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The Ancient Wisdom of Hindu Yoga: Find Inner Peace
Indian thinkers did not separate the goal of life from the view of life. A man’s view of life matures based on what he wants to achieve. This resolve, in turn, leads him to attain some of his goals.
4 categories of Goals
In Sanskrit, the word Artha has many meanings. In this context, it means “goal.” What everyone seeks after is called Purushaartha. Purusha, in this case, does not refer to a male person only. It also refers to females. Purushaartha here refers to Manushya Artha. We may have hundreds of goals to achieve in our lives.
All the goals may be classified into 4 categories.
They are called “Chaturvidha Purusharthas”. The Purusharthas are – Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha.
The fourth one, Moksha, is God’s realisation.
There are five spiritual paths for God-realisation. They are Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Prapatti marga. It must be stressed here, that Yoga is not to be understood in the naturalist view, but in the Aadhyaatmika way. Yoga means Union with God. It must be cautioned that the goal of Moksha is not an easy fruit to get at – irrespective of the path chosen.
In addition, notwithstanding the path you choose and the perfection you may achieve at it, ultimately God’s grace is essential. In the end, it is the grace of God that will result in Moksha.
Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga is the path of action. Work brings as its effect or fruit in terms of either pleasure or pain. In addition, each work adds a link to our bondage of Samsara leading to repeated births. This is the inexorable law of Karma. Karma Yoga teaches a way by which this link to our bondage could be avoided.
Karma when it is done with the right mental attitude, right spirit, and right-will through Yoga, without attachment, and expectation of fruits, without the idea of agency or doership, and with a mind balanced in success and failure – then the link to bondage does not occur.
The Karma Yogi should dedicate his actions at the altar of God with the feeling of Ishvara-arpana. Non-attachment brings freedom from sorrow and fear. As he dedicates his actions at the Lotus feet of the Lord, he develops devotion to God and approaches Him nearer and nearer. A rigid moral discipline and control of the senses are indispensable for the practice of Karma Yoga. Practice of Brahmacharya is essential.
Cultivation of many virtues is also essential such as – tolerance, adaptability, sympathy, mercy, equal vision, balance of mind, patience, perseverance, humility, generosity, nobility, self-restraint, control of anger, nonviolence, truthfulness, eating habits, simple living and endurance are essential.
The practice of Karma Yoga does not demand that you should possess enormous wealth. You can serve with your body and mind. God is more pleased with one who helps the helpless people than with a rich man conducting puja with pomp and vanity.
Jnana Yoga
Jnana yoga is the path of knowledge. The student of Jnana yoga has to equip himself with four means. They are (a) Discrimination (Viveka) (b) Dispassion (Vairagya) (c) the six-fold virtues otherwise called Shat-Sampat-viz., tranquillity (Sama), restraint (Dama), renunciation (Uparati), endurance (Titiksha), faith (Shraddha) and concentration (Samadhana). In addition the Sadhak must have a strong earning for liberation (Mumukshutva).
Then he hears the scriptures sitting at the feet of a competent Guru who is both (a) learned in scriptures (Srotriya) (b) well established in Brahman (Brahma-Nishta). After this the Sadhak practices reflection which will result in dispelling all doubts. Finally, he practices deep meditation on Brahman which will lead to Brahma Saakshatkaara.
7 Stages of Jnana
There are seven stages of Jnana or knowledge: viz.,
- (1) aspiration for the right (Subhechha)
- (2) Philosophical enquiry (Vicharana)
- (3) Subtlety of mind (Tanumanasi)
- (4) Attainment of light (Sattvapatti)
- (5) Inner detachment (Asamsakti)
- (6) Spiritual vision (Padarthabhavana) and
- (7) Supreme freedom (Turiya).
It may be appropriate to state here that there is a vast difference in the meaning of Jnana between the Advaita and Vishishtadvaita systems. In the Advaita, it is the intuitive understanding that the Jiva is one with the Ishvara. In the Vishishtadvaita at the first level, it is to be understood that one is Atman and not a mere body-mind.
An aspirant who has achieved this moves on by gradual effort to get a continuous and unobstructed flow of consciousness towards the Supreme Lord.
Raja Yoga
Raja yoga is the path that leads to union with the Lord through self-restraint and control of the mind. It teaches, how to control the senses and the thought waves (mental Vrittis) that arise from the mind, and how to commune with God.
While physical discipline is taught in Hatha Yoga, Raja yoga teaches mental discipline.
