Classic Yoga

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Introduction

Pancha Dasanga Yoga is described in Tejo Bindu Upanishad. It is a fifteen limbs yoga. Samadhi is the last limbs and the Upanishads elaborates it detail.

Samadhi in Pancha Dasanga Yoga

The yogi should practice the fifteen limbs yoga until there will be the manifestation of Brahman on its own accord through inference. Having reached that state, the enlightened yogi will be free from all means employed.

He becomes a Raja Yogi whose radiance is beyond the range of mind and speech. One could not describe this state by words. One could realise this only by experience.

Impediments to Samadhi in Pancha Dasanga Yoga

The Upanishad lists the impediments that are powerfully emerging while Samadhi is practiced.

  • The want of application
  • Lethargy, Dullness, and Stupor
  • The longing for enjoyment
  • Confusion
  • False dignity
  • Sweating
  • Absent-mindedness
  • Obstacles like these.

One can overcome with the knowledge of Brahman through inference.

Chitta Virittis and Pancha Dasanaga Yoga

Chitta or mind take Virittis or modifications.

Through Bhava Virittis (modifications due to worldly affairs), the yogi gets involved in worldly affairs.

By means of Soonya Virittis (without modifications), he gets into the state of void not being disturbed by anything.

Through Brahma Virittis, one becomes Complete.

Attaining the state of Brahman

The yogi should become complete by modifying the Virittis as such. Blessed are those who understand this and practice. Those who abandon this are none other than beasts, the Upanishad says.

Yogis who get improvement by the ripening of their past karmas will attain Brahman and not those merely indulge in verbal disquisitions.

Those who have knowledge of Brahman without proper functioning and without actions due to their insufficient knowledge, surely will come and go, again and again.

They will not attain Brahman and will be born again and again. Without proper functioning with knowledge, they could not stand in Brahman even for half a minute, as stood by Brahman and other sages, Suka and Sanaka.

Yoga is both the means and the end. When a yogi looks upon means as the end, merely attains the means. In other words, when the goal of a yogi is mere the practice of yoga, he attains the mere practice or mastery of the practice and not the end which is the attainment of Brahman.

The means and end may be also related to cause and effect. By inference, when the cause ceases to exist, the effect also perishes.

That alone will remain which could not be explained in words.

Through Dhyana That Pure Brahman becomes a certainty.

The enlightened will see everything as Brahman alone and merged in the pleasure of Brahman.

Reference: Sanskrit Text Reference

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