WHY WE SHOULD MEDITATE?

 

                  

                                DIFFERENT WAYS TO 

                               CONTROL THE MIND

                                                                          ❤

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                           THERE ARE VARIOUS WAYS TO CONTROL THE MIND, TO FOCUS IT ON ONE SINGLE POINT. SOME OF THEM ARE LISTED BELOW.

                   👀 1. CONCENTRATION ON BREATHING - CONCENTRATE MIND ON BREATHING INHALE SLOWLY AND DEEPLY AND EXHALE UNHURRIEDLY. FEEL THE COOL AIR INHALING AND HOT AIR WHILE EXHALING. SLOWER THE BREATH, MORE STABLE IS MIND. CONCENTRATE ON BREATHING AND FEEL RELAXED AS WELL AS CALM.

                  👀 2 .  CONCENTRATION ON SENSATIONS - CONCENTRATE MIND ON THE SENSATIONS FELT BY THE NOSTRIL DURING INHALING AND EXHALING. OR MIND CAN BE CONCENTRATED ON THE RISE AND FALL OF ABDOMEN WHILE BREATHING.

                  👀 3.  OBSERVATION OF THOUGHTS - THIS METHOD IS SUGGESTED BY JIDDU KRISHNAMURTI. WILL ENTER THE MIND OBSERVE IT FROM WHERE IT COMES FROM AND WHERE IT GOES AFTER LEAVING MIND. OBSERVE  THE SECOND THOUGHT FROM WHERE IT ARISES. STAY IN THE PRESENT. DO NOT LIVE IN PAST OR FUTURE. ON CAUTIONS THINKING, THE THOUGHT WILL LEAVE  THE MIND AND THE NEXT THOUGHT WILL NOT ENTER THE MIND. THE DAY HAS ENDED AND NIGHT HAS YET TO BEGIN AND IN BETWEEN TIME ZONE IS THE STATE OF SAMADHI - SUPREME PEACE.

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                 👀 4. EMPTYING THE MIND -  MIND IS LIKE A HUGE BAD FILLED WITH LOTS OF STUFF. WITH EACH PASSING DAY WE ARE INCREASING THE STUFF IN THAT BAG. PICK UP STUFF AND THROW IT OUT. THINK ABOUT A THOUGHT, GET DETACHED FROM IT. REMOVE IT FROM THE MIND THINKING THAT IT IS USELESS AND UNIMPORTANT. SLOWLY AND GRADUALLY THE THOUGHTS WILL START DECREASING AND ONE DAY WILL COME WHEN THERE WILL BE NO THOUGHT.

                  👀 5. HATHA YOGA AND PRANAYAMA - DIFFICULT YOGIC POSTURES ALONG WITH PRANAYAMA AND MUDRAS (HAND POSTURES) ARE PRACTICED TO CONCENTRATE MIND AND TO AWAKEN KUNDALINI. THE ENERGY IS THEN CONTROLLED AND PUSHED TO HEAD FOR SELF REALISATION. WHATEVER ONE MAY CHOOSE THE WAY TO CONTROL MIND ONE CAN PRACTICE PRANAYAMA, YOGA POSTURES AND MUDRAS LIKE JNANA MUDRA (TOUCH THE TIPS OF THUMB WITH THE INDEX FINGERS OF THE RESPECTIVE HANDS) WHICH WILL HELP ONE TO DEVELOP CONCENTRATION IN INITIAL STAGES.

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                      THE BEST WAY OF MEDITATION IS TO RISE IN THE MORNING. TAKE A BATH. SIT IN PADMASANA ON A MAT IN ERECT POSTURE. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND THINK THAT YOU ARE DEAD. YOUR CLOSE RELATIVES LIKE MOTHER, FATHER, BROTHER, SISTER, WIFE, SON, DAUGHTER AND YOUR FRIENDS ALL ARE CRYING. YOU ARE DEAD YOU CAN'T CONSOLE THEM. YOUR BODY IS PUL ON THE BIER AND YOUR FUNERAL POSSESSION BEGINS. YOU LEAVE BEHIND THE STREET IN WHICH YOU HAVE PLAYED GAMES, YOU LEAVE BEHIND THE SHOPS FROM WHICH YOU HAVE BOUGHT TOFFEES AND TOYS IN YOUR CHILDHOOD, YOU LEAVE BEHIND THE TOWN IN WHICH YOU HAVE SPENT WONDERFUL YEARS OF YOUR LIFE. YOUR BODY REACH BURIAL GROUND AND YOUR BODY IS PLACED UPON PYRE. YOUR SON LIT THE FIRE TO THE PYRE. YOUR BODY TURNS INTO ASHES. NOW YOU ARE TOTALLY FREE FROM DESIRE, ANGER, LUST, JEALOUSY, GREED, SORROW, AND ALL MATERIALISTIC ATTACHMENTS". MR "D" SAID.

