice he should take food mixed with milk and ghee. But when he has advanced he need not observe such restrictions.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Für die erste Uebungszeit werden Milch und zerlassene Butter für geeignete Nahrung gehalten. Ist man aber in der Uebung sicher geworden, so braucht man diese Beschränkung nicht mehr.

Hermann Walter - 1893

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

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The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

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Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.11-2.14: Measure of Practice and Initial Signs

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