PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS = POST.1 INTRO PLUS VERSE.1 = A GREAT SCIENCE ON SELF KNOWLEDGE

PATANJALI

YOGA SUTRAS

POST-1 (INTRODUCTION & VERSE.1)

Who composed Patanjali Yoga Sutras?

Obvious. Isn’t it?

It was Patanjali Maharishi.

But, this may not be as simple, as it looks.

Patanjali was perhaps a surname, the surname of a lineage, and not the actual name of a single Individual. Every male born in that lineage was Patanjali. Likewise, Vyasa seems to be a surname. The History of Patanjali , who wrote Patanjali Yoga Sutras is largely unknown to us. 

The ancient Indian sages never bothered to take credit for any work, big or small. Most of them have not even mentioned their names anywhere in their books. The reason was simple – none of these works can really be called original. They got the knowledge from their Gurus. They passed the same, on to their disciples. All knowledge was thus passing through a Guru-Sishya Parampara.

Lord Krishna has very clearly said in Bhagavad Gita that – all the knowledge that he was passing on to Arjuna was not any thing new from him – but was very ancient. Lord Krishna has also said that – he himself had passed on such knowledge in his previous births to many others.

Gita consists of 18 chapters, each of which is called a "Yoga". Gita is a vast store house of knowledge, which is extremely useful to every Individual. The knowledge of Yoga, of different hues, as elaborated by Lord Krishna in Gita, was available over 5000 years ago. It was available even much earlier than that through the Guru – Sishya Parampara.

What Patanjali deals with in his Yoga sutras, was dealt with in brief in the Dhyana Yoga chapter of Gita by Lord Krishna. Throughout Gita, we find many references detailing the methods, enabling circumstances, obstructions, benefits etc - of the Dhyana Yoga, or Meditation, as we loosely call it today. There were several successful practitioners of Yoga before Patanjali and after Patanjali too. Adi Sankaracharya has dealt with almost all the steps of Yoga in many of his works like Aparokshaanubhuthi.

But then, Neither Lord Krishna nor Adi Sankaracharya dealt with Yoga as a distinct and separate science. They dealt with it, in particular contexts and hence, before Patanjali, we do not have a distinct work dealing exclusively with the science of Yoga, which is actually Dhyana (or Samadhi) yoga.

Patanjali’s work also is very brief. He explains many concepts, but, in very few words. And, most of these words carry very special meanings.

He has very neatly divided the Dhyana Yoga into 8 steps and thus, it came to be called as the Ashtanga Yoga.

Let us understand that Lord Krishna calls the science of Action as Karma Yoga, the science of self knowledge as Jnana Yoga, the science of renunciation as sanyasa Yoga, the science of meditation as Dhyana Yoga, the science of composition of the universe (and the individual) as Guna thraya Vibhaga yoga and so on. Each chapter of Gita deals with a particular aspect of existence, and is called a particular Yoga. 

Lord Krishna himself is eulogized as 'yogeswara', the master of yoga. Lord Siva is called 'Adi Yogi' and 'yogeeswara'.

The point to observe here is – YOGA was as old as the first ever  being – human or divine, and therefore, it was not invented or created by any one.

A simple definition is - Yoga is the science which enables the Individual practitioner – to join with his REAL SELF. Outwardly, this looks a ridiculous statement. Isn’t he or she the real self already? Where is the question and scope for joining an individual with himself or herself?

This confusion persists, until one gets into this science of Ashtanga Yoga.

The readers who have followed Atma Bodha, Nirvana Shatkam, Maneesha Panchakam etc in this Blog earlier, will find this explanation easier to comprehend. Others will understand – after we go some distance with the Patanjali Yoga Sutras.

Patanjali Maharishi, Lord Krishna, Adi Sankaracharya are all great Yogis who have achieved the pinnacle of success in Yoga. We bow down before all of them and seek their blessings for our success too.

There is certainly no need to go into the dating of Patanjali or get into any other needless controversies. What is important is – to understand the Yoga sutras – and their place in the furtherance of man’s knowledge of himself.

There are four chapters in the Yoga Sutras. (1) Samaadhi Paadha (2) Saadhana Paadha (3) Vibhuthi Paadha and (4) Kaivalya Paadha.

At this point, it may not be practical to explain what each chapter contains. The four chapters are like four pillars (or four legs) of Yoga.

