A. G. Mohan - Yoga Yajnavalkya (2000)

7/26/2019 A. G. Mohan - Yoga Yajnavalkya (2000)

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Transl ted by


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The Yoga Yajnava kya an anc ent text It or g n ha been tracedto t e per od betweent e seco dentur B.C.E. and fo th centuryC E t ver a e lend credib lity to the authent c tyof the v ewson

yoga expo nded there n Fu the ore it' hi h re ard durin Ved c time a an authent c yoga read y apparent om he fact atmany el - no n yo a te t of ater time , inc udi the e l kno nHatayo aprada a of S a ma ama the o a K i a d o a Tatt a U had , and o on, equote e ten i e y or ma e eque t refere ce to eo a a a al ya.

T emethod of o a de c edi thi te t i both com rehe i e a d ni e a y a lica eA e, exrace, ca e occ a io o e o h d e for the i cere rac i io erhi te c e r y e i he at Sa ya a, i t e c e e of or eco a r cia ot arereq i ite for t e achie ent of e dom (mo ha) deed it i e o t at a y cie t

Vedic hi , c di a a a a h e f, ere ho eho dP y a con eque ce or il atioof the t o t the e t e he fo ofa con er atio e eea h band a d ife a na a a ex a n the r ncip e a dp ctice of o a, the a toeedom toGargi h ife Thi did ctic tructure it e f di e the fa e otion t a d r Vedic timo a a dother ir t a ctice e fo o ed on y by me nd not by omen. T e o a a ava yademon trate that Ved c c tu e pro ided omen ith eq a o o unitie d e coura ement fo

irituapur uit to attain freedomThi boo di e m ch of the au a of m te rro ndin the concept of Ku da i , by e t

o ica lyand re at n i to other te and concept in Vedic t ou ht uch a A niPrana, the nadi , andoon

A high y prominent feature of th text hich c early et it apa om othe text on yo a comprehen ve d cu on ofPranayamap to a hundred o a are de oted to e uc dati the vatechnique , a cat on and re u t of Pranayama Thete t a o d cu e he u e ofPra ayama a atherapeut ctool t role in Ay rveda, and method for nco oratin Pranayama thratyaharaDharana and the other im of at n a i yo a

Thi oo provide i ht ntothe variou fo of medit tion rac i ed durin the Vedicperiod.Perhap mo t im o nt y, add e ethe i ue of ho e ca efo n Sa a Bra man,or God thfo ) to o eyond fo (Nir a B a or t e Go ead) The di tinc ion be een e e a ect of e Dei d t eir re a io hi i c cia eca e o hi of a Dei i fo(Sa u a) o o e mi e for er ido o hi o e er, e o imi io of God ofor o e of o hi d m dit tio y i e ie e i order rea ize e ce de t, ia o e yf e to Ve c o t d deed e r of o ca " i d o ei m.

Gaesh & Co.23 Thanachalam Road,T. N Madr 600 017, I IA


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Tr l t d by

A. G. Mohan

Edit d by

J J ElyPh.D.

Ganesh & Co.Ma as


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Publ hed C

imprin of Prouctivity Q al ty Publish ng Pv Ltd38, Ta ikacha Road

Nagar,Mad as 600 017,I dia

Tans ted A G. Mo

Edited Joh J Ely Ph.D

k V K. Mohana Su d am & dra Moha

A G Moha

A r ghts ese ve o pa t oft sbook may be ep o u e n n fo m o b nya s w t o t p o p m ss o n w t g f om the pub she

ISBN8 -85988- 5-3

L y Of yS r r p c ,27 N laka a M ha ,T. Nagar Che 600 017


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Deicate toY g T Krshnm h

1888- 989


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Table of Contents TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION

I TRODUCTION

UNIQ E FEATURES OF THIS TEXT

THE VEDIC WAY OF LIFE- VARNASHRAMADHARMA

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER II

CHAPTER III

CHAPTER IV

CHAPTER V

CHAPTER VI

CHAPTER VII

CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER IX

CHAPTER X

CHAPTER XI

CHAPTER XII

APPENDIX I

1

3

19

23

31

43

49

55

69

75

91

99

107

115

121

127

135


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Translator's Introduction

n1975, began study of theYo a Yajnavalkya a ve y ancient, comprehensive authentic and ogicaexposition o t practice o Yoga with myteacher SriT. Krishnamacha ya. Although there ar manyother b tter-known texts on Yoga suc as t e Hathayogapradipika Gheranda Samhita SivaSam ita

Yoga Kun a ini Upanis ad and Yogatattvopanisha e regar e this as oneo t e most impo antyoga t xt.T is is pa y because a o these ater texts have borrowed slokas (verses) rom the YogaYa na a kya s studied t is text over years re ecting on it continuing to practice an t ac yogathe pt s o its practica teac ings gan to un o For examp e ave ounthe Pranayama t c niqu sdiscussed in t is text to be ve y use uin my teac ing have trans ated this book primari y rom t epoint o view o a yoga teacher and practitioner Somesections o this text were not clear to especia y in t e area o Kun a ini How v r y stu iesin t e last ecade on ot er reas o Ve icsciences ik Ayurve a Saktatantra etc p to c ar so o t subts T is trans ation is baseon the BBR Society Monograph No 3 Bo bay 954. T e BBRA pub ication contains 506 v rs sand has b en co at df m 6 ancient manuscr pts (R r Ap ndixI or ot er detai s)

urt e or as outline later there are severa eatures whic are unique to this text From a practicapoint o iew t e most st k ng eature o t is t xtis t tai ed exp anation o t spi tua an tthera eutic app ications of ranayama t e sci nce o contro ing t ita cu ntsby way o br atcontro W st readers may nd several asp cts o t e Vedic tra ition implicit y assumedor xp icit ydiscuss rein somewhat dif cu t to o ow or examp e the c apteron me itation (D yana)describes t e imaging o the Divine as "wit f m (saguna) or meditative pu poses. T is pra tice isde ived direct y rom the edic tradition w ic prescrib s meditation on a particu ar n o tDivine (saguna Brahman; or example Siva or Vishnu) asa method to reach the transcen ent fo less

eity (nirguna Brahman or the Go head inWeste t eo ogy). Also t e text p aces rath r gr atimpo anc on t e Vedic concept o va ashra adha a, th division of abor in tra itiona V is iety an t e co esponding our stages of i e t ough ave tr e to br e y exp ain the signi cancof va as ramad arma and its centra ity in the Ve ic tradition I rea ize that t u er iscussionnec ssar to o it usticeis beyond the scope o t is book. T e r a er shoul bear in mind ow rthat t yoga teac i gs describ r in an t n as now on y b u yappreciat an r a iwit in th context o an entire way of iv

av inten or a long ti to trans at t is t xt But it as on y beca e a rea ity t anks to tef o s o y aug t r Nitya an my son an sh an yur ic ica stu nt b t o w oassist in t e trans at on and tir ss y ty at t co put r proo r a ing an making co ct ons

t ank y wi n ra or t rawings an or r assistanc an a uab suggestions as ayogateac r Ia so t ank Sr R shna u t y Sast ga Pr ncipa o t Sanskr t Co g Ma ras n ia

or is assitanc in th co pariti e stu y o t e ious r a ings o t anuscr pts ore t ans ationMany t ks ar a so u to Jo n E y w os pati nt it ng o t Eng ish ntr uction p n ian apt r su ar s in is t xt as e e it ssib e or t is c assic r n y a t r aawi er au i n

u b y p ac t is b k at t t o y a a Sr s na ac r a

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Introduction

A human beings, regardless of race sex caste creed or na onal y have one common goal: ocome happy and remain ha way always W all orient our ac ions o at ain h s goa . One of he

ar ies known non-Vedic Ind an philosophies echoed th s desire n s each ng, "Le us ea dr nk an merry The version of h s ma er al s ic ph losophy which ex s ed dur ng Ved c days was calle

Carvaka. s per his v ewpoint he so-ca led soul s mere y a conscious body enjoymen s he onlyu se of human l fe and dea h is l berat on Sankhya phi osophy probably he oldes of he s

Darsanas ("v ews or schools) of Ved c w sdom o be d scussed n more de a l la er challenged heseconclusions of the Ma eria ist school by ques oning s very founda ons. Sank ya, a word der ved

roma Sanskrit roo mean ng "r gh know edge means "enqu ry nenqu ry into henature of heorld and s cons i uen s eveals ha eve h ng, all l v ng eings nan ma e objec s and every po

'

source of sensory pleasure or d spleasure undergo change Ou n erac ons w h he ex e al worldcan produce pleasure a one me bu pa n a ano her me Bu s no s mp y ha d eren

i ua onsor objec s produce pa n (or pleasure) he same way every me The same person objec or

ctiv ymaybe agreeable a one me bu d sagreeable or annoy ng a ano her For example a coldr nkon a ho day can be qui e refresh ng, bu a dozen cold dr nks woul lose he r as eor m ke ourinuses ache L kew se a woollen jacke may be qu e cozy n w n er bu un bly ho nsumm r.

And so also w h persons new ywed spouse may be an angel a 20 yet become a demon a 30, evenhe becomes an angel for someone else! These seeming changes are due o he ceaseless ux of our

minds. n add on, na ural calam ies may in er ere w th our p easure for example our dreamhome in .

t erra Nevadas m gh be des royed n a mud slide withou insurance for water damag ora yphoonigh hit Bangladesh des roy every h ng in i s pa h and cause widesprea human suffer ng Every h ngn the worl changes cease essly and it is his very mpe nanence w ch seems to e a he rooof alur dis urbances, sappo n men s and hear breaks However we can occas onally g mpsean entityith nus wh chobserves events ye rema ns apar and unchanged by fluc uation n our m nor nthe

te al world T s en y seems o endure beyon changeSank ya ph losophy augh ha changei hefo of th d cay of a des rable s ua on or he fa lure of a be er s ua on o ma er al zeatthe roo of our unhapp ness and our problems The Sank ya solu on s o sea ch w h n ourselves

nd an comprehend h s en y, he changeless SeerTo rema nas this chang ss S r constitutesthetate of o al free omThis is wha all of us are look ng for llother es res ul ma elyst m from this

des reto fr from the contingenci s of ex e al c rcums ances venour ues for money or wercan be seen as an xpression of s es reto fr

Th V das pro s d th m a s to r ach that stat of tota fre dom he V das a so proposed howto l veha onious y at the individual level and how o l vewith honour n he a ger so ey hey

ugges ed ha all ac ons have conse uences, for he nd v dualas we as for s i ty As somethingap ns within on the other is a ected Therefore th V dic seers laid down th code of conduct in

the fo of va ashramadh a, which a low d prop r int r rsonal relationship and also providedyoga s a m ans for rsonal f edom In other words the Vedas provided the me ns to attain r onal

reedomwith proper inter r onal relationship .

