Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study)
by Sujatarani Giri | 2015 | 72,044 words
This page relates 鈥楢sana (Posture)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 4.3 - 膧蝉补苍补 (Posture)
[Full title: Eight Steps of Yoga (3) 膧蝉补苍补 or Posture]
The word 腻蝉补苍补 means something on which one sits i.e. seat on something made of cloth, grass, wool or animal (deer in particular) skin etc. it also means a particular posture or mode of body in which one is supposed to do Yoga practice.
A posture which is both steady and comfortable is 腻蝉补苍补. It can also mean a posture which is comfortable continuously and not off and on.[1]
The Tejovindu 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 also defines it in the latter sense. It says:
A posture in which one can contemplate on the Brahma without break and comfortably is 腻蝉补苍补. Anything which destroys comfort is something else and not 腻蝉补苍补.[2]
The 罢谤颈艣颈办丑颈 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 however, strikes an altogether different note, not when it 蝉补测蝉鈥�
鈥淎n attitude of indifference in all things is the best 腻蝉补苍补.鈥�[3]
What is the contribution of 腻蝉补苍补 in the Yoga effort? It should be obvious to anybody that in order to succeed, the primary thing one should ensure is a healthy body. Something applies to the yog墨c effort also. It is therefore, only right that something which keeps the body healthy should be an integral part of the Yoga process.
And therefore, the 骋辞谤补办峁 Paddhati says:
The Yoga 颁耻岣嵞乵补峁噄 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 also says the same thing.[5]
The 贬补峁环补测辞驳补 笔谤补诲颈辫颈办腻 蝉补测蝉:鈥�
鈥淥ne should, therefore, perform 腻蝉补苍补 in order to achieve stability (firmness) sound health and lightness of limbs鈥�.[6]
Elsewhere the 贬补峁环补测辞驳补 笔谤补诲颈辫颈办腻 also observes that along with 辫谤腻峁嚹乱腻尘补 and 尘耻诲谤腻蝉, the 腻蝉补苍补 also helps in the flow of breath through the middle vein viz 蝉耻峁尘苍腻 which lies in between the two other veins i.e. 颈岣嵞� and 辫颈峁単补濒腻.[7]
The number of 腻蝉补苍补s:
Theoretically the number of 腻蝉补苍补s is countless. As the 骋辞谤补办峁paddhati says there are as many 腻蝉补苍补s as there are creatures in the world. Only 惭补丑别艣惫补谤补 knows their differentiation in entirely. It is believed that there are eighty four lacs (ten lacs is equal to one million) species of living creatures and as such there should be as many 腻蝉补苍补s.[8]
The Dhy膩navindu 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 also says the same thing.[9] The 骋丑别谤补峁囜笉补 厂补峁僪颈迟腻 further says-out of the eightyfour lacs 腻蝉补苍补s eighty-four 腻蝉补苍补s are special, and even out of these eighty four thirty two have found to be particularly useful amongst the mortals.[10] As to the number eighty four, 艢iva 厂补峁僪颈迟腻, 贬补峁环补测辞驳补-pradipik膩 also agree.[11] 痴测腻蝉补 has selected twelve postures, ten of which are sitting postures, one standing and one reclining posture.[12]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
鈥屸�渟thirasukham腻蝉补苍补峁�鈥�. Ibid-II-46.
[4]:
Go. Pad- II-11.
[5]:
鈥�驰辞驳补肠奴岣嵞乵补峁噄-耻辫补苍颈峁诲-109.
[7]:
Ibid-III-17.
[8]:
鈥孏辞. Pad-I-8.
[9]:
鈥孌hy膩. Vi. Upa.-mantra-42.
[11]:
鈥屌歩. Sa峁�-III-84, 贬补峁环补测辞驳补-辫谤补诲墨辫补-I-41.
[12]:
鈥孻辞.痴腻.-II-46.