ASHTANGA YOGA
OF
PATANJALI
Today is International
Yoga Day. The theme for this year is "Yoga at Home and Yoga with Family”
The Corona factor has
taken the whole world into its grip and has changed life everywhere. Corona is
wildly spreading to people with the mere touch of an affected person or even with
the touch of any surface which a corona positive patient has touched. So, all
nations have adopted the principle of STAY HOME, STAY SAFE, until Corona is
fully conquered.
For this year’s
International yoga day therefore, the theme is - Yoga at home and yoga with
family.
Yoga is a way of life,
which makes us immune to most deceases and keeps us healthy and happy. It is a
necessity for human beings at all times. It is a priority which must come just
after food and sleep.
Ancient Indians had
realized its importance long, long ago. Therefore, today, yoga is the Greatest
Gift of India to the world. Its possibilities are immense. Its Potentialities
are infinite.
When did Yoga start. There
is no way to tell.
Ancient Indian folklore
says that – while the supreme divine principle is just one, three divine
principles were created by it to rule
over the world. These are (i) Brahma – the creator principle (ii) Vishnu the
sustenance principle and (iii) Siva, the dissolution principle. All the three
are always in some Yogic posture and in Yoga Samadhi. Our ancients believed
that Yoga gives them their infinite powers for creation, sustenance and
dissolution.
For this reason, Siva is
called Yogeeswara, or the lord of all Yogis. Vishnu is called Yogeswara, or the
lord of Yoga. Brahma is called Yoga Brahma. You can call them the most ancient
Yogis.
Lord Krishna, the
incarnation of Vishnu, says, I taught Yoga to the SUN God first. From Sun, it
spread to many kings in his clan.
Siva is said to have
taught Yoga to Parvati and to Sapta Rishis.
Vasishta taught Yoga to
Lord Rama and Sita.
Thus, the entire universe
- its creation, sustenance and dissolution are said to arise from the powers of
yoga.
The Sapta rishis are said
to be immortals through their yogic powers. We see them as stars in the high
skies, travelling together.
OK. These are unverifiable
folklore stories. But, these folklore stories are several millennia old and
show that Yoga was well known and practiced for several millennia, at the
least. This last statement is a verifiable, observable fact.
The writings available on
Yoga are (i) Yogasutras – of Patanjali Maharshi (ii) Yoga vasishta – as told by Vasishta
to Rama and Sita and (iii) Bhagavad Geeta – as told by Lord Krishna to Arjuna
and written down by Veda Vyasa.
Bhagavad Geetha is also
called Yoga Sasthra – and every chapter
in it is called a Yoga. The last sloka of each chaper says, this is Geethopanishad
and it contains Yoga sasthra within Brahmavidya.
Many types of Yoga are
described in Bhagavad Geetha but in a summarized manner. Bhagavad Geetha is at
least 5,500 years old.
Patanjali Maharshi wrote
the Yoga sutras and taught them to his disciples in a systematic, scientific
manner. There are many folklore stories around Patanjali too. It is difficult
to pin down a date on him too. I have dealt with this point in my book,
Comprehensive Treatise on Patanjali Yoga Sutras.
I am not much interested
in these unverifiable folklore and pre historic data – simply because, these
are not verifiable.
But, Yoga, as it stands
today, is of extraordinary importance to us.
My 740 page book titled " Comprehensive
Treatise on Patanjali Yoga Sutras " deals
with all aspects of what Patanjali taught, in his Yoga sutras.
Patanjali’s path is called
Ashtanga Yoga – as it comprises eight
limbs or eight steps.
It does not deal with
certain aspects of Yoga called Hata Yoga etc.
For Patanjali – Yoga is
control of all mind functions and nothing more.
Why should we control the
mind?
Because, Mind is the seat
of all thoughts and emotions.
Mind is the seat of
happiness, joy, compassion, love, wisdom, intelligence and all other positive
emotions.
Mind is also the seat of
all desires, anger, greed, misunderstandings, delusions, pride, enmities, fears
and all other negative emotions.
In fact, you live your
whole life not in your body but in your mind. Body is the instrument through which mind functions. Therefore, mind control is the only
way to success in life.
Mind enables you to see
the real worth of everything around you. Mind enables you to take care of your
body, your health and all other aspects of our life efficiently. In short,
there is nothing you can do well without mind control. You can accomplish
everything well, when your mind is under control.
