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Chapter VII -
Ashtanga Yoga
Patanjali's Raja Yoga is generally termed the Ashtanga Yoga or
the Yoga of Eight Limbs, through the practice of which freedom
is achieved. These eight limbs are:
1) Yama or Eternal Vows:
• Ahimsa
(non-violence)
• Satya (truth)
• Asteya
(non-stealing)
• Brahmacharya
(continence) and
• Aparigraha
(non-avariciousness);
2) Niyama or Observances:
• Saucha
(purity)
• Santosha
(contentment)
• Tapas
(austerities)
• Svadhyaya
(study) and
•
Ishvarapranidhana (surrender to God);
3) Asana (firm, comfortable meditative posture);
4) Pranayama (the regulation of the Vital Force);
5) Pratyahara (abstraction of the senses and mind from
objects);
6) Dharana (concentration);
7) Dhyana (meditation); and
8) Samadhi (superconscious state or trance)
These eight limbs have been scientifically arranged and dealt
with. They are the natural steps in the ladder which takes man
from his human to the real divine nature. From the gross to
the subtle, all the chords that bind the Purusha to Prakriti
are cut asunder. This snapping of the ties releases the
Purusha to enjoy his Independence, Kaivalya Moksha. This is
the goal of Raja Yoga.
Yama and Niyama purify the individual's actions and make them
more Sattvic. Tamas and Rajas which are the pillars of Samsara
are pulled down through the practice of the Ten Canons of Yama
and Niyama. Inner purity is increased. The individual's nature
itself is made Sattvic. Asana gives the individual control
over the Rajasic impulses; and at the same time it forms the
foundation of the grand structure of Antaranga Sadhana, or the
Inner Yoga-process. Pranayama brings the aspirant face to face
with the Life-Principle. Control of this Life-Principle gives
him an insight into its motive force. He is made aware of the
fact that it is desire that sustains the life-force. Desire is
the cause of externalization of the mind. Desire is the bed of
Vrittis. Vrittis together form the mind, and it is the mind
that links Purusha with Prakriti. The mind or the Chitta is
the subtlest form of Prakriti's manifestations. If mind is to
be destroyed, Vrittis are to be eradicated. If Vrittis are to
be eradicated, desire is to be rooted out. The Yogi than
rapidly withdraws all the rays of the mind from their external
propulsion (Pratyahara). To find the root of the mind, the
Seed-Desire, he needs the light of the whole mind. At the same
time, prevention of the externalization of the mind breaks the
vicious circle, as desire is deprived of its active
manifestation. This concentrated beam of light is then
directed towards the root of the mind itself (Dharana); and
the mind is held in check. Now the consciousness which had so
long been flowing outward collects itself and flows back into
its source - the Purusha within, which is Dhyana. The link
with Prakriti is gone. The Purusha experiences the
transcendental state of independence - Kaivalya - in
Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Now ignorance is destroyed. The Purusha
realizes that it was only His consciousness that gave Prakriti
its power to please Him, to give Him joy, to delude Him, and
to bind Him. He enjoys the bliss of His own nature and remains
for ever independent and blissful. All thought ceases once for
all in Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The seeds of Desire and Vasanas and
Samskaras are fried in toto; this is Nirbija Samadhi. The Yogi
in this supreme state loses all external consciousness, all
awareness of duality and multiplicity; he loses even the
I-idea (Asmita) in Asamprajnata Samadhi. That is the Supreme
State where the Seer (Purusha) is established in His own
Svarupa.
Do not imagine that you are an Uttama Adhikari and that you
have only to sit in meditation and enter into Samadhi. You
will have a terrible downfall. Even after years of practice
you will find you have not progressed an inch forward, because
there are deep within you lurking desires and cravings, evil
Vrittis which are far beyond your reach. Be humble. Make a
searching analysis of your heart and mind. Even if you are
really a first-class aspirant, think you are an aspirant of
the lowest class and practice the eightfold Sadhana prescribed
by Raja Yoga. The more time you spend in the first two steps,
viz., Yama and Niyama, the less will be the time needed to
attain perfection in meditation. It is the preparation that
takes very long. But do not wait for perfection in Yama and
Niyama, in order to take up the higher practices of Asana,
Pranayama and meditation. Try to get established in Yama and
Niyama, and at the same time practice Asana, Pranayama and
meditation as much as you can. The two must go hand in hand.
Then success will be rapid. You will soon enter into
Nirvikalpa Samadhi and attain Kaivalya Moksha. What that
supreme state is no one has described, and no words can
describe. Practice, O bold aspirant, and realize it for
yourself. May you shine as a Yogi in this very birth!
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