                     IF AM DEAD THEN WHAT IS THE NEED TO MEDITATE?. MR. "T" ASKED.

                   TO FEEL THE SOUL CONSCIOUSNESS YOU HAVE TO END THE BODY CONSCIOUSNESS. ALL THE SORROW, PAIN, HAPPINESS, AND PLEASURES ARE EXPERIENCED BY BODY AND NOT SOUL. SOUL IS FREE FROM PAIN AND PLEASURE. ON REMAINING UNAFFECTED BY PAIN AND PLEASURE YOU WILL EXPERIENCE PEACE".

                 I HAVE A STRONG, BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY BODY. WHY SHOULD I IMAGINE THIS? 

                FOR HOW LONG YOU ARE STRONG, HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL? ONE DAY YOU WILL BECOME SICK, UGLY, AND OLD. NOBODY WILL WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE. THIS BODY WILL FADE AWAY SOONER OR LATER. YOU CAN BE DETACHED FROM YOUR BODY BY IMAGINING THAT YOU ARE EITHER DEAD OR YOUR BODY HAS BEEN DECOMPOSED. THAT YOUR BODY HAS BEEN EATEN BIT BY GIDHAS - BIRDS OF PREY, CROWS AND ANTS".

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MIND AND THE BODY (YOGI)

 

          

                              OUR MIND AND THOUGHTS

                     SUTRA 32

                     MURUDHA-JYOTISI SIDDHA-DARSANAM

               BY CONTEMPLATION ON THE BRIGHTNESS IN THE HEAD, VISIONS OF GREAT SIDDHAS ARISE.

                   THE CENTRE REFERRED TO IS THE SAHASRARA CHAKRA AND THE  BRAHMARANDHRA AT THE BACK OF THE BRAIN CENTRE AND THE MEDULLA OBLANGATA

                    SUTRA 33

                    PRATIBHAD-VA SARVAM

                 HAVING DEVELOPED INTUITION, EVERYTHING SUBTLE CAN BE SEEN AND UNDERSTOOD.

                    SUTRA 34

                        HRDAYE CITTA- SAMVIT

                        BY CONTEMPLATING ON THE HEART, ONE CAN BEGIN UNDERTANDING THE MIND.

                            THE REFERS NOT TO THE PHYSICAL HEART BUT TO THE ANAHATA  CHAKRA IN THE CENTRE OF THE CHEST BEHIND THE STERNUM. IT IS ACTUALLY LOCATED IN THE SPINE.

                    SUTRA 35

                         SATTVA - PURUSAYOR ATYANTA- ASAMKIRNAYOH PRATYAYA-

                       AVISESAH- BHOGAH PARA- ARTHATVAT - SVARTHA- SAMYANAT

                       PURUSA- JNANAM

                    BETWEEN PURE PURUSHA AND PERFECTLY CLEAR SATTVA, THERE IS VERY LITTLE DISCTINCTION. WHEN THIS IS UNDERTOOD, IT IS CLEAR THAT PURE SATTVA IS ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF KNOWING THE PURUSHA. IN SAMYAMA OR PURE SATTVA, THERE IS KNOWLEDGE OF PURUSHA.

                    SUTRA 36

                      TATAH PRATIBHA- SRAVANA - VEDANA- ADARSA - ASVADA-VARTA

                    JAYANTE

                      INTUITIVE HEARING, TOUCHING, SEEING, TASTING AND SMELLING OF ALL THE SENSE ORGANS ARE HEIGHTENED AS A RESULT.

