Hatha Yoga Pradipika is one among the three classic texts of hatha yoga,the other two texts being Gheranda Samhita and Shiva Samhita. This is a classic yogic text of fifteenth-century , which was written by Svami Svatmarama ,a disciple of great Yogic master Gorakhnath.
The speciality of this text is, introduction of the practice of physical purification to make the body suitable for higher meditation or yoga.The text describes postures, breathing techniques,locks and meditation on sound for attaining higher state of realization.
In Hatha Yoga Pradipika there is a list of thirty-five earlier Haṭha Yoga gurus, including Adi Natha,Matsyendranatha and Goraksanatha.The text contains chapters that covers detailed information about purification or satkarma, posture or asana, breath control or pranayama, spiritual centres in the body or chakras, coiled power or kundalini, force postures or bandha ,kriya ,power or sakti, subtle/gross physical channnels or nadi and gestures or mudras, among other topics.The more developed understanding of hathayoga has been possible by the modern research on the system.From the analysis of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and other works by Svatmarama , better access to the understanding of the origins of hatha yoga,understanding the concept and effects of yoga have been possible. In this article ,the concept of kundalini as depicted in Hatha Yoga Pradipika has been discussed.

Practice of Matschendrasana and effects: