Benefits of the practice of 膧蝉补苍补, Pr膩峁嚹亂膩ma, 惭奴诲谤腻蝉 and Bandhas [Part 1.6]

Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study)

by Sujatarani Giri | 2015 | 72,044 words

This page relates 鈥楤enefits of the practice of Asana, Pranayama, Mudras and Bandhas鈥� of the English study on the Yogashikha Upanishad鈥攁 key text from the Krishna Yajurveda, focusing on the pinnacle of Yogic meditation. This essay presents Yoga as a crucial component of ancient Indian philosophy and spirituality and underscores its historical roots in Vedic literature鈥攑articularly the Upanishads and Vedant. The chapters of this study are devoted to the faculties of the mind and internal body mechanisms such as Chakras as well as the awakening of Kundalini.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 1.6 - Benefits of the practice of 膧蝉补苍补, Pr膩峁嚹亂膩ma, 惭奴诲谤腻蝉 and Bandhas

< Previous

Next >

(a) Practice of 膧蝉补苍补:

According to 艢补峁囜笉颈濒测辞辫补苍颈峁诲, the use of 腻蝉补苍补 specially bhadr腻蝉补苍补 by placing two ankles of the leg below the testicles, on either side the frenum of the prepuce, then with the two hands holding firmly the two feets by their sides and remaining motionless, will be the panacea for all ills and the antidote against all poisons.^[1]

The practice of may奴r腻蝉补苍补 is also the destroyer of all sins. All diseases that affect the body perish and the paisons are assimilated (without any evil effect).^[2] According to 贬补峁环补测辞驳补笔谤补诲颈辫颈办腻 the practice of matsyendr腻蝉补苍补 stimulates the gastric fire and is the means for cure of group of terrible diseases, bestows upon the gift of arousal of the 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨 and stability of Candra. Candra is supposed to be located at the root of the palate and is said to be constantly cozing nectar which is absorbed by 厂奴谤测补 supposed to be located in the naval. The practice of this 腻蝉补苍补 stops the flow of this ruler from the Candra to the 厂奴谤测补. This seems to be the candra-sthiratva [sthiratvam] in this context.^[3]

The mind excellent of the 腻蝉补苍补s, 辫补艣肠颈尘辞迟迟腻苍补, makes the breath flow through the 蝉耻峁尘苍腻, stimulates the gastric fire, makes the loins lean and remove all the diseases of man.^[4] The 惫颈辫补谤颈迟补办补谤峁嚹� practice increases gastric fire the practitioner should always have plenty of food.^[5]

(b) Benefits of the practice of 辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补:

The regular practice of 辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补 is useful for a healthy life. It is evident from 贬补峁环补测辞驳补笔谤补诲颈辫颈办腻. One who is able to restrain the breath as desired when the (gastric) fire becomes more active and the 苍腻诲补 (inner sound) is heard, there is a perfect health, because the 苍腻岣峣蝉 are purified. The practice of kumbhaka, raising the 补辫腻苍补 upwards (by contracting the 补峁嘘蝉) the 辫谤腻峁嘺 should be brought down words from the throat. The yogin then becomes a youth of sixteen, free from old age. The practice of kumbhaka removes disorders of the throat caused by kapha and stimulates the agni i.e. the digestive fire in the body.^[6] Having performed kumbhaka as prescribed, the breath should be exhaled through the left nostril. This removes the disorders arising from excess of 惫腻迟补, pitta and kapha and increases agni i.e the digestive fire in the body.^[6]

(c) Benefits of the Practice of 惭奴诲谤腻蝉 and Bandhas:

For the practitioner of yogic 尘奴诲谤腻蝉 there is nothing wholesome or unwholesome. All things of whatever laste, even those which are inspid and even virulent poisons, if consumed, are digested as if it were nutron.^[8] The 办丑别肠补谤颈尘耻诲谤腻 or curing back of the tongue, one who remains for half a 办蝉补峁嘺 (i.e. for 24 minutes) is saved from poisons, disease, death and old age.^[9] By constant practice of the 尘奴濒补产补苍诲丑补, an union of 辫谤腻峁嘺 and 补辫腻苍补 is achieved. Urine and exerment decrease and even the aged become young.^[10]

碍耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨 is the divine power, which usually lies dormat in the human being. 狈腻诲腻苍补蝉补苍诲丑腻苍补 is supposed to be the result of an intense and prolonged practice of the above parts. It is associated with concentrating the mind on the subtle sounds (苍腻诲补) which an advanced student of Yoga can hear after the arousal of the 办耻峁囜笉补濒颈苍墨. This phenomenon continues for a while, and the student hears progressingly subtler sounds until at least the 苍腻诲补 becomes silent, making the mind completely absorbed in it self. The state is called 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈, sahajavasth膩 etc. It is the highest state of happiness that remains ever undisturbed by whatever happens in ones life. It is the state of liberation in bodily existence. A person in such state is said to have reached the goal of Yoga.

