Problems faced by the individual are addressed to and remedial measures are suggested in Hinduism.
They are three kinds.
1.Mantra.
2.Tantra and
3.Yantra.
While these three are used for issues relating to Mind,and Spiritual development,these are also used for Physical Problems.
Of these three methods, Tantra is a method used combining sound waves,(Mantra),Tantra, uses mystically locked Geometrical shapes (Yantra) and Physical and mental disciplines,Tantra uses Mystically locked Geometrical shapes.
For more information on this,please refer my articles on Mantra,Tantra,Tantra,Japa.
And also Bija aksharas.
The Mantra is initiated by a Guru.
The Mantras are individual specific and are initiated by the Guru after ascertaining the need and spiritual evolvement of the individual.
There are various mantras and mantras contain Bija Aksharas,letters.
Some special characteristics are associated with these Aksharas .
These vary.
They are the Root sound of the Deity or Reality.
Special procedures are prescribed for each mantra.
Sometimes,despite following the procedure ordained, Mantras do not seem to deliver results.
Seven remedial measures are provided to correct this and ensure that the Mantas deliver the desired results.
These seven methods are called Saptopaya,the seven ways .
‘
Saptopāya (सप्तोपाय) is explained in the 10th-century Kakṣapuṭatantra verse 1.89-91.—The Mantrasādhana chapter concludes with the method called saptopāya(seven means) that should be performed when a mantra has had no effect. If the mantra does not manifest its effect despite following a prescribed procedure, the practitioner should perform the saptopāya, or seven means, that is,
drāvaṇa (softening),
bodhana (awakening),
vaśya (controlling),
pīḍana (pressing),
śoṣa or śoṣana (drying up),
poṣaṇa or poṣaya (nourishing),
dahana or dahanīya (burning).
These are the means that rejuvenate an ineffective mantra.
Among the saptopāya, the drāvaṇa, bodhana, poṣaya, śoṣaṇa, and dahanīya use a bīja, and attach it to the mantra. Kṣemarājaʼs Netratantroddyota or the commentary on the Netratantra [18.10-12], gives a detailed account of various methods to tie a bīja to a mantra. He explains 11 methods, that is, sampuṭa, grathita (or grathana), grasta, samasta, vidarbhita (or vidarbhaṇa), ākranta, ādyanta, garbhastha, sarvatovṛta, yuktividarbha, and vidarbhagrathita. Among them, the grathana, saṃpuṭa, vidarbhaṇa, and grasta are used in the saptopāya of the Kakṣapuṭa.
(Source): Shodhganga: Mantra-sādhana: Chapter One of the Kakṣapuṭatantra’
Lord Shiva and Subrahmanya,called as Murugan seem to date prior to Vedic period.
Tamil classics mention Shiva as
‘The Eldest of the unborn
பிறவா யாக்கைப் பெரியோன்
And Shiva is regarded as the Aadhi Yogi,the First Yogi,who taught Yoga to Patanjali and Bhoga.
Patanjali systematised Yoga in his Yoga Sutra from the Vaasi Yoga by Shiva.
Shiva is recorded as having presided the First Poets’s Conclave in Thenmadurai,which was located in Lemuria 230 Million Years ago.
Some state it was presided over by Agastya.
Shiva is credited with founding the Tamil language,along with Sanskrit.
For historical verification of these points,please read my articles by googling search term +ramanan50.
Lord Subrahmanya is the embodiment of Tamil, representing Tamil Grammar.
Murugan is considered as the God of Tamil and is Tamil.
Arupadai Veedu.Six important temples of Subrahmanya
And the Thirumurukaatruppadai ,Sangam poem mentions Subrahmanya and this poetic work is on Subrahmanya.
Though it is dated around 3000 years ago, current dating of Poompuhar pushes the date of Sangam Literature back to about 16,000 years .
Though there are many temples for Lord Subrahmanya, six were classified as the Six Abodes that Channelize individuals to Godhood., Subrahmanya.
Thiruthani,
Pazhani,
Thitupprankundram,
Swamymalai,
Pazhamudhircholai and
Thiruchendur.
All are in Tamil Nadu.
One of these temples, Thiruchendur on the Eastern Coast of Tamil Nadu,India survived the Tsunami that struck Tamil Nadu.