To und rstand c ar y what the V das propos it is rst ss ntiato understand th nature of severah losoph cal ntities discussed in the Vedic view ints and the relationships tween them hesent t esw r inf d from attempts to answ r qu stions t at face a sincer se k r of truth questionsuchas "Who am 1", " h re did this world come from and "What happens to m and this wor d after

th and so on T e Vedas sugges ed answers o hese ques ons byposi ing hree fundamen al

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en i ie in heu s : th , t .and the Divine. The x a sa a ( w or chools) ofVedi wi d m no n y u e di en me e e e i ie ,bu ey al view e e i pbe wee e e en i ie qu e di e e y F ex m e, S k y u edete 1S "Pu u and " ra 'for the seer and eseen e e i e y, w i eYoga u e the w d dra a and drsyam. For upu poses we w l use the word Seer to denote the change ess observer (known v riously s jiva

t n, or Purusha) nd Seen or the changing wor d o the ind atter and senses (a so knownas

Pr rt or M y ) nd th D v ne to denote God both w thoutform n rgun , or the Godhe d) nd w tho s gun or God in person l zedform l keS v or V shnu) The o low ng discuss on sanove ew ntended or gener l understandingo the concepts nd ent t es involved n Ved c thought

nd d scussed in the Yog Y jn v lkya, and should not be staken or an n-depth cr tique or an yso the d erent ph losoph es1

Seen

The Seen consists o the exte l world o the senses and also ncludes the nd In Ved c thought,eS e co s sts o the three qu lit esor gun s: s ttv or purity r jas or p ss on, nd t s o dullness.Our i d s unste dy, ch nging rom o entto o ent as t becomes attracted nd tt ched tov ous sensor or ental objects, one a ter the other Because we mistaken y identi y oursel wour d we cont nu lly sh t long w th t ro one sense object, thought or desire to nother const nt ot on ong exte al sense objects results in e ther pleasure or pain, dependingon whetherour des res or versions or sensory objects e te pora y satis ed or not Continu l osc l tionno l so long as we are comp ete y enveloped by the nd. Du ing sleepe mi recedes and we

re co pletely lost to the wor d. Yet the omentwe w ke , the mi d e u and we g n eprocess o staken identi ation w th it a l over aga n The act thatwe continued to ex st wh ewwere sleep, event ug u mind w b e ,suggests there must be ane yother than the mindcont nuously under ying our va edexpe ence

Seer

Th se tity which is continuous y present whether we re wake or as eep, th nk ng, dre ngsle p g s the Seer. Unlike the Seen, wh ch cons stso the three Gunas nd unde g s constantch ge the Seeris yond the Gun s nd do s not ch nge The Seer is s mply n ete l observerw ch ce ves the wor d through the ind d itssenses wh le itsel rem ining un ected ndunch nged Du ng sleep when the ind the senses nd the exte l the world re bsent the See

lone e ns To re a n serene y detached o the world s the Seer s our n tur l st te the steedo But through our st ken identi c tion wi h the nd, ts objects nd its senses, the S

beco es bound by the Seen, thus le d ng to st te o bondage to the exte world o t endci cu s nce

Divine

e e t ty sGo he v ne the Absolute he D vine s e t n co plete, unble shedt e world n he ce ete ll d c n there o set other e gs r e The Divine s o

ux o t e h e gun s Not ll the six D rs n s ccept he D v ne nd even ong those whccept the D v ne, the e re cons derable d erences o op on w th reg rd tothe qu l t es tt buted

to it I sever l pl ces the Br n s used h s s word o neuter gender wh ch c the ewo s ped n e ther le or e leforms. he D v ne s tr nscendent, what Weste tellectuals cathe Godhe d But the D v ne c n lso be worshippedin particular o or ex ple s Lord1 T in e s ed ader may fe to any va e y o b ks at di e nt levels on h s opic, inc ud ng: R.C e Hinduism C. S A C Su y on Ind Ph osophy;H. Z m e , Ph osoph es o nd S R dh shn n's 2-vo u , Indi P ilosophy,or D gup s 5 vo opus nd Ph osop y

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Krishna of th Bhagava G o Je us Ch s o h osp ls,no d o a z h ansc n nunity.As S nk r h r st tednhis c mment r (b sh ) tthe Brahmasut as (1. .20)," . a imit tion ofp wer onl forthe u o e of medit tion (u n ) he h ghe t Lor , in or er togr i hdevout o h e u e through the o er of M nf m he ike

T e Rel ion ip be w en e See Seen nd e Divine

The or er n e n e e ve fro he e n t oot h h e n to eet e ee n he en e qu e ferent n h r er one oe no ex t hout he otherIn f henor l e r to be the e be u e of our en en on ith he n hi on e f of on ge e u e ull e the i of ou e l e f h h o th o l off s Ho s o ib to t n f ee o through o o ng th iof ou u e f with he l ite n he go of Yog r t e to re hhi t e of free o At eYog u r eh go l o i e e he our o n effo of e h n(v g Y -1 2 o u ren e o he D n I n h n Y I 23

re f n r le no her n bon ge herefo e ul ing r t on hnsu en e o heD ne e en l for b r on Fu he no lthough he D ne ie e ll free

t e en on e nife on ofhe D ne o hooHen e er on n nreedo h ough he g of he D v n be u t h n h h h boun the r e n lo rele

On e l z h t en enti tion h hee n h oou e of he ro e of ousu fer ng n f on n un er t n h t h h o f o l e n e rt e in n hen e efforts to det h our el e fro h flu u on of our n he

is o le to th r fro t e een b hee ll n e on effo t to u h it w a ne he e h effo i n inw rd or etu o e en r ther th n n ou r or

ove en h h ho olog ro o e he n r n In theer on l n ofr on or n g o n h fte u h h e n h e he e en e of thr o

de h ou nof lf f o h e en o u r ng in ou o n net o no h e e en lue h ou n e ll no ou o g n ex t n

be u e o le l en e he n ouen on h ou n Moreo erhen e beg n h n h i e e onl of ou n ;h x en of he ee onlninferen o n l of f h We n u l z he n e n h gerh g nour e n e l e u n on nue o en fou el h ou n Ho

e u ou nto h ou n f o ou lf? Ho n h n o go n h l t Wdo no no he o g n of h I" hough h h he u of llour on g Y h he thougho I he hol o l e h o ng he o en A ho of hn l ff ul

ue t on ll f n e e e onh n h h of o

Con u n l h og ogn z h D n no h h gh e n o e h our ro e en h D n houl no on ue n on l n eofre t on fo h ee n of the n he e n le onlu ofh D n hu

non u l V nh o o h o o e on e he t u h h h D ne he Seen n h n u l oul h e e non e en hu h D ne lh n u na w h u ul z on of h e e l h on u onof e e on n o o

oou r e

W hthe e n n et uno retu to our u ion of nkhYog n e nt

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S k

h o nder f Sankhya phi s phy s Kapi a. h o igina Sankhya Su ras havno s rviv db thSank yaKarika, in h orm o v rs s lsvara K s na (5 cCE) ar avai ab Th Sank a h ory

vo iono hma a n v rs is acc d by o h r scho s o V dic ho g ,as w asb dica sc nc Ay rv da T o g bas d on V das, San a os sa s i I s c nsid r d n o s x V d c darsanas b ca s acc s a o o V das

andi

ro s s a s n rob o nan nc , c angand ib ra on

an a darsana d sc ss s n s w c c ns i wor d na r o sand ow o n c angin wor d an a d id d n v rs n o25 ca or s, 24w ic conc d n and 25 o w ic was P r s a, r T conc s n oan a 'sana sis s a n wi con in o c an , and w a no con ro ov r iB b d n i yingw ,and r a ning as, nc an n r, w n d no c n n s a n d nw n and c as ss x w c n ra s a s w T od ro os d an ya

os o r a n as r s nq (Jijnasa)n o na r o r and s nan yas g s s a b rac ic (ab asa) "I a n s n and d ac m n (va ra a) ro n,i

s ss o ac v s a o r do T s n, b ng co s d o rn as (sa a, rajasand a as) simper anent and r r c an n an a ana yz s prob s a ar sca so s d n ca ion o S rw n bd sno ana yz r or g ns nor o r

a s ca o ics s c as w a app ns a r d a n is r gard, Sank a s B dd sn a d a o ap ysica o cs, ns ad s c ing c os y o xp nc and conc n r

rac ca c niq s o imina r n

Yoga Philosophy

T Y a Dars ana, n x sc oo V d c o , was s n siz d rom V das b Pfo o as ras oga acc s bas cs r and S n, as ro os d an

w or an d r nc o in r d c n o swara, D in T s, n add ons n rac ic and d ac m n as as s a (1 23) a r do r ac d s rr nd r D v n T r or w can da r a ons w D n s nd r a D ni and r a a n r d r n ra n n Pra wand nd n Y gas ras, swara ( D n ) s acc d w q a ca on: s waraa s c a nd P r s aor r rs a n a ac rs, b yond and c c Ka a) and nda (K sa)M c an a Y a d s no addr ss a s ca q s

r ns n and r

Vedanta Ph osophy

d a w s n d a ( s d n d as Bad ra ana) n fo r as ras ra a s ras s a d ns a r s c w r w c ca ana d and s ss s s n c n rad c U s ads T s s ras addr ss s

r n r and n r n an r cs n nW n d a as a w , r ran d r n sc s , os w c a asd r n n r r a ons o ra a ras s w - nown sc dan a W sAd a(n n d a s c) so , s n s a n d n d w w o o in nco is sc oo s so w d s r ad a n a a/Sa va an ras av conn c

,

d a ,Ad ai a i osop

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The Practice of Yoga

ough the ther Vedic Da sanas do not completely accep the phil sophy f the Yoga darshana a l eminc din the n n-vedic scho ls o Buddhism. se he practice yoga inone f r another

T e w rd " ah inSansk it canbe derived rom tw r s:Yujir Yoge and Yuja Samadha hestr mean " j in t y ke' and the sec nd means " stay,t be abso bed he rs r t

mplies m vement and the sec nd ro t s ay h s movement away m the wo d and he mY ga And ay a he Seer and remain with he Divine i a a In some exts aasa means ( r m vement) andinothers tex i i de ned a he end ( r s aying)Inthe ga ajnava kyaYoga i de ned as "jivatmaparamatmasamy ah a ni n he Sel and heDivine Uni n wi h heDivinei reed m ca e he Divine i e e a y reeh t j in and tay wi h the Divinei a

ttainment hi sta e reedom ni n wi h he Divine requiresan inne m vement r theivine iswi hin s he Divine i n t the jec any earch tthe very u jectivi y he earcht is n y beca e he Divinei presen within hahever earch i p ssible a ia mean toetu heDivine he a de he Seand a here I i a mean t ret h me and ay

h me which i he ate reed m

The C nn n b w n Advai V d n nd S v /S k Do ines.