                  SUTRA 37

                   TE SAMADHAV UPASARGAH- VYUTTHANE SIDDHAYAH

                  IN THE HIGHST SAMADHI, THERE IS NO DESIRE FOR EVEN THESE YOGIC POWERS.

                  SUTRA 38

                   BADNHA-KARANA-SAITHILYAT PRACARA - SAMVEDANAT CA

                 CITTASYA PARA - SARIRA - AVESAH

                     WITH THE RELAXATION CAUSED BY THE LOOSENING OF BONDAGE FROM THE MIND, IT CAN ENTER INTO ANOTHER'S MIND AND THEREBY, INTO ANOTHER MANIFESTATION.

                   THE MIND IS CAPABLE OF ENTERING AND UNDERSTANDING OTHER MINDS AND AFTER LEAVING THE BODY, IT CAN EVEN CHOOSE A NEW EMBODIMENT.

                   SUTRA 39

                    UDANA- JAYAT JALA- PANKA- KANTAKA ADISU- ASINGAH

                    UKRANTIS CA UDANA

                    FROM MASTERING THE UDANA OR THE UPWARD GOING BREATH, THERE IS LOOSENING OF ATTACHMENT TO THE ELEMENTS OF WATER, MUD AND THORNS AND RISING ABOVE THIS.

                      THIS IS TO DO WITH PRANAYAMA, BY MASTERING THE UPWARD BREATH THAT IS LINKED TO INHALATION , THE YOGI'S MIND RISES ABOVE THE DISTRACTIONS OF THE ELEMENTS OF NATURE.

YOGA SUTRAS

 

                    SUTRA 23

                   MAITRI ADISU BALANI

                BY CONTEMPLATING ON FRIENDLINESS AND SO ON, CORRESPONDING POWERS ARE ATTAINED.

             

  

                     SUTRA 24

                   BALESU HASTI -BALA- ADINI

              CONTEMPLATING ON POWERS SIMILAR TO THE ELEPHANT AND SO ON.

               BOTH THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STRENGTH OF A HUMAN BEING IS NOT USED TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONING THAT THE THOUGHT CREATES. IT'S A KIND OF SELF-HYPNOSIS WHERE A PERSON THINKS HE IS WEAK AND CANNOT DO ANYTHING  BEYOND A CERTAIN POINT. AT TIMES OF DANGER TO HIS OWN LIFE, THE LIMBIC SYSTEM IN THE BRAIN TAKES OVER AND HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE PERFORMED STUPENDOUS TASKS FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THEIR OWN BODY.

              HERE, THE HINT GIVEN IS THAT ONE CAN IMPROVE ONE'S CAPACITY BY CONTEMPLATING ON THE STRENGTH OF LARGE ANIMALS AND BY DEHYPNOTISING ONESELF FROM THE IDEA THAT ONE IS WEAK.

                       SUTRA 25

                PRAVRITTY-ALOKA- NYASAT - SUKSMA - VYAVAHITA - 

                VIPRAKRSTA- JNANAM

              BY THE CASTING OF LIGHT ON ACTIVITY, THERE IS KNOWLEDGE OF THE HIDDEN AND THE DISTANT. BY CLARITY OBTAINED THROUGH SAMYAMA, CONTEMPLATION, THE YOGI CAN SEE BEYOND  THE OBVIOUS AND LEARNS TO READ INTUITIVELY WHAT THE PERSON THINKS EVEN THOUGH THE OUTWARD SIGNS ARE MEANT TO DISTRACT. YOGIS DON'T GET DISTRACTED. SO THEY ALSO LEARN TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FUTURE IN THE CLUES OFFERED BY THE PRESENT.

                        SUTRA 26

                  BHUVANA- JNANAM SURYE - SAMYAMAT

                FROM SAMYAMA ON THE SUN AND ITS MOVEMENTS, YOU CAN PERCEIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE COSMIC REGIONS.

                            SUTRA 27

                CANDRE TARAVYUHA - JNANAM

                  FROM STUDING THE MOON, YOU CAN DETERMINE THE ORDERING 

                   OF THE STARS.

                          SUTRA 28

                 DHRUVE TADGATI - JNANAM

              BY STUDYING THE POLE STAR, YOU CAN DETERMINE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE HEAVENLY BODIES.

