Hath Yoga Pradeepika

I had read this text as a child, that too in Hindi. I clearly remember the greenish cover of the book and my experiments with it, as soon as it had arrived by VPP. Anyway, my fascination those days was more with the first and second chapter of this book as it offered to me things which were both illogical and promising(you know what kind of promises these books offer!). I discussed them with my father, who had seemingly difficulty in trying to rationalize the irrational, esp when you are talking to your own child, who is enthusiastic about self-mutilation. :)

Anyway, here are some verses from the book. Book is by Svatamarama and find the full text here.

I have changed the translation at some places. Translation is actually very poor, though it manages to convey the essence. Sanskrit used however, is simple enough to comprehend if you can follow sanskrit. I might talk about Samkhya and connection of senses with reality some other day.

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हेतु-दवयं तु छित्तस्य वासना छ समीरणः |
तयोर्विनष्ह्ट एकस्मिन्तौ दवावपि विनश्यतः || २२ ||
There are two causes of the activities of the mind: (1) Vâsanâ (desires) and (2) the respiration (the Prâṇa). Of these, the destruction of the one is the destruction of both. 22.

मनो यत्र विलीयेत पवनस्तत्र लीयते |
पवनो लीयते यत्र मनस्तत्र विलीयते || २३ ||
where mind ceases, breath creases, where breath ceases, mind does.

लयो लय इति पराहुः कीदॄशं लय-लक्ष्हणम |
अपुनर-वासनोत्थानाल्लयो विष्हय-विस्मॄतिः || ३४ ||
Laya laya, it is said, what are the signs of laya?
Laya is forgetting of the objects of senses when the Vâsanâs (desires) do not rise into existence again.

वेद-शास्त्र-पुराणानि सामान्य-गणिका इव |
एकैव शाम्भवी मुद्रा गुप्ता कुल-वधूरिव || ३५ ||
Vedas and the Śâstras are like ordinary prostitute. Śâmhhavî Mudrâ, alone, is hidden, daughter of house.


बाह्य-छिन्ता न कर्तव्या तथैवान्तर-छिन्तनम |
सर्व-छिन्तां परित्यज्य न किंछिदपि छिन्तयेत || ५७ ||
He should be neither of his inside nor of outside world; and, leaving all thoughts, he should think of nothing.

सङ्कल्प-मात्र-कलनैव जगत्समग्रं
सङ्कल्प-मात्र-कलनैव मनो-विलासः |
सङ्कल्प-मात्र-मतिमुत्सॄज निर्विकल्पम
आश्रित्य निश्छयमवाप्नुहि राम शान्तिम || ५८ ||
The whole of this world and all the schemes of the mind are but the creations of thought. Discarding these thoughts and taking leave of all conjectures, O Râma! obtain peace. 57.

कर्पूरमनले यद्वत्सैन्धवं सलिले यथा |
तथा सन्धीयमानं छ मनस्तत्त्वे विलीयते || ५९ ||
As camphor disappears in fire, and rock salt in water, so the mind united with the âtmâ loses its identity.