PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS = Verse.2.43 & 44 = Benefits of Tapasya and Svaadhyaaya

PATANJALI

YOGA SUTRAS

Verse.2.43

kaaya indriya siddhih ashuddhi kshayaat tapasah

Ø  kaaya = for the physical body

Ø  indriya = for the senses

Ø  siddhih = attainment of

Ø  ashuddhi = all impurities

Ø  kshayaat = destruction

Ø  tapasah = through the  training of senses and austerities

Tapasah – means - different rituals,austerities and other means of body and mind control and purification. The ancient sages adopted several types of Tapas for purifying the body, the senses and the mind.

Body has several impurities and develops many - in course of our actions and transactions - and even the lack of actions. Yoga exercises like soorya namaskaar -purify the body in a variety of ways - by removing all constrictions and rigidities at different places of the body and making it a one homogeneous unit. Body must feel - easy, healthy, light and as one homogeneous unit. If there are  impurities anywhere, it feels uneasy, unhealthy, heavy, constricted and painful where the impurities are. But, these are easily removed by Yoga exercises like soorya namaskaar and aasanaas.

What are impurities of the senses and the mind? The ancient India knew well that "kaama,krodha,lobha,moha,mada,matsarya" are the six internal thieves or impurities that are robbing us of our mental purity and joy. Add to them the factor of fear. The list is complete. We must constantly beware of these internal enemies - and keep them off. When mind is devoid of them -  it feels a rare joy - which really is its greatest treasure. The impurities are covering it - and obscuring it from our own self.

Along with purification, we also gain a high degree of control on them. Tapasya is one of the five aspects of Niyama. This verse emphasizes the gains that a Sadhaka attains from Tapasya. The removal of impurities is the first gain. But, the more important gain from Tapasya is – the control that the sadhaka gains  over his body and the senses. 

Purity of the body, mind and senses gives us hitherto unknown knowledge and powers on them. These powers are always there in the body, mind and senses. Just that - they were not available to us - because of the impurities surrounding them. 

Remove the impurities - all these powers in them start shining. Eyes start seeing things which they never saw earlier. Ears hear sounds which they never heard earlier. Nose smells new smells. Skin feels new sensations. Tongue feels new tastes. Mind in all its purity starts exercising its vast powers of intuition. Body becomes lighter and a whole lot more enjoyable.


As you purify your mind, body and senses, you become much more happier and joyous.

Verse.2.44

svadhyaayaat ishta devathaa samprayogah

Ø  svadhyaayaat = through self-study ( and of the science of Yoga, of scripture)

Ø  ishta = the chosen or much liked

Ø  devathaah = deity

Ø  samprayogah = remaining connected with

Svaadhyaaya - means self-study.  What do we mean by self-study? It can have two connotations. 

In the first - you study your own self. In the very beginning of Yoga Sutras (v.1.3), Patanjali has emphasized that whoever witnesses simply, without pre-conditions and without judgments - realizes the self. Tadaa drashtuh svaroopevasthaanam.

Self-study happens by witnessing. There is no separate book for self study. You are the Book. All things you need to know are hidden in your own self. Self study is witnessing the self - without conditions, without pre-conceptions, without judgments. By such witnessing, self-study happens. There is no other STUDY involved - except witnessing.

As witnessing of self progresses, You will gradually move deeper and deeper into your own self - and know your deepest self.  In the deepest self - is sitting your most loved being. You call it your ishtadevatha. Initially, it may have a name and form (like Rama, Krishna etc). As the self-study proceeds deeper and deeper, the names and forms will  vanish but the ishtadevatha remains in our closest proximity.


At another level, Svaadhyaaya also  can be initiated through study of the science (of yoga) or of scripture(like Sruthi, smrithi etc). These are great treatises on self-study. 

We must remember that when we are witnessing the self or studying the self, the self gets centred and starts residing in the self (and does not wander outside of the self). Study of Srutis and the science of Yoga also leads us to the same result.

When Svaadhyaaya is done with devotion (which is the way it needs to be done), the Sadhaka will always move towards and remain connected with his most loved deity.

Every Sadhaka has his Ishta Devatha - who, in fact, is his Role model. It may be any form of Eeswara (Rama, Krishna, Siva or any other form). Svaadhyaaya takes the Sadhaka into a closer communion with such Ishta Devatha. 

Whether you only realize your deepest self or come in communion with your most loved deity - the result finally is the same.

While Yama and Niyama are preparatory steps and also necessary ingredients of Yoga Sadhana – all the ten components of Yama and Niyama give us many of these additional, invaluable Benefits which we are examining here. This is what Patanjali is telling us. At each step of Yoga Sadhana, there are huge benefits to be gained.

