🔘 ASTANG YOGA

*ASHTANGA YOGA:-* 

👉🏻 Introduction:-

• यम नियमासन प्राणायाम प्रत्याहार धारणाध्यान समाधयोष्टावाङ्गानि ॥                                               (यो.सू. 2/29)

- Patanjali has propounded the comprehensive and multi-objective Anataranga and Bahiranga practices of Yoga through the classical Ashtanga Yoga in the form of; 

1)Yama

2)Niyama

3)Asana

4)Pranayama

5)Pratyahara

6)Dharana

7)Dhyana

8)Samadhi

👉🏻 Ashtanga yoga:-

1) YAMA:-

√ Defination:-

• अहिंसा सत्यास्तेय व्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः। (यो.सू. 2/30)

- Yama is the first step of Patanjali Ashtanga Yoga.

- Patanjali has described five Yamas.

- The literal meaning of word Yama is control or abstinence.

1. Ahimsa - non-violence

2. Satya - Truth

3. Asteya-non-stealing

4. Brahmacarya - Abstinence

5. Aparigraha - non-hoarding

- According to Hatha Yoga Pradipika described ten Yamas as:-

1. Ahimsa - non-violence

2. Satya - Truth

3. Asteya - non-stealing

4. Brahmacarya - Abstinence

5. Kshama- forgiveness

6. Dhruti - endurance

7. Daya-compassion

8. Arjava - meekness or straight forward

9. Mitahara - moderation in diet

10. Shaucha - cleanliness

√ Description:-

a.Ahimsa:-

• अहिंसा प्रतिष्ठा्यां तत्सनिरधौ वैरत्यागः । 

- It means to avoid causing pain or hurting any living being mentally, verbally. or physically.

- The practice of ahimsa generates a broad based feeling of love and brotherhood which purifies the mental beings, the Citta.

- Avoiding the feeling of hatred to an individual is also a kind of ahimsa or non-violence.

b.Satya:-

• सत्यप्रतिष्ठायां क्रियाफलाश्रयत्वम । 

- The literal meaning of Satya is truthfulness. One must be truthful in his speech, act and thought.

c.Asteya:-

• अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोधस्थान । 

- It refers to the negation of the tendency of utilizing the wealth, belongings or thoughts of others in once own interest or benefits.

- This is essentially the practice of non-stealing in terms of money material or even thoughts and idea.

- The practice of Asteya not only brings about individual Citta Suddhi, but also reduces the amount of social tension and conflicts which may otherwise results due to stealing tendencies.

d.Brahmacharya:-

• ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां वीर्यलाभः । 

- Brahmacarya means not to deviate from one's own Svadharma or one's own onginal nature. 

- It is not only abstinence from sexual pleasure although the same is an important aspect of Brahmacarya as it helps an aspirant to progress efficiently on the path of Yoga.

e.Aparigraha:-

• अपरिग्रहस्थैर्यं जन्मकधंता संबोधः |

The tendency of lustfully hoarding wealth and consumable materials in one's own selfish interest is called Parigraha and negation of this tendency is Aparigraha.

2) NIYAMA:-

√ Definition:-

• शौच संतोष तपः स्वाध्याययेश्वर प्रणिधानानि नियमा: । (यो.सू. 2/32)

- Niyama means observances.

-  Under the heading Niyama, Patanjali suggests certain good habits, which help the development of total personality.

- There are five Niyamas namely according to Patanjali:-

1. Shaucha - cleanliness

2. Santosha - contentment

3. Tapas - penace

4. Swadhyaya - self study

5. Ishvarapranidhana - dedicating to God

- According to Hatha Yoga Pradipika described ten Niyamas:-

1. Tapa - penance

2. Santosha - contentment

3. Astikya - belief in god

4. Dana - charity

5. Eshwarapoojana - worship of God

6. Sidhantavakyashravana - hearing discourse on the principles of religion

7. Hri - to be ashamed of doing undesirable acts

8. Mati - intellect

9. Japa - chanting mantras

10. Huta - scarifies the sensual experience for spiritual experience.

√ Description:-

a.Shaucha-cleanliness:-

- Shaucha refer to observance of cleanliness in physical, mental and social aspects o life.

- Cleanliness of the body, the clothing, the residences etc. is Bahya Shuddhi i.e. external cleanliness.

- Utilization of clean food and clean behavior with different individuals is also considered as Bahyashuddhi. 

- On the other hand purification of the Antah-Karana

by depleting emotions like Raga, Dvesha etc. with help of Japa, Tapa, clean thoughts and friendship etc. is considered Abhyantara Shaucha or internal cleanliness.

b.Santosha-contentment:-

• सन्तोषदनुत्तमः सुखलाभः । 

- Santosha is the second Niyama.

- Santosha means remaining contented with whatever facilities and circumstances, one is put to continuing the duties and remaining contented

with whatever rewards comes forth. 

- Contentment gives a superlative happiness.

c.Tapa:-

- Penance produces purity of body and Indriya, Mana Shuddhi etc. 

- Tapas is a practice of body and mind to perfect them.

- Constant practice of tapas enables Yogi to overcome the suffering caused by heat, cold, sun, rain, hunger and thirst. 

