haha yoga project proposal

8/17/2019 Haha Yoga Project Proposal

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Mallinson Part B2

ERC Consolidator Grant 2014Research proposal [Part B2)]1

Part B2: The scientific proposal

Section a. State-of-the-art and objectives

Yoga is one of the orld!s "ost pop#lar and fastest groing pasti"es$ %n 2012 the &"erican "aga'ine Yoga Journal esti"ated that there ere 20$4 "illion reg#lar practitioners of (oga in the nited *tates +,$-. ofad#lts) and that the (oga /#siness there as orth 10$ /illion #p fro" 13$, "illion practitioners and 3$- /illion in 200,$2 Yoga is also central to %ndian religio#s practice and c#lt#re$ ro" pro/a/le origins a"ongheterodo5 ascetics in the first "illenni#" BCE it grad#all( /eca"e part of al"ost all of %ndia!s religio#straditions$ 6e( to its i"portance in /oth the "odern orld and %ndian religio#s traditions are its ph(sicaltechni7#es$ 8hese are as ancient as (oga itself /#t ere not codified in te5ts #ntil the /eginning of the second"illenni#" CE hen a corp#s of or9s on haṭha : as the "ethod of (oga in hich ph(sical practices predo"inate is called : as co"posed$

;espite its i"portance for an #nderstanding of %ndiaect started in @cto/er 2013$2 Co"para/le fig#res on the practice of (oga in E#rope are #na?aila/le$ 8his connection appeared in one of haṭha (oga!s first st#dies +*astri 1H3) and has /een repeated in all s#/se7#entor9s$ %nfl#ential or9s on (oga that dra on *astri incl#de Eliade 1H- and Fhite 1HH$4 Mallinson forthco"ing +2014)$3 *ee Bo#( 1HH4 Mallinson 200- 6iss 200H and Birch 201$ Editions of so"e later +post=1430 CE) te5ts on haṭha(oga ha?e /een prod#ced /( the 6ai?al(adha"a and Iona?la Research %nstit#tes /#t despite their /eing fo#nded oncollations of large n#"/ers of "an#scripts philological and historiographic ac#"en has not /een applied in their selection of ?ariant readings or their conte5t#alisation of the te5ts ithin the /roader histor( of (oga$ E$g$ Bo#illier 200,$- E$g$ Eliade 1H-02 and ?an der Jeer 1H,HH2$

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Mallinson Part B2

the recei?ed histor( of haṭha (oga and its practitioners is in need of re?ision$ %n partic#lar "( te5t#al st#diesha?e shon that the te5ts of haṭha (oga ere not de?eloped e5cl#si?el( /( (ogis of the Dth tradition /#tthat a 7#ite separate and older ascetic tradition as responsi/le for de?eloping haṭha (oga!s ph(sical practices and co"posing se?eral of its te5ts$

#rther"ore "( ethnographic o/ser?ations ha?e shon "e that this latter tradition is ali?e and ell in %ndia

toda( here it is represented /( lineages fo#nd ithin the to largest %ndian ascetic orders the ;aKanD"L*an(DsLs and the RD"DnandLs$

8he Natha Yoga Pro>ect see9s to dra on these to #ntapped so#rces haṭha (oga!s te5t#al corp#s and itsc#rrent ascetic practitioners in order to reconstr#ct the histor( of its practice$ %ts central 7#estions ill /e

= Fhat ere haṭha (oga!s practices at the ti"e of its for"alisationO= Fh( as it for"alised hen it asO= B( ho" and for ho" ere its te5ts rittenO= No ere its te5ts #sedO= Fho practised itO= Fas it practised /( la(personsO= Fh( as it practisedO= No and h( did its practices and practitioners change o?er ti"eO= Fhat constit#ted (oga in %ndia on the e?e of the de?elop"ent of "odern glo/alised (ogaO= Fhich of the practices of "odern glo/alised (oga are fo#nd in pre"odern haṭha (ogaO= No and h( do toda(!s ascetics practise haṭha (ogaO= No is ascetic practice of (oga in %ndia toda( changing #nder the infl#ence of "odern glo/alised (ogaO

%n order to anser these 7#estions the NYP ill criticall( edit and translate ten *ans9rit "an#als on haṭha (oga$ *i5 are fro" the period in hich it as first for"alised +11th=14th cent#ries CE) and fo#r chart 9e("o"ents in its s#/se7#ent de?elop"ent #p to the 1Hth cent#r($ 8he te5ts are each i"portant s#/>ects of st#d(in their on right +for their details see /elo) as a hole the( chart the de?elop"ent of the haṭha (oga

tradition$ %n order to conte5t#alise each te5t ithin the corp#s specific 7#estions ill /e as9ed of it Fherehen h( and for ho" as it co"posedO Fithin hat sectarian traditionO Fhat ?erses does it share ithother te5tsO Fhat practices does it teachO Fhat is the p#rpose of those practicesO 8he findings dran fro"the te5ts ill /e co"ple"ented /( other so#rces in partic#lar ethnographic st#d( of ascetic practitioners ofhaṭha (oga in %ndia toda( hich as "( preli"inar( or9 has alread( shon can shed considera/le light onthe histor( of its practices and social conte5t$

Both the te5t#al and ethnographic so#rces of the NYP are in danger of /eing lost$ Most of the "an#scripts of the te5ts to /e st#died ere ritten on paper and are located in s#/=Ni"ala(an *o#th &sia here e5tre"es of cli"ate and the depredations of insects "ean that the( rarel( last "ore than 00 (ears /efore cr#"/ling tod#st$ Prior to the ad?ent of printing in %ndia s#ch "an#scripts ere copied /efore deteriorating /#t this practice is no ?er( #n#s#al$ #rther"ore so"e of the te5ts cr#cial for #nderstanding the earl( histor( of

haṭha (oga +partic#larl( the Vivekamārtaṇḍa and Goraka!ataka) fell into o/sc#rit( or ere hea?il( redactedsoon after their co"position and are onl( a?aila/le in old "an#scripts in poor condition$ 8i"e is of theessence for all st#dies dependent #pon %ndian "an#scripts /#t it is partic#larl( so in the case of those on thes#/>ect of haṭha (oga$

8he ethnographic pict#re is changing spectac#larl( fast #nder the infl#ence of infor"ation technolog( andthe rapid proliferation of "odern glo/alised (oga$ %ndian ascetics disting#ish /eteen their traditional (oga practice and the "odern for"s ta#ght in %ndian "etropolises and on %ndian tele?ision +so"e refer to thefor"er ith the Nindi "og and the latter ith the *ans9ritQEnglish "oga) /#t their practices are starting to /einfl#enced /( those of "odern (oga$ 8hree (ears ago at a Dth "onaster( at Aala"#9hi in Ni"achalPradesh % as s#rprised hen a (o#ng Dth ascetic as said /( his peers to /e a "aster of (ogic āsanas or post#res$ 8hro#gho#t "( pre?io#s fieldor9 % +li9e other ethnographers of the Dths) had sing#larl( failed to

find an( Dth practitioners of the ph(sical techni7#es of haṭha (oga /#t YogL BD/DS &nTp Dth after?erif(ing "( insider credentials ga?e "e a ?irt#oso displa( of contortionist āsanas$ *o"e of the practices heshoed "e ha?e no pre"odern %ndian antecedents /#t are fo#nd in "odern glo/alised (oga$ 8h#s it appearsthat the Pi''a EffectS in hich c#lt#ral e5ports ret#rn ho"e in a "odified for" is changing the (oga

