International Yoga Day- June 21

International Yoga day ( Tomorrow-June 21, 2022)

( Fifteen minutes reading time required)

Greetings to you.

As the world celebrates the International Yoga day tomorrow, let me share today few important and perhaps lesser known aspects of Yoga . I am sure as you read along you will find it interesting and perhaps useful to practice.

World over people have interpreted Yoga only as a physical exercise or Asanas. But the truth is “Asana’ is just one part of yoga. Yoga means development or Yogam in Sanskrit. From Yogam we get Yuga. Kali, Dwapara, Thretha and Krita are the stages* or development in a human being.

There are eight branches of Yoga and one of the eight is Asana, which, again has many sub branches or many asanas. Yoga refers to the holistic development of the individual. There are various other definitions of Yoga…

That which removes all possible miseries arising from external objects is called ‘Yoga’ and this yoga need to be practiced with firmness and purity of mind. That which leads to the greatest gain and that which is not affected by sorrow or pain is called "Yoga".

Yoga serves the purpose of subduing the senses and the mind which have their ‘natural tendencies’ to obstruct concentration of thought. Yoga destroys obstruction to real knowledge and Gnana helps in the correct perception. The proper process for controlling the mind is called yoga. Stopping the working of the mind is also yoga.

The merging of the mind into Akasa ( space) is also defined as Yoga. The joining of Prana and Apana breathes together is also refers to yoga. That which leads to the greatest gain and that which is not affected by sorrow or pains is described as Yoga. The attainment of worldly desires is also called yoga by the ignorant.

Now you may be wondering what the real knowledge. The real knowledge is to know and understand that all that is here is Atma/Bhagavan/Ishwara and that You are the Atma.

The root meaning of ‘Yoga’ is ‘Yuj’ i.e. to join the lower self with the higher, the Jivatma with Paramatma. The word ‘to join’ is often used as a general term to include Karma-yoga and Gnana yoga, the object of both the processes being to join the individual Atma to universal Param Atma. They are not intrinsically different, as, the work of both consists in mental exercises and meditation.

Now, there is no physical or an imaginary joining of an Individual Atma to a Universal Param Atma. This is only stated to help a learner or a beginner to know and understand the nature of Atma. As stated earlier Atma is one and all that is here is Atma alone; you are the Atma.

In the Karma yoga there is a predominance of mental karmas/exercise (The process of purifying the mind) and in the Gnana yoga (The Process of purifying the intelligence) the meditation predominates over Karma.

In the Karma yoga ( the various rituals and ceremonies performed) the main work is negative as referring to the destruction of the obstructive tendencies of the mind and in the Gnana yoga it is more positive as the work to be done is intellectual and analytic for the purpose of securing true knowledge of the Atman.

Karma yoga refers to the Dakshinayana and Gnana Yoga refers to the Uttarayana. Dakshina also refers to the right hand which is capable of doing more dexterous work. Uttara refers to the left and also means Uttara or to cross beyond the region of materiality.

The wise Brahmin (to be read as one who understands Brahman) who takes to the northern path attains the glories of the Devas and merges in the sun. If he takes to the southern path, the glories of the Pitris (the five subtle elements) and securing the regions of soma merge in soma.

Here again the northern and southern part does not refer to the direction but refers to the Uttara part of the Vedas ( Gnana Yoga/Gnana Kanda) and the Poorva part of the Vedas ( Karma Yoga/Karma Kanda). Thus by seeking the glories of soma and Soorya, the wise Brahmin secures the glories of Brahman.

The soma-Vamsa starting with Ida refers to karma-yoga and the Soorya Vamsa starting with Ikshavaku refers to Gnana yoga. The soma Vamsa and karma yoga are thus associated with the Dwapara Yuga and the Soorya Vamsa and Gnana yoga are associated with a higher Yuga called the Treta.

The four "Yugas" refer to the quantity of "Dharma" secured . ."Kali" denotes absence of the knowledge of Karma. "Dwapara" denotes non-performance after securing the knowledge of the Karmas. "Treta" refers to their performance. "Krita" refers to their complete accomplishment.

When a man sleeps without the least regard for his Dharma (religion), it is called "Kali". When he tries to shake off his slumber, it is "Dwapara". When he wakes up it is "Treta". When he engages in acquiring the knowledge of "Brahman", it is "Krita". Kali, Dwapara, Treta and Krita Yugas do not relate to any so called periods or years of BC or AD – (……..Taitreya and Brahmopanishad).

There are five kinds of yoga in the order of importance.

1) Mantra yoga

2) Sparsa yoga

3) Bhava yoga

4) Abhava yoga

5) Maha yoga

Each produces wonderful powers called ‘Ashta aiswaryas’ and all of them lead to salvation.

1. The uttering of a mantra or japa combined with meditation is known as Mantra yoga.

2. Practice of Pranayama according to the prescribed methods is called Sparsa yoga

3. Pervading everywhere, both internally and externally is styled Bhava yoga

4. The meditation of pure Brahman forgetting the phenomenal altogether is called Abhava yoga.

The Ashtanga (eight angas (principles) of Yoga) Yoga

1) Yama: Refers to the relinquishment of desires pertaining to the physical body. It denotes the process of controlling the senses by the knowledge that Brahman is everything.

2) Niyama: Niyama refers to the creation of a devotional attachment (Bhakti) to the Param Atma/Ishwara/Bhagwan. It denotes the practice of meditation of the glories of Brahman eliminating everything alien to it.

3) Asana: Asana refers to the mental state in which one feels indifference to all worldly objects

4) Pranayama: Stopping all the external transactions is styled 'Pranayama'.

5) Pratyahara: Pratyahara refers to turning the Manas (mind) inwards (introspection)

6) Dharana: The steadiness of Manas is meditation. Perceiving 'Antar yami or Iswara in every object in the world

7) Dhyana: To meditate that I am the chit or Brahman itself

Samadhi: To drop even the idea of meditation in Dhyana is Samadhi. When all the effects of Karmas are completely destroyed Jiva merges in Iswara... Samadhi cannot be practiced without

Dharana and Dhyana... This virtually takes place in Samadhi. But this Samadhi itself becomes complete only after long practice. Salt put in water dissolves itself and becomes one with water.

Similarly Manas and Atma should become one, then it is known as ‘Samadhi’. When Prana ceases and Manas merges in Atma and both become one with Atma it is called Samadhi. When Jiva and Atma becomes one by the destruction of all the “samkalpas” it is known as Samadhi. Samadhi thus is a state in which Manas, Buddhi, light, glory, object, and everything else imaginable completely vanish.

There is no physical merging of Jiva and Iswara as Jiva and Iswara is non separate. The process of Samadhi is only symbolic and to teach humans that Jiva and Iswara are non separate and we are already one.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Yoga day and I am sure you will start practicing at least one form of yoga from today.

Sources:

1. Bhagwad Gita

2. Brahma Sootram

3. Purusha Sooktha