There are several commentaries on Patanjali Yoga by great Yoga practitioners of recent past, like Swami Vivekananda, Swami Sivananda, Acharya Rajneesh (Osho) and many others.

Serious practitioners of Yoga may go through these commentaries as well. This blog considers an understanding of Bhagavad Gita as a great preparation for studying Patanjali Yoga sutras. What is left unsaid in Yoga sutras is explained in Bhagavad Gita and what is left unsaid in Bhagavad Gita is explained in Yoga sutras. They are thus complimentary to each other, though separated by several thousands of years in authorship.

The request of this Blog to all readers is – here is your opportunity to gain tremendous new insights into (and master) your own self. The yoga sutras have Potential to lead you into mysterious inward journeys and unravel the internal, and external, Universe in a new light before you.

Readers must therefore strive to gain these critical insights into both the theory and practice of Yoga as laid down in Patanjali Yoga sutras. Kindly, do not be a casual reader – and lose this precious opportunity. One can preferably join a good yoga school too, to learn the basic steps. We will discuss all these  as we proceed further.

Now, we start examining the Sutras in the first chapter, the Samaadhi Paadha. The sanskrit words are given with spellings which approximate to their pronunciation. This is for the convenience of Readers - and the spellings given by other commentators may differ from them for this reason. For example Samaadhi Paadha - may be spelled as Samadhi Pada by others. This obviously is a trifling aspect. 

CHAPTER.1

SAMAADHI PAADHA

VERSE.1

Atha Yogaanusaasanam

Meaning : Now, the Discipline of Yoga.

A lot has been said about this one simple looking verse. There are three words in this verse : Now (atha) – Yoga – discipline(anisaasanam).

Which means - Now, starts (let us have) the discipline of Yoga.

What is  - ‘NOW’?

We are not capable of defining how long or short is ‘NOW’. We may say -  ‘NOW’ means this ‘Present Moment’.

We have substituted one word with two words – adding no better clarity or value to it. In respect of these two New Words - We can’t answer, what is Present and what is moment.

Actually, we all live at a much more grosser level than this micro level of  ‘NOW’, or, “this moment.” We can understand a Year, a month, or even a minute easily. But, not a ‘MOMENT’. And, not the concept of  ‘NOW’.

Let’s see what we know about NOW :

Ø I am (and all of us are) always present in the NOW - physically.

Ø I cannot go back or forth on my volition into the past or future physically.

Ø In the NOW, I am always alive. So are you. I can never be dead in the NOW.

Ø All of my ACTIONS, physical, mental and emotional, are always in the now.

Ø Even if I am thinking of the past or of the future, this feeling is still done in the present.

Ø While I am in action always in the NOW, the unseen TIME is moving me on its roller-coaster and moving my future into my NOW.

Ø NOW is the firm pedestal on which TIME keeps me and moves me along with the NOW Pedestal, on its world tour, or, on my LIFE TOUR.

Ø The journey is always uni-directional, into the future – and never into the Past.

Ø NOW is never the same for any two individuals.

Ø NOW is constantly changing for the same individual too.

 We can mention many more characteristics of the NOW, or, the PRESENT MOMENT, yet, without adequately understanding the NOW and its significance.

It is for this reason, that Patanjali says – NOW, the discipline of YOGA.

NOW is the highest point in Yoga. We understand NOW at this point. The discipline of Yoga  leads us into NOW TOTALLY.  As we have seen, when we are in the NOW, we are never dead. We will explain more of it, as we proceed.

The second word is YOGA. Yoga is the science of joining – joining our dis-united self, a self steeped in Ignorance, with the REAL SELF; Yoga is the science of removal, of the veil of Maya, of ignorance, which keeps us away from perceiving our REAL SELF.

As I said – we will understand more of it, as we proceed.

The third word is DISCIPLINE.

Saasanam means Law, order or rules laid down by some authority. Anusaasanam, on the other hand, stands for discipline, which one voluntarily follows for a purpose.

Yoga is a discipline. It has its rules, procedures, methods – and is a well laid out science in it self. It is a discipline.

So, this discipline intends to remove your veil of ignorance and make you perceive (or join you with) your REAL SELF  - not after death– but in the NOW, in the PRESENT MOMENT, even as you are alive.