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practice of "odern ascetics$ Fhen % as9ed &nTp Dth fro" here he had learnt his (oga he told "e that ithad co"e to hi" a#to"aticall( direct fro" g#r# Gora9hnDthS +Gora9hnDth as the c$ 12th=cent#r( fo#nderof his order)$ &nTp Dth also had a s"artphone$ Fhen % introd#ced "( co"panion as a tele?ision actor hehanded it to "e and de"anded that % find a clip of hi" on Yo#8#/e$ &nTp Dth had also /een ?ieinge/sites on "odern (oga and la"ented to "e %f onl( % 9ne English % o#ld /e orld=fa"o#sS$

% ha?e re"ained in to#ch ith &nTp Dth and last sa hi" at the 6#"/h MelD festi?al at &llaha/ad in earl(201 here he and another Dth ascetic ere dail( perfor"ing displa(s of āsanas on a stage at the front ofthe Dth ca"p$ 8his inno?ation a#thorised /( the order!s senior officiants appears to /e a response to therising glo/al pop#larit( of (oga and the res#ltant increase in interest a"ong la( %ndians and in the n#"/ersof foreigners co"ing to %ndia in search of ascetic practitioners of (oga$ &s a res#lt of the latter certain Dthsha?e /eg#n to recr#it foreign disciples partic#lar fro" co#ntries of the for"er **R$ 8he ethnographicfieldor9 #nderta9en as part of the NYP in addition to "a9ing these significant de?elop"ents 9non toscholars of %ndian religion ill see9 to doc#"ent the traditional (oga practices of %ndian ascetics /efore the(change f#rther #nder the infl#ence of "odern (oga$

% ha?e alread( presented so"e of the findings of "( te5t#al and ethnographic research in a series of articlesenc(clopedia entries and /oo9 chapters$ or so"e (ears % ha?e /een or9ing on a "onograph hich ill#lti"atel( present a co"prehensi?e o?er?ie of earl( haṭha (oga and its practitioners$ %t has /eco"e clear to"e hoe?er that for the "onograph to /e co"pletel( rigoro#s its philological sections need to /e gro#ndedin critical editions of the te5ts it dras #pon$ #rther"ore additional ethnographic fieldor9 o#ld greatl( /enefit /oth the "onograph!s treat"ent of earl( haṭha (oga!s practices and the de?elop"ent of its practitioners! different sects$ &nd a thoro#gh treat"ent of traditional haṭha (oga as a hole o#ld re7#ire"#ch "ore than a "onograph th#s the idea for the Natha Yoga Pro>ect as /orn$

% had planned to incl#de in the "onograph a /are=/ones s#r?e( of haṭha (oga!s te5t#al de?elop"ent after itsclassical s(nthesis in the 13th=cent#r( Haṭhapradīpikā$ %n 201 hoe?er % e5a"ined the doctoral thesis ofAason Birch hich as an edition of the #manaska a (oga te5t hose to parts date to the 11th and 1thcent#ries CE /#t hich ere idel( dran on in s#/se7#ent te5ts on (oga co"piled and co"posed /(

scholars fro" the 1th to 1Hth cent#ries$ Birch pro?ided a co"prehensi?e s#r?e( of these later te5ts in histhesis and has o/tained copies of se?eral of their "an#scripts$ ;#ring this period the practices ofhaṭha (ogata#ght in te5ts proliferated enor"o#sl( and haṭha (oga finall( /eca"e co"pletel( integrated ith orthodo5Nind#is" thro#gh for e5a"ple the incorporation of passages : and so"eti"es hole te5ts : fro" theearlier corp#s in a series of nel( co"posed Yoga paniUads$ 8horo#gh st#d( of te5t#al and other so#rcesfro" this period o#ld pro?ide a pict#re of ho haṭha (oga de?eloped after its for"ati?e period and of hatconstit#ted (oga practice in %ndia on the e?e of its co=option into "odern glo/alised (oga$ %n "( research %ha?e not or9ed closel( ith "an( te5ts on (oga co"posed d#ring this period /#t % ha?e atte"pted todelineate the conte"poraneo#s de?elop"ent of the orders of (oga=practising ascetics$ 8hat of the Dthssee"s relati?el( clear +as o#tlined in Mallinson 2011/) /#t the co"ple5 earl( "odern histor( of the;aKanD"L *an(DsLs and RD"DnandLs re"ains to /e "apped o#t satisfactoril($ 8hese orders ereresponsi/le for the prod#ction of the te5ts on haṭha (oga in the earl( "odern period and a close st#d( of

the" ill #ndo#/tedl( contri/#te to o#r #nderstanding of their de?elop"ent as sects$

Birch is 9een to carr( o#t postdoctoral research on the te5ts of this period and so % ha?e in?ited hi" to or9on the NYP /oth as an editor or co=editor of so"e of the te5ts of the corp#s and as the a#thor of a"onograph on haṭha (oga in earl( "odern %ndia$

ntil recentl( % considered "( research areas to /e 7#ite distinct fro" "odern glo/alised (oga$ B#t ith therise in its pop#larit( "an( scholars and practitioners of "odern (oga ha?e loo9ed to "( or9 to gain an#nderstanding of "odern (oga!s antecedents and % "(self ha?e so#ght to #nderstand "odern (oga /etter inorder to "a9e sense of its ne infl#ence on traditional ascetic practice and to /e /etter aare of theconcerns of so"e readers of "( or9$ %t as Mar9 *ingleton!s gro#nd/rea9ing doctoral thesis re?ised for p#/lication as Yoga $od" that first "ade sense for "e of the de?elop"ent of glo/alised "odern (oga$ A#st as

"( interest as t#rning toards "odern (oga *ingleton!s as t#rning to (oga!s pre"odern histor( in orderto #nderstand /etter the %ndian antecedents of "odern ph(sical (oga practice$ Fe decided to colla/orate onan antholog( of translations of classical (oga te5ts %oots o& Yoga ai"ed at the general reader +forthco"ing201 Peng#in Classics)$ &s a res#lt of this colla/oration % in?ited *ingleton to >oin the NYP in hich he ill


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foc#s on the de?elop"ent of the ph(sical practices of (oga fro" its /eginnings at the ti"e of the B#ddha #pto the earl( "odern period the e?e of (oga!s co=option /( the international ph(sical c#lt#re "o?e"ent thatga?e rise to "odern glo/alised (oga$

M( M& thesis as an ethnographic st#d( of %ndian asceticis" /#t "( ethnographic or9 since then has /een s#/ordinate to "( philological st#dies$ %n order to ens#re that the pro>ect!s ethnographic research is

"ethodologicall( rigoro#s % decided that it o#ld /e necessar( to ha?e a specialist ethnographer on the pro>ect tea"$ Colleag#es dre "( attention to the or9 of ;aniela Be?ilac7#a hose doctoral thesis as ast#d( of the RD"DnandL sapradD(a hich is %ndiaect!s postdoctoral ethnographerand % in?ited her to >oin the tea"$ ;#ring e5tended periods of fieldor9 in %ndia she ill gather infor"ationon the practice of haṭha (oga /( traditional ascetics incl#ding o"en$ #rther"ore ;r Be?ilac7#a illrecord ascetics! e"ic #nderstandings of the theor( of haṭha (oga together ith their "ethods of its practicein order to ?erif( hether these are shared /( ascetics fro" different saṃpradā"as and to co"pare the" ithte5t#al and scholarl( #nderstandings of haṭha (oga and the techni7#es of its "odern practitioners$