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PATANJALI = YOGA SUTRAS = Vs.2.40 :Soucha = Effort to clean body & mind creates aversion to them finally

PATANJALI

YOGA SUTRAS

Verse.2.40 :Soucha

sauchaath sva-anga jugupsaa

paraih asamsargah

Ø  sauchaata = Because of the keeping of body and mind always clean and pure

Ø  sva-anga = (on or about) one's own body and body parts

Ø  jugupsaa = a feeling of  distaste / aversion

Ø  paraih = with the bodies of others

Ø  asamsargah = disinclined for close contact or association

This is a peculiar, puzzling sutra – but only until we understand its inner significance. It says, as you strive and keep your body clean – you develop disinclination and aversion towards it. Not only for your body, but also for any contact with the bodies of others.

Soucha involves purity of both bodies and minds. But, first let us understand about the effect of striving to keep our bodies clean.

How long can you keep your body clean by any effort? An hour maximum. Again, it gets dirty and requires cleaning. Again. And again. And again. Any number of times you clean the body – with anything that you know of – it again and again becomes dirty and foul smelling.

So, keeping body clean is a continuous, herculean and yet largely futile  task in the long run. It looks so wonderful and beautiful one day – but next day, you will find that - something destroying that beauty is cropping up from inside the body itself.

As age progresses, all beautiful bodies become slowly but surely, ugly bodies. It happens to everyone. The smooth, flawless skin disappears and becomes wrinkled. The inner parts of body start troubling you more and more often, with diseases and weaknesses. Hair falls off and changes colour. Teeth fall off. Eyes lose their colour, Power and smile. Every part of the body starts defying your efforts to keep them clean and pure.

Cleanliness and purity of body is of course an important part of Niyama – the second anga of Yoga sutras.

But, the effort to keep it clean - itself reveals to us the true, ephemeral nature of the body. Beauty and strength are temporary. Even Health is temporary.  Your own body starts creating in you a feeling of distaste and disinclination towards itself.

Remember the story of Buddha. After seeing the old man, the dead body and the diseased man – Buddha could no more love the body of Yasodhara, his beautiful wife, who was sleeping by his side. One day, this body too – will be like that…diseased, dead, old bodies. It is already progressing towards that end. This realization creates aversion and disinclination towards the bodies.

Yet, one must keep it clean. Why so? “deho devaalayo prokthah” . The body is a temple and Jeeva residing inside is God himself. Therefore the effort for cleanliness and purity will continue, but there will be no more attachment to it as – this is myself, this is beautiful and so on. Same with the body of the wife, husband, son, parents, friends and so on.

The mind is no better. The more you try to keep it clean and pure, the more, it looks impure and uncontrollable for you. The effort of Yoga is to conquer the mind – and keep it free of chittha vritthis.

Now, when there are no Chittha Vritthis , the mind itself disappears. You are no more interested in it. Therefore, the greatest use of Soucha (inner and external cleanliness and purity) – is to create total aversion towards the body and mind finally.

This path of progress leads you towards the real YOU. The real you, which transcends both body and mind has no need for soucha. It is always unchanging, and never in need of soucha. As we progress towards our real self, the interest in the body and mind and their purity and cleanliness wears off.

If this is the case with our own bodies, will it be different with the bodies of others? The same distaste and aversion towards bodies and minds – of others too is bound to take roots in the mind of the Sadhaka, when he practices Niyama.

We must understand that – as the bodies and mind cease to have attraction for theSadhaka, the Sadhanas of Sadhaka become more centred on the object of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi – by enabling the Sadhaka to practice Pratyahara effortlessly and easily. Soucha is thus a great enabling factor for future Sadhyanas.

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PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS = CH.2.32 : NIYAMA = External & Internal cleanliness- Contentment (Happiness) - Great Effort - Self study of Yoga Science - Surrender to the Supreme Power

PATANJALI

YOGA SUTRAS

CH.2.32 : NIYAMA

SHAUCHA – SANTOSHA –TAPAH –

SVAADHYAAYA – EESWARA PRANIDHAANAANI

- NIYAMAMAAH

Shaucha = Internal and External Purity (of body and mind)

Santosha = contentment (& consequent happiness)

Tapah = Any serious austerity / practice

Svaadhyaaya =  Self-study – especially of Sastra (science / veda)

Eeswara = The lord / Creator

pranidhanaani = devotion, surrender of our self – these are

niyamaah = observances or practices of self-training

We have seen the first step in the Ashtanga Yoga, namely, Yama. It consists of five important parts, namely – (i) Ahimsa or non-violence (ii) Sathya or truthfulness (iii) Astheya or non-stealing (iv) Brahmacharyam (or, abstinence from sex and also seeking the path of the Brahman) and (v) Aparigraha or non-taking of any thing from any one beyond our need; or without paying its right compensation; or without their specific permission (all conditions need to be fulfilled). The first step of Yama is a great self purificatory step.  But, it is of the nature of nivritthi or getting rid of certain undersirable things.

