Patanjali, in the earlier Yoga Sutra, 1.34,informed how Concentration on the Reality help one to remove negative thoughts and confusion.
Now in Yoga Sutra talks about how concentration on One Reality brings extraordinary benefits.
Our mind is bombarded constantly with a lot of information at the same time through our sense organs.
However we pay attention only some of them.
This depends on our interest,disposition and the need of the hour.
One can observe this at any time.
However the information,Stimulii,which we have chosen to ignore,do not really go away.
They run in the background in our minds,much like the Andriod Applications that run in the background even when the screen is off.
In Android, you can force them to stop by going to your settings.
Similarly,you can shut down unwanted information from clogging your Mind by going to your Mind Settings and Activate ‘Concentrate’
Any Communication needs three factors.
The Subject,who observes,
The Object,that which is Observed, and
A Relationship between the two,the Observer and the Observed.
In jargon, it is called Subject,Object Relationship, SOR.
If there is an Object around you and you choose not to notice it, it does not enter ino your Mind.
As human mind has numerous thoughts,one has to stop them step by step.
You can not shut down every thought at a stretch.
Concentrate on One,it might be anything.
At the initial stages,you will be aware that you are observing ‘X” and the objects surrounding it.
Next as you advance,you shall be aware of the Object ‘X’ and will not be aware of the other Objects surrounding it.
The First one is Dhyana.
The second one is Dharana.
The third step is when you are not aware that you are Observing and that there is something you have been Observing(X).
This stage is Samadhi,as explained in Yoga.
The benefits that accrue because of Concentration are numerous.
It removes Confusion,Indecisiveness,makes you alert,enables to think with Clarity,view and evaluate things objectively,and tones up your mental system.
Yoga Sutra in Devanagari 1.35
(vishayavati va pravritti utpanna manasah sthiti nibandhani
Those forms of concentration that bring extraordinary .
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.
Tamil version of Yoga and Shiva worship differs slightly from the Vedic Worship.
The Vaasi Yoga of Tamil is the root for Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra in the sense that while Vaasi Yoga addresses the issue of Breath Control directly,Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra goes from the tools to achieve Breath Control.
The Siddhas are like Rishis,Realized Souls,who have revealed texts on Science and Philosophy.
Agastya,Valmiki are Siddhas,according to Tamil literature.
Though there are innumerable Siddhas,Eighteen are considered to be the foremost.
For more read my article on Siddhas.
Shiva is considered to be the First Siddha.
One of the great Siddhas,Thirumoolar had written a treatise called ‘Thiru Mandiram” The Auspicious Mantra,where he details the Attributes of Reality in both ways,one Beyond Attributes and the other with the Attributes ,Nirguna and Saguna Upasna of the Vedas.
I shall write a short note on Thiru Mandhiram and Thirumoolar in a separate article.
Now following the Tamil Grammar ,Thirumoolar begins with the Prayer,he addresses it to Lord Ganesha and follows it up with prayers to others ,the Greatness of the Vedas…….
Then he starts the work,each poem is called Mantra or Mandhiram in Tamil.
To get you know the depth, I am posing on a poem,which forms a part of the Prayer,called Paayiram
Here Thirumoolar describes Shiva from numbers One to Eight.
Each of the statements is pregnant with Tantra and Philosphical meaning.
Shiva as,
ONE,
The One Reality,Brahman.
TWO,
Sakthi and Shiva;Kinetic and Potential Energy.
THREE,
Satva,Rajas and Thamo Guna,(Calm Learned;Dynamic; Docile ,Ignorant and Lazy.
FOUR,
Rig,Yajur,Sama and Atharva Vedas.
FIVE
Five senses of Perception( Karmendriya),Eyes,Nose,Ears,Mouth and Body; the acts of these senses( Gnanendriya) Five,Seeing,Smelling,Hearing,Tasting and the Tactile sensation;Five Elements,Earth,Water,Fire,Air and Ether(Akasa); One Element Each in Karmendriya and Gnaendriya: One Underlying abstract principle behind each of the Five Elements.
Shiva ,the One who conquered the Five senses
SIX
As the Six Tastes, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent.
SEVEN
Beyond the Seven Celestial worlds and the Seven Nether worlds,
EIGHT
Aware of His Eight Characteristics,Gunas and is in the world .
The Eight are,
1.Dhaya. Compassion.
2.Shama,Forbearance.
3.Anasuya,
Non Jealous.
4.Soucha, Clean in Thought,Words and Deeds.
5.Anaayaasa,Efforless,Easy Attitude.
6.Mangala,Auspiciousness,
7.Akaarppanya, The quality to help without being being stingy;the joyful and fighting attitude( Lord Krishna uses this term in the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita,advising him not to be a ‘Krupana)
The obstacles,as listed by Patanjali in earlier Yoga Sutras from 1.21 to 1.31,totalling 9 and another 3,can be overcome says Patanjali in Yoga Sutra 1.32.
Human Mind,by nature receives many Stimulii,at the same time.
It is the disposition of the individual on the one hand and the environment in which he grows up,which clouds one’s Mind,the other.
Multitude of Thoughts ,most of them occurring at the same time creates a conflict of Ideas.
It might be the clash of ideas,or the value system one has /been exposed to or merely the presence of totally contradicting ideas or overlapping ideas.
