The Yoga Tradition

8/9/2019 The Yoga Tradition

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THE YOGA TRADITION

K.S. BalasubramanianDy. Director

The Kuppuswami SastriResearch

Institute,M

ylapore, Chennai -4.

The term Yoga has become popular throughout the

world. Many people practise different Yogic exercises for

prevention and cure of physical and mental disorders. Yoga

is also one of the most extra-ordinary spiritual sciences

which enables a seeker to realize the ultimate Reality.

Several practices are prescribed by the texts on Yoga for the

physical, mental, and spiritual development of a person.For more than five thousand years, the practical utility

of this science has been acknowledged by great saints,

seers, physicians, philosophers, poets and others. However,

there seems to be lot of misconceptions of about the term

Yoga.

I. Meaning of the word YogaThe word Yoga has been defined and interpreted in

various ways by saints, commentators, scholars,

philosophers, mystics and others. According to Amarakoa


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(III. 3.22), the most popular lexicon in Sanskrit (6th cent.

A.D.), Yoga means -sannha (preparation or armour),

sagati (union), dhyna (meditation), upya (means) 1 and

yukti (fitness). The commentator Appayrya adds,

`moJ: gyo `bmô

{dH$^mXm M ôfOo &

where dravyalbha is also referred to as Yogakema.

Lord Ka says in the Gt (IX.22):

AZ`m: {MV`Vmo _m ò OZm:n`wnmgVo &

Vofm {Z`m{^`w$mZm `moJjo_dhm`h_ &&

Also this word appears in the Kahopaniad. (2.22) as

"" .... mando yogakemam vte'' ..

In the above contexts, the word Yoga has been

commented upon by akara as, ""aprptasya prpti

yoga.''

According to other lexicons, Yoga also means firmness

of the body (vapu, sthairya), attaining some rare objects

(aprva vastu samprpti), substance, ungrateful person, trick

(magic), medicine (remedy), unit of time and so on.

According to Kahopaniad Yoga is "indriya dhraa

'2.

1 It can be seen here that Yoga stands for both upya (means) and the upeya (theend)2 Kahopaniad - 6.11

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Each chapter of the Bh.g. is called Yoga, like Arjuna vi

da yoga, SkhyaYoga, Karma Yoga and so on, where the

word Yoga refers to adhyya.

In Sanskrit grammar, we are familiar with yoga andrhi words, whereyoga means "derivation'.

In Daranas, while dealing with theory of knowledge,

the commonly accepted means of valid knowledge (pram

a) is pratyaka (perception). It is divided into two viz.

laukika andyaugika where the termyoga refers to "inner' or

that which comes out through inner absorption.Paninian interpretation

Pini, the father of Sanskrit grammar derives the term

Yoga through three roots viz. (i) Yujir "Yoge' (ii) Yuj

"samyamane' and Yuj "samdhau'.

(i) Yujir Yoge:

This is the standard definition for the term Yoga.

According to this derivation, Yoga means to "yoke', "contact,'

"connect', "unite' and 'harness'.

In gveda, on some occasions, the word Yoga is used in

the sense of "yoking' or "harnessing.'

The Vedic society consisted of people who were

engaged in many activities, agriculture occupying an

important position among them. So they had to "yoke' the

bull/ox for ploughing, in which sense the word Yoga has been

used.

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The most popular definition of Yoga is the union of

individual self (jva) and the supreme Self (God), in which

sense Yoga Yjavalkya (YY), an ancient text on Yoga

describes the term.3

g`moJmo `moJ B`w$mo

Ordm_na_m_Zmo:4

Patajali, however does not use the term Yoga in this

sense, since in his philosophy there is no room for union of

jva and Brahman.

The above definition also presupposes the view that

jva and Brahman are different and when their union takes

place, it is Yoga. Hence it is a school of dualism.

