Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.21-2.23: Ṣaṭkarma as Preparation

The six actions are recommended only when needed and summarized as a secret group of practices for cleansing the body.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.21

मेदःश्लेष्माधिकः पूर्वं षट्कर्माणि समाचरेत् |

medaḥ-śleṣmādhikaḥ pūrvaṃ; ṣaṭ-karmāṇi samācaret | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

medas dvandva-compound	medas substantive neuter	of fat
śleṣma bahuvrīhi-compund	śleṣman substantive neuter	of phlegm
adhikaḥ nominative singular masculine	adhika adjective	excessive, in excess
pūrvam	pūrvam adverb	first, beforehand
ṣaṭ karmadhāraya-compound	ṣaṭ numeral	six
karmāṇi accusative plural	karma substantive neuter	actions, practices
samācaret 3rd person singular aktive optative	sam previx ā previx car verbal root	he should perform

अन्यस्तु नाचरेत्तानि दोषाणां समभावतः ||21||

anyas tu nācaret tāni; doṣāṇāṃ samabhāvataḥ ||21|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

anyas nominative singular masculine	anya adjective	another, other
tu	tu particle	but
nācaret 3rd person singular aktive optative	na particle ā previx car verbal root	should not perform
tāni accusative plural neuter	tad pronoun dem	these
doṣāṇām genitive plural	doṣa substantive masculine	of the doṣas
samabhāvataḥ ablative singular	samabhāva substantive masculine	because of balance, owing to equilibrium

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

One who has an excess of fat and phlegm (medaḥ-śleṣma-adhikaḥ | nom sg m) should first (pūrvam) practise (samācaret | 3p sg act opt) the six techniques (ṣaṭ karmāṇi | acc pl); another, however (anyas tu), should not practise them (nācaret | 3p sg act opt), because (samabhāvataḥ | abl sg) the doṣas (doṣāṇāṃ | gen pl) are in balance, [and should not practise] these (tāni | acc pl n).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The Ṣaṭkarmas are specialized tools. They may be useful when there is pronounced heaviness or excess mucus, but they are not a compulsory program for everyone.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

According to Brahmānanda, the six cleansings are not a universal preliminary for everyone. They are required before Prāṇāyāma only when there is an excess of body fat and Kapha. A person without this excess, in whom Vāta, Pitta, and Kapha are balanced, is explicitly instructed not to perform them.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

If there be excess of fat or phlegm in the body, the six kinds of kriyâs (duties) should be performed first. But others, not suffering from the excess of these, should not perform them.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

One who is of a flabby and phlegmatic constitution should first practise the six acts. Others should not, as they have not these defects, the three humours, wind, bile and phlegm, being equal in them.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Wenn Einer überflüssiges Fett oder Phlegma hat, so möge er zuerst die folgenden sechs Uebungen ausführen. Ein Anderer braucht sich nicht damit abzugeben, da bei ihm ja die Dosha (die drei humores: Luft, Galle, Phlegma) in richtigem Verhältniss zu einander stehen.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.22

धौती बस्तिर्नितिश्चैव त्राटकं लौलिकं तथा |

dhautī bastir nitiś caiva; trāṭakaṃ laulikaṃ tathā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

dhautī nominative singular	dhautī substantive feminine	Dhautī, cleansing technique
bastiḥ nominative singular	basti substantive feminine	Basti, cleansing technique
nitiḥ nominative singular	niti substantive feminine	Nīti, cleansing technique
ca	ca particle	and
eva	eva particle	indeed
trāṭakam nominative singular	trāṭaka substantive neuter	Trāṭaka, cleansing technique
laulikam nominative singular	laulika substantive neuter	Laulika, cleansing technique
tathā	tathā adverb	likewise

