Many other forms of literature came into surface during the post classical period and one of them is ‘Amarougha Prabodha’ which is a 12th century Shaivite Sanskrit text on hatha yoga, attributed to Gorakshanath. It is closely related to the 11th century AmritasiddhiVajrayanaBuddhist work, describing the same physical yoga practices, but adding Shaivite philosophy, subsuming hatha yoga under raja yoga. The Amaraugha Prabodha is the earliest text that combines hatha yoga with raja yoga. It was likely used by Svatmarama when he wrote the 15th century Hatha yoga Pradipika. The ‘Dattatreya Yoga Shastra’is another popular text that relates to the post classical era. It is the first text to describe and teach yoga as having three categories, namely Mantra yoga, Layayoga and Hatha yoga. All the three leads to Samadhi the goal of Raja Yoga
A Vaishnava text composed in the 13th century CE, is the earliest text which provides a systematized form of Hatha yoga under that name and the earliest to place its yoga techniques under the name Haṭha. Dattātreya Yogaśāstra, in a dialogue form between Sānkriti and Lord Dattātreya, is a unique classical yogic text. It imparts the right concept and rational knowledge of yoga with a heavy focus on practice with great effort. It clearly outlines that everyone is entitled to yoga practice regardless of one's age, sex, faith, belief, religion, and physical appearance. The text defines hatha yoga as distinct from mantra yoga, laya yoga, and raja yoga, which works on controlling the breath and the bindu (semen).
Closing Summary
The Post Classical period can also be termed, as an evolution phase, which set the stepping-stone to the Hatha Yoga, as we see in practice today. This form of Yoga is sourced from the Tantra principles and with fundamental conceptual origin from the Vedas. Most of the practices and techniques find their relevance in Tantra Yoga. The Post Classical period was also an era that many traditional texts came into existence. Many became popular due to the lucidity of the language but most of the texts and techniques mentioned therein in require guidance of an experienced teacher. The knowledge transfer done by mere reading does not have the desired effect on the practitioner, unless an eminent Acharya or Guru, initiates the practitioner in to doing the practice or following a certain chariya (regular observance of practice).
The Post Classical period is the most important period in the evolution of Yoga awareness and from this base, the modern period of Yoga stemmed out. However, it is worthwhile to mention that the techniques as advocated remained obscure for an exceptionally long time due to nature of the practice and the secrecy it required to maintain, to preserve its authenticity. And those who understood and practiced under the guidance of an Acharya or Guru, reaped the benefits of the same, but chose to remain anonymous, not to violate the sanctity of the practice.
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