Eight limbs of Raja Yoga
Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are the eight limbs of Raja yoga. This is also referred to as Ashtanga Yoga. Yama and Niyama constitute the ethical discipline that purifies the heart.
Yama – consists of (1) Ahimsa (non-injury) (2) Satya (truthfulness) (3) Brahmacharya (continence) (4) Asteya (non-stealing) and (5) Aparigraha (non-receiving of gifts conducive to luxury).
Niyama – is observance. It consists of (1) Saucha (internal and external purity) (2) Santosha (contentment) (3) Tapas (austerity) (4) Svadhyaya (study of scriptures and Japa of mantras) (5) Ishvara- Pranidhana (self surrender to God). He who is well established in Yama and Niyama will make a quick progress in Yoga.
Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara are preliminary accessories to Yoga
- Asana is a steady pose.
- Pranayama is a regulation of breath.
- Pratyahara is the withdrawal of senses from their objects.
- Dharana is a concentration of the mind on any object – chakra or Ishta-devata for example.
- Dhyana is a meditation on one object.
- Samadhi – Dhynana leads to Samadhi, where the meditator and the meditated become one. All Vrittis or waves of the mind subside. Concentration is the key to success. It may take some time to master but it is essential to attain Samadhi.
Bhakti Yoga
Due to lack of an appropriate word, the term Bhakti is sometimes used to imply “devotion” to the Supreme Being which need not be the matured state of Jnana called for. It is generally assumed that processes like Bhagavat Kalyana Guna sravanam, Nama sankeertanam, visiting holy places, bathing in holy rivers, conducting rituals etc automatically assure the devotee of salvation or Moksha.
This is not true at all. It is not everything that becomes Bhakti. Surely these acts culminate in either Bhakti or Prapatti (to be dealt with a little later). Yet there is still a fair way to go to achieve the goal.
Let us understand Bhakti.
7 prerequisites
There are seven general prerequisites for Bhakti Yoga. They are –
- (1) Viveka (discrimination. Purification of the body through proper intake of satvik food)
- (2) Vimoka (Freedom. Renounce all desires other than meditating on God)
- (3) Abhyasa (practice. Worship the Lord with full enthusiasm. Would involve strict adherence to scriptures etc)
- (4) Kriya (work. Proper adherence to varnashrama dharma mainly dealing with pancha maha yajnas.)
- (5) Kalyana (auspiciousness. Practice virtues like truthfulness, integrity, compassion, benevolence, ahimsa etc)
- (6) Anavasada (being without any despair due to disappointment and completely forgetting all past sorrows)
- (7) Anurddharsa (absence of exaltation. No excess joy or absence of it).
In essence, Bhakti may be equated to Dhyana and Upasana. Dhyana means concentration of mind on Him and Upasana is continuous thought of Him. Sri Ramanujacharya divides Bhakti into three stages of development – (a) Sadhana Bhakti (practice of devotional means) (b) Para Bhakti (higher devotion (c) Parama Bhakti (Supreme devotion).
Sadhana Bhakti is a strong faith in God. The aspirant then turns to the scriptures and teachers (who impart correct knowledge of Self, Nature and God). Duties of life have to be done without attachment. Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga have to be practised together. Aspirants must overcome the identification of Self as Body.
All this is possible for a highly qualified aspirant but almost impossible for an average one.
Vishishtadvaita scholars argue that severe practice of Karma and Jnana Yoga can only bring forth a stage for performing Bhakti yoga. The person performing Jnana yoga (constant meditation on self or Jivatma) is known as Kevala. It results in Atma Saakshatkaara (self-realisation). On the contrary, the person performing Bhakti yoga is called Jnani. This results in God realisation. The perfection of Bhakti yoga is through Ashtanga Yoga described above.
Prapatti Marga
Vishishtadvaita scholars point out that Bhakti Marga does lead the devotee to attain Moksha. However, it may take several births to achieve it. It can only be practiced by scholars who have studied Shastras. One may ask the question “Can you love God? Does every part of your being respond to the love of God?”
This is a very important question. Nobody can love truly unless God grants one such love through His grace. To love truly means that one cannot live without love of God. Some great men, like the Alwars or the Saiva saints withstood this test. An ordinary man may find that he is not capable of reaching any level , either because of his birth or because of his status or because of his condition or because of the debacle that comes to man at any time.
As such a large section of people find they ineligible to practice it. He may ask “To whom shall I go? Who will save me?”