                          SUTRA 29

                    NABHI - CAKRE - KAYA - VYUHA - JNANAM

                     BY CONTEMPLATING ON THE NAVEL CHAKRA IN THE NAVEL, YOU CAN OBTAIN KNOWLEDGE OF THE NADIS OF THE BODY.

                          SUTRA 30

                    KANTHA - KUPE KSUT - PIPASA NIVRTTIH

              BY CONTEMPLATION ON THE VISHUDDHI CHAKRA AT THE HOLLOW OF THE THROAT, YOU CAN FREE YOURSELF OF THE DESIRE TO DRINK OR EAT.

                         SUTRA 31

                   KURMA - NADYAM STHAIRYAM

                  BY CONTEMPLATION ON THE KURMA NADI, A CERTAIN INTERNAL CHANNEL, THE MIND BECOMES STABLE.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF OUR THOUGHTS (THE YOGA)

                                    WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE OF 

                                        OF OUR LIFE

               SUTRA 16 👇

 

               PARINAMA-TRAYA-SAMYAMAD-ATITA-ANAGATA JNANAM

                    FROM SAMYANA OR A UNIFED VIEW OF THESE THREE STATES OF ARISING, RESTING AND IN-BETWEEN, THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE PAST STATE WAS AND WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BE ARISES.

                  WITH AN INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MIND AT REST, THE MIND THAT IS ACTIVE AND THE IN-BETWEEN STAGE, ONE IS ABLE TO UNDERTAND ITS PAST INFLUENCES AND WHAT THE RESULTS WILL BE IN THE FUTURE.

                   SUTRA 17 👇

                     SABDA-ARTHA-PRATYAYANAM ITARA-ITARE ADHYASAT

                     SAMSKARAS TAT-PRAVIBHAGA-SAMYAMAT SARVA -BHUTA-

                     RUTA-JNANAM

          

                      SUTRA 18👇

                  SAMKARA-SAKSAT KARANAT PURVA-JATI-JNANAM SAMSKARA

                  FROM PERCEIVING THE SAMSKARAS, ONE'S ATTITUDES AND TENDENCIES, ONE CAN COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF PREVIOUS BIRTHS.

                    FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN A CHILD BEHAVES TOTALLY OPPOSITE TO HIS PARENT'S BEHAVIOUR OR UPBRINGING, ONE BEGINS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE ASPECTS OF PAST BIRTHS. PRAHLADA BORN TO HIRANYAKASHIPU IS A CASE IN POINT.

                   SUTRA 19 👇

                      PRATYAYASYA PARA - CITTA- JNANAM

                  FROM THE CAPACITY TO SEE CLEARLY THAT COMES FROM SAMYANA, ONE SEES OTHER'S INTENTIONS AND THERE IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE OTHER'S MIND.

                   SUTRA 20 👇

                NA CA TAT SALAMBANAM TASYA AVISAYI BHUTATVAT

                    BUT THIS IS NOT WITHOUT BASIS, FOR NO CONDITIONS APPLIES TO THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS.

                   WHAT IT COULD MEAN IS THAT ALL THIS IS ON THE SUBJECTIVE LEVEL AND DOES NOT APPLY TO THE PHYSICAL WORLD OF ELEMENTS. OF ALL OF PATANJALI'S SUTRAS, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SUTRAS TO TRANSLATE.

                     SUTRA 21 👇

                    KAYA-RUPA- SAMYAMAT, TAD-GRAHYA-SAKTI-STAMBHE 

                    CAKSUH PRAKASA ASAMPRAYOGE ANTARDHANAM

                   FROM SAMYANA - CONCENTRATION OR DHARANA - COMES THE CAPACITY TO PREVENT THE LIGHT RAYS FALLING ON THE FORM OF THE BODY FROM BEING REFLECTED IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER AND HENCE, THE FORM IS CONCEALED.

                  

                 THIS REQUIRES A DETAILED COMMENTARY.

                THE POPULAR INTERPRETATION OF THIS SUTRA IS, THE YOGI, WHO HAS LEARNT HOW LIGHT IS REFLECTED OFF THE BODY, SEES THE LIGHT IN THE EYE OF ANOTHER HUMAN BEING WITHIN THE YOGI'S VISION. AN ACCOMPLISHED YOGI CAN STOP THE LIGHT FROM BEING REFLECTED AND THUS BECOME INVISIBLE.