This
is what Lord Krishna also says in his Bhagavad Geeta.
Human
Minds have certain peculiar characteristics. We pick up certain habits and over a period of time, we
become slave to them. Your religion, your language, your food, your friends,
your enemies – all are picked up as habits. Some of them become your addictions.
Smoking, drinking etc are habits turned into addictions.
We
need to be very conscious and cautious in making our habits.
Patanjali
says – you must be your own Drashta, (or Sakshi) always. If you are observing your mind, your mind
understands that you are the Master and it is your faithful servant.
If
you are not consciously observing your mind and making course corrections
frequently, your mind will drag you into wrong paths, wrong habits and wrong
addictions very easily.
Your
happiness and health therefore depend largely on how you control your mind and
steer it away from wrong paths.
One
word of caution here. Our external environment is not much under our control at any time. We
need to adjust to it. Our internal environment, within our mind, can be
potentially under our control. That mind control is called Yoga.
Mind
control starts with mind observation. As you observe the mind, as its Sakshi,
it automatically, becomes your best friend and most faithful servant. Patanjali
Yoga sutras lay down the detailed path for this Mind control.
Patanjali
divides his Yoga practices into 8 limbs. He calls them (i) Yama, (ii) Niyama, (iii)
Asana, (iv) Pranayama, (v) Pratyahara, (vi) Dharana, (vii) Dhyana and (viii) Samadhi.
Yama
consists of certain purificatory processes for the mind – like non violence, truthfulness,
non-stealing, Brahmacharya and generosity (not being greedy).
Niyama
consists of ideal living practices like cleanliness of body, acceptance of what
is or contentment, discipline or Tapas, study of scriptures and self study and devotion
to the divine principle.
Asana
is the real, first action step. It is the way to sit for further practice of
Yoga steps like pranayama. There are no hard and fast rules.
What Asana one chooses depends upon
one’s comfort level. The asanas suggested are – Sahajasana or Siddhasana. Padmasana
is preferable if you can really sit in it for reasonable time. Adopt whatever
is comfortable to you. If you can’t sit on the floor, you can sit on a chair or
cot also. Sit on a Yoga Mat preferably.
Pranayama
practices include –(i) Anulom-Vilom, (ii) Kapal bhati, (iii) Bhramari (iv)
Bhastrika etc. Kapal Bhati is to be performed on reasonably empty stomach only. Learn Asanas and Pranayamas either under a Guru, or, if that is not possible,
through some excellent videos of great Indian Yoga masters, available on YouTube.
Pratyahara
is the turning away of the mind inwards into itself. You must forget the world
and focus on the mind itself.
Dharana
– Once mind turns inwards, next step is to keep the focus the mind on some
worthwhile objective selected by yourself.
Dhyana
– Dharana continued for a reasonable time results in Dhyana. Mind becomes calm
and remains on the selected, worthwhile objective. It would be a great
experience to stay fixed on an objective for such reasonable length of time.
Samadhi
– Dharana becomes Dhyana after some time and Dhyana becomes Samadhi when mind
gets into deeper stages. The three combined is also called Samyama. Different
Samyama practices are extensively dealt with by Patanjali in the last two
chapters of Yoga sutras.
I
assume that your are an enthusiastic starter of Ashtanga Yoga. Find a Good Guru. If that is not possible, study the YouTube videos of Great Indian Gurus – on Asanas and Pranayamas several times.
Then, start practicing easy Asanas and easy Pranayamas.
Never
go for difficult Asanas and difficult Pranayamas. They are unnecessary for
Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi steps.
As
your Yoga practices become consistent and time bound, you will find a gradual
change in your life style. Make your talks softer and pleasant. The world will
respond with more pleasant communications towards you. Your patience level
increase. Your mind makes yoga as the best ever habit of your life. Your health and resistance to diceases will improve.
Read good books on Yoga and listen to great videos of
Great Indian Masters. All of them will give you new insights into Yoga.
When
will you start your Yoga journey? Now. Today. That is what Patanjali says. Do not postpone.You
will not regret this one decision in your life ever.
I
wish you all success, all happiness and a long and healthy life.
God
bless you
V.VIJAYAMOHAN