he Veda and Upanishads dec are that here exi n One e w rd Brahman ied in anplace t den e i In an kri the w rd Bramhan i ne er ender I is similarin meanin heEng i h w rd niver e We call th s w r d a niver e wha we ee and experience i a mver e

ha i we ee no One but many he Divine i One and ee he w rld as ne we m reivine i rela i n hip t he Divine i p i e nce he Divine is pers na ized with a

nameand I we attempt to contemp ate the Divine wi h name andf we cann t e a i ha pe s na rela ionship G d will emain an abstrac i n he Divine is anscendent bin rder o

ealize he Divine transcendence it is easier t w rk wi h a par ic lar immanent n Wcho e ne r m he manyf ms o he Dei y kn wn We can hen thr ugh he prac ice oyo aconcen ra en his ch sen Dei y and all w I deve p wi hin O r prac ice aith lly andca ecultivated ver a n periodo time all w s realize ha he appa en m ive se is in rea i y n

ne hepr per prac ice wi h the ch en Dei y ena le t e n m vebey nd hde pi e he c n iderab ediversi y in exte afo and par ic ar practice r hip in ca e

Hind p hei m the c ect individ al y ai red prac ice a wi ead u o nhe ix da hana Vedic th ght n menti n he he erod x B ddhi raditi n man

di erenexp ana i n h whi Uni y c me b erceivedand ex e enced a a wor d diver i

In Vedic he y p re c n ci ne i repre en ed c ine dei ytypica l Siva r i hnSch a w r hip ivar V hn a e kn wn a vi a d a hn vi m re c ive y For exthe Bha v d i a di c e he a ainmen reed hr hu nder K hna an inca i n

Vi hn And Ram heher he Rama na i a nder d a n inca a i n hnwhicheverfo e i w r hip ed i er ( hii rep en ed a a dde wh inher fo lesel i ne i h hi e re in ep e i < ncep i expre ed raphica in i a

rdhan ra ( he L rd h iha n r niv a (Mah vi hn i h Lak hmi depicas a ack n hi che r U ahe v (L rd hiv pre e [Maha] rd [ wahis c n Pa i (U ) ea ed nex hi r nhi knee C n ci ne repre en ed he a e

eity ic n idered atic r p en iaener e dde e ime cal ed Prakriti (Na re; eSanskri pra k " pr duce ) is c n idered kine ic ener y he ac ive p wer he a e dei yich is direct y re p n ible r c eation he ma e and emale a pects sh uldn t beunderst d a

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d f eren , or area ways oget r and nsepar bl . B th po r (s ak ) of ult ma epurecon c ne S a m nd and m e e S en e o ve T is mu ua n ene a

c ep e en ed Ar n r n andUmam e a A e e Ve c d ns eq mp nce np c G n G T o e c

c neo m G d ne e d e em n nefotms F n ac ec e e nc n

T n c In n n c n n ncL n n x n n A n n- c c e

n n e e c n M G e

n c c c n e c n c n n H n pm n " m ne c e n On c

e m c ne A n ; ot he c K nec c J n c D M G a

c n c e n n Ind n ec n n m nc n n n e

c M c e n n He e Hern n e e n nc n M n c n e c m

H e n e c n n nc e n oc n n e n He e e e e e K n nnc e nd

n e ec nn e T x e G n n nnd nc e c e e em m n n nce ee o

L K n m c ne deT K n G V 14 ' o e n n m nce e G dde H m e n n K nd n

n 18 c e e G

G Y nd x ze n ed c n c mo

c n n de ec m n D ne W e c n e e e m n e n Ye e eH d n n n n nd n e mn e c n ro

n c n n c c C n q n n n e nc nc nan n n

The Concept of Prana

E c c n n x nc c c nn x In In c n nc n

c n n "P n c nn

n n I n n n n n n c

n c n n x n c n n n n n nc n s

n n nn n e n I n en n c n c nn c

n

' See. for example, Se Re iz tion n K hm r a v smJ. Hug es A bany, SUNY P e 994.


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Thi mpo an p n l u t a ed by a s le to y f om he P nop n had he e on e nwho ve n e nd p n e ch hough he were e mo m r n p o h bodde v d o K n o od k n dom. h n o e m d pr m c . to r d , po n n o por n o o h o d v opm n o v ng

en o n r d or o n p o fo o ed b n of gh . hth n d n o e o h v n nd o pond ng o h o

p r or o por n . A on n d o r o: "And or o kno h o r DE I ELY no K n Wh n' vp n r pon n rr p d r r n o n v

o r o d xp r n d pr v on nd oetermine o d K n . S rnd o h r r n no d o , o nd o d rr on. n m ro n o r d nd . n h nd n r n . E h o r xp n d r n d r on nd no r o d no por n A r d r r n n rd no d o

l v q dd n o od ro n n o o n d ord r d ndon d r o n d r n d v o q o n r d

bod n x d n o d Co k! d v n n d p r onr n r d o od nd p r d o d k n do "O r n

v n W r o r o o o r v o No kno h r d nb o no or o r o r o o r nd d n nd o r o And n o d . or o r o l or k o h r n d n n

Prana and Mind

P n o r o S r nd r pon or n on n o m ndop r ro r n h r ov m n o Yo n n o nd o r nd

n rd n S r dr ro h S nn rd o n o o r nd d r d

d r n oo or n d r n :I. n or on r n o pr n ;2 n nd ro nd o o n o r ;3 r n o o r n h S r;4 n o on r r d n p n r ko o n h S5 S o n d on r n nd n o r jo n v n

Ho r j r o oo do no o n on r nn d on n on For x V d n S r o S rnd d

G on d nd on nd r oo pr z nd or n on o o r nd no d r onCon nnd n o o r n n o r o oo

Y nd N ( ro r d n nd r on ) o nd on

A n ( o ) o n r nd z d

P n ( r on ) o o r ;.

h r n ( on n r on) ndD n ( d on)o n r nd r r n n r n n S d ( orp on

9


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Prana, Breath, and Mind

We have no direct control over prana. However the ow of prana in the body can be changed ba ter ng the posture of the body It is a so possib e to change the f ow o prana by changing the patteo breath ng or menta ocus, because, as noted ear ier, prana and mind are c ose y connectedFu e re, breath is a so an express on o prana There r , w en we change the act v t es ourm nd the p sture o our bod rthe patte o our breathing we a ter the ow of prana Thus breathm nd and prana are a nte e ated:

prana < > breat < > m nd

et er ne ants t us e m nd r to a ter the o prana the breath ng tec n ques pra a amaare essent a F r t s reas n t e Yogasutras ( 53) sa t at the m nd bec mes t ordharana ( ust r ug prana ama Converse en prana s d spersed there s a need t ocus prana and reducmenta d spe sion b practicing prana ama T e present text d scusses nadisuddh (the pur cat on of

e nad s r subt e channe s o energ ) b Nad s dana pranayama or pr per and usop ana t s n t poss b e t c nverge prana th ut nad suddhIt s or emp as z ng t at thepract ce o pranayama assumes the oundat no proper asana practice, as we as a rm gr und ng in

Yama and N amaR l o s p b D sp s o of l S

e a e n s me sense, scattered then our prana s a so scattered nthe oga ajnava k a thisscatte ng is expressed in te s o the re at ns p between the dimens ons o the bod and cat on ord str bution o prana Every human being is96 angu as ( our angu as measured as the dth thatpers ns' our ngers1 in he ght Prana is gurat ve y exp ained as dispersed up toI 08 angu as (Ch IV-7 The object ve ofthe practice of oga s to make tequa to or be ow9 angu as (ChIV-9) n othe

rds r any person no na the disp rs on o Prana s upto 08 angu as whereas inthe state ofoga t s96 angu as or be ow96.

N e d str but on o a pers n s prana var accord ngto h s/her ps cho og ca state s nce pranaand m nd are re ated Theogasutras dent y ve states m nd agitated du d stracted cussan abs r ed Each o these ve states re ates to a ce a n d str bution prana

T e prana ( nto Susuhumna) epresent ng the ocused (Ekagra) and abs rb d (N r da ) stateso m s exp a ned as the converg ng o prana upt96 angu as or be ow96 angu as

e o rana ( nto da a d nga a) represen g ag tated (kshiptam) du (m dam) or d stracte(v s ptam)states ois exp a ned here as dd sp rs n o prana upt angu as

e era an d sturbance t e Seen (m nd d rsenses) can be re ated t d sp rsa t e pranae tent na act on oretu g t t e center (t e Seer) c nst tutes t e pract ce Yoga scan

a so esc d as the retu o p ana t ts s urce o96 angu as r 96 angu as T t nsf mt e ca mu t rect na scat e o our m nds c a ac e zed b ag at on c uded p rcco o re u es us t r ec ourse ves an e n ur prana r m tsd sp rsed c nd Oco se t e c nvers n o a d s sed m d and scattered p ana s a gradua pr ess requ ng e o

act ce and pat ence T s s a t e Y gasu as r er to as remov ng av d a ( gn ance thec g the m nd) and retu ng b th m nd and prana to a ocussed, un d rect na cond t o

nse uent the oundations o a s und oga pract ce are rst a d hen a pers n eg nstotr nsf me r d et and patte s o eat ng the rsoc a nteract ons and persona and menta hab ts T at swe

mus g n our work with the Yamas (se restra nts) and the Ni amas (observances) T s undation1 Note ha f ur angulas eq als ee C inese c n.

