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Dhairya or steadiness, is produced by Pratyahara. Pratya hara (Gheranda-samhita 4:2) is the restraint of the senses, the freeing of the mind from all distractions, and the keeping of it under the control of the Atma. The mind is withdrawn from whatsoever direction it may tend by the desminant and directing self. Pratyahara (Yoga Sutra: II:54) is the fifth component of yoga and aims of withdrawl of the senses from their natural outward functioning and sutting the mind gradually from all impressions from outside. Daily practice of Pratyahara even for a short period can bring poise and coluness to a person who is under stress and tension. In order to practice Pratyahara sit in a medilative posture like Sidhasana or Padmasana. Then allow the mind to wonder freely as it likes. After sometime take hold of the mind and close it from all outward sensations such as hearing, smelling, seeing, touching or even thinking. Pratyahara lessens many natural imbalances and physical diseases like coronary heat disease, cardiac and

59 asthmatic attacks. The Indriyas, the organs of the senses, are acting towards and coming in contact with the external objects. Bringing them under the control of the will is what is called Pratyahara or gathering towards oneself (Vivekananda p. 99). Pratyahara is the restraint and subjection of the senses to the mind, which is thereby steadied. The mind is withdrawn from the objects of the senses. The mind is by nature unsteady, for it is at every moment being affected by the sight, sounds, and so forth, of external objects which Manas through the agency of the senses (Indriyas) perceives. It must therefore be detached from the objects of the senses, withdrawn from whatsoever direction it may happen to tend, freed from all distraction, and kep under the control of the dominant self-steadiness (Dhainya) therefore is the aim and result of Pratyahara ( SP-Woodroffe, p.221). The references on Pratyahara is available in Gheranda-Samhita, Fourth Upadasa; Sandilya Up.,ch.1; Amritananda up; Mandola-brahmana up., First Brahmana. The Sarada Tilaka defines as, "The forcible obstruction of the senses wandering over their objects. The Sandilya up. speaks of five kinds of Pratyahara, the last of which is Dharana on eighteen important points of the body.

60 Swami Vivekananda explained Pratyahara in Raja yoga. The first leason, is to sit for sometime and let the mind run on. The mind is bubbling up all the time. It is like that monkey jumping about. Let the monkey jump as much as he can; you simply wait and watch. Knowledge is power, says the proverb, and that is true. Until you know that what the mind is doing you cannot control it. Give it the rain, many hideous thoughts may come out of it; you will be astonished that it was possible for you to think such thoughts. But you will find that each day the minds. Vagaries are becoming less and less violent, that each day it is becoming calmer. In the first few months you will find that the mind will have a great many thoughts, later you will find that they have somewhat decreased, and in a few more months they will be fewer and fewer, until at least the mind will be under perfect control, but we must patiently practise every day. As soon as the steam is turned on, the engine must run; as soon as things are before us we must perceive; so a man, to prove that he is not a machine, must demonstrate that he is under the control of nothing. This controlling of the mind, and not allowing it to join itself to the centres is Pratyahara. How is that practised? It is a tremendous work, not to be done in a day. Only after a patient, continuous struggle for years can we succeed. After you have practised Pratyahara for a time, take the next step, the Dharana, holding the mind to a certain point (Vivekananda, pp.74-75).

61 4th Pratyahara is known as the forcible abstraction of the senses wandering over their objects (Saradatilaka, upadesa). Pratyahara follow in the path of the other four processes which deal with subjugation of the body. There are then three interior (yoganga) menthods for the subjugation of the mind namely, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.