IdentityHa?ha yoga is a branch of Yoga. The Sanskrit word ?? ha?ha literally means "force" and thus alludes to a system of physical techniques.[1][2]:527
In India, ha?ha yoga is associated in popular tradition with the 'Yogis' of the Natha Sampradaya through its traditional founder Matsyendranath. Almost all hathayogic texts belong to the Nath siddhas, and the important ones are credited to Matsyendranath's disciple, Gorakhnath or Gorakshanath.[3] Matsyendranath, also known as Minanath or Minapa in Tibet, is celebrated as a saint in both Hindu and Buddhist tantric and ha?ha yoga schools. However, James Mallinson associates ha?ha yoga with the Dashanami Sampradaya and the mystical figure of Dattatreya.[4][5] According to the Dattatreya Yoga ?astra, there are two forms of ha?ha yoga: one practiced by Yajñavalkya consisting of the eight limbs of ashtanga yoga and another practiced by Kapila consisting of eight mudras.