               LIGHT RAYS CANNOT ACTUALLY BE CONTROLLED BY THE YOGI, BUT THE CELLS ON THE SURFACE OF THE BODY CAN BE MADE TO ABSORB ALL THE LIGHT RAYS, AND IN THE ABSENSE OF REFLECTION, THE EYES OF OTHERS CANNOT PERCEIVE THE BODY.

               IN PRACTICAL TERMS, EVEN IF ONE REMAINS STILL AND WEARS CLOTHES WHICH ARE DIFFERENT FROM ONE'S USUAL DRESS, AND THEREFORE UNIDENTIFIABLE  BY KNOWN PEOPLE, IT'S OFTEN QUITE POSSIBLE TO REMAIN INVISIBLE. REMAINING TOTALLY STILL, THOUGH, IS NOT SO EASY.

                 THEN THERE IS ALSO THE FACT THAT IN HYPNOSIS, THE SUBJECT DOES NOT SEE WHAT HE OR SHE IS TOLD DOES NOT EXIST, EVEN THOUGH THE OBJECT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE EYE. IN SUCH A CASE, THE BRAIN DOESN'T REGISTER ITS EXISTENCE.

                 SUTRA 22 👇

                    

                SOPA- KRAMAM NIRUPAKRAMAM CA KARMAN TAD SAMYAMAT

                APARA- NTA-JNANAM ARISTEBHYOVA

                 FROM SAMYAMA ON ACTION OR KARMA SET IN MOTION AND FROM OBSERVING PHENOMENA THAT IS CONSIDERED UNNATURAL, THERE COMES THE KNOWLEDGE OF APPROACHING DEATH.

                   THIS MEANS CONTEMPLATING ON ACTIONS, WHETHER PERFORMED OR NOT, THE YOGI GETS A FAIRLY CLEAR IDEA OF HOW FAR DEATH IS FROM HIM. TRADITIONAL TEXTS ALSO DESCRIBE THE VARIOUS OMENS, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, THAT OCCUR, AND BY CONTEMPLATING ON THIS, A YOGI KNOWS WHEN DEATH IS NEAR.

                 AN EXAMPLE IS THE RHYTHM OF ONE'S BREATH.

                                                                      ❤

THE YOGA (VIBHUTI BADA SUTRAS)

 

                                  

                                         YOGA SUTRAS

                        SUTRA 7

                            TRAYAM-ANTAR-ANGAM PURVEBHYAH

                   THESE THREE, THE INNER LIMBS, ARE DISTINCT FROM THE ONES MENTIONED BEFORE.

                      SUTRA 8

                 TAD API BAHIR-ANGAM NIRBIJASYA

                THESE THREE ARE THE OUTER LIMBS OF NIRBIJA, THE SEEDLESS SAMADHI.

                     SUTRA 9

 

                      VYUTTHANA-NIRODHA-SAMSKARAYOR ABHIBHAVA-

                    PRADURBHAVAU NIRODHA-KSANA CITTA-ANVAYO NIRODHA-

                    PARINAMAH

                       WHEN EMERGENCE OR EXTROVERSION IS OVERPOWERED BY THE QUALITY OF RESTRAINT, THERE OCCURS A MOMENT OF INTROVERSION. THIS IS THE RESULT OF RESTRAIN.

                    SUTRA 10

                     TASYA PRASANTA VAHITA SAMSKARAT

                 THE MIND THEN DISCOVERS THE QUALITY OF THE MIND WHEN THERE IS A CALM FLOW.

                   SUTRA 11

                   SARVARTHATA EKAGRATAYOH KSAYA-UDAYAU CITTASYA

                   SAMADHI-PARINAMAH

                     WHEN ALL OBJECTIVITY IS ENDED AND ONE-POINTEDNESS ARISES, MODIFICATION (OF THE MIND) LEADS TO SAMADHI.