This,essentially,is because of the Perception one has of Objects and the ideas he forms of them.
The Object,we observe first ,as Fact.
Then our association of Ideas make us link the Object to various Objects we have perceived earlier and our impressions of it and the pain or pleasure it has caused us.
This Conditioned Perception,though we are not aware of it,determines our present Perception.
This is the cause of Prejudice.
And also our failure to distinguish Fact from Impression.
This is the cause for clash of ideas,confusion,indecision,incorrect judgement and finally inaction.
This has been addressed by Lord Krishna in the Second Chapter of The Bhagavad Gita,in the form of Karma Yoga.
Patanjali,in Yoga Sutra 1.31, addresses this issue thus,
Yoga Sutra .1.32 of Patanjali
32. तत्प्रणतषधेाथभय
ए्कतत्त्वाभ्यास् ॥ ३२॥
tatpratishedhartham ekatattvabhyasah
To remedy this practice of one subject (should be
made).
(Translation by Swamy Vivekananda)
The inability to Perceive the Reality as One,says Yoga,is the cause for these conditions and he sets forth remedial measures to overcome this.
This will be explained in the forthcoming Yoga Sutras.
Mudras are symbolic powerful gestures expressed through the human body.
As Hinduism is of the opinion that what is in Microcosm is in the Microcosm,the expressions of the body help in Realizing the Self.
This is used as an Art form as well.
Various system of Dancing Bharata Natya,Kathakali,Odissi and other forms in India follow the Mudras to express emotions.
Indian life is permeated with Spiritual life in daily activites,right from wKing up to going bed.
Lord Nataraja,King of Dance.
So, it is not surprising that art forms use Mudras,essentially a spiritual practice are used in Dance.
There are 108 Mudras.
Mudras are expressed through fingers as well and this is used in performing Mantras
Essentially Mudras signify the The Unity of Reality and the individual Self.
In Tantra Shastra these Mudras are used extensively in Tantra practices.
There are Mudras specifically linked Mudras to a God.
Thus we have Shiva,Sakthi Mudras.
Also we have the Union Mudra,that indicates the Union of Brahman the Macro Reality with Atman, the Micro Reality.
I shall be writing on Mudras in detail.
It is found that the ancient Romans and Greeks were using the Mudras.
Bronze hand used in the worship of Sabazius. Roman, 1st-2nd century AD Sabazius, a god of Thracian or Anatolian origin, became popular in the Roman Empire, and had connections both with Jupiter and Dionysos. Hands decorated with religious symbols were designed to stand in sanctuaries or, like this one, were attached to poles for processional use. British Museum Cat. Bronzes 876
‘
Much later, the Byzantine Greek encyclopedia, Suda (10th century?), flatly states
“Sabazios… is the same as Dionysos. He acquired this form of address from the rite pertaining to him; for the barbarians call the bacchic cry ‘sabazein’. Hence some of the Greeks too follow suit and call the cry ‘sabasmos’; thereby Dionysos [becomes] Sabazios. They also used to call ‘saboi’ those places that had been dedicated to him and his Bacchantes… Demosthenes [in the speech] ‘On Behalf of Ktesiphon’ [mentions them]. Some say that Saboi is the term for those who are dedicated to Sabazios, that is to Dionysos, just as those [dedicated] to Bakkhos [are] Bakkhoi. They say that Sabazios and Dionysos are the same. Thus some also say that the Greeks call the Bakkhoi Saboi.”
‘
The ecstatic Eastern rites practiced largely by women in Athens were thrown together for rhetorical purposes by Demosthenes in undermining his opponent Aeschines for participating in his mother’s cultic associations:
“On attaining manhood you abetted your mother in her initiations and the other rituals, and read aloud from the cultic writings …You rubbed the fat-cheeked snakes and swung them above your head, crying Euoi saboi and hues attes, attes hues
‘Sabazios… is the same as Dionysos. He acquired this form of address from the rite pertaining to him; for the barbarians call the bacchic cry ‘sabazein’. Hence some of the Greeks too follow suit and call the cry ‘sabasmos’; thereby Dionysos [becomes] Sabazios. They also used to call ‘saboi’ those places that had been dedicated to him and his Bacchantes… Demosthenes [in the speech] ‘On Behalf of Ktesiphon’ [mentions them]. Some say that Saboi is the term for those who are dedicated to Sabazios, that is to Dionysos, just as those [dedicated] to Bakkhos [are] Bakkhoi. They say that Sabazios and Dionysos are the same. Thus some also say that the Greeks call the Bakkhoi Saboi.”
He says that in ancient times the Indians were nomads, like that section of the Scythians who are not agriculturists, but wandering about on waggons, live at one time in one part of Scythia and at another time in another part, neither inhabiting cities nor consecrating temples to the gods. So the Indians had no cities or temples built for the gods. They clothed themselves in the skins of the wild beasts which they killed, and ate the inner bark of certain trees, which are called tala in the Indian language, and, as upon the tops of palm-trees, there grow upon them things like clews of wool. They also fed upon the flesh of the wild beasts which they caught, eating it raw, until Dionysus came into their country. But when Dionysus came and conquered them, he founded cities and made laws for them, and gave the Indians wine as he had given it to the Greeks. He also gave them seeds and taught them how to sow them in the earth;’
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