Tsunami struck Tamil Nadu on 26 , December,2006.
The giant wave did not touch the temple and one could see it backing off, while it created havoc in the surrounding area.
‘the only major architecture in the area not to be damaged by the December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami? The waves destroyed everything around the temple but did not touch the temple itself. It is a fact many witnesses acknowledged... A forum called Oceanographers.net contains a post in which a scientist claims to have solved the mystery. After research conducted at the site, the scientist discovered that the site’s geographic location had a major role to play in the safety of the temple from the waves. He noted that the location is such where even the tidal waves, which hit other parts of the city, do not touch, and that a natural elevation in the rocks broke the chain of the waves. But in the end the scientist did give credit to those who built the temple at the place for choosing the site properly and after a careful study.
Yoga Sutra of Patanjali,speaks of Eight Limbed Yoga,Ashtanga Yoga.
They are ,
Yama,
Niyama,
Asana,
Pranayama,
Dhyana,
Prtathyaahaara,
Dharana and
Samadhi.
Patanjali is not the founder of Yoga.
He codified the practices of Yoga.
Vedas speak of Yoga very subtly.
The obejective of Human Life is to realize the Self.
This is possible only when one can control and channelize the thoughts in the effort to control Chitta,which exists at a higher level than thoughts.
Patanjali describes ,in the first Sutra of his Yoga Sutra,
‘Yogaha,Chitta vruthi nirodhdha’
The cessation of the modification of Chitta is Yoga,Communion.
For more on this,please read my articles on Yoga Sutra.
By limiting the Thought waves, Consciousness is controlled through Breath Control.
Breath Control is described by Patanjali under Pranayama.
All the steps of Yoga are to be followed in the order described by Patanjali.
I have listed them in the order at the beginning of this article.
Performing Yoga in any other manner,like doing Pranayama or the so called Meditation without going through Yama ,Niyama etc. Is not Yoga.
It might appear to produce results, but would harm,in the long run,physically and spiritually.
Packaged Yoga to suit masses is injurious.
I have written that the effort in Yoga is to control Chitta through these steps of Patanjali.
The process of controlling Chitta direct through Breath control is callled Vaasi Yoga and Lord Shiva was the First to practice it.
The process of Vaasi Yoga is Shiva.
Read Vaasi backwards,it is,Shiva.
Please check my detailed article on this.
There is an Upanishad in the,Sama Veda dedicated to Yoga process.
This was taught bt Lord Dattatreya to Sage Sankrithi.
This is the Jabali Darshana Upanishad.
Jabala Darshana Upanishad, Translation by Sri.P.R.Ramchander.
Om ! Let my limbs and speech, Prana, eyes, ears, vitality
And all the senses grow in strength.
All existence is the Brahman of the Upanishads.
May I never deny Brahman, nor Brahman deny me.
Let there be no denial at all:
Let there be no denial at least from me.
May the virtues that are proclaimed in the Upanishads be in me,
Who am devoted to the Atman; may they reside in me.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
God Dattatreya is the reincarnation of the four armed Vishnu and he is the ruler of the world. Sankrithi is a great devotee and a sage and is an expert in yoga and also a disciple of Dattatreya. He approached his teacher (God Dattatreya) with humility and with folded hands, when his teacher was alone and requested him, “Oh God, please tell me about the science of yoga which has eight branches and five different sthanas (places) by knowing which I will attain salvation. Dattatreya told him, “Hey Sankrithi, I shall tell you about Yoga which has eight branches. The eight branches are Yama, Niyama, Aasana, Pranayama, Prathyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
Yama which is the first is the practice of non-violence, truth, non possession of properties of others, celibacy, mercy, honesty, patience, stability, food discipline and cleanliness. 1
Niyama is the ten aspects of penance, joy, orthodoxy, charity, worship of god, hearing of philosophy, fear for bad actions, clear intellect, chanting and austerities. 2
The nine important Asanas (sitting positions) are Swasthika (Swastika), Gomukha (cows face), Padma (lotus), Veera (valorous), Simha (lion), Badra (safe), Muktha (free), Mayura (peacock) and Sukha (pleasant). Oh sage, that position, whatever it may be but which makes you comfortable and gives you courage to undertake Yoga is called Sukhasana. People who do not have strength to take up other positions can use that. Victory in the seating position is like victory over the three worlds. Once the Asana is fixed, one should practice Pranayama. 3
