Patanjali Yog Darshan - Yoga Philosophy

 

 

2.28 योगाङ्गाऽनुष्ठानादशुद्धिक्षये ज्ञानदीप्तिराविवेकख्यातेः

2.28  yoga-anga-anusthanad-ashuddhi-kshaye Gyana-deeptir-aviveka-khyateḥ

 

From the practice of the component exercises of Yoga, on the destruction of impurity, arises spiritual illumination which develops into awareness of Reality.

 

2.29 यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि

2.29 yama niyama-asana praṇayama pratyahara dharana dhyana samadhayo -     ashṭavangani 

 

1. Yama 2. Niyama 3. Asana 4. Pranayama 5. Pratyahara 6. Dharana 7. Dhyana  8. Samadhi   

are 8 limbs.

 

 

Yama        

These refer to our observances and restraints that regulate our interactions with others. These are part of our social discipline.                       

 

The five Yamas are :

 

 

2.30 अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः 

2.30 Ahimsa-Satya-Asteya Brahmacharya-aparigraha Yamaha

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• Ahimsa: 

Non-violence in thought, words, and deeds.

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2.35 अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्सन्निधौ वैरत्यागः

2.35 Ahiṁsa-pratisthayam tat-sannidhau vairatyaghah

           

In presence of one firmly established in non-violence, all hostilities cease.    

    

•  Satya: 

Truth & truthfulness

                                   

2.36 सत्यप्रतिष्ठायां क्रियाफलाश्रयत्वम्

2.36 Satya-pratiṣthayaṁ kriya-Phala-asrayatvam

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Established in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient.

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• Asteya: 

Non-stealing of material or non-material things.

 

2.37 अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम्   

2.37 Asteya pratiṣṭhayam sarvaratn opasthanam

 

When Non-Stealing Is Established All Jewels Present Themselves.

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• Brahmacharya: 

Moderation in sensual and sexual pleasures. Etymologically it refers to walking the path of Braham or true path.

 

2.38 ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां वीर्यलाभः

2.38 Brahmacharya pratiṣṭhayam virya-labhah

 

By the establishment of continence, energy is gained.

 

•  Aprigraha :   

Non-possessiveness or non-hoarding or Non-covetousness

 

2.39 अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथंतासंबो

2.39 Aparigraha-sthairye janma-kathanta sambodhah

 

Non-covetousness established, knowledge of past & future births Arises.      

2.31 जातिदेशकालसमयानवच्छिन्नाः सार्वभौमा महाव्रतम्

2.31 Jati-Desha-Kala-Samaya-anavacchinnaḥ sarvabhauma-mahavratam 

 

These Great Vows are universal, not limited by class, place, time or circumstance.

 

Patanjali declares these as the Grand Universal Oath to be followed by all irrespective of caste, country, time and circumstances. About controlling the mind he says :

 

2.33 वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्.            

2.33 Vitarka-badhane pratipraksha-bhavanam

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When the mind is disturbed by improper thoughts constant pondering over the opposites is the remedy.

 

2.34 वितर्का हिंसादयः कृतकारितानुमोदिता लोभक्रोधमोहपूर्वका मृदुमध्याधिमात्रा दुःखाज्ञानानन्तफला     इति प्रतिपक्षभावनम्

2.34 Vitarka hinsadayah kr̥ta-karita-anumodita lobha-krodha-moha- apurvaka mr̥du-madhya adhimātrā duḥkha-agyana-ananta-phala iti pratipakṣa-bhavanam.

 

Thought actions like violence etc, done by self, abetted or approved, done due to anger greed or delusion, whether mild, moderate or Intense, result in pain misery & Ignorance. Pondering over, this is the Contrary Thought.

 

 

Niyama: 

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This refers to observances and restraints that govern an individual`s life. These form the personal discipline for the Sadhak.