                 SUTRA 12

                 TATAH PUNAH SANTO-UDITAU TULYA- PRATYAYAU CITTASYA-

               EKAGRATA-PARINAMAH

                   SO AGAIN WHEN THERE IS EQUALITY OF INTROVERSION AND EXTROVERSION BETWEEN THE RISING OF THOUGHTS AND QUIETNESS, THE RESULT IS ONE-POINTEDNESS OF THE CHITTA, MIND.

                   THIS CAN INTERPRETED IN PRACTICAL YOGIC TERMS AS THE QUALISING OF THE INGOING AND OUTGOING BREATH, RESULTING IN BALANCING OF THE PRANA IN THE IDA NADI ON THE LEFT AND IN THE PINGALA NADI ON THE RIGHT.

  

                  SUTRA 13

                          ETENA BHUTA INDRIYESU DHARMA-LAKSANA-AVASTHA

                          PARINAMA VYA KHYATAH

                      THE STATE OF THE MIND AND SENSES, AND THE NATURE OF THE MIND AND ELEMENTS AND THEIR ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER ARE EXPLAINED AND UNDERSTOOD.

                 SUTRA 14

                    SANTA-UDITA-AVYAPADESYA-DHARMA-ANUPATI DHARMI

                THIS MEANS THAT THE YOGI REFERRED TO AS THE HOLDER OF DHARMA, RECOGNIZES THE DHARMA OR CHARACTERISTICS OF HIS MIND, WHETHER IT IS QUIETENED OR ACTIVE OR IN-BETWEEN.

                 SUTRA 15

                 KRAMAA-ANYATVANI PARINAMA-ANYATEVE HETUH

                THE TRANSFORMATION TAKES PLACE IN SUCCESSION IN BETWEEN THESE STATES, CAUSING THE DIFFERENCE IN STATES.

WHY WE ARE USING VIBHUTI ?

 

                     

                          THE TRADITIONAL THIRD EYE

                                         VIBHUTI PADA

                       TRADITIONALLY, THE THIRD PADA IS USED THE SO-CALLED SUPER-NORMAL POWERS, BUT INTERESTINGLY NOWHERE IN THE BODY OF THE CHAPTER IS THE WORD VIBHUTI USED.

                        THESE SUPERNATURAL POWERS ARE ATTAINED BY THE ACCOMPLISHED YOGI BY ATTENTION, MEDITATION AND SAMADHI ON THE OBJECT OR OBJECTIVE.

                    BESIDES DISCUSSION ON THE SUPERNATURAL, THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION.

                    ETYMOLOGICALLY, THE WORD VIBHUTI FROM THE PRE-FIX VI, THE VERB BHU, AND THE SUFFIX TI COULD ALSO MEAN "THAT WHICH EXPANSIVE". IT COULD, THEREFORE, ALSO MEAN THE EXPANSIVE CONSCIOUSNESS.

 

                    NOW IN THIS CONTEXT, SUTRA 50 IS SIGNIFICANT - AND IT FROM DISPASSION TOWARDS EVEN THESE POWERS, IN THE VERY DESTRUCTION OF THE SEED OF DESIRE FOR POWERS, THAT KAIVALYAM OR A STATE OF ULTIMATE ENLIGHTENMENT EVENTUALLY ARISES.

                   SUTRA 1

                       DESA-BANDHAS CITTASYA DHARANA

                   HOLDING THE MIND TO ONE LOCATION IS CALLED DHARANA, 

                    ONE POINTEDNESS.

                      CONCENTRATION, OR RATHER ATTENTION IS TO HOLD THE MIND IN ONE PLACE, WITHOUT LETTING IT GET DISTRACTED.

                         SUTRA 2

                       TATRA PRATYAYA-EKA-TANATA DHYANAM

                       EXTENDING OF THIS INTENTION IS MEDITATION.

                   CONTINUING THIS ONE-POINTED, DISTRACTION-LESS ATTENTION FOR SOME TIME IS CALLED DHYANAM, LOOSELY TRANSLATED AS MEDITATION.

                       SUTRA 3

                     TAD EVA-ARTHA-MATRA-NIRBHASAM SVARUPA-SUNYAM-

                      IVA- SAMADHIH

              THE MEANING ALONE SHINES, EMPTY OF FORM AND THAT IS VERILY, 

             SAMADHI

                THIS CAN BE INTERPRETED IN TWO WAYS.