Either in the top of the mountain or by the shore of the river or under a Bilwa tree in the forest, after choosing a clean place which is acceptable to the mind and after establishing a place to do tapas (Asram), sit in the Asana which is most familiar facing either east or north. Then sit with the body neck and head in a straight line, cover the face and concentrate the vision with best possible attention on the nectar flowing from the fourth state of the moon like dot at the end of the nose. Draw the air inside using the lungs, store it in the stomach, meditate on the flame of fire inside the body and then shift meditation to the root of fire with its sound and dot. Then the intelligent one will exhale and draw the Prana using Pingala (Nadi which is tawny and is on the right side of Sushumna Nadi) and meditate on the Agni Bheeja. Again he has to exhale and inhale again in the middle using the Ida (Nadi which is pleasant and is on the left side of Sushumna). One should have to live in a secret place practicing this exercise six times for 3-4 days or 3-4 weeks at dawn, noon and dusk. This would help him to clean up the Nadis. Slowly symbols will start showing up. Body will become light, the fire in the stomach will burn well and the voice would become clearer. These are the symbols of Siddhi (getting mastery). Till you see this, you have to practice. 4
Now I will tell you about Prathyahara. To use force and divert the sensory organs which normally travel according to their nature is Prathyahara. Those who know Brahma say that seeing whatever we see as the form of Brahman is Prathyahara. Prathyahara also is doing clean or unclean acts as those belonging to Brhaman. Further doing daily religious activities after dedicating them to God and similarly doing the activities which we desire is also Prathyahara. Apart from this inhaling air (oxygen) and stopping it in different places is also Prathyahara. The wise man would sit in Swasthikasana, draw his breath till it fills up from head to toe and hold it in two feet, mooladhara, stomach, middle of the heart, bottom of the neck, jaw, middle of the eyelids, forehead and at the top of the skull. Then he should leave out the belief that the body is oneself and make that thought as nirvikalpa and merge it with Paramatma. The experts in Vedanta say that this is true Prathyahara. There is nothing that cannot be attained by those who practice like this. 5
Now I will tell you about the five types of Dharana (holding steady – a stage in meditation – here we try to hold on what we are mediating upon without wavering). In the sky which is in the middle of the body, Dharana of the sky outside should be made. Similarly in the breath, Dharana of air outside should be made. In the fire in the stomach, Dharana of the fire outside should be made. In the fluid aspects of the body, Dharana of the water outside should be made. In the earthy aspects of the body, Dharana of the earth outside should be made. Sage, also it is necessary to chant the pancha bhootha mantras viz., Ham, Yam, Ram, Vam and Lam. It is said that this very great Dharana destroys all sins. In the body up to the knee is the aspect of the earth, from there till hip it is the aspect of water, up to the heart is the aspect of fire, up to middle of eyelids is the aspect of air and then up to the middle of the skull is the aspect of the sky. In the aspect of earth Brahma has to be placed, in the aspect of water Vishnu should be placed, in the aspect of fire Rudra should be placed, in the aspect of air Iswara should be placed and in the aspect of sky, the Sadashiva should be placed. Hey great sage, I will also tell you another Dharana. In the Jeevatma, that lord Shiva who rules over everything and is the personification of wisdom should be placed. To get rid of all sins, the wise man should suppress the gods like Brahma in the causative self, and place the Avyakta (that which is not clear) which is formless and which is the root cause inside the entire soul with the chanting of pranava. He should control the sensory organs by mind and should merge them with the soul. 6
I will now tell you about Dhyana (meditation) which destroys sorrow. Dhyana should be done of that Maheswara, who is the medicine for problems arising out of birth, who is the discipline and fundamental basis of the world who is of the form of Para Brahma, who has the masculine power upwards, who is of the form of the world, who is Virupaksha, and who is the head of all yogis as “I am He”. Then continue to do Dhyana of him who is beyond the reach of meditation, who is the personification of Sachidananda Brahman and who is soul in person as “I am He” for attaining salvation. In the mind of that great Purusha who practices like this, the science of Vedanta would automatically appear. There is no doubt about it. 7
Now I will tell you about Samadhi (deep meditative state) which destroys the ills of birth and death. Samadhi is that state in which there is knowledge that Jeevatma and Paramatma are one. Atma (soul) is filled all over for ever and does not have motion or stain. Though it is one, due to the effects of illusion, it appears as different objects. Really there is no difference between these so called objects. When one sees all objects within himself and him as a part of all objects, He attains Brahman. When one drowns himself in Samadhi and does not see different objects as different , then he attains the single aim of salvation. When he sees only the true soul and the entire world appears as an illusion to him and he is cured of all sorrow.