(ii)Yuj Samyamane

According to this derivation, Yoga stands for "control' or

"restraint', i.e. controlling or restraining the activities of the

mind.Patajali, defines Yoga in this sense only when he

says: ""`moJ: {Mmd{m - {ZamoY:''5which means""restraining the modifications of the mind is Yoga''. It is to

be noted that Patajali does not say "citta nirodha' or

restraining /controlling the mind itself, but only the vttis or

3 The present author was awarded Ph.D. degree by the University ofMadras for a critical study of this

text in 2005.4

YY. I. 445

Yoga stras (I-2); But the word samyana is used as a technical term byPatajali, to mean the

combination of concertation, meditation and absorption, videYS III. 4."Trayamekatra Samyama '

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the tendencies or the modifications of the mind, unlike some

of the later texts on Haha yoga, which advocate annihilation

of the mind.

(iii) Yuj SamdhauAccording to this derivation, the term Yoga means sam

dhi or absorption. Vysa, in his bhya on the first

Yogastra, defines the word Yoga as ""Yogasamdhi''. This

has been accepted by many later commentators also.

The word samdhi has been interpreted in different

ways by commentators. Traditionally it has been defined as"Samyak adhyate asmin'. It also means the equilibrium of

the mind, if taken as sama + dhi. 6

Apart from the above, there are many other definitions

for the term Yoga; two of them by lord Ka in the

Bhagavadgt and well known:

(i) ""...... samatvam yoga ucyate '' (Bh.g. II.481)

(balance or equilibrium is Yoga)

(ii) "" ...... yoga karmasu Kaualam ''. (Bh.g. II.50)

(dexterity in one's actions is Yoga)

According to my Master Sadguru Sri Parthasarathiji

Maharaj, (President, Shri Ram Chandra Mission,

(www.SRCM.ORG), Yoga is, ""not merely the union of two

subjects, or even that of individual Soul and the supreme

6 The word dhi stands for mental disturbance. According to themetaphysics of Skhya (also of Yoga),

the original state ofprakti was equilibrium, or samatvasth. When itwas disturbed, the process of

creation started. When one brings the mind to this original state it is samdhi.

5
http://www.srcm.org/http://www.srcm.org/


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Soul, but it is a state of mergence of both, where only one

remains. There is no question of duality there''.7

II. Brief History of Yoga.

(a) Origin of YogaTo trace the origin of Yoga is like tracing the human

origin itself in this planet. It is well known that Patajali was

not the originator of both theory and practice of Yoga. He

only compiled the available details prevalent during his time,

on the practice and philosophy and propounded the Yoga

school of philosophy.According to Harihara Aranya, Yoga is the most ancient

system of philosophy. 8 The excavations from the Mohenjo -

daro - Harappa clearly point out to some sanas (like

Mlabandha) being practised during that period. This shows

that Yogic techniques were known at least five thousand

years ago in India.

We have evidences of Yogic techniques being practised

through Samhit, Brhmaa, rayaka and Upaniad

sections of the Vedas. The Bhadrayaka, Chndogya,

Kaha, Maitr, Prana, vetvatara and other Upaniads

contain many passages where references about Yogic

practices and philosophy are found.

For example, the Atharvaveda (X.1.32) talks of eight cakras

in the body:

7 Principles of Sahaj Marg (vol. II) by P. Rajagopalachari, Shri RamChandra Mission, India, 1989 (-).

8 Yoga system of Philosophy, University of Calcutta, 1977.

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A>m MH$m Zdmam

XodmZm nya`mo`m &

References about ns 9 and different pras are

found in Upaniads.10

Coming to the epic period, Vlmki, it is said, was an

adept in Yoga, before he composed Rmyaa. He himself

says (Blaka III.6):

VV: n`{V Y_m_m VV gd `moJ_mpWV: &

There are also many references to the practice ofpry

ma in Rmyaa.