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These five Niyamas are as follows :

 

2.32  शौचसंतोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः

2.32  Sauca saṁtoṣa tapaḥ svādhyāy-eśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥ

 

Purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and self-surrender are Niyamas.

 

 

  1. Saucha: 

 

Physical and mental purity/hygiene.

 

2.33 शौचात् स्वाङ्गजुगुप्सा परैरसंसर्गः

2.33 Shauchat svanga-jugupsa paraira-sansargah

 

Practice Of Purification brings indifference towards own body and aversion to contact with other bodies.

 

2.41 सत्त्वशुद्धिसौमनस्यैकाग्र्येन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शनयोग्यत्वानि च 

2.41 Sattva-śuddhiḥ saumanasya-ikāgry-endriyajaya-ātmadarśana yogyatvāni ca

The purity of sattva, cheerfulness of mind, one-pointedness, mastery over the senses, and fitness for Self-realization.

 

  2. Santosha: 

Contentment ~ an ever-present contented state of mind

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2.42 संतोषादनुत्तमसुखलाभः 

2.42 Santoshat-anuttamas-sukhalabhah

         

Contentment brings a gain of superlative happiness.

 

  3. Tapa: 

Austerities, penance, etc. Using what is necessary for existence.

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2.43 कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात्तपसः॥४३॥ 

2.43 Kayendriya-siddhir-ashuddhi-kshayat tapasaḥ

 

The perfection of sense-organs & body upon the destruction of impurity by tapa.

 

  4. Swadhyay :               

Self-study

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2.44 स्वाध्यायादिष्टदेवतासंप्रयोगः॥४४॥ 

2.44 Svadhyayad-ishṭa-devata samprayogaḥ

By self-study union with the desired deity.

 

  5.  Ishwar Pranidhana

Complete surrender to Ishwara

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2.45 समाधिसिद्धिरीश्वरप्रणिधानात्

2.45 samadhi siddhir-ishvarapraṇidhanat

 

From Devotion To God, Samadhi Is Attained

 

 

Asanas 

 

Patanjali devotes only 3 sutras to asanas out of 195. he defines asana as

2.46 स्थिरसुखमासनम्

2.46 . Sthira sukham asanam"  

 

Asana is a posture that is stable and comfortable.

 

As regards the methodology of asana he says

 

2.47 यत्नशैथिल्यानन्त्यसमापत्तिभ्याम्                                 

2.47. Prayatna shaitilya ananta samapattibhyam

               

It has to become effortless and mind is absorbed in infinity.

 

About the effect of asana practice he says :

 

2.48 ततो द्वन्द्वानभिघातः

2.48. Tataha dvandva anabhighata     

 

From that, there is victory over assailment of conflicts and dualities of life like heat/cold, joys/ sorrows, attachments/aversions, etc.                         

 

The effect of Asanas is thus mental in nature as freedom from conflicts.

 

 

Pranayama

 

2.49 तस्मिन् सति श्वासप्रश्वास्योर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः

2.49 Tasmin sati svasa prasvasyor gati vicchedah pranayamah

 

On this being established, stopping the movement of inhalation & exhalation is Pranayama.

2.50 बाह्याअभ्यन्तरस्थम्भ वृत्तिः देशकालसन्ख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः

2.50 Bahya-abhyantara-sthambha vr̥ttir Desha-Kala-sankhyābhih paridr̥sto dīrgha-sūkṣmaḥ

Exhalation inhalation retention is regulated gradually by place, time & number to become long and  subtle

2.51 बाह्याभ्यन्तरविषयाक्षेपी चतुर्थः

2.52 Bahya-abhyantara viṣaya-akṣepi caturthaḥ

The fourth is restraining the Prana by directing it either to the external or internal objects.

2.52 ततः क्षीयते प्रकाशावरणम्

2.52 tataḥ kṣhiyate prakāsha-avaraṇam.

Then the cover over the light of truth dissolves

2.53 धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः

2.53 dharaṇasu ca yogyata manasaḥ.

The mind becomes fit for Dharana.