Thus advised by Lord Dattatreya the sage Sankrithi fully lost all his fear and attained that blissfull state, deep in himself.
Om ! Let my limbs and speech, Prana, eyes, ears, vitality
And all the senses grow in strength.
All existence is the Brahman of the Upanishads.
May I never deny Brahman, nor Brahman deny me.
Let there be no denial at all:
Let there be no denial at least from me.
May the virtues that are proclaimed in the Upanishads be in me,
Who am devoted to the Atman; may they reside in me.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
The negative thoughts and mental confusion can be eradicated by Pranayama.
Pranayama is the regulation of Life Energy.
It is present in all Life.
It is more than just breath,it is the Life Force.
It can be controlled at the level of Breath.
The whole Tantra and Yoga is an attempt to Reach out the Consciousness in Man and tune it in consonance with the Reality,which is Being,Consciousness and Bliss.
There are four ways of reaching out this Consciousness.
Patnajali Yoga 1.34
This Consciousness can be reached through the two components that make up humans,Emotion and Reason.
While the emotion is used to raise the level of Consciousness through Bhakti Yoga,the process of surrendering oneself to God,the Reason is used to reach out Consciousness by practicing Karma Yoga,the Path of Action and by Gnana Yoga,Path of Discrimination.
The purpose is to reach Consciousness through the available tools,Emotion and Reason.
But again as Human Beings have different dispositions/Nature,one must choose what is best for him/ her.
There are three basic categories of Natural Dispositions.
Satva,the calm,raional,
Rajas,the Dynamic,driven by ambition and Emotions and
Tamas,Docile,ignorant
No single disposition is present in an individual in its full measure.
The Dispositions present in Individuals is an admixture of all the three dispositions.
And these Dispositions in an individual changes at different times.
So to choose the correct method to practice Yoga,one needs an Objective assessment of the Dispositions present in an individual.
As it is difficult for one to analyse oneself objectively,one requires A Guru,Mentor ,who can identify the Disposition and suggest the best method to raise Consciousness,Bhakti,Karma or Gnana Yoga.
Once the path is chosen, one has to practice it.
The Yoga aspect of raising Consciousness is,in general,recommended for people of Rajasic Disposition,the Dynamic,who are more involved in day to day activities with passion.
Most of us belong to this category.
Now to Swami Vivekananda on this.
34. प्रच्छदन
य णवधायिाभ्यांवा प्रािस्य ॥ ३४॥
prachchhardanavidharanabhyan va prannasya
By throwing out and restraining the Breath.
The word used in Prana. Prana is not exactly breath. It is the
name for the energy that is in the universe. Whatever you
see in the universe, whatever moves or works, or has life, is a
manifestation of this Prana. the sum-total of the energy
displayed in the universe is called Prana. This Prana, before
a cycle begins, remains in an almost motionless state, and
when the cycle begins this Prana begins to manifest itself. It
is this Prana that is manifested as motion, as the nervous
motion in human beings or animals, and the same Prana is
manifesting as thought, and so on. The whole universe is a
combination of Prana and Akasa; so is the human body. Out
of Akasa you get the different materials that you feel, and
see, and out of Prana all the various forces. Now this
throwing out and restraining the Prana is what is called
Pranayama. Patanjali, the father of the Yoga Philosophy,
does not give many particular directions about Pranayama,
but later on other Yogis found out various things about this
Pranayama, and made of it a great science. With Patanjali ist
is one of the many ways, but he does not lay much stress on it.