Yama involves –

1.   Not involving in violence (Ahimsa)

2.   Not speaking untruth (sathya)

3.   Not stealing (Astheyam)

4.   Abstaining from sex and impermanent pleasures (Brahmacharyam) and

5.   Not taking / keeping any thing beyond need, or without paying its Justified price or without full consent of the other person (Aparigraha)

We will now examine Niyama – another self purificatory step – which also consists of five parts. Niyama is a pravrutthi path – of doing certain right things. Niyama, essentially signifies discipline or conditions to be followed in a particular path. Like – what are the conditions soldiers should follow? What are the conditions school students should follow? And so on. Here, what are the conditions that a Yoga Sadhaka must follow – are explained. These are also five in number as explained below :

SOUCHAM : The first part of Niyama is Soucham. It signifies both internal and external purity and cleanliness. Keep your external surroundings clean and serene. Likewise, keep your internal thoughts and feelings clean and beautiful.

Your mind should be beautiful and clean if your are to succeed in Yoga. You must think healthy thoughts – like lokaah samasthaah sukhino bhavanthu; sarve janah sukhino bhavanthu and so on. If yama – 5 steps are followed, the thoughts will be clean generally. But Soucham being a “TO DO” list, it is not enough, if you are not indulging in violence, not speaking untruth etc.

You must practice internal cleanliness of a higher order. Seek universal welfare. Seek universal truth. See beauty, see truth everywhere. God’s creation is truth in itself. It is beautiful in itself. In fact, there is no UNTRUTH in God’s creation any where except on the tongue of the human being. And, that is where truth needs to be established. When a Yogi speaks truth, consciously and devotedly, nature listens and even follows his words. Not speaking untruth is one thing. But, being absolutely truthful –is yet another thing. That requires huge internal Soucham and removal of all doubt, fear, jealousy and other causative factors of untruth, stealing etc. As Adi Sankara says – “Satsangathvam” or company of the good and truthful persons - is a great way of ensuring internal and external soucham.

Likewise, external Soucham implies keeping the body and surroundings clean. Taking bath daily, cleaning the mouth and all other organs, keeping the house clean, keeping the house surroundings clean and so on – are all part of external soucham. 

Others will be able to see a Yogi – even from his very looks. His calm, cool, peaceful, happy looks are a great give away for the Yogi. Sadhaka must start practicing this. The external looks will spread into the inside as well. 

At the beginning – one can even look into a clean mirror and see how his face looks and what feelings are reflected in his eyes. Sadhaka’s face must be serene and his eyes must reflect peace – not restlessness; compassion – but not jealousy, hatred or anger. This peace and compassion must reside in the mind and travel to his face. But, Sadhaka must not be in any undue haste to achieve any thing. Things will come his way. So, he must remain peaceful.

SAMTOSHAM : The second part of Niyama is Samtoshaha.Samtoshaha means – whatever you get honestly and in normal course – be happy and be contented with that. This goes along with Aparigraha – mentioned in Yama. Earn in honest ways – and just sufficient to lead the sadhaka’s life. In ancient days – this was not a problem at all – as the Sadhaka remained in Jungles and Jungles provide every thing that the sadhaka needs. 

In populated areas also – people respected sadhakas – and sadhakas earned by their small deeds of help  for the population. The  Brahmachari (while undergoing teaching and training under a Guru) and the sanyaasi – are allowed to beg from right persons – but, just sufficient to maintain his body and mind. But the Grihasta or householder must work. He is also a sadhaka.

Whatever the Sadhaka receives through honest means – he must remain happy and contented. This is called Samtosham. King Janaka is also a Yogi. He has a Kingdom to rule. Yet, he too is a Yogi. So, what is contentment?

In Nature, none of us can ever have all that we possibly want. A Grihasta, especially has certain needs. But, all his needs may not be satisfied fully. In fact – Nature never gives everything to everybody. Everybody will have certain things lacking for him.

Many things are given to us – though many things are not given. But our mind never thinks of what is  given – but grieves for what is not given. This grievance should go out of the sadhaka’s mind. 

Even if we have huge treasures – yet if mind is dwelling on a desire, it is full of dissatisfaction with what one is lacking and not full of happiness with what one is having. 

Peace and Happiness is a natural feeling, and is independent of what we have or what we do not have. So, one must learn to be happy with what one has.

It is not that – the Grihasta will stop doing any work because of that. No one can stop all karma or action till the last moment of his life. This Action goes on yielding its own results. 

