The Yoga Tradition
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Transcript of 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 `bm^o
{dH$^mXm M ^ofOo &
where dravyalbha is also referred to as Yogakema.
Lord Ka says in the Gt (IX.22):
AZ`m: {MV`Vmo _m `o OZm:n`wnmgVo &
Vofm {Z`m{^`w$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.
3
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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.
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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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