What exactly is this discipline? What are the benefits of this Yoga to me? How difficult or easy is this process? What happens, if I don’t succeed in reaching the final Goal in Yoga?  We will answer all these questions and many more – as we proceed further. We will discover how great a science is - the science of SELF KNOWLEDGE, contained in the Patanjali Yoga sutras

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SCIENCE AND SPIRITUAL QUEST = INTEGRATING CAPABILITIES WITH VALUES = A COMMENDABLE INITIATIVE

SCIENCE AND SPIRITUAL QUEST

I find an interesting  news item under the URL : http://www.prurgent.com/2011-03-08/pressrelease155477.htm  With the caption : 6th All India Students’ Conference on ‘Science & Spiritual Quest’ to be held from March 12-14, 2011

I am re-producing it here for the benefit of readers :

“New Delhi; March 8, 2011: Science and Spirituality are two dominant forces involving deep intellectual, philosophical and psychological approaches for the well-being of mankind. However, modern education with an over emphasized importance on science and technology without a spiritual dimension, has caused an imbalance in the self, the society, the nation and the world. Hence, there appears a need to increase the awareness towards the synthesis of science and spirituality to broaden intellectual perspectives, and thereby harmonize the society. With this view, Bhaktivedanta Institute in association with Delhi Technological University (DTU) is organizing the 6th All India Students' Conference on Science and Spiritual Quest (AISSQ-2011) from March 12-14, 2011. The theme of this year’s conference is “Integrating Capabilities with Values”.

The three-day conference will be inaugurated by H.E. Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India on March 12, 2011 at Vigyan Bhawan in the presence of Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister, NCT of Delhi and Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Member Planning Commission, GOI, among others. The next two days of AISSQ-11 will be held at DTU campus.

AISSQ-2011 is likely to bring together a number of leading experts from all over the world on a common platform to present and outline their vision for the benefit of the humanity in search for deeper questions of the life and cosmos. More than 400 social, scientific and spiritual thinkers and students from leading academic and R&D institutions from India and abroad will participate in the conference. Keynote lectures covering major areas of science and spirituality will be delivered by eminent speakers including Dr. Werner Arber (Nobel Laureate in Physiology for Medicine 1978), University of Basel, Switzerland on “Scientific Notions and Traditional Wisdom on the Evolution of the Universe and of Life”, “Paintal Memorial Lecture” by Dr. Vishwa Mohan Katoch, Secretary to Govt. of India, Department of Health Research & Director General, ICMR, and a special address by Padma Shri Dr. Vijay Saraswat, Director General, DRDO & Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, among others.

Also, students' participation at the conference will be through Paper Presentation, Posters and Essay Competition on “What is Life? Scientific and Indian Spiritual Perspectives on the Nature, Purpose, Meaning and Origin of Life”. Further details: www.binstitute.org/aissq “

It is definitely an interesting news for every SPIRITUALITY ENTHUSIAST and Practitioner. It is interesting therefore for this Blog and its Readers.

This is said to be the 6^th conference and the current year theme is said to be  “Integrating Capabilities with Values”.

This Blog congratulates the organizers very heartily and wishes the conference all success. The theme selected is very apt for students of current generation and I am sure it will throw up many interesting ideas.

Today – CAPABILITIES, both physical and mental, are  seeing quantum leaps with every new generation.

But these capabilities are limited to transforming the external world. These  capabilities are not available to any significant extent in transforming the inner world of the Individual.

For that, we must fall back on spirituality – especially, INDIAN SPIRITUALITY, which is over 5000 years old, if we count only the Bhagavad Gita.

But, if take into consideration the Upanishads, which are the basis of the Gita (as Lord Krishna himself admitted in Gita), the Indian spirituality is over 15000 years old – or perhaps much more.

The Upanishads, unlike the Vedas, have not much of religious content. They are absolute scientific exploration of the Individual’s inner world. You must discover your inner most SELF. This is the Goal.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras provide a practical basis for exploring the Inner world. The very purpose of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is to bring the mind under one’s own control. But, this task can only be achieved, as Patanjali says, if our values are very rigorous and clean.

The value system that Patanjali lays down – may be difficult to beginners of Yoga in the present day world, but, in a better regulated society, they are not that difficult. Without following the value systems laid down by Patanjali, any significant progress in Yoga is not possible. Yes. Any one can still practice Pranayama and Asanas – and derive their health benefits. But, further progress towards Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are not possible without these value systems for mind-control.

Bhagavad Gita is a consummate science in itself.