8he #rgenc( of the pro>ect /eca#se of the danger posed to its te5t#al and ethnographic so#rces isco"po#nded /( the rapid rise in pop#larit( of "odern glo/alised (oga and the proliferation in its "ethods$8he NYP ill not and cannot see9 to identif( an original or a#thentic (oga +(oga is "#ltifario#s and changesconsidera/l( e?en o?er the core period co?ered /( the pro>ect) /#t /( delineating ph(sical (oga practice in%ndia prior to the de?elop"ent of "odern (oga it ill at least allo (oga practitioners to 9no hich of their practices are of pre"odern %ndian origin and for those ho ish to do so to chart a co#rse for "odern (ogathat 9eeps it connected to its %ndian roots$

8he pri"ar( o#tp#t of the NYP ill /e fo#r "onographs$ 8he first "ine ill anal(se haṭha (oga and its practitioners in the period in hich it as for"alised the 11th to 13th cent#ries CE$ 8he second /( Birchill doc#"ent its s#/se7#ent proliferation and de?elop"ent and identif( hat constit#ted (oga practice in%ndia on the e?e of colonialis"$ 8he third /( *ingleton ill foc#s on haṭha (oga!s ph(sical techni7#es in

order to chart their histor( and identif( contin#ities ith and differences fro" the practices of "odernglo/alised (oga$ 8he fo#rth /( Be?ilac7#a ill descri/e %ndian ascetics! practice and perception of haṭha (oga /( co"paring those of past and present ascetics and those of ascetics and la( practitioners$ & secondar(o#tp#t ill /e critical editions and annotated translations of ten pre?io#sl( #np#/lished *ans9rit "an#als ofhaṭha (oga the si5 earliest te5ts on the s#/>ect together ith fo#r later te5ts that ere 9e( to its s#/se7#entde?elop"ent$ #rther o#tp#ts ill incl#de peer=re?ieed >o#rnal articles and ?ol#"es of the proceedings ofto conferences to /e held as part of the pro>ect$ %n addition it is e5pected that the pro>ect tea" ill act ascons#ltants and inter?ieees for a doc#"entar( fil" series on (oga$

The Texts

% ha?e identified the te5ts of the earl( corp#s +os$ 1=) thro#gh finding passages /orroed fro" the" in thec$1430 CE Haṭhapradīpikā$, Birch has identified the fo#r later or9s +os$ -=10) as 9e( to #nderstanding thes#/se7#ent de?elop"ent of haṭha (oga$

Each of the te5ts that is to /e edited in the NYP is a orth( o/>ect of st#d( in its on right and is descri/edin detail /elo$ 8he( incl#de the earliest te5t to teach an( of the practices of haṭha (oga + #m'tasiddhi) the

first te5t to teach a haṭha (oga called as s#ch + (attātre"a"oga!āstra) the first te5t to teach ph(sical practicesfor the raising of 6#VWalinL +Goraka!ataka) the first te5t to co"/ine the practices of the tantric and ascetic(oga traditions +Vivekamārtaṇḍa) the first Dth te5t to call its practices haṭha (oga + Yoga)ī*a) the first te5t

, Mallinson 2014$4


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Mallinson Part B2

to atte"pt to co"/ine haṭha and rā*a (oga traditions + Yogatārāvalī ) and the first te5t to descri/e indi?id#all(each of the ,4 āsanas +Yoga+intāmaṇi)$ 8he "ost recent of the te5ts to /e edited the apālakuruṇṭaka-haṭhā)h"āsapaddhati scans of the single 9non "an#script of hich ha?e recentl( /een o/tained /( Birchis of partic#lar interest for scholars and practitioners of glo/alised "odern (oga ?ario#s feat#res of it +onhich see /elo) s#ggest that it "ight /e the lost Yoga uruntaS fro" hich 8$6rishna"achar(a too9"#ch of his teaching$H 6rishna"achar(a!s st#dents incl#de B$6$*$%(engar 8$6$J$;eshi9achar and Patta/hi

Aois the "ost infl#ential teachers of "odern (oga$ %t is hoped that thro#gh te5t=critical anal(sis inco"/ination ith *ingleton!s or9 on 6rishna"achar(a the NYP tea" ill /e a/le to esta/lish hether ornot the apālakuruṇṭakahaṭhā)h"āsapaddhati is indeed the sa"e as the Yoga urunta$

1$ #m'tasiddhi. 2,4 ?erses ten 9non "an#scripts of hich the tea" has scans of nine$ Editor Mallinson$ 8his is the first te5t to teach an( of the practices that ere later s(ste"atised as haṭha (oga incl#dingmahāmudrā mahā)andha and mahāvedha$ 8hese techni7#es are #sed to control the /reath and se"en+)indu)$ 8he #m'tasiddhi also introd#ced a sche"e of fo#r stages of (oga practice + āram)ha ghaṭa

pari+a"a and nipatti) hich is fo#nd in "an( later te5ts$ 8he te5t is Xai?a : Xi?a is its principle deit( : /#t a "ore detailed identification of its sectarian origins hich o#ld /e an i"portant step in esta/lishingthe origins of haṭha (oga practice is (et to /e "ade and ill the pro>ect hopes res#lt fro" "ore detailedst#d( of the te5t$ 8he #m'tasiddhi is also i"portant for #nderstanding the relationship /eteen Xai?a (oga practice and tantric B#ddhis"$ ;espite the te5t!s clear Xai?a affiliation it as incl#ded in a c(cle of te5ts thatere gi?en canonical stat#s ithin 8i/etan B#ddhis" /( B# ston Rin chen gr#/ in 122 CE$8he #m'tasiddhi/s oldest "an#script as copied in the earl( to "id=12th cent#r( and is "#ch the oldest"an#script of an( haṭha (oga te5t$ 8he "an#script is also #ni7#e in that it is /iling#al the *ans9rit te5t istransliterated and translated into 8i/etan$ % ha?e recentl( o/tained scans of this "an#script hich is held inBei>ing10 and % ha?e collated sections of it ith a ;e?anDgarL "an#script of the #m'tasiddhi held in the Man*ingh P#sta9 Pra9ash Aodhp#r +hich % ha?e transcri/ed in f#ll)$ Birch has also collated the readings ofse?en "an#scripts for the first si5 of the te5t!s thirt(=eight chapters hich e read ith Professor &le5is*anderson in @5ford in 2012$ %n addition to the "an#script itnesses there are se?eral citations of the

