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| Ramaswami with with his teacher of over thirty years T. Krishnamacharya |
योगः कर्मसु कोशलम्
yogaḥ karmasu kouśalam
Texts for Yoga Students
Sri Krishnamacharya, apart from Hatayoga (asanas, pranayama, mudras and health applications of Hatayoga) also taught chanting several chapters of the Yajur Veda. In addition he taught several original texts for Yoga students. During the course of three decades of study with him I had the opportunity to study several of the texts which he considered useful for Yoga students. . I have of late been offering some of these texts for yoga teachers and students who would like to broaden their base with more textual studies
1. Perhaps the most important text would be the Bhagavatgita. A couple of years back I taught the whole text verse by verse at Steve Brandon's Harmony Yoga in Wells, UK. It was a 13 day,70 hr program. Subsequently I taught several chapters of it at Sarah Mata's Studio in Los Angeles. Bhagavatgita even as it is known as a Brahma Vidya is considered a Yoga Sastra, My Guru would draw many parallels between Yoga Sutra and the Gita. This program can be done in about 50 hrs in ten days for interested yoga students
2. The Yoga Sutras is a unique text of Maharshi Patanjali and is a masterpiece. Yoga students interested in the philosophy of yoga should study this text. I have had the privilege to teach this subject several times as part of my 100 and 200 hr Teacher Training programs. This can be taught sutra by sutra in 20 hrs.
3. After we completed the study of YS, my Guru taught us at length the Samkhya Karika, an important text teaching the Samkhya philosophy, a sibling philosophy of Yoga. Several ideas of yoga become clear by studying this wonderful text written by a great scholar/philosopher Iswarakrishna. Some consider him to be an avatara of the great Sanskrit writer Mahakavi Kalidasa. This can be taught verse by verse in about 20 hrs
3. Hatyogapradipika is a standard text studied by Hatayogis. Written by Svatmarama, it is one of the most studied books by Hatayogis. This (the first three of the four chapters) may be taught sloka by sloka in about 20 hrs,
4. Sri Krishnamacharya in the course of my long study taught several other texts. He taught Yoga Yagnyavalkya. Though not so well known as Hatayogapradipika, discerning yogis pay attention to the teachings of this text. This can be taught sloka by sloka in about 20 hrs
5. Upanishad studies were an important part of Sri Krishnamacharya's teachings. Katopanishad was one of the important ones. In fact I learnt the chanting of the entire 3 chapters of Taittiriya Kataka (It takes about 2 hrs to merely chant the whole text), which is said to be the inspiration for the Katopanishad. All the 6 chapters of this upanishad can be taught in a 15 to 20 hr program.
6.Sri Krishnamacharya taught two major upanishads, Brihadaranyaka and Chandogya upanishds. Readings of some of the important Vidyas from these upanished can be material for a short 20 hr progra
7. Other smaller upanishads that Sri TK taught also may be of interest for serious yoga students--- like Mundaka, Mandukya, Prasna, Taittiriya, Svetasvatara etc.
Adi Sankara's Yoga Taravali is a masterpiece. This can be taught in about 20 hrs.
Sri Krishnamacharya even as he taught Yoga as it is popular in modern times, felt that the yoga students should also have a solid philosophical base and he was always willing to impart such knowledge to his students.
I am now in Madrid, Spain teaching a 100 Hr Certificate TT program in Vinyasakrama Yoga at Dhara Yoga. Yoga students and teachers from different parts of Europe are attending the program, a very talented and dedicated group. It will be over on Oct 8th, 2016
During September 2016 I taught an extended weekend workshop at Chicago Yoga Center in Chicago. There was a 6 hour program on KaTopanishad, in which we could cover the first three of the 6 chapters. I also taught the three chapters of HaTayogapradeepika during the weekend (12Hrs).
Earlier in September I completed the 25 hr Certificate program in Core Vinyasakrama Yoga at Hatha Vinyasa Yoga Schule Institute in Mainz, Germany.
Srivatsa Ramaswami
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http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama
Appendix
from my Yoga Reading list page at the top of the blog
A Krishnamacharya Reading list (inc. Pdf Links).
from interviews with Pattabhi Jois
Namarupa Magazine, fall 2004. http://tinyurl.com/o9fz3j9
1.What did Krishnamacharya teach you?
