 Front cover: Ghamande demonstrating the yoga pose Matsyendrasana | |
| Author | Yogi Narayana Ghamande |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Purusottam Sadashiv Joshi |
| Language | Marathi |
| Subject | Asanas |
| Genre | Hatha yoga manual |
| Publisher | Janardan Mahadev Gurjar, Niranayasagar Press |
Publication date | 1905 |
| Publication place | India |
The Yogasopana Purvacatuska (Marathi: योगसोपान पूर्वचतुष्क (in Devanagari script)) or Stairway to Yoga is a 1905 book in Marathi on hatha yoga by Yogi Narayana Ghamande. It describes and illustrates 37 asanas including Matsyendrasana and Sarvangasana, along with mudras such as Viparita Karani. It was the first and probably the only textbook on yoga to be illustrated with halftone plates.[1] It was influential as the first illustrated yoga textbook to be printed.[2] The book was transitional in several ways: from traditional secrecy to public access to hatha yoga's practices; from symbolic to naturalistic representation of the yoga body, its halftone engravings forming a halfway house between painting and photography; and from spiritual description to art.[1]
- ^ a b Singleton 2010, pp. 170–174.
- ^ Greenberg, Stephen J. (27 November 2013). "NLM Visits the Sackler". US National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
this book is 'a key transitional text in the history of the representation of the yogic body, and was conceived as a work of art as well as a practical instruction manual.' It's a small book, modestly printed, whose influence belies its humble appearance.