#m'tasiddhi in later te5ts hich ill /e collated for the edition$

2$ (attātre"a"oga!āstra$ 1H ?erses se?en 9non "an#scripts scans of all of hich ha?e /een o/tained /(the tea"$ Editor Mallinson$ 8his te5t as pro/a/l( co"posed in the 1th cent#r( and is the first to teach ahaṭha (oga na"ed as s#ch the first to teach so"e of the central practices of haṭha (oga +specificall( thekhe+arī and va*rolī mudrās) and the first to teach the s#/se7#entl( idespread sche"e of fo#r (ogas mantrala"a haṭha and rā*a$ 8he (attātre"a"oga!āstra as the catal(st for "( identification the of non=Dth ascetictradition of haṭha (oga$ Certain feat#res of the te5t sho that it as prod#ced ithin a JaiUVa?a ascetic"ilie# and its haṭha (oga is 7#ite distinct fro" the (oga ta#ght in conte"poraneo#s Dth te5ts +theGoraka!ataka and Vivekamārtaṇḍa) in that li9e that of the #m'tasiddhi it does not #se 6#VdalinL and oneof the 9e( ai"s of its practices ai" is the preser?ation of se"en +)indu)$% ha?e collated all se?en 9non "an#scripts of the (attātre"a"oga!āstra and prod#ced a or9ing criticaledition hich as read in @5ford in 2012 ith Professor &le5is *anderson after hich % prod#ced atranslation of the te5t$11 Citations of the te5t in so"e later or9s re"ain to /e collated for the edition to /e

co"plete$

$ Goraka!ataka$ 101 ?erses fo#r 9non "an#scripts of hich the tea" has scans of one$ EditorMallinson$ 8his te5t hich is li9el( to ha?e /een co"posed in the 1th cent#r( is the earliest +ith theVivekamārtaṇḍa on hich see /elo) te5t of haṭha (oga prod#ced in the tradition of the tantric Dth orderand the onl( te5t to teach a p#rel( Dth ph(sical 6#VWalinL (oga #ninfl#enced /( the )indu=oriented (oga ofthe #m'tasiddhi and (attātre"a"oga!āstra$ %t is the first te5t to teach the !akti+ālanī mudrā its teachings onhich are fo#nd in "an( s#/se7#ent te5ts$ Noe?er in all /#t the Haṭharatnāvalī the( are in a corr#pt for"hich renders the practice #nintelligi/le$

H *ingleton +20101,4=1,) disc#sses the Yoga urunta$10 % than9 Professors Ieonard ?an der 6#i>p and 6#rtis *chaeffer for granting "e per"ission to #se the scans$Professor *chaeffer a 8i/etologist has ritten an article on the te5t and this "an#script highlighting their i"portance /oth for #nderstanding *ans9rit=8i/etan codicolog( and the de?elop"ent of 8i/etan B#ddhis" +*chaeffer 2002)$11 & preli"inar( translation of the (attātre"a"oga!āstra is a?aila/le on "( acade"ia$ed# page$

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% ha?e transcri/ed and translated one "an#script of this te5t +Mallinson 2011a)$ % 9no of no citations of it inlater co"pendia or co""entaries it see"s that the te5t fell into o/sc#rit( once the Vivekamārtaṇḍa started to /e 9non as the Goraka!ataka$

4$ Vivekamārtaṇḍa$ 1- ?erses one 9non "an#script of hich the tea" has a scan$ Editors Mallinson andBirch$ 8his te5t is also li9el( to date to the 1th cent#r( and is the first in the Dth tradition to co"/ine

tantric 6#VWalinL techni7#es ith the )indu=oriented practices ta#ght in the #m'tasiddhi and (attātre"a"oga!āstra th#s pa?ing the a( for classical haṭha (oga as ta#ght in the 13th=cent#r( Haṭhapradīpikā and all s#/se7#ent or9s on the s#/>ect$% ha?e transcri/ed the te5t as fo#nd in its one 9non "an#script hich as copied in 14-- CE "a9ing itthe oldest 9non %ndian "an#script of a te5t on haṭha (oga$ 8his "an#script ill for" the /asis of theedition to hich alternati?e readings ill /e added fro" the te5t!s later e5panded recension hich ca"e to /e 9non as the Goraka!ataka +perhaps o#t of conf#sion ith o$ a/o?e) and hich has /een editedfro" >#st fo#r of its h#ndred=pl#s "an#scripts /( ootn( +1H-)$ 8he NYP ill collate the readings of ootn(!s edition citations of the te5t in pre=1-00 co"pendia and co""entaries +after 1-00 the citationsare all ta9en fro" the later recension) and an( "ore pre=1-00 "an#scripts of the te5t that can /e fo#nd$

3$ Yoga)ī*a$ 1H0 ?erses 20 9non "an#scripts of hich the tea" has scans of se?en$ Editors Birch andMallinson$ 8his c$ 14th=cent#r( te5t is the earliest or9 to co"/ine tantric 6#VWalinL (oga ith thetechni7#es of the (oga of the #m'tasiddhi and (attātre"a"oga!āstra and call the res#lt haṭha. %t is also thefirst haṭha (oga te5t to gi?e a philosophical >#stification for the practice of (oga$Editions of the Yoga)ī*a hich appear to /e diplo"atic transcriptions of single "an#scripts ha?e /een p#/lished /( the Gora9hnDth Mandir in Gora9hp#r and the 6eKa?Dnand Yoga *asthDn and % ha?etranscri/ed the readings of the for"er$ 8hese editions! readings ill /e collated for the NYP critical editiontogether ith those of the "an#scripts e can o/tain and the "an( citations of the te5t in later co"pendiaand co""entaries$

$ #maraughapra)odha$ -4 ?erses$ *e?en 9non "an#scripts of hich the tea" has scans of one$ EditorBirch$ 8his c$14th=cent#r( te5t hich is to so"e e5tent a co"pilation of ?erses fro" earlier or9s teaches a

haṭha (oga deri?ati?e of the techni7#es ta#ght in the #m'tasiddhi /#t p#ts it in a Dth fra"eor9$% ha?e transcri/ed a diplo"atic transcription of a single "an#script of the #maraughapra)odha p#/lished /(Malli9 +1H34)$

-$ Yogatārāvalī $ 2H ?erses$ 24 9non "an#scripts of hich the tea" has scans of to$ Editor Birch$ 8his c$13th=cent#r( te5t is the first to co"/ine haṭha and rā*a (oga traditions$ %t is cited /( 8$ 6rishna"achar(a the"ost i"portant g#r# of "odern (oga and is a 9e( te5t for the h#gel( pop#lar &UDZga school of "odern(oga esta/lished /( 6rishna"achar(a!s st#dent Patta/hi Aois$ &UDZga (oga classes #s#all( /egin ithchanting of the Yogatārāvalī !s first ?erse$8here ha?e /een se?eral %ndian editions of the Yogatārāvalī /#t none is philologicall( rigoro#s$ Birch haslocated 24 "an#scripts of the te5t hose readings he ill collate together ith those of the printed editions$

,$ Yoga+intāmaṇi$12

42 ?erses pl#s prose a#to=co""entar( 24 9non "an#scripts of hich the tea" hasscans of ten$ Editors Birch and *ingleton$ 8his ?ol#"ino#s 1-th=cent#r( co"pendi#" consists "ainl( of7#otations fro" appro5i"atel( H0 or9s a"ong hich are the #m'tasiddhi (attātre"a"oga!āstra andYoga)ī*a$ 8he NYP ill edit onl( its āsana section hich in different "an#scripts ?aries in the n#"/er ofāsanas descri/ed fro" 33 to 120$ *o"e of the āsanas are fo#nd in earlier or9s so"e are #ni7#e and so"esignificantl( are fo#nd onl( in a conte"poraneo#s Persian or9 on (oga the $a0r al-1a"āt $Birch has transcri/ed the "ost e5tensi?e āsana description fo#nd so far in an( of the "an#scripts of theYoga+intāmaṇi +*cindia @riental %nstit#te >>ain "s o$ 3-)$ 8his ill for" the /asis of the NYP edition$

