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Bahr al-Hayāt
The Indian subcontinent is a hub of diverse cultures, languages, and practices. Several examples can be quoted from its rich history that bear witness to the co-existence, amalgamation as well as acculturation of these multitudinous channels. The Bahr al-Hayāt or Ocean of Life is an illustrated Persian book that covers a plethora of topics, including the different asanas used during meditation. It is considered to be one of the first illustrated treatises on yoga.
Bahr al-Hayāt was composed by Muhammad Ghwath Gwaliori in Gujarat around 1550 CE. He was a Sufi saint belonging to the Shattari Sufi order. He composed the text to familiarize his disciples with Hatha yoga practices that were compatible with the Sufi goals of spiritual transformation. Ghwath emphasized that the personal mystic experiences of yogis and Sufis are alike. The illustrated volume was one of the three manuscripts related to yoga, which were commissioned by Prince Salim (later known as Mughal Emperor Jahangir), who between 1600 and 1604 CE resided in Allahabad. The history and the background of the composition of the Bahr al-Hayāt are interlinked with the Amṛtakuṇḍa or the Pool of Nectar, a book that was composed apparently in Hindi or Sanskrit, the original of which is now unfortunately lost.
According to the introduction, in 1210 CE, in Bengal, Amṛtakuṇḍa was translated into Persian and then Arabic and titled Hawd ma’al-Hayat or The Pool of the Water of Life. There are several complicated theories on the series of translations and events, which subsequently manifested into the composition of Bahr al-Hayāt. However, it is noteworthy that although the Bahr al-Hayāt is based on previously composed treatises, it was not a translation in toto; several additions were subsequently made by the composer, which made the final product unique in its own right.
Bahr al-Hayāt has been arranged into ten chapters, each of which deals with a different theme. The ten chapters together are an attempt to explain the philosophy of hatha yoga. The manuscript contains illustrations that depict yogis in various postures like the Gorakshasana, Kukkutasana, Kurmasana, Virasana, Garbhasana, Padmasana, and Siddhasana, amongst others. Apart from the unique textual sections, these illustrations make Bahr al-Hayāt distinct from other similar publications.
Bahr al-Hayāt is a unique treatise that engages with several themes associated with yoga postures, divination techniques, mantras, etc. It is minutely detailed, and as a literary source, it has established a unique place in history.
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