He means that you simply throw the air out, and draw it in,
and hold it for some time, that is all, and by that, the mind will
become a little calmner. But, later on, you will find that out of
this is evolved a particular science called Pranayama. We
will hear a little of what thoese later Yogis have to say. Some
of this I have told you before, but a little repetition will serve
to fix it in your minds. First, you must remember that this
Prana is not the breath. But that which causes the motion of
the breath, that which is the vitality of the breath is the Prana.
Again, the word Prana is used of all the senses; they are all
called Prana, the mind is called Prana; and so we see that
Prana is the name of a certain force. And yet we cannot call
it force, because force is only the manifestation of it. It is that
which manifests itself as force and everything else in the way
of motion. The Chitta, the mind-stuff, is the engine which
draws in the Prana from the surroundings, and manufactures
out of this Prana the various vital forces. First of all the
forces that keep the body in preservation, and lastly thought,
will, and all other powers. By this process of breathing we can
control all the various motions in the body, and the various
nerve currents that are running through the body. First we
begin to recognise them, and then we slowly get control over
them. Now these later Yogis consider that there are three main
currents of this Prana in the human body. One they call Ida,
another Pingala, and the third Susumna. Pingala, according
to them, is on the right side of the spinal column, and the Ida
is on the left side, and in the middle of this spinal column is
the Susumna, a vacant channel. Ida and Pingala, according
to them, are the currents working in every man, and through
these currents, we are performing all the functions of life.
Susumna is present in all, as a possibility; but it works only in
the Yogi. You must remember that the Yogi changes his body;
as you go on practising your body changes; it is not the same
body that you had before the practice. That is very rational,
and can be explained, because every new thought that we
have must make, as it were, a new channel through the brain,
and that explains the tremendous conservatism of human
nature. Human nature likes to run through the ruts that are
already there, because it is easy. If we think, just for
example’s sake, that the mind is like a needle, and the brain
substance a soft lump before it, then each thought that we
have makes a street, as it were, in the brain, and this street
would close up, but that the grey matter comes and makes a
lining to keep it separate. If there were no grey matter there
would be no memory, because memory means going over
these old streets, retracing a thought as it were. Now perhaps
you have remarked that when I talk on subjects that in which I
take a few ideas that are familiar to everyone, and combine,
and recombine them, it is easy to follow, because these
channels are present in everyone’s brain, and it is only
necessary to recur to them. But whenever a new subject
comes new channels have to be made, so it is not understood
so readily. And that is why the brain (it is the brain, and not
the people themselves) refuses unconsciously to be acted
upon by new ideas. It resists. The Prana is trying to make
new channels, and the brain will not allow it. This is the secret
of conservatism. The less channels there have been in the
brain, and the less the needle of the Prana has made these
passages, the more conservative will be the brain, the more it
will struggle against new thoughts. The more thoughtful the
mane, the more complicated will be the streets in his brain,
and the more easily he will take to new ideas, and understand
them. So with every fresh idea; we make a new impression in
the brain, cut new channels though the brain-stuff, and that is
why we find that in the practice of Yoga (it being an entirely
new set of thoughts and motives) there is so much physical
resistance at first. That is why we find that the part of
religion which deals with the world side of nature can be so
widely accpeted, while the other part, the Philosophy, or the
Psychology, which deals with the inner nature of man, is so
frequently neglected. We must remember the definition of
this world of ours; it is only the Infinite Existence projected
into the plane of consciousness. A little of the Infinite is
projected into consciousness, and that we call our world. So
there is an Infinite beyond, and religion has to deal with both,
with th elittle lump we call our world, and with the Infinite
beyond. Any religion which deals alone with either one of
these two will be defective. It must deal with both. That part
of religion which deals with this part of the Infinite which has
come into this plane of consciousness, got itself caught, as it
were, in the plane of consciousness, in the case of time, space,
and causation, is quite familiar to us, because we are in that
already, and ideas about this world have been with us almost
from time immemorial. The part of religion which deals with
the Infinite beyond comes entirely new to us, and getting
ideas about it produces new channels in the brain, disturbing
the whole system, and that is why you find in the practice of
Yoga ordinary people are at first turned out of their groove. Inorder to lesson these disturbances as much as possible all these methods are devised by Patanjali, that we may practice any one of them best suited to us.
Arupadai Veedu.Six important temples of Subrahmanya
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