Greetings
to you.
As
the world celebrates the International Yoga day today , I was looking at sharing few
technical aspects of Yoga today. I am sure as you read along you will find it interesting
and perhaps useful to practice to become
a very effective human being, successful leader and a bright student.
World
over people have interpreted Yoga only as a physical exercise or asanas. But
the truth is asana is just one part of yoga. Yoga
means development or Yogam in Sanskrit. From Yogam we get Yuga. Kali, Dwapara,
Thretha and Krita are the stages or development in a human being. There are
eight branches of Yoga (The western world refers this as
Spiritual Development) and one of the eight is Asana, which, again
has many sub branches or many asanas.
Yoga
refers to the development of the individual (read Dharmic
development). It is not just
an exercise and the SURYA of the Suryanamaskaram and Sandhyavandanam is not for
the Sun. Surya refers to the Supreme Being who resides within each of us.
That
which removes all possible miseries arising from external objects is called
‘Yoga’ and this yoga need to be practiced with firmness and purity of
mind. That which leads to the greatest
gain and that which is not affected by sorrow or pain is called "Yoga".
Yoga
serves the purpose of subduing the senses and the mind which have their natural
tendencies to obstruct concentration of thought. Yoga destroys obstruction to real knowledge
and Gnana helps in the correct perception. The proper process for controlling
the mind is called yoga. Stopping the working of the mind is also yoga. The
merging of the mind into Akasa is also defined as Yoga. The joining of Prana
and Apana breathes together is known as yoga. That which leads to the greatest
gain and that which is not affected by sorrow or pains is described as Yoga. The
attainment of worldly desires is also called yoga by the ignorant.
The
root meaning of ‘Yoga’ is ‘Yuj’ i.e. to join the lower self with the higher,
the Jivatma with Paramatma. The word ‘to join’ is often used as a general term
to include Karma-yoga and Gnana yoga, the object of both the processes being to
join the individual Atma to universal Param Atma. They are not intrinsically
different, as, the work of both consists in mental exercises and
meditation. In the Karma yoga there is a
predominance of mental karmas/exercise (The process of purifying the mind)
and in the Gnana yoga (The Process of purifying the
intelligence) the meditation predominates over Karma.
In the Karma yoga the main work
is negative as referring to the destruction of the obstructive tendencies of
the mind and in the Gnana yoga it is more positive as the work to be done is
intellectual and analytic for the purpose of securing true knowledge of the Atman.
Karma yoga refers to the Dakshinayana and Gnana
Yoga refers to the Uttarayana. Dakshina
refers to the right hand which is capable of doing more dexterous work. Uttara
refers to the left and also means Uttara or to cross beyond the region of
materiality.
The wise Brahmin (to
be read as one who understands Brahman) who takes to the northern
path attains the glories of the Devas and merges in the sun. If he takes to the southern path, the glories
of the Pitris (the five subtle elements) and securing
the regions of soma merge in soma. Thus
by seeking the glories of soma and Soorya, the wise Brahmin secures the glories
of Brahman. The soma-Vamsa starting with Ida refers to karma-yoga and the
Soorya Vamsa starting with Ikshavaku refers to Gnana yoga. The soma Vamsa and
karma yoga are thus associated with the Dwapara Yuga and the Soorya Vamsa and
Gnana yoga are associated with a higher Yuga called the Treta. The kali Yuga refers
to the absence of yoga and the Krita represents a stage of perfection where
yoga has been completed.
There
are five kinds of yoga in the order of importance.
- Mantra yoga
- Sparsa yoga
- Bhava yoga
- Abhava yoga
- Maha yoga
The uttering of a mantra or japa
combined with meditation is known as Mantra yoga.
Practice of Pranayama according
to the prescribed methods is called Sparsa yoga
Pervading everywhere, both
internally and externally is styled Bhava yoga
The meditation of pure Brahman
forgetting the phenomenal altogether is called Abhava yoga.
The Ashtanga (eight angas (principles) of
Yoga) Yoga
1)
Yama: Refers to
the relinquishment of desires pertaining to the physical body. It denotes the
process of controlling the senses by the knowledge that Brahman is everything.
Yama
consists of 10 duties namely
No
|
10
Duties of Yama
|
Equivalent
word in English
|
1
|
Ahimsa
|
Non
Injury to any being
|
2
|
Satyam
|
Truthfulness
|
3
|
Asteyam
|
Non
Stealing
|
4
|
Bramhacharyam
|
Knowing and understanding the self ( Brahman)
|
5
|
Daya
|
Empathy
|
6
|
Arjavam
|
Straightforwardness
|
7
|
Kshama
|
Forgiveness
|
8
|
Dhriti
|
Self-reliance
|
9
|
Mitabhojana
|
Eating
tidy and moderately ) Links to Ahimsa
|
10
|
Sowcham
|
Purity
|
2)
Niyama: Niyama
refers to the creation of a devotional attachment to Ishwara . It denotes the practice of meditation of the glories of Brahman/Ishwara eliminating everything alien to it.
Niyama
consists of 10 duties namely
No
|
10
Duties of Niyama
|
Equivalent
word in English
|
1
|
Tapas
|
Penance
|
2
|
Santosham
|
Contentment
|
3
|
Astikyam
|
Theism
|
4
|
Daana
|
Charity
|
5
|
Ishwara
Pooja
|
Worship
of Ishwara/Brahman
|
6
|
Sravana
|
Dharmic Study ( Spiritual pursuits)
|
7
|
Hri
|
Feeling
of shame to do any Evil deeds
|
8
|
Mati
|
Determination
|
9
|
Japam
|
Repetition
of Mantra
|
10
|
Vratam
|
Devotional
Practice
|
3)
Asana: Asana
refers to the mental state in which one feels indifference to all worldly
objects .
4)
Pranayama: Stopping
all the external transactions/distractions.
5)
Pratyahara: Pratyahara refers to turning the Manas (mind)
inwards (introspection)
6)
Dharana: The steadiness of Manas is meditation.
Perceiving 'Antar yami or Iswara in every object in the world. All that is here is Eswara.
7)
Dhyana: To
meditate that I am the chit or Brahman itself
8)
Samadhi: To drop even the idea of meditation in
Dhyana is Samadhi. When all the effects
of Karmas are completely destroyed Jiva merges in Iswara. Samadhi cannot be
practiced without Dharana and Dhyana... This virtually takes place in Samadhi.
But this Samadhi itself becomes complete only after long practice. Salt put in
water dissolves itself and becomes one with water.
Similarly
Manas and Atma should become one, then it is known as ‘Samadhi’. When Prana ceases and Manas merges in Atma
and both become one with Atma it is called Samadhi. When Jiva and Atma becomes
one by the destruction of all the “samkalpas” it is known as Samadhi. Samadhi
thus is a state in which Manas, Buddhi, light, glory, object, and everything
else imaginable completely vanish.
Wishing all of you a wonderful Yoga day and I am sure you will start practicing atleast one form of yoga from today.
Extracts from my book (under publishing ) Inside Out- A Philosophical Enquiry of Hindu Dharma.
Sources:
1. Shreemad Bhagwad Gita
2. Purusha Suktha ( Rg Veda)
HariOM
K V Vishwanathan