1


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compl ents a er rk with A anas nd Pranaya a. her ne r ti es a e ng heow of pranaf us ng hemind, and emovi g its color ngs . The ogic pro ess o f re u i ng he Seerb ngs the

a tered p ana 96 angulas. Late in he highest state samadhi desc bed in the Y gasutras p amay br ught i sti urther t ccup ess than96 angulas

The Flow of Prana

Whe e desc be a pe s n as scattered h d s that elate t the scattering the p ana? p a a is ao energ th ugh the b d a ng subtle channe s c nduits ca led Nadis e Y ga texts

s ate hat there a e 72 0 these channe sO these 14 nadis a e c side ed i p ta t and th ee hese 4 a e the sti p tant These three a e the Ida the Pi ga a a dthe us u na I e k athet s a hu an then the e t ha d side descr bes the Ida nadi a d the r ght hand side the Pinga aadi e can urthe den te the e t hand sideit the rd "Ha and the right hand side ith "Tha

he p ana n al s n h ugh the Ida a d Pinga a he eit is distr butedth ugh t t e72,0 nadis and it d es n t l thr ughthe cent a ushu na p ana il c nti ue t th h

hesenadis s g as the nadis e ain c ear H e e i i p ties ente the b d th ugh put ti n i e u a shall b eathing scatte ed th ug ts i p b dp siti n in ecti

path gens the i pu ties il accumulate in the nadis and the P ana is disturbed This caesultin i lhea th These i purities are the enta c ngs (k esas -a id a) B retu ing t the ee

we il n t be a ected b these e te a in uences and s the i ceaset be i pu ties Th s hegasut s ( 28) desc be Y ga as the em al i purities (a id a) hich akes the etu e e t

ossible

Sic ness esults a substantiaimp i ent prana T e result ca be inte al rgan d s uncti nr ph sica a d ps ch gical inju Thus the rest ati n ph sica health in l es the e almpu ties akind inte a cleansing nadi suddhi) hich a l s p ana t resume its n a h ugh ut the b d (Y gasutras 3) This c eansing p cess in es the e al increasi gubtle i pu ities hich c ntinue t a ect us due t ur istaken identi cati n u t ue se ith

our b i d se ses and e te a d Thus thec eansing p cess actual beginsith k a eight i bs Y ga b bse ing Ya a and Ni a a and p acticing Asa a P ana a a and Dh a ahe st i p ant nadi a l is the ushu na he eas Ida and Pinga a l ngt the ld ti e

the Sushu na is e d ti e P ana in shu na ep esents a adhi t e state ti elessness Be ehe dispe sal p ana int the Ida and Pinga a and the initia desce t i t the ind there is ti eless esso desc h the sh na nadi is related t the ee and the een et us b e disc ss

subjects hich il he p cla the s t e gic ph si the shu a These ta ethe Va sai )a d A i ( )

h V yus

he e a Va s a e p a a ( hiche sha e e t it e e case t di e e tiate it t era a a ad desc d)apa a da a a a a d sa a a e i i i disc ssi e e e

st t a sp a a a d apa a he p a a a is a ed i t e a e a e t e diap at e e s t e espi at ce s p a is e a s sit ea i e e

abd i a a ea is thesea ap a a his is he i e e di i p ies ich e salled as apa a se t e e ce he c i the apa a a is he exc eti these i pc incidi g it t e c i a d ati the ga s exc ti )e pr a and apa a a s k in pp site but c p e e t di ecti ns in the c c e ea hnhalati nand tenti a te i ha ati n ha e d n a d e ects se di g p ana a u urthe d ihe bod E ha ati n and suspensi n af er e ha ati n ha e up ar e ects aising impur ties up ut

I I


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the b y . Th t n ncyof h prana\ u is to go up. an fo th p na\ u o go down Th s thnee tob balance so on oe not ominat th other. lea ingompli ation For xam e

ro r t n ncy n th u w r mov m o v yuca ato ough , wh towat r m v m n v yu y th or m t u m T yr t t n r v y v y m ydete min n t y t

Te Concpt of AgniW t A t

y y A A t V S k " I

O t Y A -

J E " t "l A t m

A D y V

A A j "t r t t t T r th r r 1A t r

T r m A t y K (XV 4 H y :"I m y t t

I r o r t m t t t t t h h y tto

y h S r t h m w r t A A ni

m z ( ) A t A k A r m

t t r tv r W k y t y Ay rv A k

O t r t U y r rr t )

A

A B q " k A

C A {

B q ( I y

q Y Y j

P ( A y A B ( B k q k

1 He , t Div ne me s omnipresence yond sep t on; not an object of se ch bu he source wh ch makes he se c ssible.As the B ma Su s s a e one cannot know he Div ne if one d s no know heS2 e l ons ip b w n Agni and b a h w discuss d n m ea l er work Yoga fo b y br a h d m nd The la onsh p

tw n yoga and A ur eda w l d scussed na u ure wo k

12


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Cakr

.-c rding to ant a th a e seven eno a a in he h man y em Th low Ca ae nd o h fo u matte , in i o d o n m nt m lo to high

th M a ha a hak a pond to h Ea h n and th adi ana hak a nd o Wa h Manip ha a o nd to Fi ; Anahata Ai and Vi h d

Sp h ix h (Ajna) and nth aha a a Cak a a h nt fo in in io n i Ea h hak a i a o ia i h a a i a o ionhi h a ain an

m h g o to h b o xa M adha a o ond o Hi a ( io nSaha a o nd o Ahi a Mo han no h ha a ad n i t n abo to mak h abo a ion h on h bj a nn a 2 Wha i i o ant fo is h a ion hi of h Cak a to th and h n

m th M adha a hak a a h ba of th in o th Ajna hak a in th fo h adth ix ok a n h a d o h n h o ond o h ahabh a hi h a

q di i in h ma o o and i h o o ai h i o o in din hind i h hak a h a abo oh i h n h aha a a hak a

T o o ionh b th b o id n i d i hh n in a do n aion h o h h ak a a th d nd to h M adh a hak a a h ba oh in Inth o o hi d nana i di ib t d th o ho h72 0 nadi and h op nin ofh

Ev nI

n f c nw thS n

Invol ioTo b

w D

Kul n

P nao

Rb of

/D

M

10

5 T

5 B

p n

o

R

s

' he a no d ptions of n t Yoga Yaj av kya e , owever, t e Intr uct on to BBRA no ap , p ted Ap nd x . For a v ewpo n f om Weste psyc ologys S S d T e Psyc ology of Kun al n Yoga, P nceton,

N J ., etonUn ve ty P s,1 6 work esC J g s essay o k dal .

See or e ample S. Rad Kundal nYoga or t eWest (Bosto S ambala 9 8)fo t e nt of v ew of aWeste pr ct t o ed d a, dL S lbu Ku da : E erg o Dpt s (Alb y SUNY ss, 1988) or a mo te ectua accou .

P pst e most n e t a e to ku da yoga the Wes w t e S t- k a-n p (" D sc p io o t e x Ce ers")dh alo g om T e t ower New Y rk Dver 974)y An h A a o ( Joh W o e) h s st

work y ga stud ed y C G Ju g; see hamd a c c t 9 h ch a so c udes t e atcr a a A d x4.

13


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Sushumna is then o d by h k n alini. Th s h oor o hDiY ne(fr don) isc os by gno a(avidya) p s nt dby Kun n. By ont ast, th pro ss ofinvo u onoc u s th oughth p r a ic eof Yoga: s att d p ana is ol t d th sta of igno an aus d by misid ntifi ation ofth S rwi h S n i mov d and th nt an to h Su umnais op n d thus s nding th S mounteon h ana up h Su humna nadiand ba k o hi t u abod in t Saha a a d tos

ahma andh a in hi x

u i i i in a a ma ndh a h op nin o ahman as d i d a lo d ah owno ad W n t S id n i wi S n h kin dom o God i lo andon i no longa kin ut om lav o od mind and n W an on gain ou kin dom o aking

n lav m n o a ion n d in lo C k and u ing to o n

Kundallni Yoga

T li al m anin of th San k it wo d kundalini i " i ula windin o oilinlik a nt wo d i o minin nd and onno Mot Goddand H ow S k i H ow

i on i l o t -fold a ivi o t Divini a ion u nan and dana D vata h Godd of p ana a l fo a wi hin H and h an au vo u ion o in

o u undalini i pow o S n A u d in h Yoga Sut a kundalini i u ofi no an avid a wh b w mi ak nl id n i and a aught up inh v han in wo d ot S n undalini i di u d in a d il in th ixt hapof h Yo a Yajnavalk a Th sdi u ion i k fo ou und adin of th m anin of h Kunda ini pow fo all a ohav o ow d oka x n iv f om i x A with th Cak a o mu h ha b nw t n aboutkundalini hat th su t has b n mo onfu ion than a t Fo now l u fo u ou a t nt ollowin ima Kunda ini h a iv fo whi h ont ols avidya b o k h op ninhSu umnanadi w i adto B a ma andh a h pl of union wi h h ivin Som x

ha unda ini h n gua d h nt an oh h doo to th ivin b oilin h and a haim ound Siv lin am lo t d Mulad a and b o k n h op nin of Su umnwith

H mou hu p ana anno n Su umn unl h unda ini i mov d o movthund lini i o mov h v il o i no an vid a o illu ion maya This om a ou oa o Mo in Sh ont o th wo ld o illu ion Th p of involu ion o uwh n

S n minin a mbodi d undalini in mu adha a i wi d awn om o Su umna and h S n l n a d in Na hi ak a o a d a ov M

l o o Hi u od and unii Divin mal a o on iou n in S a a i i jiva ma ma ma m o i o a i d n d a union

nd vidu l oul iv m nd Divin S n wi d S om hm i i l o u iv l n d union w n S i d S iv

W av d no d u o on o i i dom om olou n of

n In o und lini o i m d d n d ou in luding o Mo Go d Su i i ll d und lini o in i i u

v i o i lu ion M o v li d o o d Oll l l o o i iion d mo m i m on d u on i u ion i om unm n

n l on i o m n ou kund l ni in om o x o x m li i id

und lini u

2 undalini i d t o d o mov

3. P ana o u

14


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The fo ow g exp t ois from th Yog Y j v kybasedo Ved c trad t on. The ex s o S kra expl i e s e wi a d ere e p s s

Kundali i sup

The p o o ku l o g up sy bol o o volu o the i v u l o wo l o jo D v o o by u ovo P ( , b o o o ) u u ov o bol o k ov upo v o o l v l Bo

ep ov o J v ( v u l l o oul) ow Dto ( k ) Ku l L y ( o o

erso o ou volu o o k ( ) u ovpos bl o ll o L y Yo

da i i m

ov l o u o o ku l o ov v l o v y oth w y o o bl o ku l bl k oo o o

II ), b u v ly u o oo ree o ) blo k op o u u w H ou Gothedoo o o o s ou o - u l A v lo

as oD v G o l o ov l o M y Loa B v G (X 58)

Pra a p

oy ku d l i u o o s b o u d o ly o bl ou o u u w

mov o y bol z s u ov o Yo l ovw y o ee Mov o ov o v u l oul (J v ) oC I 20) u o D v ( ) l o i a yo u o o l D v

ri k ollow qu o bouku l

Q. Ku l o o ? Do v y o o oa k u o A l w l o o

Ku l o y o y o o T wo o Mo o v u l ll I the w wo v o o l - fo l wo wo o wo l o ul

k l o ol u o l oI y o w y c ol

o k w ly k ow o A v o No u lospo o v v lo o w ow ll H u H w

co o U B v G u o o o l wo

cco o v o o l bat o y o o o o k w y v lo o

o o wo Bu w k y w o y o o o yt od o wo o D v o O wo

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Mother Godd ss is cal d h S kt s hool Sankara h a to d th Samaya h a nt . th r gn p th ou h S up s n .

