What is Yoga?    

Greetings to you. I am sure this reaches you in cheers.

As many people across the world is ready to celebrate the International Yoga day tomorrow, I was looking at sharing few technical aspects of Yoga. I am sure as you read along you will find it interesting and 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.

1)     Mantra yoga     

2)     Sparsa yoga

3)     Bhava yoga

4)     Abhava yoga

5)     Maha yoga

Each produces wonderful powers called ‘Ashta aiswaryas’ and all of them lead to salvation.

1.      The uttering of a mantra or japa combined with meditation is known as Mantra yoga.

2.      Practice of Pranayama according to the prescribed methods is called Sparsa yoga

3.      Pervading everywhere, both internally and externally is styled Bhava yoga

4.      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 Ahimsa or non-injury, Satyam or truthfulness, Asteyam or non-stealing, Bramhacharyam or chastity, Daya or empathy, Arjavam or straightforwardness, Kshama or forgiveness, Dhriti or self-reliance, Mitabhojana or proper and tidy food, Sowcham or purity. 

2)     Niyama: Niyama refers to the creation of a devotional attachment to the Param Tatwam or Supreme Being. It denotes the practice of meditation of the glories of Brahman eliminating everything alien to it.

 Niyama consists of 10 duties namely Tapas or penance, Santosham or contentment, Astikyam or theism, Dana or charity, Iswara-poojanam or worship of supreme being, Sravana or religious study, Hri or feeling of shame to do evil, Mati or determination, Japam or repetition of Mantra, Vratam or 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 is styled 'Pranayama'.

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

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(life) ceases and Manas(mind) 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.

Let me summarise the eight principles or Angas of Yoga

Yama

Relinquishment of desires pertaining to the physical body, to the objects of senses

Niyama

Creation of a devotional attachment to the Param-Tatwam or the Supreme Being

Asana

Mental state in which one feels indifference to all worldly objects

Pranayama

To believe that all this jagat is but a transaction and to stop all the transaction

Pratyahara

To turn the Manas ( mind) inwards

Dharana

The steadiness of Manas in meditation

Dhyana

To meditate that I am the ‘Chit’ Brahman

Samadhi

To drop even the idea of meditation in Dhyana

Wishing all of you a wonderful Yoga day and I am sure you will start practicing at least one form of yoga from today.

Extracts from my book (publishing in the process) Inside Out- A Philosophical Analysis of Hindu Dharma by

Sources:

1.                  Bhagavatham

2.                  Bhagwad Gita

3.                  Brahma Sootram

4.                  Purusha Sooktha