H$ Haṭhasaṃketa+andrikā$ 8otal length #n9non āsana section to /e edited in the NYP c$ 0 ?erses ith prose co""entar($ Eight 9non "an#scripts of hich the tea" has scans of three$ Editors Birch and

12 or "ore details on the Yoga+intāmaṇi see Birch 2011H=143$ 8he Yoga+intāmaṇi 7#otes the Yoga)hāskara a(oga te5t attri/#ted to the fa"o#s se?enteenth=cent#r( &d?aita?edDntin philosopher 6a?LndrDcDr(asaras?atL ho asan ad?isor to the fifth M#ghal e"peror *hDh AahDn$ 8his te5t is tho#ght to /e lost /#t Birch has located a "an#scriptentitled Yoga)hāskara in a recentl( p#/lished %ndian li/rar( catalog#e$ %f the 7#otations in the Yoga+intāmaṇi confir"that this "an#script is 6a?LndrDcDr(asaras?atL!s Yoga)hāskara it o#ld /e a significant disco?er($


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*ingleton$ 8he NYP ill edit onl( the e5tensi?e āsana section of this 1,th=cent#r( or9$ Ii9e theYoga+intāmaṇi the Haṭhasaṃketa+andrikā has parallels ith the Persian $a0r al-1a"āt $

10$ apālakuruṇṭakahaṭhā)h"āsapaddhati$ Prose 24 folios in a single "an#script of hich the tea" has ascan$ Editors Birch Mallinson and *ingleton$ 8his te5t as shon /( its title is attri/#ted to one 6apDla=9#r#Va9a$ 8his attri/#tion and its incl#sion +as the longest chapter of the te5t) of descriptions of 110āsanas

hich are identical to those ta#ght in the Śrītattvanidhi a te5t co"posed in M(sore in the "id=1Hth cent#r(and associated ith the M(sore palace (oga tradition s#ggest that the apālakuruṇṭakahaṭhā)h"āsa-

paddhati "a( /e the Yoga uruntaS , hich as said to /e the so#rce of his (oga techni7#es /( 8$ 6rishna="achar(a the (oga teacher at the M(sore Palace in the first half of the tentieth cent#r( hose st#dentsha?e /een the "ost infl#ential teachers of glo/alised "odern (oga$

Ethnographic Case Studies

% shall identif( ascetic (oga practitioners to inter?ie d#ring the fieldor9 progra" of the NYP /( "a9ingin7#iries at the 6#"/h Mela festi?als to /e held in north %ndia in 201 and 201H$ Belo % shall gi?e /rief profiles of fo#r ascetic (oga practitioners ith ho" % ha?e alread( esta/lished close relationships andho" % e5pect to /e a"ong the pro>ect!s pri"ar( inter?ieees$ #rther details of the fieldor9 progra""ecan /e fo#nd f#rther on in the "ethodolog( section$

BDl(ogL RD" BDla9 ;Ds

% first "et RD" BDla9 ;Ds at the 1HH2 >>ain 6#"/h Mela here he initiated "e into the RD"DnandL orderand % ha?e sta(ed in his ca"p at e?er( 6#"/h Mela held since then$ RD" BDla9 ;Ds ho is appro5i"atel(30 (ears of age has s"all ashra"s in G#>arat and Maharashtra /#t is "ostl( itinerant$ Ne is renoned ithinhis order for his "aster( of a range of (oga practices hich ere ta#ght to hi" /( his g#r# hen he as a /o( +he /eca"e an ascetic at the age of ten)$ &"ong the" is va*rolī mudrā /( "eans of hich li7#ids "a( /e dran #p the #rethra and hich is praised in haṭha (oga te5ts as the #lti"ate (oga practice for its a/ilit(

to /ring a/o#t either se5#al continence or the a/sorption of the "i5ed prod#cts of se5#al interco#rsedepending #pon the tradition in hich it is ta#ght$ %n all "( (ears of fieldor9 % ha?e onl( e?er "et oneother ascetic (ogi ho can perfor" va*rolī. RD" BDla9 ;Ds has de"onstrated its practice to "e and ta#ght"e ho to perfor" it "(self$ RD" BDla9 ;Ds ill li9e all the pro>ect!s inter?ieees /e 7#estioned a/o#t allaspects of the (oga tradition /#t special foc#s ill /e paid to va*rolī hich is 9e( to #nderstanding thehistor( and p#rpose of haṭha (oga +Mallinson 201)$

AagannDth ;Ds YogLrD>

AagannDth ;Ds is part of the sa"e s#/lineage of the RD"DnandLs as RD" BDla9 ;Ds$ &ppro5i"atel( 3 (earsof age he has an ashra" on the /order of ttar Pradesh and Bihar /#t spends "ost of his ti"e tra?ellingith a *amāt or troop of RD"DnandL ascetics for hich he is the p2*ārī or priest$ nli9e RD" BDla9 ;Ds he

co"/ines his (oga practice hich incl#des the perfor"ance of āsanas and mudrās ith dh2ni-tap, theancient ascetic practice of spending se?eral ho#rs e?er( da( d#ring the fo#r "onths of the hot season"editating and practising (oga #nder the s#""er s#n hile s#rro#nded /( co=d#ng fires$ %nter?ies ithAagannDth ;Ds ill in7#ire in partic#lar a/o#t this co"/ination of (oga and e5tre"e ascetic practice$

YogL BD/DS &nTp Dth

&nTp Dth ho has /een "entioned a/o?e is a (o#ng +appro5i"atel( 2 (ears old) Dth ascetic ho has as"all kuṭī"ā +h#t) in the Ni"ala(an pilgri"age centre of Mani9aran /#t ho is predo"inatel( itinerant$ &snoted a/o?e he is a "aster of āsana practice /#t his practice is inno?ati?e ithin the Dth tradition andso"e of it deri?es fro" "odern glo/alised (oga$

BDla9 Dth 6ohDrL

BDla9 Dth ho is appro5i"atel( 0 (ears of age is the 6ohDrL or store9eeper at the Dth "onaster( at thete"ple of Aala"#9hi in Ni"achal Pradesh$ Ne does not practise the ph(sical techni7#es of (oga /#t has

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Mallinson Part B2

/een initiated into the rit#al= and ?is#alisation=/ased tantric practices hich are the traditional preser?e of hisorder and hich are clai"ed in te5ts and /( Dth ascetics to /esto s#pernat#ral capa/ilities$ Ne ill /einter?ieed a/o#t this aspect of his religio#s practice in partic#lar and as9ed ho it relates to the ph(sical practices of haṭha (oga$