Let s conf ne o rselves to the discussion of he Sakta Upas n - the worshi of heDi ine s tMo her Goddess, since this is relate to K nda iniYoga U asana com rises " a meaning nea .

n as me ning to sit U asana therefore means to sit near some hing The Ve as con ainnyasanas he r ose of U asana is to mo e near something si or stay with it an o become on

with i hro gh o al abso tion hist is done in oga: we choose an immanen fm ike V shnor i a or a hi s o r in on i s a wi h it and beco e one wi h i Sak a asana isd ne with

he s on he Mo her Go dess considered as he s re e ower or sakti re resen ing he energyofhe ho e ni erse

T e l ima e goa o an yoga rac ice is o annihi a e or issol e the ego esire e c whichare thelesas of the ind he Yoga s ras ca the so rce of hese a idya Vedanta ca s i Mayaere a

so e conce al i erences be een hese wo b we can say thatheir rem va is essen ial forreed m. Since th Di ine i a mean , we ch e a rm heDi ine orupa ana Thi ocan be

yantra or ido We hen inte a ize iThe o and o r re a ionshi o it wi he r emove the co o ringo o r mind(a i ya or aya) and reach a state o nion with he Di ine

I i resen yo a sho s mary o he nda en a ni yand di ferences be ween the A aita ndsa a schools of hi oso h for the r ose o n ers anding k n alini yoga

i) Advaita

A ai a is one of the schoo s of he Ve anta hiloso hy d aita means 'not wo Ad ai aa so ay.

ha the SEEN (world) is manifes DIVINE (Brahman) n en ightened person sees e ery hinDi ine (Bramhan) whileno nal eo le like us ercei e i as the Seen (wor d)

Advaita sa s hat he Seer in s is a a o tha Di ine (Bramhan) The c o hing (Ma a/A idya) wear a es s look differen If here is no ay A idya we will rea i e thist uth We canill s rate

hisas ollows he D ine is i e the re ex e al s ace an we are li e he s ace insi ea p t(bodyB charac er bo h are s ace b t e o cons c ion or bondage we cal one a oand the ther s aceOr e he exa e of a ro e an a sna e e ro is mis aken for a snake intw ightWhen hereis

ightwe wi rea i e thatit i n ya r pe and n t asn e Wha exists is n y the r pe (Bramhanwh lewe eei as a snake (worl ) e rojec ion o he snake on he ro e is said o bd e t Maya .

The w rd aya is s a tran ateda i u i n. 'I u i ngi es hemeaning that what i ercei ed e t exi t, ike amirage Adva ta d e t ay that the w r d e n t exi t ke e f the ch

fBuddhi m, but that what t u y exi t theBramhan (Divine) In the ab ve examp e, the r peexis safter the pr jecti n f the nake i d pe ed

The w rd "Ma in "Maya mea "t mea ure In ma y anguage we e e w rd "Ma f ro herau e t he wh mea re the gr wth f the ch d The w rd Maya mea that "wh t ea

i y nd mea urement What we mea re what we ee a the w r d, i bey nd e r ent( hev e, r Bramhan Acc rd ng tAdvaita, Maya ex t n y f ra r n caught p n e( in )

F r a en ghtened per n, bey nd ti e, it d n t ex t It i there re ean g et a k hereMaya came r m, a Maya d n t exi t nrea ati nWe cann t get an an wer t the r g n Ma a

taying within the ramew rk time

There can be ther p int view and que ti n but et u pr ceed with Kunda Y gBr ahman(Di ine) accor ing to A aita hi oso h is a r b e ess ( irg na) We cannopray t t a d ate toi We need ore ect all he other things (Seen) and realize heir impe nanencet rea ize t(Brah an


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ii) Sak a Ph l ophy

W ile Adv it b us es side t e questi n fM s r je ti n (viv t v d m), t e t il s t t t e re ecti n f t e Br m n (Divine e r s t e seer nd t e seen ( b s v drding t t il s M is due t t e energ ( ti f t e Br m n e t e r

u reme energ is t e b se rsu t f r M res nsible f r ever t ing- Cre i nsten n end Destr ti n. e is n t t nfused wit t e ns rt f iv r Vs n e n tt in freed

ug Her gr e

n r in is Adv it il s teg ll s s t t M r Avid is res nsiblef rnd ge nd is t be des r ed/re ved in rder in freed r vid is t e s le s

b nd ge. is is t be d ne t r g r wn e s. Divine gr e is n dire tl s ug dv it ls n wledges t e i rt n e f t e el ing nd f t e Divine in rder re s t te fenlig ten ent eeg f er llis li e nd. It n stri e n t er C n i s e i self?

T e s me t is be b s ed side nl t r g r eff r rding Adv i il s r iseds e er G ddessin t U s n be use e lds e e freed meing he

nerg f r ever ing s e is ls t e Pr n dev - e G ddess f Pr n e nd erwer

eb t refe ed s K nd lini. eref re w en it is s id e K nd lini energ m ves i fers t t e ve ent f t e r n .

n r r ls sed ndred verses n t e w rs i f t e er G ddess. I islledund r l r e firs r f w i is lled An nd l riis is t e tex t t w s e rlier refe ed

T e w rd n nd e ns e st s r bliss t es i n nd f enis ds . e w rd le ns w ve n nd l ri n lled t e w ve f bliss

I t e nd r l t e em sis is n rel ting t t e er G ddess nd see ing er gr ein freed e f rst4 verses (An nd l i nt in t e des ri ti nsf t e Y nt sndM n r s

nd in t e l ter59, t e M t er ddess is des ribed s t t s e n r ed nd s endered t f rliz ti n

In t e An nd l i f r e verse t ere is ntr nd st re f r t e w rs i er tfr end e ni m tb f ll wed. T e e l t f r les d regul i ns reg dingt e edures

Q I ve re d s t e K nd lini r ses t ere is t r b ed n r ier ing f t e r s s it me n?

e six r s re resen s e f ve f ns f er nd r ind ed e ns sever bre nne i nwi i en we s e l d r r is severed d e nd lin sing i e

ver ing t e s e w ere ers n is d min ted b nd tr ed e e r ele en i ted sense rg n goes wit i n r h r s s in e ni ls nd inse

st ne sense e e f r ex le is l s b s ell nd n ele n b e sense f b e o r n wi ve senses? N n ll we re sl ve ll r senses ea iden edit t e seen nd nd s we sever nne i n wi e C s we re r le sed fr is nd

e f e senses s i ed wi e r en e six re resen edb e ind isevered e ers n e es s er f his inde ins freed fr is ind e re ns s

e seer

Q: w d I re ll nd if K nd lini s r sen?

en we spe f t e nd lini rising we re refe ing t e r ess f inv luti n w ere e seert u wi iden i i n wit t e seen t t eb se in t e b i bel wt e Mul d r gr d ll

d s nd is less b und b t e seen.

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Check hen. how mu h ontrol you have ga ned over he senses and the mind Do ou dire ttheen e ?Or are ou d rec ed b hem? Do ou u e our m nd or are ou u ed b ?

Q: Wh t r th signs of th Kund l ni h v n r ach d hS h sr r ?

A E h of he s v c kr s is r ted to p r cu r motio . The Mu dh r is re t d o Rimsv o e c . Th S h sr r , h opmost C kr s rel t d o Ah ms or non-v o ence. Non vio cedoes

o re y me n bse ce ofviolenc ther it is the rep cemen of v olence w th ov . It repres n s

u y

T S h sr r s so he bod of the D v ne Th r for f th s r h s r tu d o h s bode m ansh the perso w r d te Divin ty. In th perso 's prese c fo s of fe ive up he renmitow rds e ch other

Q Wh is your xp o of h T n r c sex pr c ic s for r sin h Kund l n s nce we fndref r c s o su h pr c c s n T nt c x s s w s he H th Yo Pr d p k

se p c cesh ve o u he c y n he Ved s W h v be n k bou th o h r Goddbe r spo s b e for cre o . Th womb of cours repr s s cre o A so e s hp st as c be wh ch worshipped hewo b of he wom ex e lly These types of pr c c s r c ll -h ded ntr c pr ct ces (v m c r ) d h e b e cond mn d.

HYP s ex of rece or Ac refu re d w reve m y co r dic io s h s x So justify h se pr ct cess m s o d s nce p e sure d m nt n b nc wi h h proximit

h ob ec I s ke e vi coho c o e with wh sky bo t e nd sk h m to pr ct c dist cinh mse f from the drink h bit I v bly thesepr c ces wil nd upr inforc our me or s ndf t s s bou our s nse p sur s There r s f r nd b tt r m thods to pr c ice self contro .

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Unique Features of this Text1 The Yoga Yajnavalkya s an an enttext It's or g n has been tra ed to the r od tween th

co d entury B.C E and fo th entu C E Its very age lends redibility to the a thenti ty o thewson yoga e pounded therein Fu the ore,it s h gh regard d r ng Vedi t mes as an authent

oga te t is readily apparent rom the a t that many well-known yoga te ts o atert mes n lud ngwe known Hatayogapradapika of Svatmarama the Yoga Kunda and Yogaattva Upan shads,

d so on either quote extensive y or make requent re eren es o the Yoga Yajnavalkya Clearly theoga Ya navalkya not on y pre eded those and many others ater te ts but t was a so e ther the

ig nal so r e or the insp ration or many on epts pra t es and passages (Detailed re eren es oxt sive ater borrow ngs were ompiled by Sr P C Divan i h s54 BBRA monograph wh h

been abstra ted and rewritten here a Append .

