The concept of Yoga in Yoga Upanishads
by Philomina T.L | 2018 | 42,235 words
This page relates ‘The Nature and Characteristics of Yoga� of study dealing with the evolution and significance of Yoga as reflected in the Yoga-Upanishads, a collection of authoritative texts dedicated to the concept of Yoga (spiritual discipline). The thesis traces the origins of the practice back to pre-Vedic times and and suggests that Yoga became a philosophical system following the creation of the Yogasutras.
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14. The Nature and Characteristics of Yoga
The DZ貹Ծṣa describes the nature of yoga. It says that for the yogins yoga is an uninterrupted course. There is nothing beyond or nothing conducive to life as yoga. It should not be provided to none other than the sons or the disciples and also not to the undeserved ones. It could be bestowed upon the real pupils and the real devotees.
It states thus:
mano'pyanyatra Ծṣiٲ� cakṣuranyatra pātitam |
tathāpi yoginā� yogo hyavicchinna� pravartate |
etattu parama� guhyametattu parama� śubham |
nāta� paratara� kiṃcinnāta� paratara� śubham || [1]
The 屹ⲹDZ貹Ծṣa mentions that the persons who control their senses and who possess the qualities of śama dama, uparati, پپṣa, Բ and ś should be eligible for the practice of yoga. Again the ŚṇḍDZ貹Ծṣa explains the person with self–control, moral strictness, silence and calmnes, responsibility towards parents, righteous conduct, truthfulness conquered anger, gratefulness towards his guru etc. should be eligible for the practice of yoga.[2]
The ܱ貹Ծṣa like ṣu첹 and հś Brahmana point out that the practitioner of yoga should have detachement and should desireless. The person who looks into himself only can constantly practise yoga. In yoga there is no role for any sound but only for the silent chanting of the secret syllable �om�. Through this sound the yogi can control ṇa and can recognize his own right way.[3] The հśṇo貹Ծṣa and ٳԲԻū貹Ծṣa too mention it. They treated the yogi as the �yogavit� or the real knower of yoga.[4]
For the success of yoga, the yogi should know the seven doors like heart, , head, ǰṣa, bila, ṣi, and ṇḍ. The ṛtDZ貹Ծṣa mentions the things that are to be avoided for the good result of yoga.
It says,
ⲹ� krodhamathālasyam atisvapnāti jāgaram |
atyahāramanāhāra� nitya� yogī vivarjayet |[5]
These lines mean that fear, anger, laziness, sleeplessness, too much sleeping, much eating and too much fasting are to be avoided. This is mentioned in the yogakuṇḍalyܱ貹Ծṣa also. Besides the above things, day sleeping, excessive sexual intercourse at night interrupting urination and defecation, tensions, keeping irregular postures etc. should be avoided.
It is also mentioned therein:
nātyaśnatastu yogosti na caikāntamanaśnata� |
na cātisvapnaśalisya jāgrato naivacārjuna || [6]
All consequent states of yoga are to be regarded as the by-products of yoga. So the ۴DzśDZ貹Ծṣa advocates that the yogi should practise yoga at first. Like the DZ貹Ծṣa Yogaśikha also considers yoga as greater than any religious merit or else.
The ղDZ貹Ծṣa points out the knowledge of body for yogi as an essential thing[7] because the entire body is made up of the five elements. The knowledge of these five elements leads the yogi to the innermost self that is �Āٳ�
It is also described in the ṛtDZ貹Ծṣa as:
ٳ� pañcamātrastu caturmātrastu ṇa� |
āgneyastu trimātro'sau vāyavyastu dvimātraka� ||
ekamātrastathākāśe hyamātra� tu vicintayet |[8]
Again the ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa deal with certain rules or regulations for the practice of yoga.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Br.V.U.44,45.
[2]:
Śā�.U. I.5.1
[3]:
Am�.Up. 7-9
[4]:
Dhy. b.UI.60
[7]:
Var.U.V 1,2
[8]:
ṛt岹-ܱ貹Ծṣa 30