The Mahbhrata is a store house of many techniques

of Yoga. The Bhagavad gt, which forms part of the great

epic is hailed as Yoga stra11 and Lord Ka as the master

of Yoga. 12

The gamas, which are divided into aiva, kta and

Vaiava, contain innumerable references to the theory and

practice of Yoga. In many aiva and Vaiava gamas, Yoga

forms a separate section.13

9 For more details, see my crticle "" Description ofns in Vedic and YogicTexts'', in Journal of Oriental

Research Vol. Lxxvi - Lxxvii, K.S.R.I. Chennai. Pp.109-120.10 For more details, see Daranopaniad , ed. by K.S.Balasubramanian andT.V. Vasudeva, The K.S.R.I,

Chennai, 2007.11 11 See colophon of all chapters B{V lr_V ^JdrVmgw Cn{Zfgw

~{dm`m `moJemo ...12 For example, Ch. XVIII. 78, says, ` `moJoa: H$Umo ...13 The four sections are Kriy, Cary, Yoga and Jna, though not all the

gamas contain all these four sections.

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Patajali's Yoga stras attracted the attention of great

commentators of the past like Vysa, akara, V

caspatimira and others down to the present century.

(b) Originator of YogaThere are three different views regarding the originator

of Yoga, viz. Brahm, Viu and iva, known as trinity of

Hinduism.

(i) Lord Brahm

The Bhadyogiyjavalkya smti of Yjavalkya (XII.5)

says that the first teacher of Yoga is Lord Hirayagarbha,14

the first born Himself:

{ha`J^m} `moJ` Zm`: mo$m

nwamVZ: &

YY (I.15cd - 16 ab) also says that Yjavalkya (the

author of the text), learnt the Yoga stra from Brahm, the

creator:

MamMaUm >ma ~mUna_o{>Z_ &

H$Xm{MV V Jdm@hVwdm Vmo: U` M&&

YY (I.10 cd): d`m{_ `moJgdd ~UmH$s{VV nwam &

and YY (X.22 cd): `Xw$ ~Um nydH$_`moJg_w`_ &

(ii) Lord Viu

14 According toAmarakoa (I.1.16) the name Hirayagarbha is synonym of lordBrahm.

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Lord Ka, who is considered as an incarnation of Lord

Viu in Hindu mythology, says in the Bhagavad gt (IV.1-

2) that he taught this science of Yoga to Vivasvn, who

passed it on to Manu, and Manu in turn to Ikvku. Thus thiswas known to the royal sages having been transmitted in

succession. But due to lapse of time, this science of Yoga

was lost:

B_ {dddVo `moJ mo$dmZh_``_ &{dddmZ _Zdo mh _Zw[admH$do@

~drV &&Ed nanam m{__amOf`mo {dXw: &

g H$mboZoh _hVm `moJmoZ>: naVn &&(iii) Lord iva

The texts on Haha Yoga like Haha Yoga Pradpik

(HYP) of Svtmrma, Gorakasamhit (GS) of Gorakan

tha, ivasamhit (S) and so on, and also texts on aiva and

kta gamas are unanimous in their view that lord iva was

the originator of Yoga.

The very first verse ofHYP says:

lr Am{XZmWm` Z_mo@Vw

V_ `oZmon{X>m hR`moJ{dm &>The texts on Haha Yoga are also unanimous in their

opinion that it was lord iva who gave eighty four sanas in

keeping with the view that there are eighty four lakhs of

species in this world. For example, GS (I.7-8) says:

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AmgZm{Z M VmdVmo `mdVmoOrdOVd: &

......................................

MVwaer{V M bjmUm_oH$H$ g_wXmV_ &VV: {edoZ nrRm>ZmfmoS>emoZ eV H$V_ &&

Thus it can be seen that the texts on Yoga contain

references which ascribe the origin of Yoga to either Brahm

or Viu or iva.