2 he method o Yoga des ribed n th s te t s both omprehens ve and universally appl able Agex a e aste and o upation pose no hurd es or the s ere pra t t oner Modi at ons to the bas

ogi pra t es are suggested to s it vario s nd vidual ases and are dis ussed n deta For e amplee Yoga Ya anval ya lear ystates n several pla es that "OM s not a gener mantra meant ore oneIt was on y pres r bed for the rst three d v s ons o Ved so iety wh le other mantras l k

Namah wer pres ribed for the fou h d vis on

3) his te t learly estab shes thatSanyasa n the str test sense oor be om nga renun iate monk.

is ot a prerequ s te for the a hieveme t of freedom (moksha) Indeed t is well known thatmanyci nt Ved rshis n l ding Yajnava kya himsel were householdersIn ontrast to other Ind an

ools o spir tual liberatio whi h oth emphasized and were based on an absti entmonastss theo us on house ho ders s o e ofthe most wonderful and unique a et o Ved wisdom he

r message e hoed in the Bhagavad G ta s that one anatta n freedom through the pra t e ooga while ollow ng the Va ashramadha a that s wh le v ng n so ety ma nta n ng a ob r f mily and attend ng to n merous wor dly respons b l t es he Yoga Yajnavalkya demonstratesthate do not need to g ve up the world We an be n the world but not o the world by g v ng up ourind a d ts bundle o habits and ka tenden es Vasanas

4 Pa tly as a onsequen e or ustration of the last po t thete t takes the f m of a onversat otween a husband and w fe Ya navalkya e pla ns the p n ples and pra t e o Yoga the path eedom to arg h s w e h s d da t st ture ts l d sp ls the alse not on that du

imes Yoga a d other sp r tual pra t es wer ollowed only by men and not b wo e eYogaajnavalk a demonstrates that Ved ulture prov ded women w th equal opportu t es and

ourage ent or the r sp r tual pursu ts to a a edo

5 h s b d s ls mu h o the aura o ste s ound ng the on ept o u dal n b pl n gt og allya d lat ng t to otherte s and o pts V d thought su h asA rana th nad

dso on

6 Li ew se the var ous on e tsand methods o oga re presented n a oherent orderl a d vegi a manner n s te t he e ght l mbs o oga are d s ussed n deta l and n sequen e ea a

ate hapter w the preparat on,perf manc and the results des r bed n sequen e h s orderltationa l tates the omprehension of these on epts and the app i atio of the ra ti es

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7) The concept of Prana and i s Ya ous divis ns and hei unction a e exp ned clea ly. s a o g n, nct on os t on nd the connect ons btween thep ima yN d s

8 A high y prominent feature o this ext, which clearly sets i apa f om o her exts on yoga istheco prehensive discussion Pranayama Up o a hundred slokas are devoted o elucida ing he var o

echniquesapp ica ions andresu so Pranaya a The ex a so discusses he use o Pranaya a as a

era u c i s ro e in Ayu ved and e hods or inco ra ingPranaya a wi hPra yah a Dharanaand e o er i bs o Pa anja i yoga.

9 A n i po an ea ure o heYoga ro osedhere is ha akes he or o a "Sa uccaya ha a co bina ion o Ka1 ma( he ac ions prescr bed according o eVa asramadha1 ma and Jnana (Yoga .

ccording o Yajnava kya and e Ved c radi ion Yoga sob rac iced wi hin he overa con ex ofa p o er i es y eThe re ea ed e phasis on e p r o ance o "n ya a a (dai y r ua s)an

v di a dha a (ac ions as rescr d by e Vedas)is a c ose y re a ed ea ure o e exFore a e eac c a er conc udes wi Yajnava ya advice o his wi e Gargiop fo m nityaka maand va di ad a maa ongwi e prac ice o Yoga

I0) s b rovides insig in o he va ousf mso edi a ion prac iced dur ng e Vedic r odPe aps os i por an y i addresses he ssue o how we can use o (Saguna Bra an or w o ) o go beyondfo m(Nirguna Brah an or e God ead) T e dis inc ion w n ese was s o he Dei y and heir re a ionships s c ucia because worshipo a D i y wi fo m(Sa-gunawas so o en s aken or ere ido worshi However he vo un ary li i a ion oGod's o n o ence

or pur oses o worship and ed a ion b His ievers in order o realize he ranscenden s absu da en a o Vedic hough and indeedfo ms he roo o so ca ed "Hindu Po y he s

20


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27/144

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The Vedic Way of Life -ARNASHRAMADHARMA 1

A means for effecting a division of labour is essential for the orderly functioning and regulat on of any

mp ex society. In t e Vedic tradit on, four ajor d visions were presentFirst are the nte l gents a bra n power. T enco e the defence forces ( itary and po ice) t e executive and the jud ciary a

f whom are responsible for the protect on of the cit zens defense aga nst exte al t reats and t emp ementat on of egalmeasures to a ntain nte a order T rd are ndustr es ncluding ank ng

manufactur ng, trade and co erce T e fourt d v s on nc udes those n what we now ca t ee v ce sector T ese four segments are ike four lim s or p lars support ng t e smoot functioning of

e body politic T ese d visions date ack several t ousand years r g t to t e ncept on of t e Ved ce iod at t e rst ncurs on of t eAryan peop e onto t nd an su cont nent. T eB m nswer t e

telligents a of t e society T ey were also adv sors to t e k ngs oft e Ks atr ya caste w c a socludedt e jud c ar t e executive and the defence forces T e Va s yas carr edon t e trad andmmerce represent ng t e ndustr esThe fourt d v s on wer t e people n se ice, ncluding p ys ca

l bour

he names ass gned to t e four catego es a e s gn f cant to t e r ean ng Brahmins, thente gents a,ere a soca ed Sa na, w ich meant they were to ut ze t e r know edge andnte l gence for t eelfare and bette1 ent of society The Kshat yas were cal edVa a, wh ch means"ai mour. W et r

o ice mi taryor gove ment w r e s they ma ntained nte a andexte a order The Vais yase e ca ed Gupta, wh ch mea s ec et " They were supposedto stockp e food and othe essential

v s ons and re ease t em n times of needike fam nes.T e Fourt div sion Dasa embraced t osee ple engaged n serv ce and la or

one of t passagesof the Vedas called the Pur s asuktam of t e Vedas t ese4 categor es aresc bed as parts or im s of he D vine who was portrayed n u anfo n. The ant ropomorp cetap or s t e fact t at, n Ved c w sdom,t e entire wor d s s p y a anif stat onof t e v n

Consequent t four m s of Ved c s etyco esponded to parts of t e D vine ody. T us t ea minsw r sa dto t e face of t e D v ne because t e v senses of know edge (Jnana ndr as)e pr s nt on t fac sesenses prov d data fro t xt a wor d to t e nd w c s t

asis of our t nk n an our act ons. Ks atr yasw c t r s or s ou ders of t v necaus t dy's str ngt or pow r s c nter d n t a ns d s ou d rs To w e dw apons caload orto x or xt nd our a s, a r y upon and onstrateour source of s rengt rd.egment t Va s as w r sa d to tt sof t v n Toda w know at treatesteser o r of fat c sn t od s n t t s S nc t Va s as wer supposed to oardstocks fhe w farof t e s c et t y w r co a d to t t s fou d v s on w r cons d redto ehefeet of t v n ecause to r n ers c to ov t n s or to ans rtours v s our f t ar

most ant erefore, t e Fourt v s on was cons d re to t fe t of t e v n

' The word v a" ans colour. He it fe to e divisions of s iety. As ama means s age in l e. Dha am ans tes ,or he ac ions of eac on. V h ad in s fe to t e du ies o ac ions t a s do e by each oner g his stage in life and h s pr ess or he d v s on o w ich e oshe belongs.

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These parallels hold good in other aspects, too. For the proper functioning o he human body org nu y s essential. And the orderly te rat on o bod ly functions s not poss ble w thou cooper tiofrom all tr s. If one organ or limb is pa h b y b c m s dys u a .S m ar y isociety if a y one aspect becomes dysfu ctionals c ty ca ot u ct owel as a who e leta oneprogress. t is disab ed1

deally the divisio of labour is based o two factors: Gu a the character or natureof the perso a dka a the actio to be perfo ed f these two aspects are well matched, the resu tis har ony betweethe i dividual and society Therefore i the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says"Gunakarmavibhagayoh, that is the division should be based o nature (Gu a) a d actionKarma).The smooth a d proper fu ctio i g of society requiresa atch between the interests a d tale ts of ani dividual and the eeds and p o ties of society the nor al fu ctioni gof Vedic s iety pr ss o swere passed o from ge eratio to ge eration, fro father to son Yet an individual'sature, aspirat onsa d character ust also be co sidered This was acco plished throughprovisio s y whicha rsoncould switch from one occupation to a other However th rewas little need to do so cause romthe perspective of ka a yoga "job satisfactio is u iform by professio because o e's happ ess

a d wel -being does otdepe d upo one's job but upon t ea t tu ewith which one co ducts ne'srespo sibilities Yet the main reaso why this system functioned so well i the Vedic riodwas t aexcept for the king here was little or no economic spa ty be wee thefour categories A d hK g s privi eges were not questioned cause the Kinghad r a r sp s b sincluding regulat nthe flow of income and taxes overseeing he k om, eal w hxt a p w rs anso o The political and eco omic systemdid suppor a h hly s rat ed so ty:all urcategoriesw r w prov ed for conom a y a d h r was l ttl d erence in wealth ors a us.A Br ahmiwh d a r rous and sp r tually sc p ed ha g he Vedas an conduct n r tua s, lthe same k o dwell g as a persoin service Ev r o s e s w re met w h o s d rab ease athey trod their own path n l e

The Va ash dh m s r lyrelated to the Indian search forfreedom from conditioning and to the Vedic solutio i pa u arThe Vedic seers understood that everyone, while still alive mustpe for actions No o e can live without action Likewise we al)have desires for possessio s or mo ey or sensory pleasures ndeedwhile we e gage our lives i a e dlesssearch for o ey prestige orpower we overlook the fact that our real motivation is for freedomMo ey ca give us economical freedo A d the wer we seek is

ot actually co trol over others ut to facilitate ore freedo forourselves The higher up we are i so e hier chy or the wealthierwe are, the less we are bound, a swerable or i debted to a otherperso Thus our actual pursuit is freedo The Vedic Seersrea izedthis a d, therefore freedo ( oksh ) wa the co o goal for allfour divisions of society Fu he o e, eve yo e s actio s were

0

- .- . .

