Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study)
by Sujatarani Giri | 2015 | 72,044 words
This page relates ‘Schools of Yoga (3) Jnanayoga� of the English study on the Yogashikha Upanishad—a 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—particularly 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 6.3 - Schools of Yoga (3) ñԲDz
The world ñԲ literary means knowledge and wisdom, thus it is known as Yoga of knowledge or wisdom. What is that knowledge? It is understanding or experience of the self. To know the self through knowledge or wisdom is ñԲyoga.
ñԲDz is the science that provides a systematized and organized method of study in order to fulfill the desire to know the truth.
The truth or reality is only ٳ the knowledge of self, which is ultimate.
To know that and to know the important of that ٳ lord ṛṣṇa says in the ī�
na jāyate mriyate vā kadācinnāyam ūٲ vā na bhūya� /
ajo Ծٲⲹ� śɲٴDzⲹ ܰṇa na hanyate hanymāneśarire //[1]
When the aspirant becomes aware of this ultimate truth he starts realizing the self and start following[2] the path of ñԲyoga and ultimately gests liberated from all wordly bondage of karma.
In this sense lord ṛṣṇa again says in the ī that is:
karmaja� buddhiyuktā hi phalam tyktvā maniṣiṇa�/
janamabhandhavinirmuktān padam gacachantyanāmayam//
In the chapter IV of the 岵ī, Lord ṛṣṇa says:
A person who begins all his activities completely devoid of the desire for a fruit and whose actions have all been burnt by the fire of knowledge (ñԲ)–The wise call such a person by the epithet of 貹ṇḍٲ.[3]
A person who gives up all attachment to the fruit of an action is always contented and does seek support from anywhere, does not in reality do anything, even though he is physically engaged in activities.[4]
A person who is free from all expectations, with his mind brought under control and having given up all his possession, does his work only his work physically does not attract any sin.[5]
And the entire activities of such a person, who is without attachment, who is released from all shackles, whose mind is stabilized through knowledge (ñԲ) and who conducts himself only for the sake of sacrifice (ⲹñ), dissolve themselves completely.[6]
Further O Arjuna! Jñānaⲹñ is far better than a ⲹñ done with material objects since the entire of activities culminates only in ñԲ.[7]
According to ñԲyoga the knowledge of unity of ī (the individual being) and Brahman (The Supreme being) bring the aspirant to the state of Ѵǰṣa, the liberation from all the worries is Ѵǰṣa itself. According to this tradition it is possible only when the oneness of ī and Brahman has been proved. It has been said that the aspirant of higher level becomes able to known that reality only through listening the śṛtⲹ (the saying of Brahman). He becomes able to remove the difference between ī and Brahman. According to ձԳٲ this reality is possible only through knowledge.
The practice of ñԲyoga is divided into two paths: Գٲṅg practice and ṅg practice includes viveka, 岵ⲹ, saṭsampati and ܳܰṣuٱ; whereas the Գٲṅg (internal) practice includes śṇa, manana and Ծ徱Բ.
(a) Viveka (Discrimination):
The practitioner has to develop and cultivate the ability to recognize what is impermanent, temporary and fleeting in life as the 첹 experiences the fact, what is of everlasting value and pointing to the external. The practitioner becomes able to discriminate the superficial and the essential; as well as the illusory reality on the surface and the absolute reality in the inner, deep dimension of existence. In this way the person tries to scrutinise, analyse and evaluate constantly the experiences, inclinations, decision and actions.
(b) ղ岵ⲹ (Dispassion):
In the practice of 岵ⲹ the practitioner has to guard his mind against becoming possessed, infatuated and even slightly disturbed by passions springing from the sensual desires. Later on he has to stop all the disturbances like attachment to things that bring sensual satisfaction. The opposite of 岵ⲹ is 岵 (passion) which means originally coloring, which indicates that passions are infact obstructions of the mind which do not allow clear vision. To achieve the clarity of mind (which is essential for final knowledge and wisdom) attachments and passions must be avoided and abolished.
(c) Ṣaṭs貹پ: (six attainments):
This discipline includes a six fold instruction of self education for success on the path of Yoga, which are;
- Sama: The cultivation of tranquility of the mind.
- Dama: self control in action.
- 貹پ: It means eradicating the eagerness to possess.
- վپṣ�: To have patience.
- Ś: Confidence (in the meaning of faith).
- Բ: Intentness of the mind.
(d) ѳܳܰṣuٱ (Longing for liberation):
This fourth Բ of ձԳٲ is very important. It should be understood as the intense desire to get the higher level of consciousness i.e. . The 첹 or aspirant should develop a positive desire for liberation. Its development is supported by the previous endeavours as the advanced ability to discriminate the unsatisfactory superficial reality and the safety-promising, spiritual dimension of higher experience. The practice leads towards ultimate reality i.e. Brahman.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
I--20.
[2]:
I--51.
[3]:
I--19.�
[4]:
Ibid-IV-20.
[5]:
I--21.
[6]:
I--23.
[7]:
I--33.