Ipact

8he o#tp#ts of the pro>ect ill /e of interest to a general a#dience c#rio#s a/o#t the histor( of (oga and to(oga practitioners see9ing to #nderstand /etter the origins of their practice$ 8he( ill also /e /eneficial toacade"ic researchers in a ?ariet( of disciplines not >#st philologists and ethnographers ho st#d( (oga$*cholars of %ndian religion ill #nderstand /etter (oga!s de?elop"ent and place in %ndian religio#s histor(in partic#lar its i"portant contri/#tion to the esta/lish"ent of a pan=%ndian Nind#is" o?er the co#rse of thelast "illenni#"$ 8he different (ogas ta#ght in (oga te5ts are the prod#cts of different sects /( identif(ingthe" historians of %ndia ill get a /etter #nderstanding of sect=for"ation in the "edie?al period a processhose i"portance in %ndia!s religio#s histor( is onl( no /eginning to /e appreciated$ 8his ill /enefit arthistorians too : (oga=practising ascetics are the s#/>ect of a ide ?ariet( of paintings in the pre="odern period /#t their identification has hitherto /een o/sc#red /( a lac9 of #nderstanding of the sectarian "ilie# of hich the( ere part$ Ethnographers and historians of the ascetic orders hich ha?e "e"/ers ho practice(oga ill gain a /etter #nderstanding of their s#/>ects$ Philologists st#d(ing the #se of te5ts ithin ascholarl( tradition together ith "an#script practices and disse"ination ill /enefit fro" an #nderstandingof ho the te5ts of the haṭha corp#s are interrelated and ho the( are /orroed fro" in other or9s$ 8he pro>ect also pro?ides philologists ith an #n#s#al opport#nit( to st#d( the interaction of te5t and practice$Preli"inar( readings s#ggest that the te5ts ere not >#st descripti?e of (oga practice /#t #sed prescripti?el(too corr#ptions in te5t#al trans"ission ha?e led to ?ariations in practice +Mallinson 2011a)$ 8he creation ofa searcha/le digital corp#s ill /e of #se not onl( to scholars of (oga /#t to *ans9ritists in general andscholars of te5t#al corpora$ 8he place of the #m'tasiddhi ithin the corp#s ill shed light on thede?elop"ent of 8i/etan B#ddhis" and its relationship ith non=B#ddhist religion in %ndia and the parallels /eteen so"e of the te5ts! teachings on āsana ith those fo#nd in Persian or9s ill i"pro?e historians!

#nderstanding of Nind#=M#sli" interaction in precolonial %ndia$ inall( scholars of the groing field ofModern Yoga ill ha?e a clearer #nderstanding of the historical antecedents of their s#/>ect and a solid /od(of data fro" hich to identif( contin#ities and inno?ations and to steer a co#rse /eteen the conflictingclai"s that (oga is a 3000=(ear=old religion or nothing /#t g("nastics$

Section b. !ethodo"og#

Progra

&s soon as the pro>ect is gi?en the go=ahead % shall in?ite leading scholars hose or9 is rele?ant to the NYPto >oin its ad?isor( /oard$ %n?itees ill incl#de philologists +Professors &le5is *anderson Nar#naga

%saacson ;o"inic Goodall and ;o"ini9 F#>ast(9) historians +;r Matthe Clar9 ;r Eli'a/eth deMichelis) an ethnographer +;r Jroni7#e Bo#illier) and an art historian +;r ;e/ra ;ia"ond)$ 8he ad?isor( /oard ill "eet once at the /eginning of the pro>ect!s second (ear and once at the /eginning of its final (ear$

8he pro>ect tea" ha?e /een in?ited /( Ga> *ingh the ersthile Mahara>a of Aodhp#r to ad?ise on theesta/lish"ent of a (oga research instit#te at his Mahara>a Man *ingh Ii/rar( at the Mehrangarh ort inAodhp#r Ra>asthan hich ho#ses the orld!s largest collection of "an#scripts on (oga$ @nce the NYP isgi?en the go=ahead % shall recr#it a local research assistant ho o#ld /e the instit#te!s first f#ll=ti"ee"plo(ee and hose d#ties for the NYP ill incl#de locating o/taining copies of and transcri/ing"an#scripts fro" li/raries all o?er %ndia$ % shall also recr#it a research assistant to /e /ased at the \colefranaise d


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Mallinson Part B2

% shall arrange for the tea" "e"/ers to /e affiliated ith a go?ern"ent=f#nded %ndian research instit#te inorder for the" to /e per"itted to cond#ct fieldor9$ 8his ill /e ith either the Aodhp#r instit#te sho#ld itha?e attained the necessar( stat#s or the EE@$

8he or9 of editing the te5ts and collating "an#scripts ill start as soon as the pro>ect is officiall(#ndera($ ;#ring the first (ear of the pro>ect fro" @cto/er to March Mallinson *ingleton and Birch ill

tra?el ee9l( to @5ford to read the #m'tasiddhi ith ;r Pter=;_niel *'_nt` of &ll *o#ls ni?ersit( of@5ford$ ;r *'_nt` ill help ith transcri/ing and translating the 8i/etan registers of the Bei>ing "an#scriptand conte5t#alising the te5t ithin the orld of tantric B#ddhis"$

;#ring the first (ear e shall "a9e instit#tional and practical preparations for fieldor9$ Fe shall hold aseries of tea" "eetings to esta/lish protocols for the cond#ct of colla/orati?e or9 lines of financialacco#nta/ilit( a#thorship and cop(right of o#tp#ts and the responsi/ilities of tea" "e"/ers toards oneanother and the pro>ect$

&t the /eginning of the second (ear of the pro>ect a or9shop ill /e held at *@&* to hich scholarsor9ing on te5ts related to haṭha (oga +partic#larl( those on tantra and earlier for"s of (oga) ill /e in?ited$8he tea" "e"/ers ill lead sessions reading sections of the te5ts to /e edited hile the in?ited g#ests illdo the sa"e for te5ts on hich the( are or9ing$1 Birch ill spend si5 "onths of the second (ear of the pro>ect in %ndia /ased in Aodhp#r /#t tra?elling thro#gho#t the co#ntr( to collect "an#script scans$ *ingletonill do the sa"e in the pro>ect!s third (ear$

Ii/raries holding "an#scripts of te5ts to /e edited in the pro>ect hose scans ha?e not (et /een ac7#ired /(the tea" incl#de the folloing @riental %nsit#te Baroda Go?ern"ent @riental Man#scripts Ii/rar(Madras &d(ar Ii/rar( Madras Benares Nind# ni?ersit( Aodhp#r @riental Research %nstit#te PalaceIi/rar( 8ri?andr#" Bhandar9ar @riental Research %nstit#te P#ne 6#r#9shetra Jish?a?id(ala(aNe"achandra Aain Mandir Patan *arasati Mahal Ii/rar( 8an>ore the Ii/rar( of the Mahara>a of Bi9aner agari Pracharini *a/ha Jaranasi ational &rchi?es 6ath"and#$ 8ea" "e"/ers ha?e s#ccessf#ll(ac7#ired scans of "an#scripts fro" all of these li/raries in the past e5cept for the Ii/rar( of the Mahara>a of

Bi9aner$ %n recent (ears scholars ha?e /een fr#strated in their atte"pts to cop( "an#scripts in this li/rar($8hro#gh a third part( % ha?e "ade preli"inar( contact ith the li/rar(!s c#stodian and a" hopef#l that eill /e gi?en per"ission to cop( "an#scripts in the Bi9aner collection$

8he critical editions and annotated translations of fo#r of the te5ts +os$ 1 2 and H) ill /e co"pleted /(the end of the second (ear of the pro>ect along ith fo#r articles hich ill constit#te preli"inar( or9 on parts of the tea" "e"/ers! "onographs 8antric B#ddhis" and earl( Haṭha"ogaS +Mallinson) 8he proliferation of āsana practice in earl( "odern %ndiaS +/irch) Yoga and glo/al ph(sical c#lt#reS +*ingleton)and Yoga Pedagog( in &scetic 8raditionsS +Be?ilac7#a)$ &t the end of the third (ear editions of three f#rther te5ts +os$ 4 and 10) ill /e co"pleted and *ingleton and Birch ill co"plete an article on 3sana inthe Haṭhā)h"āsapaddhati and its i"plications for the histor( of (ogaS$ &t the end of the fo#rth (ear editionsof the three re"aining te5ts +os$ 3 - and ,) ill /e co"pleted$ 8he tea" "e"/ers ill s#/"it their

