These Four Asanas are the Quintessence: Siddhasana | Hatha Yoga Pradipika 1.33-43

There are 84 asana of Shiva. The following 4 are the quintessence.

Chapter I

I.33 There are 84 asana of Shiva. The following 4 are the quintessence.

34 These 4 are Siddhasana, Padmasana, Simhasana, and Bhadrasana. Of these Siddhasana, the most comfortable, should be practiced all the time.

35 Siddhasana - Press the perineum with the base of the heel and press the other heel firmly above the sex organ. Keep the chin to the chest and remain motionless with the senses under control and fixing the eyes on a single point between the eyebrows. Siddhasana throws open the door to freedom.

36 Another way to enter siddhasana is by pressing the genitals completely with both feet.

37 This posture has also been called vajrasana, muktasana or guptasana because of the various properties it can instill.

38 Just as a moderate diet and non-harming are important parts of the yamas and niyamas, siddhis know the importance of guptasana among asanas.

39 Of the 84 asanas, one should practice siddhasana because it cleanses the 72,00 nadis.

40 The yogi who continually practices siddhasana while maintaining a moderate diet and meditating on the self attains samadhi within 12 years.

41 When one masters siddhasana, what use are all other asanas? When prana is restrained by the practice of kevala kumbhaka (breath retention), absorption arises effortlessly.

42 When siddhasana is mastered, understanding of the three bandhas comes effortlessly.

43 There is no asana as powerful as siddhasana, no pranayama as powerful as kevala kumbhaka, no mudra as powerful as khecari, and no means of absorption as powerful as nada (sound vibration).

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