                 1.  WHEN THE ONE-POINTED ATTENTION STRETCHES INTO MEDITATION, AND IS REACHED AFTER A CERTAIN DEPTH, THE MEDITATOR IS NOT AWARE OF INDIVIDUAL EXISTENCE AND ONLY MEDITATION REMAINS, EMPTY OF EVEN THE OBJECT THAT IS MEDITATED UPON.

                 2. THROUGH MEDITATION, ONE BECOMES AWARE THAT ALL OBJECTS AND EVEN STATES OF MIND ARE THERE ONLY FOR REALISING THE INNER SELF CALLED THE PURUSHA. WHEN THIS AWARENESS ARISES, ITS CALLED SAMADHI.

                  SUTRA 4

                  TRAYAM-EKATRA SAMYAMAH

                  THE THREE STATES IN UNITY- ATTENTION, MEDITATION AND SAMADHI- ARE CALLED SAMYAMA.

                        SUTRA 5

                        TAJ JAYAT PRAJNA LOKAH

                 WITH THE MASTERY OF THAT, WISDOM SHINES FORTH IN ITS 

                 ENTIRELY.

                   SUTRA 6

                   TASYA BHUMISU VINIYOGAH

                              

                    THIS IS APPLIED IN STAGES.

                      WHICH MEANS, DHARANA, DHYANA AND SAMADHI SHOULD BE APPLIED STEP-BY-STEP.

                     STEP 7

                     TRAYAM-ANTAR-ANGAM PURVEBHYAH

                    THESE THREE, THE INNER LIMBS, ARE DISTINCT FROM THE ONES MENTIONED BEFORE.

THE STEP-BY-STEP YOGA (SADHANA PADA)

 

          

                               THE PRACTICAL SECTIONS OF 

                                        YOGA SUTRAS

                       THIS IS THE PRACTICAL SECTION OF THE YOGA SUTRAS. IT DEALS WITH THE CLASSICAL ASHTANGA OR EIGHT-LIMBED YOGA, A STEP-BY-STEP PRACTICE MANUAL. HOWEVER, THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER ON THE SAMADHI PADA, THOUGH BY AND LARGE PHILOSOPHICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND METAPHYSICAL, IS BY NO MEANS STRICTLY THEORETICAL.

                   A CLOSE STUDY WOULD SHOW THAT THE SAMADHI PADA ALSO DEALS WITH PRACTICAL EXERCISES LIKE THE "REPETITION OF AUM" AND THE QUALISING OF THE 'INHALATION AND EXHALATION' AMONG OTHER PRACTICAL TIPS. NEVERTHELESS, IT DOES LAY GREATER EMPHASIS ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND METAPHYSICAL UNDERSTANDING OF YOGA, WITHOUT GRASPING THESE IMPORTANT ASPECTS, THE PRACTICAL STEPS WOULD BE MEANINGLESS, BECAUSE THEORY IS MERELY A STEPPING STONE TO PRACTICE.

                     SWAMI VIVEKANANDA'S COMMENTARY ON THE YOGA SUTRAS, CALLED RAJA YOGA, IS INTERESTING AND RELEVANT TO OUR STUDY.

                     COMMENTING ON THE FIRST SUTRA OF SADHANA PADA, HE SAYS THOSE SAMADHIS WITH WHICH WE ENDED OUT LAST CHAPTER ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO ATTAIN, SO WE MUST TAKE THESE UP SLOWLY. THE FIRST STEP, THE PRELIMINARY STEP, IS CALLED KRIYA YOGA. LITERALLY, THIS MEANS WORK, WORKING TOWARDS YOGA.

                       WITH THIS INTRODUCTION, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE FIRST 

                      SUTRA OF PART 2.

                SUTRA 1

                      TAPAH-SVADHYAYA-ISWAVA-PRANIDHANANI KRIYA YOGAH

         

                    AUSTERITY, SELF-STUDY, AND DECLARATION TO ISHWARA 

                      ATE KRIYA YOGA.

                 THE WORD TAPA IS INTERESTING. IT LITERALLY MEANS "MAKE HOT" OR PRODUCE CREATIVE HEAT'. THE SYNONYMS ARE 'AUSTERITY' AND 'SELF-DISCIPLINE'.