- By destroying the impurity of internal organ and the body gets the powers to withstand the extreme situations.

d.Swadhyaya:-

• स्वाध्यायादिष्ट देवतासं प्रयोगः । 

- A regular time is to be devoted for the study of scriptures texts. 

- Swadhyaya has stated that Japa is Swadhyaya. It includes both Swara and Mana.

- Japa has two types Vachika and Manasika. 

- In Manasika Japa are also two types without Dhyana and with Dhyana. While doing Japa of particular Mantra, Omkara etc and reading spiritual texts are means salvation. 

- Person can unite himself with desired God.

e.Ishvarapranidhana:-

- Dedicating to Eshvara one can attain ultimate Samadhi. 

- Dedicating to divinity or surrender to the God is an important methods to attain the highest state of existence Moksha or liberation.

- This path of yoga is called Bhakti yoga.

3) ASANA:-

√ Introduction:-

- Asana is third part of Yoga, the synonyms for Asana is Mudra, Bhangima, Havabhava, Kayikaceshtha, Samsthiti, Sthiti ete. which includes different yogic postures.

- It helps to attain further steps of Yoga. Control over physical body leads to control over mind, which enhance all over development of being. 

- The detailed description of Asanas is available only in the texts of Hatha-Yoga. 

√ Defination:-

• स्थिरम् सुखमासनम् । 

- Asana is a posture in which an individual may stay stably and comfortably for a prolong period. 

√ Total number of Asanas:-

- There are eighty-four lakhs of Asanas described by Shiva the postures are as many in number as there as number of species of living creatures in this universe.

- Among them eight-four are best and among these eighty four thirty two have been found useful for mankind in this word.

- Total 32 Asanas explained by Gheranda Samhita

√ Classification of Asanas:-

1. Meditative Asanas:-

-  These'are the postures which åre considered conducive to practice of meditation. 

- Dhyana if he is comfortably stabilized in meditative postures like Padmasana, Siddhasana, Bhadrasana, Swastikasana, Vajrasana etc.

2. Relaxative Asanas:-

- These are the posture which produce mental and physical relaxation such as Shavasana, Makarasana etc.

3. Cultural Asanas :-

- The Asanas like Simhasana, Gomukhasana, Dhanurasana,Matsyendrasana, Mayurasana, Kurmasana, etc. practised for physical culture. 

√ Asana and its importance:-

- Control on the body by Prayatna, Prayasa, Cheshta, cause Shaithilyata.

√ Utility of Asana and their effect on the health:-

1. One can control his mind efficiently, only when he controls his body properly. This is brought about by Asana and thus helps in attaining the ultimate goal the salvation or Moksha.

2. By practicing Asana one can develop mental equilibrium, balance, endurance and great vitality.

3. Each Asana helping to stretchrand stimulate specific group of muscles and finally make them relax deeply.

4. Asanas will help to reduce the Basal Metabolic Rate. Along with the reduction in Basal metabolic rate most of the vital organs gets relaxed.

5. Asanas are not just strengthening the muscles. But they also train the muscle to loosen and relax.

6. Asanas not only develop the body and soul, they prevent diseases, gave one relief from diseases. They invigorated the nerves, the lungs the muscles, the skin, and the various glands inside the body.

7. Many chronic diseases which could not be cured by drugs have been successfully cured by Asanas.

4) PRANAYAMA:-

√ Introduction:-

- The word Pranayama is a combination of "Prana" and "Ayama". Prana means breath and Ayama means to extent. Pranayama is an exact science.

- It is the fourth Anga or limb of Ashtanga Yoga.

√ Defination:-

• तस्मिन सति श्वासपश्चासयोगति विच्छेदः प्राणायामः ।

- Regulation of breath or the control of Prana is the stoppage of inhalation and exhalation, which follows after securing that steadiness of posture or seat, Asana. 

- Prana is the vital energy required for sustaining the dynamic operation and coordination of each organ within a body.

-  The continuous flow of Prana in the Nadis, or subtle nerves in the body, is important for a disease-free body.

- Pranayama is control and smooth flow of Prana through Yoga exercises. 

- Pranayama helps to establish control over mind and thus helps in the mastery of the other Angas of

Yoga.

√ Stages of pranayama:-

- Generally there are four stages in Pranayama according to patanjali:-

1. Bahya Vritti/ Rechaka- Exhalation

2. Abhyantara/ Puraka - Inhalution

3. Stambha Vritti/ Kumbhaka - Holding of the breath

4. Caturthaka- There is also a fourth stage called caturthaka which is beyond inhalation and exhalation.

- According to Hatlayoga Pradipika, Pranayama is of three types:-

1. Rechaka/Exhalation-

2. Puraka'Inhalation

3. Kumbhaka/ Retention

√ Benefits of Pranayama:-

- Doing Pranayama does not mean only taking the air in the body (inhalation) and throwing it out (exhalation) but along with oxygen, we also take in our body the vital energy. 

- This vital energy permutes the entire universe and what we inhale and exhale is a fragment of it,

The control of regulation of Prana is called Pranayama.