" ;_ ,'"-. . ,

I

1 As Joseph C mpbl , the g t student of comp ive ligion d my holo put it "Sup t m n were to say one o ing,I d ike to t sun Or suppo he sun one day we to think 'I d ike to geup a l ttlelate his mo ing The who e uni s

would go out o g . Th Ind dea of the social o de is thaa lo us just t ghtly x d o ou ways and laws o i ethe sud m n. Re : o eph Ca p ll H ndu s m " in

J.E Fa hild, e , 1959This essay w p nted Ap ndix A in J Camp ll195 R La senS. Len d A. V. Couver ng, eds. New Yo kH p o li s 1995 Th essay is also exce llent ove ew fIndi n ph losophy in gener nd o yog ph lo ophy n p cul o eph C mp l 's b k long nsight s nto st Coloni ndu ng his ye -l ng en e he ea supe b. E ditor

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oriented t d th sg lby ay f k rma y g ,the y g f ct d dev t n.T rd th s gevery V d cs c ty fr m Br hm n t e b r th F u th d v s n s g v Mwh ch h p c c d d v p v d d p u supp t th p h

re v h V d c s s z d th t s g h ugh h d st g s l nt sts s ch g hush gs h s 8- d d t h

m t 28 68h h c u s s d d d u dt g s s h As dh s s d h s s c

Br h c sh s h p d s ud h s (Gu u) ch h s csc l dG h s s c s s d d d us d h h d sh s d d d s s c d V p s s t

t g s c d S s sh s g d d ce mi hgr du p ss u s u s s su d h u ds

r d c c u d: dh (du ) h ( ) ( ) d s( s ).Du g c u c d du s u d d d p s ps c c em sup s s s supp s x u h s d p p

v g d supp th s u d duc d up d h ugh

th M d p s d ty. C s qu p s 's d d ve h s c c h ch h s cqu d h c p d h s s c

n t wha d d v g u h sp h ch p d s c s tel v t h p s s s c d hus ch p rs h s h a h h ugh d c u s s d v d d s g s d s g du t y d reed . h hu d ds x p s u y z d d v du s I dh s y h cr m v usp ss s d s l . F r x p

K b h g h p s tf 15 h c tu y V swas v Y h s ch v t c p s

eal eds s d th t r chhe g p p Adv V d h s s

Br hW th u qu s h c sperfo med b s d ff c s s d h d h d d

ec us su s c s d x p s xp c d d sp u

and us c d s d s s cd sc p s; mitted dalc h I c s s d

ec us s s s d d e c u d d d s

Th c d x d s d li B s A d d c

c us d d p d c d d to h p u d " s d d s p du th s c [ d] c c s d d s s d

I "I ....

' J Cam bll, loc cit p. 268

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R gard ssof cas , th two- old goa of a action was c a : ac ion shou d aci i a h pun ioningo soci y, nd h y h u d ad an individua owa d dom. In his w y ion whis

b n i o i y nsimu n u y c n n ' mind u i in and u i yin i ioin n o d Any i n h u s s wo i i nd

n in d y i in iv u To y v i y b M b (3 4 n u B C E ) i n mu b

N k Yu "O b u n B iv iY " T u y u v v B n T b nd

u n K S V n F u i

C n n L M n b n n n u n b k s

A b n n n idua n n un oniou ly in b n i

n u u

V " i H in a u n Mu i n innin in 12 n u s of

B n u n n n i nd n n n z n i z i n n " v n y V

b n n On n n v n n n vi n b n o i b x n

d n dH v n oVa as ramadha a b n n d h n i b n V i v n i u in i iv

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Summ y o T x

Cha er

The text begins with a descri tion of the qual ties of Yajnavalkya and h s wife Gargi, who n ahe m t gewith many other great sages. In anassembly of such sages Gargi requests Yajnavalkya

t ach her the essenceof Yoga Yajnavalkya consents w th hap ness He meditates on the Div ne

a ayana) and then beg nshis discourse. He describes how he approached Bramha to lea theest t uth - the way to freedom Bramha gracious y explains to him the means to freedom Hesays

atdo ng one's duties as rescr bed in t e Varnashramadharma, (Refer Ved c way of l fe) withwledge and w thout des e is the path to freedom. Do ng t esame actions but w th des re is su eead one to fu her bondage. Then B amha goes on to desc be the manner n which one should lead

e ife accord ng to theV shr m dh n onclud ng with this Bramha h mself recedes ntothe state of Yoga. Gargi hea s t is exposition of the means tofreedom as said by Bramha to Yajnavalkya,

then requests Yajna a kyato elabo ate upon t fu ther Yajnavalkya now expla ns the Yoga thateshould p actice, a ong w t the act ons p escr bed by the Va ash amad a a to attain freedom

e nes Yoga as t e un on of t e J vatma (sel and the Paramatma (Divine). h s Yogahas eights- Yama N yama, Asana, Pranayama P atyaha a, Dha ana, Dhyana, and Samadh Then

a avalkya sts t e numbe of types of each limb and expla ns in detail the rstlimb- Yama The tena as- ah sa, satya, asteya b amhacarya daya a java kshama d t m tahara and souca are t e

a edn deta l This concludes the rst cha ter

Ch p er

The second chapter dea s w th the observances (Niyamas) the second l mb of Patanjali sa ga Yoga The ten Niyamas are Ta as Santosam Ast kyam Danam Iswara ujanamhantashravanamHr Mat Japam and Vratam Yajnavalkya lists t e ten N yamas d then de nes one of t em He explains in detail the var ous grades of ec tation of mantra (Ja am)

Ch er

Yajnava kyadescr s certa n se ected asanas n this c apte He begins witha l st of t et asanas w c he s going to descr be: Svast kasana, Go uk asana, PadmasanaVi asana,

mhasana,B ad asana, Muktasana and Mayurasana He then desc es these asanas n the a ee t oned de He i es two a at ons of Svast kasana and u tasana on y Then he says t at al

asesa dest oyed by t e p act ce of Asa as along w t Ya a a d N yama He concludes t ea ter nst uct n Ga to p act ce P anaya a, a ong w Ya a, N a and Asana a te pu y ne Nadis

e

T s c apte begins w t Ga g equesting Yajnava kya t exp a n n deta e e r cat on of the nadis a ong w th e posit on, o g n and te nat on, aswel as t e p s on

ction and movement of the a us Yajnava kya g ns w t e c ncept o d sp s on P anaenemp as zes e ce cente ng t e ana en t e a and s n t e cente

the bod (de a ad ya , and t e andas ana n u ans an a s and b rdsa en n deen fo ws a desc pti n t e a de f t e j va e ca a at e na e (nab ca a , t ekunda n

their es ct ve p s ns n t e ody T en t e awa en n e unda n andt e upwa dement o the p anaa desc d Next, Yajnava kya s a t e ad s He sts the ou een

antnad s, and desc s e sushumna nad as the ost ant one. Then e desc es t e a d nga a nad s and the e at ve posit on of the ema n ng e even nad s Hegives further deta ls


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on h orig n and min on of . ch of h nad s Y jnavalky h n is s h n o c s (v h n o s H d s b h po o o h mo mpo an v y h bo y

th n b h o on o h pv y ho h h mpo v y vy na anamana vayu a w ll a th r maining v vayu h n h di cu th rol of prana vayun h

dige tion and a imilation of food Finally h d crib clearly the principal function of acho hten vayu He conclud by in t ucting Gargi to p rfo n Nadi odhana in the pre crib d manner

having under t d v rything explain d o farCh p e

In thi chapter Ya navalkya di cu the p epa ation andp actice of pu fying theNad(Nadi hodana He r t de c be the qualiti that an id al a pi ant hould b for attemptinto pu fy the Nadi Th n the ideal environm nt and daily routine for th p actic ar d crib d.Following thi h d c be an alte ative opinion propo d by om other great agehe reparatiofo the p actice of Nadi h dana the technique of the practic and th daily rou ineand duration of th

actic in accor nce with thi econd opinion ar giv n in detailYa navalkyaconclude th chapde c bing th r ult of uch a actice

h p e Thi chapt r di cu in d ta l th var ou typ of Pranayama th proc durof pract n

th m and th ir b n f t Ya navalkya b gin by d ning Pranayama a balancing p ana and apanaHr late th thr compon nt of Pranayama ( nhalation holding and halat onto th thr y abof Om thu ay ng that Pranayama i imply anoth rfo mof Om (Pranava . H propo twoof pranayama involv ng di r nt ratio of inhalation holding and halation h fir t th div oof oci ty may u th Gayat i or th pranava wh l th four h div on and wom n hould uo hmantra uch a Namah Th n thr grado Pranayama d crib d. Ya navalkya d cr b htyp ofpranayama that l ad to lightn of th body and ab o tion of th mind a the b to Hth n plain th conc pt and practic of k vala kumbhakam and ahita kumbhakam.

h n w ar g v n another d nition of Pranayama pranayama m an taining thp nwithin th body Ya navalkya giv in d tailtwo mean toma t r the prana one u ing theShanmumudra and th oth r an alte ative involving a ana and pranava.H al o d cri th r ultof u ing th prana at var ou place in the body and how d a ar de troy d by uch a pract cwhich illu trate th thera utic a plica on of p anayama Ya navalkya al o deacom eh n iv ywith the mantra to be u d by each of the fou divi ion of oci ty du ng anayamapractic H

n goe on to d cr b th mov m nt of th prana to th crown of th head ( a ma andh ame ound (nada that a e du ng th upwa d mov m nt of th p ana. The leof anayama in h

de t uction of the kundalini and e emovaof igno anc (avidya i al o d c bed Th chaptconclude by t e ing the im o ance of th p actice of pranayama and daily itual(nity k m oachieve the union of th e f with the ivine

Ch p e

T e r t fou lim f ga we de c d in ep ceeding6 cha te He Ya navalkyg n x lanation of atya a a e ft i f oga Fivediffe nt fo f atya ara augge t d Th fou th and hamo t im antf m i d fined a "Having d awn the p ana from

int to point holding it in the vita int (M m th n ". he e eight n vita oint ar th nli tedand th di tanc tw en each of th m i given in ord Following thi m od of draw nand focu ing th prana in each of the e oint i explain d in d tail and en t e n tof hpract c ar al o d cu d Finally a navalkya xplain th f fthf m of P atya a a and howon

h om by o th prana in c rtain vitalpo in t .


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pt er VIII

Yajnavalkya e lains the e ty es of mental focus (Dha ana)in this cha te Dharana isned as the abso tion o the mind in the self The ve types of Dha ana are distin uis ed by t eir

c s on t efive deities in the re ion o the co espondin element in the body. The e ionof each ofhe o s of matter in the body is described. Followin this, t e rocedure duration, and results ofharana on each of the deities in the a pro riat re ion of t e body are discussed Then the processo

olution, w ic is t e objective of the ractice of Dhara a usin the above deities is explaineden follows a other met od to brin about t is involution throu h t e use of the ranava Yajnavalkyaayst at, for t ose absorbedi Yo a t e t ree dos as can be balanced bythe ractice of a ayamaith D arana He states t at all the diseases caused by t e imbalance of t e dos as are removedby t e

actice of Dharana Finally,he concludes t e c apter by a ain emphasisin the im o ance of t eacticeof one's daily duties (in accordance wit the Vedas) a d t e previous limbs Yama, Niyama etc