In Gita, Guna Thraya Vibhaga Yoga  chapter is a great science in itself. Why do you become angry, jealous, or morose. Because of Rajas or Thamas. Why are you happier than others – even if you are poor? Because of the Sathva Guna in you.

And, how do they arise in you? Forget the genetics part. The food you eat and  the things you see, hear, touch or taste – have a lot to do with your Guna – which in turn creates your happiness and unhappiness, your anger and your friendliness, your jealousies and your generosities. Lord Krishna gave lots of HINTS on your food 5000 years back. Is it spirituality or science? Its both!!

Likewise, the Dhyana Yoga chapter of Gita contains both science and spirituality. In fact, every chapter of Gita is full of both science and spirituality.

It can enhance capabilities with values.

It is good that, Bhaktivedanta Institute in association with Delhi Technological University (DTU) is organizing this 6th All India Students' Conference on Science and Spiritual Quest (AISSQ-2011) from March 12-14, 2011.

The only precaution needed perhaps is that – participants must not confuse ORDINARY RELIGION intended for masses with SPIRITUALITY intended for the more serious explorers. The latter requires more thorough scrutiny, though, each has its purpose and its set of values.

The values required for ordinary religion are much less rigorous than the values required for Spirituality, like, for example,  the values laid down by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras.

This Blog wishes the organizers ALL SUCCESS  in their lofty and noble endeavours.

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GREAT QUOTES FROM = SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV = WORDS OF WISDOM = XI TH SERIES (07.03.2011)

WORDS OF WISDOM

From

SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV

 Dated : 07th, March, 2011

Dear Readers,

It is time again for some precious pearls and Gems from Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev in the shape of his beautiful words of wisdom, which I present here as “quotable quotes”.

I am giving below  21 of them.

In each of them, You will find the ACTION PART, in bold and  italics, so that we can easily recognize what we need to address. The conditions and consequences will flow from these actions.

WORDS OF WISDOM

1.    When you do not know what  to choose, just show total involvement in everything that you have. Then life will choose, and it is never wrong.

2.    In reality, there is only NOW. If you know how to handle this moment, you know how to handle the whole eternity.

3.    To live among people who keep their personal well being aside and are placing others wellbeing above their own, is a fortune.

4.    Music and Dance, in the very structure of their activity are inclined to create a spiritual possibility for a human being.

5.    Awareness is aliveness. How aware you are, is how alive you are.

6.    Why human life is considered so valuable is mainly because, only as a human being, you can use your discrimination and act consciously.

7.    Fears and insecurities are unconsciously created by you. If you don’t create, they don’t exist.

8.    Fundamentally, love means, to go beyond likes and dislikes.

9.    Every human being should have at least a simple spiritual process in his life. If he had that, he would live well everyday, and he would die well.

10.           Devotion is that which is devoid of you.

11.           A moment of absolute gratitude can transform your whole life.

12.           When you are committed, the whole world is behind you, supporting you in fulfilling what you want.

13.           Most of your desires are not really about yourself, you just picked them up from the social situations in which you live.

14.           Fundamentally, spirituality is for human emancipation, to reach one’s highest potential – not to identify with a set of beliefs.

15.           Whether it is stress, anger, fear or whatever negativity that you go through, there is only one basic cause; You are ignorant of your inner self.

16.           When there is so much wealth in the world, poverty is the worst crime we are committing against the rest of humanity.

17.           Life knows no failure. Failure exists only for that person who is always comparing himself with somebody else.

18.           Trust does not mean that somebody has to do things the way you expect them to do them. Trust means to become vulnerable.

19.           We need religions of joy, we need politics of joy, we need economics of joy – we need to bring this aspect into our lives on all levels.

20.           If you just look at it very clearly, sincerely, all that a human being fundamentally wants is to live blissfully.

21.  If your humanity is in full flow, you will reach out to life around you. This is not a moral principle – this is the nature of the human heart.
22. Incredible things can be done simply because we are committed to wanting it to happen.

PS:

Readers  can find the earlier  Great Quotes from Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev (and a few articles) = in the following URLs of this BLOG  :-

http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2011/01/great-quotes-from-sadhguru-jaggi.html

http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2011/01/sadhguru-jaggi-vasudev-ananda-alai-at.html

http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010/12/great-quotes-from-sadhguru-jaggi.html

http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-quotes-from-sadhguru-jaggi_13.html

http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010/11/great-quotes-from-sadhguru-jaggi.html

http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010/08/sadhguru-jaggi-vasudev-words-of-wisdom.html
http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010/06/words-of-wisdom-sadhguru-jaggi-vasudev.html
http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010/05/sadhguru-jaggi-vasudev-words-of-wisdom.html
http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html
http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html
http://wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com/2010/12/great-quotres-from-sadhguru-jaggi.html

                             Please enjoy all the above quotes  - and please do make your comments, suggestions…etc- which will be gratefully received.