कपालभातिश्चैतानि षट्कर्माणि प्रचक्षते ||22||

kapāla-bhātiś, caitāni; ṣaṭ-karmāṇi pracakṣate ||22|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kapāla tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	kapāla substantive neuter	of the skull
bhātiḥ nominative singular	bhāti substantive feminine	illumination, Kapālabhāti
ca	ca particle	and
etāni nominative plural neuter	etad pronoun dem	these
ṣaṭ dvigu-compound	ṣaṭ numeral	six
karmāṇi nominative plural	karma substantive neuter	actions, techniques
pracakṣate 3rd person plural medial present	pra previx cakṣ verbal root	they call, designate

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The six cleansing techniques are Dhautī, Basti, Niti, Trāṭaka, Laulika, and Kapālabhāti.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

dhautī bastir nitiś caiva MBHDL2026 ] dhautī r bastir nitiś caiva MBHDL2024; dhautir bastis tathā netis NS1882

laulikaṃ MBHDL2026 ] naulikaṃ NS1882

Critical Apparatus

The six kinds of duties are: Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Trâtaka, Nauli and Kapâla Bhâti. These are called the six actions.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

The six acts are Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Trataka, Nauli, and Kapalabhati.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Als diese sechs Uebungen nennt man: Dhauti, Basti, Neti, Trâţaka, Naulika, Kapalabhati.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.23

कर्मषट्कमिदं गोप्यं घटशोधनकारकम् |

karma-ṣaṭkam idaṃ gopyaṃ; ghaṭa-śodhana-kārakam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

karma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	karma substantive neuter	of actions, techniques
ṣaṭkam nominative singular	ṣaṭka substantive neuter	group of six
idam nominative singular neuter	idam pronoun dem	these
gopyam nominative singular neuter future participle passive	gup verbal root	to be kept secret
ghaṭa tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	ghaṭa substantive masculine	of the vessel, here the body
śodhana tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	śodhana substantive neuter	purification
kārakam nominative singular neuter	kāraka adjective	producing, causing

विचित्रगुणसंधायि पूज्यते योगिपुंगवैः ||23||

vicitra-guṇa-saṃdhāyi; pūjyate yogi-puṃgavaiḥ ||23|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

vicitra karmadhāraya-compound	vicitra adjective	manifold, diverse
guṇa tatpuruṣa-compound accusative	guṇa substantive masculine	qualities, benefits
saṃdhāyi nominative singular neuter	saṃdhāyin adjective	producing, bestowing
pūjyate 3rd person singular passive present	pūj verbal root	is revered
yogi tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	yogin substantive masculine	of yogins
puṃgavaiḥ instrumental case plural	puṃgava substantive masculine	by the best, most excellent

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

These six techniques are to be kept secret. The text holds that they purify the body and produce special abilities, which is why eminent yogis value them so highly.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Brahmānanda sees the main function of the six actions as the purification of the bodily vessel. In principle, fat and Kapha could also be diminished through Prāṇāyāma. He explains secrecy in an unusually social way: if the procedures became generally known, others could perform them as well, and mastery of them would no longer give yogis special prestige.

Brahmānanda's Jyotsnā - 19th c.

These six kinds of actions which cleanse the body should be kept secret. They produce extraordinary attributes and are performed with earnestness by the best of Yogîs.

Pancham Sinh - 1915

These six acts that purify the body should be carefully kept secret, as they produce various wonderful results, and, as such, they are held in high esteem by the Great Yogis.

Srinivasa Iyangar - 1893

Diese sechs Uebungen, welche ein Geheimniss sind, den Körper reinigen und wunderbare Eigenschaften besitzen, werden von den grössten Yogin gepriesen.

Hermann Walter - 1893

Continue with AYI Free

Illustrations: AI-generated.

Editor

Dr. Ronald Steiner

From Ulm

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 ›

Messages and ratings

0 messages

Please log in to write a message. Go to login

No messages yet.

Haṭha Pradīpikā 2.21-2.23: Ṣaṭkarma as Preparation

Continue with AYI Free

Choose your privacy settings.

Adjust your preferences.

Optional