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to speak, an electrification of the brain, a change of gear in the psychic mechanism. And it has been
proven a thousand times that a clear head is the result of yoga practice.
(32) Lying full length on the back like a corpse is called sava-sana. With this asana tiredness caused
by other asanas is eliminated; it also promotes calmness of mind.
How nice that relaxation is part of the scheme. And it is pleasant to find that no mystery is involved.
Simply stretch out on the floor.
But this relaxation is also necessary, as that which follows is more thorough, has greater depth. We
are about to take an important step in the direction of raja yoga.
(33-34) The asanas taught by Siva are 84 in number. Of these I will describe four of the most
important ones. They are siddha-sana, padmasana, simhasana, and bhadrasana. Of these,
siddha-sana is the best and most comfortable posture.
(35) Press one heel into the place below the sex organs
[the perineum] and put the other heel just above this region [close to the abdomen]. Press the chin
upon the chest, sit up straight, with controlled organs, and fasten the eyes between the eyebrows.
This is siddhasana, whereby all obstacles on the path to perfection are removed. [See
THE ASANAS 32
Yoga Swami Svatmarama. Hatha yoga pradipika
Figure 8.]
It is quite clear that more is at play here than mere gymnastic exercise, especially since there is no
longer any mention of healing or nimble limbs.
But what do these unusual details mean? Each heel presses a certain point, the lower one the
muladhara chakra, the upper one the svadhistana chakra. The neck is bent so as to press the
vishuddha chakra in the throat, and the eyes areturned toward the ajna chakra.
The manipura chakra in the diaphragm region and the anahata chakra in the heart region seem to
remain unnoticed. In reality
it is just the contrary. The heart chakra has a unique position in many ways; it would not respond to
physical pressure in any event. In this position it can be influenced by a meditative process, as we
will see later on.
The manipura chakra is also dealt with in an unusual manner here, for instructions arestatic in nature.
A later sloka (41) will add a dynamic element that will affect the manipura chakra, among other
things.
(36) Place the right heel above the sex organ and the left heel over the right. This too is siddhasana.
[See
THE ASANAS 33
Yoga Swami Svatmarama. Hatha yoga pradipika
Figure 9.]
(37) Some call this siddhasana; others say it is vajrasana, or muk-tasana, or guptasana.
Why? Is there a difference of opinion? No, there are good reasons. This asana can serve several
purposes, and each name indicates a different emphasis. But we do not want to get lost in details.
(38) The siddhas say: Just as among the yamas the most important is to do no harm to anyone, and
that among the niyamas moderation, so is siddhasana the chief of all asanas.
We should not take this as a qualitative characteristic. Rather one should say: just as nonviolence is
the leitmotiv of all other principles, and moderation the guideline to all other qualities, so also is
siddhasana the foundation of all other requirements for the inner vision of raja yoga (without making
them superfluous, however).
(39) Of the 84 asanas one should always practice siddhasana [above all], it purifies the 72,000 nadis.
Nadis are those paths through which the body receives its supply of prana. We should not think of
these as nerve strands, and whether or not there are72,000 would be hard to ascertain, nor is it of any
consequence. Only three nadis are important for us: first, the previously mentioned sushumna path in
the center of the spinal column, and then the two major nadis which run parallel to the spinal
column, ida (left) and pingala (right).
They begin in the nostril of their respective sides, wind once around the ajna chakra like thread
around a spindle, and end all the way down where the main channel, the sushumna, also ends, in the
muladhara chakra. Since it is the task of these nadis to circulate the life stream of prana, they must be
kept clean, which is not a simple matter. Under special circumstances this asana serves the purpose.
But there areother methods which are indicated under other conditions. The second part of this work
utilizes them.
THE ASANAS 34
Yoga Swami Svatmarama. Hatha yoga pradipika
(40) The yogi who meditates on the atman and eats moderately achieves the yoga siddhis after he has
practiced siddhasana for 12 years.
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