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SADHGURU JAGGI VASUDEV = MAHA SHIV RATHRI CELEBRATIONS = AT ISHA FOUNDATION, INDIA = 3rd,FEB,2011

Maha ShivRathri

(AT ISHA FOUNDATION, INDIA)

MahaShivRathri has always been a GREAT ANNUAL FESTIVAL at Isha Foundation, at the foot hills of Velliangiri in India. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev is there all the Night, keeping lakhs of visitors awake and in wakefulness of a different kind.

This year, it was celebrated on the third of February – though, some other Hindu organizations celebrated it on the second. This year, the Shiv Rathri started on 2^nd night and prolonged well into the third night. That is the main reason why it got celebrated on 3^rd February Night at Isha Foundation.

At Isha, It is an all night celebration from 6 pm to 6 am.

Shiva loves, music, dancing and meditation. And so does Isha foundation. It also celebrates Shiv Rathri with music, dance and meditation.

‘Sounds of Isha’ – the music bonanza from Isha Inmates is a big attraction at these celebrations. It is so soulful and so enchanting. You can’t keep your foot down. It must dance. Even if you are sitting.

And then, you will find folk dancers from other parts of India performing their traditional dancing, to the sounds of drums. This time, it is from Mysore and it is a beautiful feast for the eyes and ears.

Nirvana Shatkam Chanting by the Brahmacharis of Isha is a great favourite at Isha foundation – just as it is, with me too.

The Isha Brahmacharis render it beautifully. Nirvana Shatkam is one of the shortest compositions by Adi Sankaracharya, and it highlights the Advaita philosophy in the most exquisite terms. Readers of this blog (wisespiritualideas.blogspot.com) can read detailed commentary on Nirvana Shatkam in some of the previous posts.  Nirvana Shatkam is certainly a great aid for Meditation / Nidhidhyasanam.

When Sadhguru addressed the lakhs of people who attended the Shiv Rathri celebrations on this third of February, he told them - “Please stay awake. Let this night become a possibility of awakening, not just of wakefulness.”

There was beautiful Sufi music from the Wadali Brothers this time. It just proves that Siva loves Music – whether it is sounds of Isha or Sufi. But, It must just be soulful. And, Sadhguru loves to dance to either tune. So do the audience.

Sadhguru’s discourse is of course the much awaited star attraction always. This time also, he spoke of the many legends surrounding Shiva and Shiv Rathri.

When midnight comes – it is always time for a powerful meditation. As Sadhguru chanted ‘Shanbho’, the entire crowd went into a deep meditation. 

It was deeply satisfying to all.

Then, there was the Pancha Bhutha Aradhana Arati by the Brahmacharis of Isha.

There was dancing, exquisite drumming…, and chanting by Sadhguru.

There was also an interesting Question-answer session in which Sadhguru chose to answer a few questions of interest to all the people.

There was the reputed percussionist Bikram Ghosh, with his blend of Hindustani classical music. And another music pioneer, Prem Joshua with a blend of east and west.

But, nothing seems to satisfy the people like the home grown ‘sounds of Isha’. It has to be there at the beginning and at the end too. Many times, it comes alive – ON DEMAND!

The ending of festivities is again  by Sadhguru with his dancing, chanting and meeting of meditators and so on.

A beautiful night – but all things beautiful must also come to an end.

So did the enchanting Night of Shiv Rathri at Isha Foundation.

Now – people wait for the Next Shiv Rathri.

PS:  On the next Sunday – Sadhguru was live on VIJAY TV – and was speaking on one of his favourite topics. He was saying some thing like this – what you breathe out, the tree breathes in and what you breathe in, is what the tree has breathed out.

It is like – one lung of you is inside you and another lung of you is on that tree. Will you cut out your other lung on the tree? Will you?

I do hope that some brains are stirred into some thinking. There is still a long way to go, though, on this way.  Many blind eyes need to open.