"What my teacher taught me is exactly the same method I am teaching today. It was an examination course of primary, intermediate, and advanced asanas. He also taught me philosophy. For five years, we studied the great texts. He would call us to his house and we would stand outside and wait to be called in. Sometimes, we would wait the whole day. He would usually teach us for one or two hours every day: asanas early in the morning and, around 12 o’clock, philosophy class. He also taught us pranayama, pratyahara [sensory withdrawal], dharana [concentration], and dhyana [meditation]. And, in addition to the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita, he also taught Yoga Vasishta, Yoga Yajnavalkya, and Samhita. And all in Sanskrit". Pattabhi Jois
Following on from my earlier
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' READING LIST from from the 'original' Ashtanga diploma syllabus list given to Nancy Gilgoff and David Williams in 1974
I thought it might be useful to make a similar post of a Krishnamacharya reading list.
Below are Krishnamacharya's own works as well as texts (Upanishads, sutras, samhitas etc.) mentioned by Krishnamacharya in his Bibliographies as well as texts Krishnamacharya taught to his student Srivatsa Ramaswami over a thirty year period.
Where possible I've linked to a free downloadable pdf version of the text.
Contents.
1. Main texts by Krishnamacharya
2. Complete list of Books/texts by T. Krishnamacharya
3. Bibliography from from Yogasanagaly
4. Bibliography from from Yoga Makaranda
5. A course of study with Krishnamacharya
Appendix
Thirty Minor Upanishads
I'm adding this post to my Krishnamacharya Resource page and will add any other relevant texts mentioned by his students as I come across them.
1. Main texts by Krishnamacharya
Namarupa Magazine, fall 2004. http://tinyurl.com/o9fz3j9
1.What did Krishnamacharya teach you?
"What my teacher taught me is exactly the same method I am teaching today. It was an examination course of primary, intermediate, and advanced asanas. He also taught me philosophy. For five years, we studied the great texts. He would call us to his house and we would stand outside and wait to be called in. Sometimes, we would wait the whole day. He would usually teach us for one or two hours every day: asanas early in the morning and, around 12 o’clock, philosophy class. He also taught us pranayama, pratyahara [sensory withdrawal], dharana [concentration], and dhyana [meditation]. And, in addition to the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita, he also taught Yoga Vasishta, Yoga Yajnavalkya, and Samhita. And all in Sanskrit". Pattabhi Jois
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| T. Krishnamacharya |
Following on from my earlier
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' READING LIST from from the 'original' Ashtanga diploma syllabus list given to Nancy Gilgoff and David Williams in 1974
I thought it might be useful to make a similar post of a Krishnamacharya reading list.
Below are Krishnamacharya's own works as well as texts (Upanishads, sutras, samhitas etc.) mentioned by Krishnamacharya in his Bibliographies as well as texts Krishnamacharya taught to his student Srivatsa Ramaswami over a thirty year period.
Where possible I've linked to a free downloadable pdf version of the text.
Contents.
1. Main texts by Krishnamacharya
2. Complete list of Books/texts by T. Krishnamacharya
3. Bibliography from from Yogasanagaly
4. Bibliography from from Yoga Makaranda
5. A course of study with Krishnamacharya
Appendix
Thirty Minor Upanishads
I'm adding this post to my Krishnamacharya Resource page and will add any other relevant texts mentioned by his students as I come across them.
1. Main texts by Krishnamacharya
Yoga Makaranda (Mysore 1934)pdf
Yogasanagalu translation (Mysore 1941) (link)
Note I'm posting the last section of the translation this week ( on pranayama) followed quickly by the full text in book for for free download.
Selections from chapter 1
Selections from chapter 2
Selections from chapter 3
Selections from chapter 4
2. Complete list of Books/texts by T. Krishnamacharya:
from http://krishnamacharya.net/works
unfortunately most of the articles mentioned have not been released
Yoga Makaranda (Mysore 1934)pdf
Yogavalli
Other works (essays and poetic compositions):
“Disciplines of Yoga”
“Effect of Yoga Practice”
“Importance of Food and Yoga in Maintaining Health”
“Verses on Methods of Yoga Practice”
“Essay on Asana and Pranayama”
“Madhumeha (Diabetes)”
“Why Yoga as a Therapy Is Not Rising”
“Bhagavad Gita as a Health Science”
“Ayurveda and Yoga: An Introduction”
“Questions and Answers on Yoga” (with students in July 1973)
“Yoga: The Best Way to Remove Laziness”
“Dhyana (Meditation) in Verses”
“What Is a Sutra?”