Actually, Krishna advices – do all of your actions with great excellence. Krishna’s definition of Yoga it self is – Yogah karmasu kousalam. It means Yoga means excellence in Action. Krishna never advocated Inaction – but deprecated inaction. One must excel in his actions. 

But, find samtosham in one’s actions and its results. Patanjali says – be content with what you get and also with what you do not get. Be satisfied with whatever you have. Be still content – even if what you have, goes away from you. It is in the nature of things / persons to enter your life at some time and go away from your life at some other point of time.

Samtosham is not an obstacle or obstruction to human progress. What we see here is be eminently happy with the fruits of action – whether they are more or less or equal to our expectation or target. 

The important point is - Do not compare yourself with others in your actions or their results. Yaddhrucchaa laabha samtushtaha – is the rule. Not only in laabham – but also in Nastam – we must keep samtosham only.

Samtosham is a great tool – remove all negative qualities from us – like Jealousy, anger, hatred, undue desires, delusions, pride, fear, enmities and so on. 

Samtosham reduces and removes mental stress greatly and gives us great energy for further effort and especially Yoga.

TAPAH : Tapas or Tapam means any / all types of Sadhanas. Usually, Tapas has a goal to achieve. The ancient slokas say – Sathyam tapah; Dharmam tapah;Daanam tapah...and so on. Generally –whatever good qualities you wish to cultivate in you and strive for it devotedly – that effort is your tapas / tapam. You become goal-oriented and willing to bear any difficulty as a challenge and not as a burden. You are pleased with the efforts you are making. One must put his thought, feeling, word and action behind his effort – for the effort to become tapas / tapam.

Control of senses, mind-control, soucham, keeping truthfulness – practice of any such qualities are tapas only.

But, tapas / tapam can also be done for negative goals – like destroying others. Yoga is not concerned with such tapas. Yogic tapas is coupled with all other yama and niyama steps – so, this tapas is for enhancing our good qualities and cultivating other needed good qualities – that are supportive of our yoga practices.

If tapas is for destroying others – it is taamasik. Rajasik is for selfish ends. Aaathvik tapas is - for self progress.

Tapas can enable us to achieve the most difficult to do, difficult to reach, difficult to go beyond, difficult to understand goals over a period of time.

Yath dustaram; what we cannot go beyond; yath duraapam; what we cannot achieve; yath durgam; what we cannot understand; yascha dushkarma; what we cannot do as per our feeling; sarvam thats tapasaa saadhyam; all these are possible to achieve through tapas. Tapohi duratikramam; this tapas stands beyond all sadhanas. So great is tapas.

We can find  Sage Vasista doing tapas. We can also find the Raakshas (daemon) Ravana doing tapas. Now also, some one devoted to the finding of medicines for incurable diseases – is doing tapas. Some one manufacturing latest explosives to destroy innocent people – also is doing tapas. Negative tapas destroys  the doer himself in course of time.

SVAADHYAAYAM :- Svaadhyaayam means studying the Saastram, which means science. Which Saastram should a Yoga Sadhaka study? Obviously, first science to study must be the Yoga saastram itself. How else can one be a sadhaka of Yoga? There were / are many great works on Yoga – like Bhagavad Gita, which is called Yoga Saastra, or the Science of Yoga. 

Any one who does not have a fair grip on Bhagavad Gita – will not be understanding the Patanjali Yoga Sutras – which are short, summarized principles of dhyana yoga. For this reason only, Dhyana Yoga of Bhagavad Gita was first covered in this Blog. There are also other great works like Yoga Vassista. But, Gita is the quintessence of Yoga science – followed by Patanjali Yoga sutras – which is an extremely shortened version containing the principles of Dhyana yoga.

In general, Vedas, Upanishads and writings of great sages like Adi Sankara are all considered as Saastra. But for a Yoga Sadhaka, Gita Yoga Saastra and Patnajali Yoga sutras are essential readings for Svaadyaaya.

EESWARA PRANIDHAANAANI :Eeswara means the lord of all of us. Patanjali has already given a special definition for Eeswara –as a Purusha who does not have our human limitations and weaknesses. Eeswara is not therefore any Hindu God or any other such religious God. He is beyond all religions.

We must surrender to this Eeswara. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient and so on.  This surrender is essential – as it leads to merger with the universal Power. How do we surrender to this Eeswara is important. 

Every selfless Action leads to Eesara Paranidhanam. Science prescribes 5 different types of actions – which are considered as Yajnaas. These are named Pancha Maha Yajnaas, and has been dealt with in detail in a different Blog Post.

This involves surrendering the fruits of all of our actions to the Eeswara. See the doer in you as Eeswara. See the fruits of actions as His. See Eeswara everywhere, in every person and being. The ancient question is – where is this Eeswara? The answer is – where is he not?

These five are totally called Niyamam.

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