                 IT IS ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CONTROL OF OUR URGE TO UNDULGE IN SEX-BRAHMACHARYA-BUILDS UP INNER HEAT. I CAN VOUCH FOR THIS. MILAREPA, THE TIBETAN YOGIS IS SAID TO HAVE SAT AMIDST THE SNOWS OF THE HIMALAYAS WITH JUST A COTTON LOINCLOTH, AND GENERATED HEAT ENOUGH TO MELT THE SNOW BY THE PRACTICE OF TUMMO, A CERTAIN YOGIC EXERCISE. MY PERSONAL TEACHER, SRI MAHESHWARNATH BABAJI WAS AN EXPERT IN THIS PRACTICE AND WALKED BAREFOOT EVEN ON THE GANGOTRI GLACIER.

                    SWADHYAYA IS THE SELF-STUDY OF THOSE TEXTS THAT PROVIDE AN INSIGHT INTO THE PRACTICES THAT TAKE ONE TO THE SUPERCONSCIOUS STATE. THIS STATE .THIS STATE IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH TEXTS THAT ARE STILL IN THE REALM OF THEORETICALLY ESTABLISHING THE CONCEPT OF SUPERCONSCIOUS EXPERIENCE THAT LEADS TO KAIVALYA OR FREEDOM.

                        THE YOGI AT THIS STAGE OF HIS JOURNEY IS UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE LEFT ALL ARGUMENTS BEHIND AND WOULD HAVE ADVANCED TO HAVE LEFT ALL ARGUMENTS BEHIND AND WOULD HAVE ADVANCED TO THE CORE OF THAT PRACTICE THAT LEADS TO IMMEDIATE FREEDOM AND PEACE.

                      THE BHAGAVAD GITA SAYS, 'UPANISHADATSU BRAHMA VIDAYAYAAM YOGA SHASTRAE', ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE TRUTH - BRAHMA VIDYA- UNDERSTOOD BY STUDYING THE UPANISHADS NEEDS YOGA SHASTRA TO BE REALISED AND EXPERIENCED BY THE STUDENT.

                    ISHWARYA PRANIDHANANI - DEDICATION TO ISHWARA SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD WITH REFERENCE TO THE FIRST CHAPTER, WHERE AN ELABORATE DISCUSSION ON THE YOGIC CONCEPT OF ISHWARA HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKEN UP.

                   SUFFICE IT TO STATE THAT IN PATANJALI'S DARSHANA, ISHWARA IS NOWHERE ASSOCIATED WITH A CREATOR GOD OR A CONTROLLER GOD AND REPRESENTS THE SUM-TOTAL OF ALL KNOWLEDGE THAT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, AND THEREFORE, IS THE PRIMORDIAL TEACHER OF ALL SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING.

                 THE CLOSEST ONE CAN GET TO IN ATTEMPTING TO DEFINE PATANJALI'S ISHWARA IS THE CONCEPT OF PURUSHA, ESPECIALLY THE PRIMORDIAL PURUSHA IN SANKHYA, WHICH IS AN AETHEISTIC PHILOSOPHY AND FROM WHICH THE YOGA DARSHANA HAS BORROWED MOST OF ITS TERMS AND CONCEPTS.

                      WHEN THE YOGI REACHES THE CULMINATION OF THE YOGIC PROCESS AND ATTAINS NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI, THEN THE PURE CONSCIOUSNESS CALLED PURUSHA ALONE SHINES FORTH.

                     IT IS FROM THIS CONCEPT THAT DEDICATION TO ISHWARYA HAS ALSO BEEN INTERPRETED AS A DEDICATED YOGI WHO HAS, BY REALISATION, ASCENDED TO THE STATUS OF ISHWARA.

                    BUT THIS CONCEPT IS OFTEN MISINTERPRETED AND EXPLOITED BY CHARLATANS WHO DEMAND ABJECT SURRENDER FROM THEIR FOLLOWERS AND MAKE THEM UTTERLY DEPENDENT ON THEM.

                  THE TERM KRIYA YOGAH HERE, DOES NOT REFER TO ANY PARTICULAR SCHOOL OF YOGA, BUT SIGNIFIES THE NEED TO WORK (KRIYA) IN ONE'S YOGIC PRACTICES.