Let us see the meaning of word Hatha, it is made up of Ha + Tha. “Ha” means Pingala Nadi (sun principle) or right nostril and “tha” means Ida nadi, (moon principle) or left nostril. Nadi means psychic passage of energy which can be compared with nerves in physical body. Hatha means balance of Ida and Pingala Nadis, or balancing of mental energy of Ida and Vital / physical energy of Pingala Nadi. Ida Nadi can be compared with Parasympathetic Nervous system and Pingala nadi can be compared with Sympathetic Nervous System. So Hatha Yoga practices results in balancing the entire nervous system resulting in balance of Body and Mind, physical energy and mental energy. The basic purpose of Hatha Yoga is to purify the Ida and Pingala Nadis and then uniting these 2 forces with the third Psychic Nadi Sushumna, which carries Kundalini at Ajna Chakra (eyebrow center).
Hatha Yoga Pradipika starts with the Shatkarmas or cleansing processes, these processes are to remove the blockages in Nadis (psychic / pranic energy channels). A particular disorder or disease is due to blockage in pranic channel supplying vital / bio energy to the particular organ related to disorder. Cleansing techniques removes this energy blocks and the pranic energy starts flowing without hurdles, thus balancing the entire body and mind. The purification is the first in Hatha Yoga, once the body is free of disease, the next step is recommended and that is asanas.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika is one of the most authentic text books on Hatha Yoga, written in 1200 AD by Swami Swatmarama, a great Yoga Guru who formulated the principles of Hatha Yoga and systematically explained various techniques, its effects on body, mind and states of consciousness. This is a comprehensive text on Asanas, Pranayama, Cleansing techniques, Mudras (Mental attitude or gestures), Bandhas (Energy locks), Nada (Sound) Meditation and many more guidelines for following the path of Yoga.
Swami Swatmarama was the follower of Natha Tradition, (followers of Adi Nath or Lord Shiva), taught by great Gurus like Gorakshanath and then Matsyendranath. This is the tradition of sages who live in caves or Himalayas and renounce material life adopting sanyasa.