- Ali function of our body are directly or indirectly related to Prana without, Prana there would be no life. It is Prana which is the cause of life and death

- Pranayama has the capacity of freeing the mind from untruthfulness, ignorance and all other painful and unpleasant experience of the body and mind. 

- When mind becomes clean it becomes easy for the yogi concentrate on the desitred object and it becomes possible for him to progress further in the direction of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

- Accroding to hathayoga pradipika, by proper practice of pranayama all diseases are eradicated. Through improper practice all diseases can arise.

√ Duration of Pranayama:-

- According to Gheranda samhita,  The practice of Yoga should not be commenced in these four seasons out of six-Hemanta, Sisira, Grishma and Varsha. If one begins in the se seasons, one will contact diseases.

- The practice of Yoga should be commenced either in Vasanta and Sarada, For in these seasons success is attained without much trouble.

- Accroding to hathayoga, Pranayama or Kumbhaka can be performed four times in a day. i. e. mornings, mid afternoon, evening and mid night are the time ideal for practice of Pranayama. 

- One should gradually practice Pranayama for one time 80 and per day and night together it is 320.

√ Pranayama Tividha Lakshana:- 

a. Kanishtha Pranayama - This is the beginning stage of Pranayama, in this there will be sweda.

b Madhyama Pranayama - Middle stages Pranayama in this there will Kampa.

c. Uttama Pranayama - The last stage of Pranayama, Yogi will attain steadiness and Vayu reaches Bramharandhra which is the best seat. But this is very difficult task.

- In general the ratio of puraka, kumbhaka and rechaka is 1:4:2.

5) PRATYAHARA:-

√ Introduction:-

- Pratyahara is as one of the eight limbs (Ashtanga Yoga). 

- Pratyahara enhances the power of concentration of senses Pratyahara is drawing in of the senses by giving up own objects and settled in the original state of mind.

√ Defination:-

स्वविषयासम्प्रयोगे चित्तस्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणा प्रत्याहारः । (प.यो.सू. 2/54)

- Withdrawal of the senses from all wordily desires and temptations and keeping them fixed in the pure nature of Citta or mind is called Pratyahara.

- Pratyahara is a bridge between the Bahiranga and Antranga phases of Ashtanga yoga.

√ Types of pratyahara:-

1.Control of the Senses (Indriya-Pratyahara)

2.Control of the prana(Prana- pratyahara)

3.Control of action(Karma-pratyahara)

4.Withdrawl of the mind (Mano-pratyahara)

√ Pratyahara and the Other Limbs of Yoga:-

- Pratyahara is related to all the limbs of yoga. All of the other limbs-from asana to Samadhi-contain aspects of Pratyahara. 

- For example, in the sitting poses, which are the

most important aspect of asana, both the sensory and motor organs are controlled.

- Pratyahara is the negative and Dharana the positive aspect of the same basic function.

6) DHARANA:-

√ Introduction:-

- Dharana or concentration is the fixing the mind on one place. 

- Dharana is the fixing of the mind on something external or internal. 

- The mind can be fixed externally on the picture of Lord Hari, Lord Krishna or Lord Rama or on any other object or point. Internally it can be fixed on any Chakra or any part of the body or on any abstract idea. 

- Having controlled the Prana through Pranayama and the Indriyas through Pratyahara, you should

try to fix the mind on something.

- In Dharana you will have only one Vritti or wave in the mind-lake.

√ Defination:-

• देशबन्ध चित्तस्य धारणा |  (प.यो.सू. 3/1)

- Dharana is the confining (fixing)of the mind within a point or area".

7) DHYANA:-

√ Introduction:-

- Dhyana is a term used for the seventh Anga (limb or level) in the eight-step Yoga practice of Sage Patanjali. 

√ Defination:-

• तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानं । (प.यो. सू. 3/2)

- Unbroken continuation of that mental ability is meditation.

- By practicing Dharana in the region of Akasha, he obtains certainly the power of levitating in the Akasha (ether). 

- Wherever he stays, he enjoys supreme bliss. The

proficient in Yoga should and he does not know death.

- That great-minded man does not die even during the deluge of Brahma.

√ Types of dhyana:-

- The dhyana is of 3types:-

1.Sthula

2.Jyoti

3.Sukshma

8) SAMADHI:-

√ Introduction:-

- The fruit of meditation is samadhi.

- Samadhi is super conscious state, wherein the yogi gets super intuitional or super sensual knowledge and super sensual bliss.

- Samadhi is eighth step of the Yogic ladder. 

- Intuition, revelation, inspiration and ecstasy are all

synonymous tems.

√ Defination:-

• तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासंस्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधि:|  (यो सू. 3/3)

- Samadhi is that state in which the Jivatman (lower self) and the Paramatman (higher Self) are ditlerence less (or of equal state).

- If he desires to lay aside his body, he can do

so. 

√ Types of samadhi:-

- Samadhi is of two types:-

1.Savikalpa samadhi

2.Nirvikalpa samadhi

√ Folds of samadhi:-

1.Dhyana samadhi

2.Nada samadhi

3.Rasananda samadhi

4.Laya samadhi

5.Bhaktiyoga samadhi

6.Rajayoga samadhi