"onographs for p#/lication at the end of the pro>ect period$ @ther articles and /oo9 chapters to /e p#/lished /( the tea" d#ring the pro>ect ill incl#de Yoga and *e5S +Mallinson) & Nistor( of the Man *ingh P#sta9 Pra9ash


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Mallinson Part B2

8o conferences open to all and chaired /( "e ill /e held at *@&* in the second and fo#rth (ears of the pro>ect$ 8he first ill /e on Yogis practitioners of (oga$ *cholars in a ide ?ariet( of disciplines +rangingfro" ethnographers and art historians to e5perts in historical *#fi traditions) ill /e in?ited to spea9 at theconference$ 8he tea" "e"/ers ill each gi?e papers$ %n addition to facilitating the disse"ination of thetea"!s preli"inar( findings the conference ill help conte5t#alise the te5ts st#died in the pro>ect$ 8he

second conference ill /e on Yoga$ *cholars of the /roader field of (oga st#dies ill /e in?ited +fro" thoseor9ing on the origins of (oga practice at the ti"e of the B#ddha to specialists in "odern glo/alised (oga)$&s in the first conference the tea" "e"/ers ill each present papers in order to disse"inate their findingsand the other scholars! presentations ill s#/se7#entl( /e dran on to sit#ate the pro>ect ithin the field of(oga st#dies as a hole$ 8he papers gi?en at /oth conferences ill /e re?ised for p#/lication$

8hro#gho#t its d#ration the pro>ect ill /e colla/orati?e e shall or9 closel( together as a tea" sharingresearch "aterials "aintaining reg#lar co""#nication disc#ssing the"es to /e shared /( the pro>ecto#tp#ts e5changing drafts of editions translations papers and /oo9 chapters and holding reg#lar infor"al"eetings and or9shops$

!ethod

Belo % shall gi?e details of the process of i"ple"entation of the pro>ect!s to "ain "ethods of ac7#iringand anal(sing data na"el( te5t=critical st#d( of *ans9rit te5ts on (oga and ethnograph($

8he ten te5ts to /e edited as part of the NYP ill not /e the onl( ones st#died d#ring the pro>ect$ 8heintrod#ctions and notes to the editions the "onographs and the peer=re?ieed articles ill all dra on an(9non rele?ant te5ts either p#/lished editions or "an#script copies alread( o/tained$ %n addition hencollecting scans of "an#scripts of the te5ts to /e edited in the pro>ect the tea" ill identif( in the catalog#esof each li/rar( ?isited an( other "an#scripts hich "a( /e of interest and ha?e the" scanned too so thatthe( "a( /e cons#lted and dran on if rele?ant$

%n addition to *ans9rit te5ts and ethnograph( the researchers ill dra on f#rther so#rces in order toconte5t#alise the pro>ect!s findings$ 8hese ill incl#de inscriptions hich "ention the di?ine and h#"anteachers of the te5ts of the corp#s foreign tra?ellers! historical reports of (ogis representations of (ogis inte"ple stat#ar( M#ghal so#th %ndian and colonial=era paintings depicting (ogis "edie?al te5ts onhaṭha (oga in lang#ages other than *ans9rit incl#ding 8a"il Marathi Bra> Bhasha and Persian and ethnographicst#dies of "odern transnational (oga$

Phi"o"ogica" ethod

8en is a large n#"/er of te5ts to edit /#t the( +or the passages fro" the" hich ill /e edited) are allrelati?el( short +ranging fro" 2H to 2,4 ?erses) and scans of "an( of their "an#scripts ha?e alread( /een

o/tained /( the tea"$ For9ing editions of so"e of the te5ts ha?e /een esta/lished and at least one"an#script of e?er( te5t has /een transcri/ed$ 8h#s e?en in the ?er( #nli9el( e?ent of scans of no f#rther"an#scripts of a te5t /eing o/tained it ill /e possi/le to esta/lish an edition of it$

Editing the te5ts ill follo the sa"e proced#re as carried o#t /( Birch and "(self hen e edited te5ts foro#r doctoral theses and hich % ha?e #sed for s#/se7#ent te5ts or passages of te5ts$ & detailed description of the proced#re can /e fo#nd in the technical appendi5 s#/"itted ith this application hich % shalls#""arise here$ Fe shall "a9e sa"ple collations of passages fro" a te5t to /e edited in order to esta/lish if possi/le a ste""a of the "an#script itnesses fro" hich e can e?al#ate the readings to /e adopted inthe te4tus +riti+us$ @nce this has /een done and the editing process is #nder a( e shall inp#t the te5t and?ariants in bMI$ &s soon as the tea" "e"/ers ha?e a or9ing edition of a te5t the( ill start on itstranslation and the notes to the translation$ 8he tea" ill hold reg#lar "eetings to read thro#gh the or9ing

editions$ Fhen "e"/ers are aa( fro" *@&* these ill /e carried o#t ?ia *9(pe$

8he finalised bMI editions ill /e deposited at *&R%8 +*earch and Retrie?al of %ndic 8e5tsS :httpQQsarit$indolog($info)$ 8he( ill also /e con?erted fro" bMI to N8MI and p#/lished as a pro>ect=

10


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Mallinson Part B2

specific e/site hosted /( *@&* Research @nline in a ne for"at de?eloped /( &ndre @llett and othershich presents editions and their translations side=/(=side and "a9es ?ieing ?ariant readings as si"ple asho?ering the "o#se o?er the le""a ord$14 %t is "( hope that /( #sing and pro"oting this gro#nd/rea9ing"ethod of displa(ing te5t#al ?ariants the NYP ill enco#rage scholars pre?io#sl( inti"idated /( densecritical apparat#ses to engage ith te5t=critical scholarship hich % a" con?inced is essential for a correct#nderstanding of not >#st %ndian religio#s histor( /#t an( historical s#/>ect st#died thro#gh ritten so#rces$

8he sa"e bMI so#rces ill /e con?erted to Ia8eb in order to t(peset the" for p#/lication as /oo9s$ 8hese /oo9s together ith the pro>ect!s "onographs and conference proceedings ill /e p#/lished in a dedicated*@&* Yoga Ii/rar( series hich it is hoped ill contin#e long after the end of the pro>ect$

Ethnographic ethod

;r Be?ilac7#a ill engage in si5 "onths of fieldor9 each (ear of the pro>ect as a res#lt of hich the NYPill pro?ide the first ethnograph( of (oga practice a"ong traditional %ndian ascetics ho ha?e ala(s /eenits practitioners par e4+ellen+e$ 8his ill /e directed ethnograph( ai"ed pri"aril( at #nderstanding ascetic practice of (oga /#t also at #nderstanding the de?elop"ent of the sects hose "e"/ers practise (oga$ %t illnot /e an ethnograph( of %ndian asceticis" in general nor of a specific sect or s#/lineage +e5cellentethnographies of these 9inds ha?e alread( /een done /( B#rghart +e$g$ 1H,0) ?an der Jeer +1H,H) Gross+1HH2) Na#sner +200-) and Bo#illier +200,))$