X

nt is c apter Yajnavalkya describ s the various met ods ofDhyana Dhyana is t e cause thebondag or freedom of all bein s. D yana is to realize t e selfusin t e mind t is of twoes Wit att ibutes (Sa una), and without attributes (Nirgu a) T en variousfo ms of D ya ath wit a d wit out attributes) aredescribed by Yajnavalkya The benefits ofDhyana are said to

chthat o e w o does D yana as su ested can attain freedom in one year Then Yaj avalkyast uctsGargi to do her duties in accordance wit t e Vedas, and to do D yana always He concludes

hasizin that all reat Seers haveattained freedom t roug D yana

X

Yajnavalkya s eaks about Samadhi in t is chapter Samadhi is the stateof union of the selfd t eDivine W atever one d s Dhyana u on one attains Samad i or oneness with that Surre deri g

to an entity also leads to Samadhi with that deity Then t e rerequisites for the attainment of Samad i

edescrib d. Followin t is is a detailed description of t e met odology by which a Yo i ives up isdy at t e time ofdeat and attains freedom One mus l av t e body think n of t at on w ic o eas ocussed du ing t e practiceof Yo a, because one becomes w at one thinks o at the time of deata navalkyaagain emphsizes t at freedom is assured for o e w ofollows t e actions laid down i edas wit out d sire Finally Yajnavalkya concludes t e c apter sayin t at thepat ofa nayogasamuccayam, which is a combination of action (K 1 ) and knowled e (Jnana) as oween exp u ded by im a d a ainadvises Ga i to reac fr edo by t e practiceof Yo a

X

is c apter begins with Gargi ask g Yaj avalkya to xplai ow a p rson i a stat ofa (Samad i will o t e actions presc ib d i t Vedas, a d if e ca not do it, w at is t e

rayascittam pu ication for on pe fo a c Yaj avalkya rep ies t ato i astat of Yogaamad i ed ot do any of t eVedic duti s t w e o e comes out of Sa ad i,w en t e s lf ist unit d wit Divi e, o must o a V dic duti sIf a Yogi d s ot o t sties wit attit de t at t eycause so row, wil su er for it, for o li i ging ca r mai

ithout o i g a y actions Yajnavalkya t i st cts Ga gi to p oall er Vedic duties a dttai freedom t ug t e practice of Yoga e e requests allt e sa es present there to retu to

ei es ective e itages All t e sa es retu ot eir e ita es after honourin andworshippiavalkya After t ey have all left Gar i again asks Yajnavalkya to ex lain the atof Yo a in a

b i f anner. Yajnavalkya benevolently accedes to her request


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C a pt r XII

h ch e co he e e ce o he e e oo . hi ch e he og c h o ee om co ci e m e he og e o o ee om ou i edhe e c e

di ided i o e ie o e e o e l e o ge . he e e h e ee de ile i

1s s g :Chec i g he do w low o ) i ec g ohe i e he e

i g i l me d i li i g i he be e o g o og e ue o hie de iled he e

nd s ge: he bu i g o he ku li i b he l me o he e e i g o i w e i g WhKu d li i i ke ed he di e u co e ed he begi o flow i Su hum

d s ge:Mo eme o he d he e u w d o he he r lo u h ough he Su humhe e i g o b oomi g o he he lo u he m i e io o iou ig

ex e e ul o hi c ice

4 hs ge:Fur he u d mo eme o he medi io u i g i u liz io

di c o he moo i he o ehe d5 h s ge: he co ce io o he d he or io o he m h med io o

el be ee he e ebrow e bli g o e o eei o e e e u ge Li g m i e ill V ou g like embli g i he he e ce o i o o cele ihe moo he e c. i dic e o e' og e

hs ge:Me o o he Di e V h u) ode i he m e o he e e owi e o e e c o e o he i me o ee om.

s ge: e i me o eedom d he li i g o he c o o he he ollowi g ho o e' Gu u.

j ei e e he be e oog c ice d co c udehi di cou e gemph izi g he im or ce o he c ice o o e d il u ie cco di g o he ed

j lk ece e i o m dhi i oli ude nd G gi h i g u e ood he e e ce o og Y k d doe he me. he ex co clude wi h e e i e o V ude ( hei i e)

e e o he e ec h Y j lk nd G gi l p e e eei g he Di i e wi hi


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ter

Outline

5 e u l t es of S ge Y n v lky

6-8: G g s e uest to Y n v lky to te ce t e essence of Yog

9 9 Y n v lky med t tes on t e D v ne (N y n ) nd desc bes ow e o c edt eC e to (B m ) to le t e g est t ut

9 27

29

9 0

2

4

5 5050 70

T e t tof eedom (Nivar aka nd t e p t to bond ge(Pravartaka , s e ned byB m

T e t ee debts of m nk nd nd t e me ns to ove comet em

B m e l ns ow one s ould le d one's l fe n cco d nce w t V s m dAfte e l n ng t e essence of Yog , B m H mself ecedes nto st te ofYog

G g se uest to Y n v ky to fu t e e l n t e knowledge(Jnana) t t s ouldgolong w t one s ct ons to tt n f eedom

Y n v lky s e ly t t nowledge s not ng but Yog Def n t onof Yog s t e un on oft e Self (J v tm ) nd t e D v ne (P m tm )

T e e g t mbs of Yog nd t e numbe of d v s ons n e c l mbDet led e l n t on of t e tend v s ons of t e st l mb (Y m )

31


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R nunci ion of conj nc ion by tho gh , word or dee th h op osite s x, a a m s in all pl cesa d nal s a s s o sid r d Bra rya. Th s s s d o b b Brahma ry r rs ns intheBr ry s r m r Sa y s s rs wh v r solv d o dh r B hro gho

s d or h s r V s s ( r s tos ) F r s s s r s r ro e s s s B T s Br r s s b Ks s n h

G s s s s rs V s s s F rs 's (G ) s s Br r F r s s as s s

F s s G s s V s - s (A ) [ r - A s s r

A s s r s z s O s s s s s k B i

s s s s s ll s

D s k s Eq r s s

s s Ks s s s s V sD ss ans s s s ss (DE s S s s b s V s

Gr s s s s y s s T s s M fors s ss

S ( r ) s s s d E s bys s k k r I s n

P s k s [ rs q s k he S s q s k sr s by

O r F s! H s sals s s s s

s V "

-


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Outline

5

6 7

8-10:

I 0-1

:

I 2 1 8

19

List of the ten Niyamas

De ni on o Tapas

De n t ono As k a

Defini on o Dana

Definition o Isvarapujana

Desc ion o Siddhantash avana or each division o soc et

Hr

Mati

De ailed descri t on o Japa

Definit on o V a a

43


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Outline

1-2

3

5 6

6 7

8:

1 -

1

6

7

List of he eigh asanas

Svastikasana

Variation of Svastikasana

Gomukhasana

Padmasana

Virasana

im asa a

B adrasana

Muktasana

Variation of Muktasana

May asana

Diseases a e destroyed due to Yama, Niyama a d Asa a. Inst ction to Gargito do ranayama after purifying the Nadis

49


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ppendix - to Chapter

Different texts on yoga quote i r nt numb rs of asanas. For exampl , th Dhy n bindu Up nishys "T ere are as many asanas s th r re varieti sof b ings Th HYP 33s ys th r ar 84

sanas Gh ran a Samhita (I .I) says th r are 84 kh s nas but, o th s , 84 r th b st an , ot se 32 are escribe 2 he Siv Samhita (I 84) s ys th r ar 84san san out o these our

r scribe e same asanas are scribeby ifferent texts un er i ferent names A l t ese laterts on yoga have borrowe the escr ptions of t ese asanas from this t xt o Y jnavalkya(s e Appen ix1 ,w o is regar e as one of t e anci nt sages is is evi ent from th YP ( 18) w ic says"I

rocee to escribe some of t e asanas accepte by such sages as Vasis ta an yogins suc asMatsyen ra Brahmanan a t commentator says the asanas escribe here are approv byVasishta

n Yajnava kya Simi ar y if w refer to t e YP ( 37) it says "Som t achers say t atal impur tiesof the na is) are remove by Pranayama a one an ot er acts (kriyas- c eansingtechniques ike neti

dauti etc) are not accepte by great sages e commentator Brahmanan a again refers to the nameo Yajnava kya in t is context

In t is c apter Yajnava kya esc ib s eight asanas wit var ations for two of t emOf t ese t ree

re consi e e mostimpo tant The chapter en s wit a note t at proper practice of postures (asanas)long wit ama an niyama estroy iseases A very impo tant fact to be note by a stu ents ofyoga is that a t ese texts esc ibe only the nal classica posture an not any of theinte mediate orpr parato y post res is is becaus ,in Ve ic times t e practice of asanas was ea e n er t ep rsona g i anc an supervision of a teacher heseasanas were ta ght on an in ivi ua basis wita strong emp asis on careful obs rvation of the stu nts aptit es an abiliti s, an a aptation of t eposture to t e stu ent by the te cher In ee , it was the t acher's ro e to a apt th post res to suitthe

san capabi iti s of ach stu nt (S Yoga for Body Breath an in by the same author forore etai s )

It is a so wort noting that Yajnavalkya mentions the absence or isappearanc of inte a iseases

s one bene t of asana practice The phrase "absence of inte a iseases, oes not mer y meanbsence of bo i y physica ailments It also imp ies a greater stabi ity an quit n ss of t min isor xamp e is evi ent from YP ( 7) w ic says " e practice of asanas ea s to lig tness oft e

,

bo y ness an ea th e comm ntary t en exp ains "fi ness as calmness of min ue to t er uction of t e guna of activity (Rajas) an ig tness of t e bo y as coming about by the re ctionof t e guna of ine ia arkness an eaviness ( amas) " ea t is explaine inthe commenta y asthe absence of ist rbances in t e min e ist rbances of t e min r fe e to here are nine innumber as a s ent one in t e Yogasutras( 30) e ogas tras( .48 a s state t at t epracticeof asana ea s to a state of ing unaffecte by t e pairs of opposites (p eas or ain appiness orso row)

us it is c e t at in ancient times asana practice was p ma y consi ere a spi t apracticel a ing to g aterp sica an enta stabi ity n for spi t a p rsuits

53


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Outline

1-

-8

0

11-15

-

18-20

23

5-28:

- 1

-3

5- 8

-

47- 9

0-5

52-53

54:

5

55 5

58

8-

67 7

1 72

Gargi's request to lea about Nadis, their position, Prana their functions andpuri cation of the Nadis (Nadisuddhi)

Concept of Prana and its dispe sion

The impor ance of cen ering he P ana

Description and location of he sea of the in erna fi ein he body(Dehamadhya

Position shape and size of the Kandasth na

Position and desc iption of the abode of he P ana and the Jiva (Nabhicakra)

osi ionand nature of he Kunda ini

Kunda iniand Prana the awakening of he Kunda ini

The fourteen important Nadis, and he most impo ant ones among thesefourteen

The location and features of Sushumna Nadi

The relative position and features of Ida and Pingala Nadis

The rela ive positionof he emaining NadisThe origin and e ination of the Nadis

he en Vayus - Pranato Dhananjaya

he abode of Prana

he abode of ap na

The a de of Vyana

The abode of udana

The abode of sam na

he o her5 Vayus

The process of diges ion and

A. G. Mohan - Yoga Yajnavalkya (2000)

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