III. Different branches of Yoga

Although many branches of Yoga are prevalent, only

four have been given prominence in the texts on Haha

Yoga. They are Mantra Yoga, Haha Yoga, Laya Yoga and R

ja Yoga.

For example,

iva Samhit (V.9) says:

_`moJmo hRd b``moJVVr`H$: &amO`moJMVwW:

`mV ..........&&>

(i) Mantra Yoga

In this, Yogic practices are done along with specific

mantras. Even Patajali has accepted the efficacy of

mantra. He says,

Vmn: VXW^mdZ_ &15and

15 Yoga stras I.28

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O_mf{Y_Vn: g_m{YOm:{g`: &16

In Mantra Yoga there are sixteen sections viz. (i)

bhakti (ii) uddhi

(iii) sana (iv) pacgasevanam (v) cra (vi) dhra

(vii) divyasevanam (viii)prakriy (ix) mudr (x) tarpa

am (xi) havanam (xii) bali (xiii) yga (xiv) japa and

(xv) dhynam and (xvi) samdhi.

Mantrayogasamhit is the popular text on this subject.

(ii) Haha Yoga

The chief aim of this branch of Yoga is to provide the

practitioners with good health and long life. Klidsa's

words,

eara_m Ibw Y_gmYZ_ 17 best suitthis branch. There are many texts on this branch of Yoga

which give innumerable techniques like odhaka kriys,nuddhi, sana, pryma and mudr which cure and

prevent many physical disorders. Hence this is the most

popular Yoga, being practised by millions of people from all

over the globe.

The word Haha, though means force, is defined in this

system to represent the union of Sun or Pigal n andthe Moon or I n . Some of the popular texts are Haha

Yoga Pradpik of Svtmrma, Goraka Samhit of

16 ibid. IV-117 Kumrasambhava V.33

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Gorakantha, Haha Ratnval of rnivsa Yogndra, iva

Samhit, Gheraa Samhit, Hahasaketacandrik of

Sundaradeva and Yoga Upaniads (a set of twenty

Upaniads dealing with Yogic practices.)(iii) Laya Yoga

This is defined in HYP (IV.34) thus:

b`mo b` B{V mh: H$se b`bjU_ &AnwZdmgZmoWmZm`mo {df` {d_{V:

&&

Originally lord iva taught one crore and twenty fivelakhs of techniques of Laya Yoga. But Ndnusandhna is

the best among all, says Svtmrma.18

lr Am{XZmWoZ gnmXH$mo{Q>b`H$mam: H${WVm O`pV &

ZmXmZwgYmZH$_oH$_od _`m_ho _w`V_b`mZm_ &&(iv) Rja Yoga

Generally Patajali's atga Yoga is called Rja

Yoga. Rja Yoga is so called because it essentially deals with

the mind, which is the king among the indriyas.

Although there are other branches of Yoga as described

earlier, they act only as preliminary steps to lead theaspirants to Rja Yoga, since only Rja Yoga leads one to

Kaivalya. HYP (I.1) says that Haha Yoga is only a ladder

towards Rja Yoga.

18HYP (IV.66)

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{d^mOVo

moVamO`moJ_mamoTw>{_Nmo:

A{Yamo{hUrd &&>Further it says that the purpose of Haha and Laya

Yogas is to take one to Rja Yoga.

H$odb amO`moJm` hR{dmon{X`Vo && 19and gd} hR>b`monm`m: amO`moJ` {g`o

&& 20 >$

Conclusion

Yoga is one of the greatest treasures of India. Many

saints, philosophers, scientists, physicians, scholars and

people from all walks of life are being attracted towards

Yoga. It paves way for a comprehensive development of man

physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual. It also has an

uninterrupted history of thousands of years of provenefficacy in this country. Its purpose, according to Y

javalkya is: ""`moJoZ Am_XeZ_'' 21

""Through Yoga, the realisation of the Self.''

***

19HYP. I.2.20 ibid. IV. 10321Yjavalkya smti I.8

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