हठयोग प्रदीपिका (योगी स्वात्माराम - ज्योत्स्ना टीका सहित सटीक)

INTRODUCTION ix

have not been less enthusiastic in their praises of the
nobility of this science, whose object they have declared
to be the unravelling of the mystery of the being of
man and surrounding nature.
The acquisition of a knowledge of this science is
fraught with abnormal difficulties, and perfectly
qualified teachers are rare, and not communicative
except to well-tried students. Obscurities in the treat-
ment of the subject in a written work call for verbal
explanation by a Guru. No substantial gift will ever
purchase the knowledge desired, or alter the iron
rules prescribed in the Śāstra-s. The grace of the Guru
bestowed in exchange for the hard earned merit
acquired by the disciple, even at the peril of his life,
is alone the passport to the sanctuary of knowledge.
In the Bhāgavata and other Purāṇa-s, the student who
has not been able to secure a Guru, is advised to pray
and worship Īśvara (as Viṣṇu or Śiva) and strive for
perfect renunciation of every worldly desire, such
renunciation being the only way of securing a Guru
to direct the student in his further progress.
The systems of Yoga have different denominations
according to their methods, and known as Aṣṭāṅga,
Laya, Dhyāna, Mantra, Bhakti, Tāraka, Karma, etc.
All these, however, can be classed into two broad
divisions: Haṭha-yoga and Rāja-yoga. These are
interdependent, either of them being impracticable
without the other.
The venerable sage Patañjali, in his Yoga aphorisms
defines Yoga as the suspension of the modification