The aim of human life is to be free from all pains, sorrows, scarcities, cravings, and sufferings, and attain everlasting peace and happiness. All matured and awakened souls try their level best to march towards this goal. Saints and sages have guided many kinds of devotional practices, and spiritual endeavors of Japa, Tapa, Sadhana, etc, for this purpose. Depending on their spiritual levels, mental makeup, and circumstances of life, aspirants of this path may practice the suitable methods. As compared to all these methods, yoga – sadhana (derived from yoga-darshana) is recognized as the best and universal because of its practicality. While other darshanas (philosophies) are mostly theoretical, based on certain core principles, and work at the level of thoughts and emotions, the unique feature of Yoga is that it guides through practicable methods of holistic well-being. It incorporates universally applicable activities associated with all its principles. One can experiment on the methods of yoga and experience the result himself/herself.
Word meaning of “Yoga” is “union” or “combination”. Yoga Darshana delves upon its deeper meaning as the union of a living-being (jiva) and the God — unification of the individual self with the supreme impersonal self (omnipresent consciousness force). Yoga aims at achieving this ultimate goal via sadhana practices at physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. The objective of yoga methods is to concentrate and focus the thoughts, emotions, and intrinsic tendencies (vrattis) of the mind (including the unconscious mind – chitta) and merge self-consciousness into the omnipresent, eternal consciousness force. According to great yogis, the goal of yoga is to attain absolute state of trance (samadhi); this goal is clearly implied in the very definition of yoga given by its founder Maharshi Patanjali.
All darshanas aim at freedom from all attachments, materialistic and sensory passions, and selfishness, etc, that are the main cause of all kinds of thralldoms, weaknesses, and vices, and consequent sufferings and worries. Yoga Darshana analyses these causes in detail. These causes are referred here as panchklesha– namely Avastha, Asmita, Raga, Drvesha and Abhinivesh. This school of philosophy points out the causes, nature, and consequences of panchklesha and teaches practical ways for their elimination. The scriptures of this darshana also describe in detail the preliminary training, disciplines, and preparation along with different kinds of practices of (yoga-sadhana). Measures of gradual progress in these practices are also prescribed here that one can experiment with and experience oneself.
The foundational principles and core philosophy of Yoga are similar to those of Sankhya. Bhagwat Gita highlights this fact as – Ekam Sankhyam Ca Yogam Ca Yaha Pasyati Sa Pasyati (Gita 5/5). Yoga Darshana is regarded as a practical science of Sankhya. It is because of its practicality and possibility of evidence based testing that yoga darshana is regarded as most rational and scientific and is widely accepted even outside India. Indeed, it is a perennial, unique, precious, and preeminent gift of Vedic India to the world.
“Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked. – Maharshi Patanjali”
Different branches of Yoga: Different approaches discovered by the ancient sages towards control of tendencies of mind and realization of absolute trance, have lead to different branches of yoga. The most prominent ones are Hathayoga and Rajayoga. The first one is based on arduous training of the physical and energy body. The second one focuses on the energy of mental body.
Irrespective of their methodologies and styles of practicing yoga at the level of mind and body, all these branches or schools of yoga emanate from the original Yoga Darshana, which is, the “Patanjali Yoga Darshana”. As the name indicates, Maharshi Patanjali is the founder of Yoga Darshana. His treatise “Yoga Sutra” is the root of yoga darshana.
The Founder and Ancient Scholars of Yoga: “Yoga”, in its truest sense, as attainment of absolute trance and unification of the soul with the Brahm, had been accomplished by the Vedic sages (rishis) thousands of years ago. In Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna Himself had guided different approaches of yoga toward this ultimate goal. However, it was only several centuries B.C. that Maharshi Patanjali synthesized the divine knowledge and comprehensively formulated the super-science and philosophy of yoga. His sutras1 constitute the “Yoga Darshana”.
First detailed Sanskrit translation (bhashya) with philosophical discussion of the original “Yoga Sutras” is said to be scripted by Muni Vyas (different from Maharshi Vyas, who scripted the epic “Mahabharata”). This bhashya is comprehensive but is difficult to be understood even by many scholars. Noted Sanskrit scholar of the 10th Century, Shri Vachaspati Misra wrote a lucid commentary of Vyas’ bhashya; his commentary is titled “Tatva Vaishardi”. Later on another scholar named Vigyanbhikshu also wrote a commentary titled “Vartik” and relatively small treatise “Yoga Sar Sangraha”. Among other scholarly contributions, Bhoj’s “Vratti”, Ramanand’s “Maniprabha”, Sadashivendra Saraswati’s “Yoga Sudhakar”, etc are notable. Since then, hundreds of research publications and books have been scripted in different languages on different aspects and branches of yoga (especially on its core teachings and elementary practices.)
Yoga Sutra: Maharshi Patanjali’s sutras of Yoga Darshana are broadly classified in four parts (padas) – Samadhi Pada (51 sutras), Sadhana Pada (55 sutras), Vibhuti Pada (56 sutras) and Kaivalya Pada (34 sutras) – containing in all 196 sutras (aphorisms).
Samadhi Pada: The sutras here describe the absolute meaning, form and types of yoga and its benefits towards “Chitta Vratti Nirodha”. The nature and diversity of vrattis (intrinsic tendencies, thoughts, emotions) are described here; and the methods of controlling these are guided as Prameya, Abhyasa, Vairagya and Samadhi. Major focus of this pada is higher level yoga that can be practiced by yogis towards the ultimate goal of Nirvikalpa Samadhi (absolute trance). It describes various stages to reach this ultimate goal, with analysis of various difficulties in achieving them, and the sadhanas (spiritual endeavors) of overcoming them. In short, the sutras here guide those yogis or sadhakas who are already born with the sanskaras of yoga as a result of their yoga sadhanas in earlier lives.
“Sloth is the great enemy … the inspirer of cowardice, irresolution, selfpitying grief, and trivial, hairsplitting doubts. – Maharshi Patanjali”
The first four components of aÌÚ³nga yoga are essential not only for the seekers of the yoga sadhana and spiritual progress, but are also beneficial for humankind towards holistic health of the mind-body system. It is for these reasons that its practices especially asana and prañayama have become so popular all over the world. The principles and disciplines of yama-niyama are also taught in one form or the other as part of self-discipline and morality in almost all religious schools; these principles and values of yamaniyama are integral part of the human religion.
Mystic Knowledge of Nature and Life: Similar to “Samkhya Darshana”, the Yoga Darshana also refers to the triguña of Nature. The principal difference is that — here, only the Chitta (unconscious mind) and its manifestation in the mind and intellect is the focus of discussion and not the material manifestation and cosmic creation. It describes the chitta as a medium for expression of the triguña — sat, raj, tam. Interestingly the chitta is also described here only as a tool (like a material substance for us) for the expression and use of the eternal Consciousness-Force.
Yoga Darshana conveyed by Patanjali’s sutras is so clear and focused that there is no scope of blind-faith, misconception, or illusion here. The necessity of theism and the concept of God are also investigated and explained here in the universal context that does not have any place for any abstractionism, imposition, or counterargument with any line of faith, or atheism. It is a guide to holistic wellbeing, and most importantly a science of awakening of the spiritually refined, absolute pure wisdom.“Yoga is the settling of the mind into silence. When the mind has settled, we are established in our essential nature, which is unbounded Consciousness. – Maharshi Patanjali”
Source: Akhand Jyoti Magazine May-June 2019