Verse by verse · Hatha Yoga Pradipika
HYP 1.16
Enthusiasm, courage, perseverance, knowledge of principles, resolve and stepping back from the crowd — by these six, yoga succeeds.
Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 21 September 2026
Sanskrit, in transliteration
utsāhāt sāhasād dhairyāt tattva-jñānāc ca niścayāt / jana-saṅga-parityāgāt ṣaḍbhir yogaḥ prasidhyati
Our own plain rendering, checked against the standard published translations.
What the verse says
The positive counterpart to 1.15. Note that four of the six are attitudes and one is understanding; none is flexibility, strength or capacity.
In practice
"Knowledge of principles" is the reason this library exists. Practice goes further when you know what the practice is for.
This verse sits in Hatha Yoga Pradipika, chapter 1 — read our commentary on the whole chapter.