When the mind is brought under control by having gained mastery and control over the semen (vindu) and the 辫谤腻峁嘺 and all its activities and fluctuations are stopped, it vanishes into the self as a lump of salt vanishes in water. This is the final stage of the practice of 贬补峁环补测辞驳补 and it is called mah膩bodha 蝉补尘腻诲丑颈, the Great awakening in the self.

A person can be called a real 测辞驳墨 when he has reached the ultimate goal of yoga and if he is unhaffected by the surrounding circumstances. It does not mean that every grow long hair and beard and move about in masses, trying to impress people with demonstrations of unusual power. 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 has clearly warned the students of Yoga against an unwise use and exhibition of these powers, by declaring that they are actually distractions in the path of 鈥�厂补尘腻诲丑颈鈥�.

According to Tri艣ikhi Br膩hma峁噊pani峁d the yogin who has conquered his vital air and vangished his senses, becomes an accomplished adopt. He will become temperate in food with a little sleep, lustrous and lusty and will attain longevity,^[11] having overcome unnatural death. He, in whom there is profuse perspiration generated during 辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补, is of the middle type. He whose body rises up is known as of superior type. In one of the inferior type, there will be destruction of ailment and sin; while in the case of one of the middle type, there will be the destruction of skin, ailment and incurable disease; and in the case of one of the superior type, he will become one, passing small urine, evacuating small fiecal matter, living having a light body, subsisting on moderate food, having ever alert sense organs, commanding a quick intellect, possessed of a clear vision penetrating the three durations (the past, the present and the future) and (verily) the master of his own self.^[12] The effect of 辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补 on health according to 顿补谤艣补苍辞辫补苍颈峁诲. It purifies the 苍腻岣峣蝉. Lightness of the body glowing of the fire situated in the belly and the clear manifestation of the sound; these symptoms indicate the successful accomplishment there of. The 测辞驳墨n should continue in this effort, till he distinetly sees these symptoms.^[13]

There are several 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 like, Kena, 碍补峁环补, Kau峁taki, 笔谤补艣苍补, 惭腻峁囜笉耻办测补, 惭耻峁囜笉补办补, 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补, Aitareya, Ch膩ndagya, 叠峁沨补诲腻谤补峁噛补办补 and 艢惫别迟腻艣惫补迟补谤补 etc. reflect Yoga in some forms on the other.

鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 like 颁丑腻苍诲辞驳测补 and 叠峁沨补诲腻谤补峁噛补办补 which reflects the basis of 办谤颈测腻测辞驳补辫谤腻峁嘺 and 苍腻岣峣蝉 are important topics discussed here. In 碍补峁环辞辫补苍颈艣补诲 the word 鈥�Yoga鈥� has been used in its technical sense, whereas in 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 like 脤艣a, Kena and 碍补峁环补 we have the information of the firm basis of Yoga.

In fact 艢惫别迟腻艣惫补迟补谤辞辫补苍颈峁诲 is regarded as the most authentic book on 驰辞驳补惫颈诲测腻 as it describes the essence of yogic practices and their physiological effects.

鲍辫补苍颈峁诲蝉 like Aitareya and 罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补 reflects different 办辞峁蝉 of the body.

A 测辞驳墨 is a person who behaves in everybody like other persons. He has his biological needs, he eats and drinks to keep his body living, does everything which a person does. But on the psychological plane his behavior has a vast difference. He is not motivated in the same way, as most of us are motivated. He has nothing to attain in the world for himself. But still, he keeps working for the good of humanity. He is not swayed away by the sensations. His mind does not run after objects of enjoyment. His sense organs do work like those of others, but he has a control over them.

The behavior of a 测辞驳墨 is described elaborately in the 鈥�骋墨迟腻鈥�. For instance in the second chapter, lord 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 has described how a 测辞驳墨 with a stabilized intellect behaves in everyday life. It is said that his mind is diversed of all cravings and he remains at peace with himself and with the world. He loves all and remains unmoved in the wake of disturbing circumstances.^[14] It is declared, in the fifteenth chapter of the Bhogavad 骋墨迟腻 that the state of mukti is reached by those, who have become free of any feeling, of superiority or prestige as well as infatuation and, who have risen above the dualities like pleasure and pain and have thereby, become completely free of ignorance.^[15]

But such highly pure and enlightened personalities are indeed very rare and it looks almost impossible for a common man to rise to such immense heights. But, a regular participant of 腻蝉补苍补s, which tones up the body, 辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补, 办谤颈测腻蝉, which cleanses the internal organs of the body and which inturn, affect the mind and 诲丑测腻苍补, surrender to the supreme object or power can find the path of salvation, the ultimate worldly goal.