“Kundalini: Essay on What Kundalini Is and Kundalini Arousal (sakti calana) Based on Texts Like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, and Yoga Yajnavalkya”
“Extracts from Raja Yoga Ratnakara”
“Need for a Teacher”
“Satvika Marga” (“The Sattvic Way”; philosophy/spiritual/yoga)
“Reference in Vedas to Support Vedic Chanting for Women” (philosophy/technical)
“Fourteen Important Dharmas” (philosophy)
“Cit Acit Tatva Mimamsa” (philosophy)
“Sandhya-saaram” (ritual)
“Catushloki” (four verses on Sankaracharya)
“Kumbhakonam Address” (catalog)
“Sixteen Samskaras” (rituals)
“Mantra Padartha Tatva Nirnaya” (rituals)
“Ahnika Bhaskaram” (rituals)
“Shastreeya Yajnam” (rituals)
“Vivaaha” (marriage rituals)
“Asparsha Pariharam” (rituals)
“Videsavaasi Upakarma Nirnaya” (rituals)
“Sudarshana Dundubhi” (devotional)
“Bhagavat Prasadam” (devotional)
“Narayana Paratva” (devotional)
“About Madras” (miscellaneous)
3. Bibliography from from Yogasanagaly
T. Krishnamacharya (Mysore 1941)
I did not attempt a detailed review of all ancient yoga treatises since it will make this book very long and perhaps cause boredom to the readers. Please forgive. This writing is mainly based on the following texts:
Yogakuranti (Yoga Korunta- lost?).
Learning’s from my Guru and self-experience
4. Bibliography from from Yoga Makaranda
T. Krishnamacharya (Mysore 1934)
"This text contains the essential concepts from many texts of antiquity listed below.
I have studied the texts listed below under the blessing of a great teacher and have explained the truths contained in them that I have personally experienced. I request that the Lord of the auspicious Karnataka throne, the great Lord and Emperor, the fourth Sri Krishna Rajendra, accept this work and allow my
humble self to fulfil my endeavor and bless me.
More than this, I have nothing to say in this preface.
Bibliography
1. Rajayoga Ratnakaram pdf (in Telugu)
2. Hathayoga Pradipika pdf
3. Yoga Saravalli pdf
4. Yoga Balaprathipikai (?)
5. Ravana Nadi (Article)
6. Bhairava Kalpam pdf
7. Sri Tattvanidhi (wikipedia- see also Normon Sjoman's Yoga tradition of the Mysore palace)
8. Yoga Ratnakarandam (?)
9. Mano Narayaneeyam Pdf
10. Rudrayameelam (Rudrayamalam) PDF
11. Brahmayameelam Pdf
12. Atharvana Rahasyam (?)
13. Patanjala Yogadarshanam (0nline)
14. Kapilasutram
15. Yogayajnavalkyam
16. Gheranda Samhita pdf
18. Satvata Samhita
19. Siva Samhita pdf
20. Dhyana Bindu Upanishad pdf
21. Chandilya Upanishad pdf
22. Yoga Shika Upanishad
23. Yoga Kundalya Upanishad pdf
25. Nada Bindu Upanishad pdf
26. Amrita Bindu Upanishad pdf
27. Garbha Upanishad pdf
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| Srivatsa Ramaswami chanting with T. Krishnamacharya |
5. A course of study with Krishnamacharya
from My studies with Krishnamacharya - Srivatsa Ramaswami (Namarupa article)
Ramaswami studied with Krishnamacharya for over thirty years, in this article he relates his studies of asana, chanting as well as some of the many he texts he studied with his teacher
"Normally, I had two to three sessions per week, but there were occasions when I had the privilege of going to him twice a day, for ásana practice in the morning and for chanting or the study of texts in the evening".
Some texts Ramaswami studied with Krishnamacharya
BrahmaSutras PDF
Sad-Vidyá (?)Chándogya Upanishad pdf
Prasna Upanishad pdf
Bhagavad Gitá, pdf
The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali (Online ) was the centrepiece of our yoga studies.
Another philosophy he was keen to teach was Nyáya and the later version, Tarka. He started teaching..
TarkaSamgraha, pdf a compact text on Vedic logic.
Hathayogapradipika pdf in detail, except portions of the last chapter and some of the third, which he said contained obnoxious practices inconsistent with the teachings of sáttvika yoga and the Yoga Sâtras.
Yogayajnavalkyam pdf in detail.
Some of the other texts that he referred to and taught in portions included
Gheranda Samhita pdf
Siva Samhita. pdf
Yoga Rahasya (Amazon) was not published, but he frequently quoted from the text and after a while taught a few chapters from it.
Ramaswami also mentions elsewhere that Krishnamacharya would teach the Ramayana extensively.
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| Link to article pdf |
Thirty Minor Upanishads
tr. by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar
[1914]