#rther"ore % and ;r Be?ilac7#a ill go to the 6#"/h Mela festi?als to /e held at >>ain and &llaha/ad in&pril 201 and e/r#ar( 201H respecti?el($ Fe shall sta( in the ca"p of the s#/=lineage ith hich % a"affiliated hich incl#des at least fo#r practitioners of haṭha (oga +to of ho" ha?e /een descri/ed in thecase st#dies a/o?e)$ 8hro#gh cas#al con?ersations e shall see9 to identif( f#rther (oga practitioners tointer?ie for"all( /oth ithin o#r ca"p and in the ca"ps of other ascetic orders incl#ding the Dths the;aKanD"L *an(DsLs and the dDsLs$ % ha?e ac7#aintances in all these orders ho % e5pect ill /e happ( tohelp #s in o#r search$

Fe shall tr( to inter?ie the (oga practitioners that e identif( hile at the festi?al /#t this "a( not /e possi/le in hich case e shall arrange to "eet infor"ants afterards +this is "#ch easier than it #sed to /e : "an( ascetics andQor their disciples no carr( "o/ile telephones)$ %t is also li9el( that e shall learn of(ogis ho are not at the festi?al /#t ho" o#r infor"ants there tell #s ill /e s#ita/le inter?ieees$

Ii9el( locations for the inter?ies to /e cond#cted after the festi?als incl#de the higher reaches of GarhalNi"ala(a and Ni"achal Pradesh hich are fre7#ented /( ascetics and (ogis in the hot season that follosthe >>ain festi?al$ &fter the &llaha/ad 6#"/h Mela li9el( ?en#es for f#rther fieldor9 incl#de Chitra9#tand Jaranasi here ascetics of respecti?el( the RD"DnandL and ;aKanD"L traditions often repair to rela5after the rigo#rs of the festi?al$

8he for"al inter?ies ill /e recorded and if e thin9 it s#ita/le in instances hen infor"ants de"onstrate(ogic techni7#es fil"ed$ +&s ith all o#r data collection fro" infor"ants so#nd recording and fil"ing illonl( /e carried o#t ith the infor"ants! ritten or fil"ed consent as o#tlined in the Ethical %ss#es &nne5s#/"itted together ith this proposal$)

Prior to e"/ar9ing on o#r fieldor9 trips e shall dra #p a list of 7#estions to p#t to o#r infor"ants$ 6e(7#estions ill incl#de the folloing

= Fhat (oga practices do the( doO= No are the( doneO= Fh( do the( do the"O= No did the( learn the"O

= 8o ho" doQill the( teach the"O= ;o te5t#al so#rces infor" their (oga practice and teachingO= Can la(people practise (ogaO

14 *ee @llett!s sa"ple file at httpQQ$col#"/ia$ed#Qaso2101Qlila?atiQlila?atisa"ple=dn$ht"l$

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= %f so do the( teach (oga to their la( folloersO

%f an( infor"ants anser (es to the last 7#estion e shall atte"pt to inter?ie their la( folloers$ Man( ofthe te5ts to /e edited as part of the NYP teach that la(people "a( learn its techni7#es$ %ndeed this is li9el( to /e part of the reason that the te5ts ere co"posed and e hope that ethnograph( "a( shed light on ho this"ight ha?e happened$ &nd e ill /e open to the possi/ilit( of identif(ing and inter?ieing "e"/ers of la(

lineages of traditional (oga practitioners altho#gh a thoro#gh search for and ethnograph( of s#ch lineageso#ld re7#ire a separate pro>ect in partic#lar /eca#se the( are li9el( to ha?e /een strongl( infl#enced /("odern (oga practice$

%n o#r ethnographic anal(sis e shall /e ar( of reading too "#ch of the past fro" the present$ M( pre?io#sst#dies ha?e in partic#lar shon "e ho sectarian de?elop"ents ha?e res#lted in changes in the doctrinalfra"e of (oga practice$ M( #nderstanding of the historical de?elop"ent of the (ogi sects allos "e toidentif( instances of this and discard the" hen draing on ethnographic o/ser?ation to #nderstand the pastand % shall g#ide ;r Be?ilac7#a thro#gh these potential pitfalls$

&ll the data ac7#ired d#ring o#r ethnographic fieldor9 ill /e acco"panied /( a detailed description of the process and conte5t of its ac7#isition in order to facilitate its s#/se7#ent anal(sis$

!onographs

%n concl#sion % shall gi?e a /rief s#""ar( of the content and str#ct#re of the three "onographs that ill /e prod#ced as the NYP!s "ost significant o#tp#ts$

1$ Mallinson$ For9ing title Yoga and Yogis5 the 6e4ts, 6e+hni7ues and 8ra+titioners o& 9arl" Haṭha"oga. 8o parts +1) Yoga and +2) Yogis$ 8he first part ill identif( and s#""arise the te5ts of the earl( corp#sanal(se the ?ario#s "ethods of (oga ta#ght in the" and see9 to identif( their antecedents$ %n partic#lar it illsho ho the classical haṭha (oga for"#lated in the Haṭhapradīpikā is a co"/ination of to separatetraditions of practice$ 8he second part ill identif( the practitioners of haṭha (oga d#ring its for"ati?e

period and sho ho the( are di?ided into to gro#ps corresponding to the to t(pes of practice$;elineating the de?elop"ent of the to traditions ill re7#ire anal(sis of /oth their antecedents and thoseho s#cceeded the"$13

2$ Birch$ For9ing title Yoga on the 9ve o& :olonialism5 the Histori+al ;oundations o&


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Mallinson Part B2

4$ Be?ilac7#a$ For9ing title >et the ?ādhus 6alk5 8ast and 8resent 9mi+ @nderstandings o& Yoga and Yogis$8his "onograph ill /e co"posed of to parts the first historiographic the second ethnographic$ 8he first part ill descri/e the social /ac9gro#nd of pre"odern practitioners of (oga$ %t ill dra on te5t#aldescriptions of (oga practitioners /( ascetics and ā+ār"as and atte"pt /oth to ?erif( hether thesedescriptions changed along ith social and political conditions and to #nderstand ho these changesaffected the n#"/er and t(pologies of haṭha (oga practitioners$ 8he second part ill descri/e traditional

ascetic practitioners of haṭha (oga toda( and their e"ic #nderstandings of its practice and p#rpose$ %n sodoing the st#d( ill pro?ide a co"parison of past and present haṭha (oga practitioners as ell as aconfrontation of the e"ic ascetic perspecti?e of haṭha (oga ith that of scholars and "odern la( practitioners$

$eferences

Birch Aason$ 201$ 6he #manaska. ing o& #ll Yogas. # :riti+al 9dition and #nnotated 6ranslation Aith a


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*chaeffer 6#rtis$ 2002$ 8he &ttain"ent of %""ortalit( fro" Dthas in %ndia to B#ddhists in 8i/etS pp$313=3 in the Journal o& =ndian 8hilosoph" Jol$ 0 o$ $

*ingh Pancha"$ 1H14$ 6he Hatha Yoga 8radipika. &llaha/ad Panini @ffice$*ingleton Mar9$ 2010$ Yoga $od"$ e Yor9 @5ford ni?ersit( Press$?an der Jeer Peter$ 1H,H$ Gods on 9arth. 6he

haha yoga project proposal

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