Bhara Samarpana Yoga or Nyasa Yoga
This leads us to an important Yoga to which Sri Vaishnavism has referred to as Bhara Samarpana Yoga or Nyasa Yoga. This is a unique feature of Gita. Says our Lord “sarvadharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja; aham tvam sarvapapebhyo moksayisyami, ma sucah” – “If you cannot do all the three yogas and even if you are lingering over, surrender all of them and take me alone as your sole Refuge. Surrender unto me and I shall take you through the whole yoga.” Yogaksemam vahamyaham. Here ksema is freedom; and Yoga is again to eternally abide with one’s God, in all parts.
This Mantra has been expounded with extraordinary lucidity by the Sri Vaishnava Acharyas. The Alwars have stated this position of Omnipotence of God’s grace firmly. In essence surrender is the fundamental thing that will lead us further to the ultimate state of living in God.
Do not have any doubts about God’s grace. Your capacity for reasoning into God’s nature or your capacity to perform Yajnas is very limited. And we do not, nowadays, have even teachers to tell us how to perform them.
For example, we all are aware that we are not able to do Karma Yoga, nor able to follow Jnana Yoga. Most of us do not know how to do Ashtanga Yoga. Gita says, “I am the path. I am the Upaya; I am your Purushartha; in me you shall find your freedom.”
If a man is solely devoted to God and surrenders to Him, he has done all that has to be done. If he does it, and does it consistently through abyasa, that is, pursues it, holding on to the feet of the Lord without those vices of mankind, namely asuya, envy and greed, he will achieve the goal, namely God’s Realisation which is Moksha. That is how the whole thing has been so brilliantly summarized in the last chapter of the message of Gita.
Here Sri Aurobindo brilliantly explains the beginning of spiritual life or describes God’s Yoga as leading to Divine Evolution. He says “You must find the Lord acting through you in every one of your limbs and in every one of your parts and see the transformation of mind and body.”
The surrender of each part is necessary. You may say it is a very difficult process. You may say, “How can I surrender?” the answer is “Do not worry. Be surrendering to God. Only keep yourself fit for God. Do not obstruct God’s activity”. God’s love for man is something very different from man’s love for God.
When you surrender your entire offering of love to God, then God reveals His love to you by giving Himself to you. His takes up residence in you consciously, moulds it and changes you completely. This is what we mean by the descent of God which leads to the ascent of the man.
The main qualifications for a mumukshu to adopt Prapatti are:
(1) Akinchanyam: Destituteness which may result either due to one’s lack of mental and physical strength to adopt Bhakti Yoga, lack of requisite knowledge from Shastras, prohibition by Shastras regarding the adoption of Bhakti Yoga
(2) Ananyagatitvam: Seeking the Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana as the sole refuge with complete aversion to all fruits other than Moksha.
5 angas (accessories)
Prapatti has the following five angas (accessories).
- (1) Anukoolyasya Sankalpam: Determination to perform whatever is pleasing to Sriman Narayana
- (2) Pratikoolyasya Varjanam: Avoidance of acts that are displeasing to Sriman Narayana.
- (3) Karpanyam: Feeling of utter helplessness. Utter dependence on the mercy of the Divya Dampati is needed.
- (4) Maha Vishvasam: Intense faith that Sriman Narayana will certainly grant Moksha Extensive knowledge in various fields of Shastras wouldn’t necessarily yield this supreme unshakable faith.
- (5) Goptrtva Varanam: Begging Sriman Narayana for offering protection. This is the prayer to the Lord for granting Moksha.
3 Components of Satvika Tyaga
The performance of Prapatti is done with satvika tyaga. The three components of the satvika tyaga are:
- Kartrutva Tyaga: One should shed the doership attitude and realize that Sriman Narayana is the actual doer since it is the ocean of His daya that is responsible for one to perform the act of Prapatti.
- Mamata Tyaga: One should give up the thought of “mine” while performing Prapatti. It is also done for the pleasure of Sriman Narayana.
- Phala Tyaga: One should give up the thought that the fruit of performing Prapatti belongs to him/her and realize that the fruit of Prapatti also belongs to Sriman Narayana.
In the Vaishnava tradition demands made on the devotees, practicing Bhakti and Prapatti are illustrated by what are called Markata Kishora Nyaya and Maarjala Kishora Nyaya. In the Markata Kishora Nyaya, a baby monkey holds on tightly to its mother while being transported from place to place.
Its safety depends on how tightly it is holding on to the mother. In the case of Maarjala Kishora Nyaya the mother cat carries the baby without any effort from the baby. The case of Prapatti marga is similar to the Maarjala Kishora Nyaya. The devotee’s absolute resignation to the Lord makes the Lord both the means and end.
