Basti (hatha yoga)  Basti is an important Shatkarma, a yogic purification, intended to clean the lower abdomen, especially the colon. The "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" and other sources attribute to it many beneficial effects. There are two ways to perform Basti:   The "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" states that the pipe form of basti destroys swelling of the abdomen and diseases of the spleen among other ailments. The "Gheranda Samhita" states that the wet (pipe) form of basti wards off urinary diseases, wind, and constipation, conferring a physique "like the god of love".