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BABA RAM DEVJI = MAN WHO MADE HEALTH THE NO.1 PRIORITY = THE UNTIRING YOGI = AND THE MIRACLE MAN OF INDIA

BABA RAMDEVJI

THE MIRACLE MAN OF INDIA

For a lay man who has followed him in the last one decade,  Baba RamDevji would appear as one of the world’s best physical fitness freaks with extraordinary physical and mental endurance limits. Even his worst antagonists would grant him that.

Day after day, all these years, in the early hours of each day, he has been conducting Yog Sibirs at various places  in India and some times in other countries too.

Each Yog Sibir lasts for about 3 hours each day, for seven days.

Those who attend these Yog Sibirs will find him as one of the most consummate practitioners of Patanjali Yog – not just a physical fitness freak. The lay man looking at him from a distance and taking him as a mere physical fitness freak, undergoes this much transformation on joining  his Yog Sibir.

His recipe of physical exercises is  well structured and really wholesome. There is a clear focus on health in all these exercises. I find them to be sufficiently easy and suitable for many age groups. You will find teens to eighties in his Yog Sibirs. Apart from physical fitness exercises, We will find a bouquet of Asanas and  pranayamas, specially designed (again) to ensure physical and mental health. He is very vocal about this vision and mission of his Yog Sibirs.

India must become healthy.

Healthy in life style. Healthy in habits. Healthy in body and mind.

No Indian must suffer the so called incurable diseases of Hypertension, Diabetes, heart problems, Asthma, skin diseases and so on which are the order of the day in today’s world.  And, he advocates Yog (and Ayurved) as the cure for all these diseases.

Yog is proffered as the most ancient sages’ gift to us.  

It was difficult for him, convincing the world, initially. Too many doubting persons were around. Too many bitter critics were around.  People who did not know Yog or Ayurved, criticized him the most.

Many from the media had no trust in his words.

But, suffering people thronged to him – some times, as a last ray of hope. And he did give them hope. Tremendous hope. He almost single handedly went about changing their life styles; literally injecting hope, yog and ayurved (perhaps in that order) into the suffering people who came to him.

This combination was working.

Ayurved was working. Yog was working. Hope was working. I don’t know in which order. But, they all did.

The world is now slowly turning towards agreeing with him.

One can no more brush aside the evidence of thousands and lakhs of people who benefitted from him.

Apart from asanas and Pranayamas, he also teaches simple techniques of Dhyan in his Yog Sibir.

You will find him motivating people to practice physical and mental cleanliness, purity and discipline. In Yoga parlance we can equate them with yama and niyama, the first two steps of Ashtanga Yoga.

Thus, in seven days, RamDevji takes us through Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Dhyana steps of the Ashtanga Yoga of Patnajali, with consummate skill, but, only to the extent required for health, and only to the extent feasible in a seven day Yog sibir.

His “OM”kaar Meditation coupled with his exhortations to go deeper inside one self, is an excellent meditation.

In each Yog Sibir, the best and the most untiring performer - is however Ram Devji himself.

While all others, of all ages, tend to get tired and stop the Pranayamas, asanas and exercises periodically, and then re-start, RamDevji goes on and on, nudges all others also on and on, and, at the end of each day, he shows them all that – THEY TOO CAN!!

The confidence RamDevji infuses into his trainees is tremendous. I find him using all possible techniques to achieve his goal.

There are no power point presentations, of course. But, watching his performance on the side - screens placed at various places and listening to his instructions and his exhortations and emulating his feats is much more effective than any Power point presentation.

Do you believe his words on getting rid of Hypertension, Diabetes, heart problems, Asthma, etc? You can be skeptical.

But, you will find a number of people from your own town coming forward and talking voluntarily about the health benefits they derived from Ram Devji’s Yog Sadhana in respect of the same diseases. Much of your skepticism will then evaporate.

Some times, Doctors from different disciplines come and state their experiences too. Will you now believe?

Perhaps, Not yet and not fully.

RamDevji gives you scientific explanation of how diseases arise in you and absolutely scientific explanation of how Pranayamas can rid you of these diseases and keep them off in future. They sound true. But, you never heard that ,from a western Doctor or Scientist.

Are you therefore a little skeptical?

He exhorts you from Day ONE itself, on each day of the Yog Sibir, – to get your self tested for BP, Sugar and any other of your ailments with any allopathic doctor; and then, test yourself after the Yog Sibir is over, or ,on the last day, or on each day, as you please.  Quite possibly, You will come forward on one of the days and admit that the Sibir has helped you. The skepticism is now gone. Because, you are the beneficiary.