 

1.34 प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य॥३४॥ 

1.34 Pracchardana-vidhāraṇa-ābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya

 

By retaining breath after exhalation also the mind is calmed. (about Chitta prasadanam, after removal of Antarayas, 

from 1.32 &1.33)

 

The orientation of Pranayama is more towards retention rather than inhalation/exhalation as in Hatha Yoga. He talks about 4 types of Pranayama. Modification of inhalation, exhalation, retention and fourth which transcends the subject matter of inhalation and exhalation also called Kevala Kumbhaka.

 

 Pranayama practices make the mind fit for Dharana

 

Pratyahara

 

2.54 स्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्य स्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः

2.54 Svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ.

 

The drawing in of the sense organs is by their giving up their own objects and taking the form of the mind-stuff.

 

Withdrawal of senses from their objects is Pratyahara like a tortoise withdraws limbs into the shell. This limb is a bridge between the first four limbs which are called Bahiranga (external) and last three limbs which are called Antarang (internal) Yoga. Pratyahara marks the transition of mind from being extroverted to being introverted. Pratyahara is a process of retracting the sensory experience from external objects. Pratyahara is not consciously closing one's eyes to the sensory world, it is consciously closing one's mind processes to the sensory world. Pratyahara empowers one to stop being controlled by the external world, fetch one's attention to seek self-knowledge and experience the freedom innate in one's inner world.

 

Dharana

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3.1 देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा॥१॥ 

3.1 Deśa-bandhash cittasya dhāraṇā

 

Dharana is holding the mind to one place, object or idea.

 

Patanjali defines Dharana as ~Desh bandha chittasya dharana~ Confining Chitta to one place or object of one's choice is Dharana. He says one can do Dharana on any object. This is the first stage of meditation where one learns to keep wandering mind on one object. One moves from Dharana on gross objects to Dharana on subtler objects. Patanjali has given a long list of objects and their effects or results of meditation on these objects.

 

Dhyana

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3.2 तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्

3.2  Tatra pratyaya-ika-tānatā dhyānam

 

Dhyana is the continuous flow of thoughts toward that object.

 

Patanjali defines Dhyana as (tattra pratyaya ektanta dhyanam) in concentration when there is stretching of only one experience it is Dhyana. In Dharana, all efforts are made to keep distractions away. When these efforts succeed and there are no distractions and mind is absorbed in the object of meditation then that state is Dhyana.

 

Samadhi

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3.3 तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधिः॥३॥ 

3.3 Tadeva-artha-mātra-nirbhāsaṁ svarūpa-śūnyam-iva-samādhiḥ

 

Samadhi is when only the object shines forth devoid of all sense of the subject (seers).

 

Patanjali defines Samadhi as ~ tat Eva Artha matra nirbhasam swaroopa shoonyam iva samadhihi ~  That itself is Samadhi when the self-nature is as if not there and the object shines forth or reveals itself. In Sanyama (Dharana Dhyana samadhi ) there are 3 elements ~ the Meditator, the object meditated upon and the process of meditation. In the state of Samadhi, the Meditator and process of meditation as if disappear and only the object of meditation shines forth. Patanjali explicitly mentions many types of Samadhi. Sabeeja Samadhi, Nirbeeja Samadhi, and Dharma Megha Samadhi are few of them and Nirbeeja Samadhi is the ultimate aim of a true Yogi. 

 

Samyama

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3.4 त्रयमेकत्र संयमः॥४॥ 

3.4 Trayam-ekatra saṁyamaḥ

 

Holding the three (Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi) together on one Object is samyama.

 

Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi together are termed as Samyama. They are stages in the process of Samyama which leads to various Siddhis ( supernatural accomplishments). The practice of  Ashtanga Yoga when done with fervor and determination, leads to the disappearance of impurities, Gunas and samskaras, the illumination of knowledge, which develops to the point of Viveka Khyati (Enlightened discrimination between Purusha and Prakriti).