It happened to me too. I attended one of his week-long Yog Sibirs at Hyderabad. And, I too was a little skeptical. But, now I feel, this Yog must be part of our life style.

For a health seeker, there is nothing better than his Yog Sibir training.

I do admit, that all diseases cannot go in one week, or perhaps even in a month. But, one week is good enough to give you a GOOD INDICATION that this Yog can cure you of many diseases! Does it cure cancer, Aids etc? I don’t know. But, It perhaps can. It must be tried world over. It has strong, powerful ingredients which can halt the spread of such diseases. And many other diseases.

I have seen some people in some TV Channels criticizing RamDevji for conducting such Mass training camps. But, the criticizers had never attended any of his Yog Sibirs. And, I have attended.

That makes all the difference for me. I can say with complete confidence and definiteness that these training Sibirs are effective. The doubters and criticizers must better attend one yog sibir and practice what he teaches. If you are a rationalist and one of scientific temperament, practice the Yog the way he teaches for a reasonable time. 

You won’t doubt its health benefits thereafter.

HEALTH FIRST – YOG NEXT..OR..

For RamDevji, Health of all Indians comes first – even before yog, if there is to be such a priority.

But then, Yog being his magical medicine  for most diseases,  he puts Yog first. Yog is the cause, and health is the consequence.

The biggest plus factor in RamDevji is his one hundred percent confidence in the health system, he is advocating.

Next – is his sincerity and empathy for the suffering people.

With all these in him, he infuses huge confidence into the people who come to his Yog Sibirs. I am yet to come across one Doctor any where in the world who gives that much of confidence and encouragement to suffering Patients, as RamDevji does.  I think, this is the most essential ingredient of any cure for any disease.

There are therefore three things from him which cure many Patients :

(i)                His confident and encouraging words and assurance that the disease is curable and will get cured. Doctors world over need to practice this.

(ii)              The ayurvedic medicines his Patanjali Yog peeth is manufacturing with utmost sincerity and purity. To me, it seems that, after several centuries, Ayurvedic research and systemic improvements have again started with great vigour in India, in right earnest , under his guidance.

(iii)            His unique and scientific combination of Pranayamas + Asanas + Exercise routine – exclusively for ensuring health, is a huge plus. I have attended many other Yoga programs under other great masters too. Each Master has designed his training scheme for a specific purpose. Health is an added benefit in them – not the main benefit. In RamDevji’s scheme, health, physical and mental,  is the main Benefit. Other things are add-ons.

His style especially, transcends RELIGIONS and their limitations. All religionists will find comfort in his trainings. If God is mentioned, he is mentioned in most neutral terms. This training does not incline you towards or draw you away from any particular God.

So, how many people has he cured so far? And for how many diseases?

Difficult to put a number on either of these statistical numbers. So, I don’t know. But, I know, many people benefitted from his Yog and many are still benefitting from his continuing programs. Lakhs of people watch him on TV and learn and practice before their TV sets. Many Gurus make Yoga difficult. This Guru makes  it easy to learn, to practice and to benefit.

Are there any Negative aspects?  Yes. One. He doesn’t conduct trainings in English or any other Indian languages. I wish, he becomes able to do that soon. A lot of the English speaking world will become much more receptive to him automatically.

It is said that a prestigious foreign magazine called him as the Indian who built Yoga empire. I would call him as the Indian who built  the yoga culture, not the Yoga empire. There are no empires – either of him, or around him.No empire can follow or benefit this constant traveler - one who is in search of the suffering masses all his life and moving to them .all the time.

I would also call him the miracle man of India, who single handedly put HEALTH at the top of agenda, of the vast majority of Indians, like never before in Indian history; gave them huge confidence that all of their diseases are curable; and gave them an excellent living culture and a pride in living that culture.

If the rest of the world shrugs off its irrational reservations and embraces his methods – modern medicine may also see some revolutionary discoveries in health care.

In this one field of health and health care, I cannot recall the name of any one who has done so much for India and Indians  in the last several centuries.  What more this one man will do for India in the days to come – I do not know.

But, as of now, to my mind, he is the real miracle man from India.And all his miracles are absolute science!

Science needs to study his miracles with more devotion and sincerity. And pay its tributes to him.

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