The Yoga Sutras-1

[Guest guest]

Namaste!

 

I would like to post a few verses from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,

to give an introduction to these masterful verses. I cant comment on

every verse, but hopefully give a good idea of what Yoga is about.

 

It is said the 1st shloka explains the whole of Yoga- if you

understand it, there is no need to read the other ones.

 

I will give a little Sanskrit. I know most people dont know it, but

pls be patient, as there is a reason for this. The 1st verse is:

 

Yoga Chit Vritti Nirodham

 

This has been translated variously.

 

Yoga- Union, Oneness, Godness

Chit- Mind, mind stuff, thoughts, feelings

Vritti- Thoughts, feelings, disturbances

Nirodham- destroy, silence, calm

 

So the translation of the sutra maybe " Yoga is silencing of

mind-stuff " or " Yoga is destroying the thoughts & mind " . The 2nd,

given by an academic, is very obivously wrong.

 

1st is Chit- its not the mind, especially mind as meant by western

science. It is more of the mind stuff- the combination of

Ahankar(ego), sense based emotional mind(manas), Buddhi(intelligence)

& Chitta(here meaning the sub-concious, but again not how

psychologists define that term, but sub-concious as our hidden

awareness that has the power to become Super-Conciousness).

 

Vrittis can be described as disturbances- the way there are waves on

an ocean or lake.

 

Nirodham is the most important word. The dictionary meaning maybe

cancelling or destruction, but thats not the meaning in this context.

The meaning is calming, silencing.

 

So the 1st Sutra is better translated as:

 

" Yoga is the calming/control of the disturbances of the mind/Chit " .

 

An important note is- this calming/control is not done by the ego, but

our inner power of awareness. When we bring awareness into all our

thoughts & actions, the mind automatically becomes calm. The natural

state of the mind is one of Calmness, light & knowledge. Mind

represents pure Satogun. The current mind has become diseased. This

disease has to be removed by putting the mind back into its original

state of silence & peace by Nirodha, or complete control by the power

of awareness.

 

The mind is not extinguised or killed in Yoga, as many commentators

seem to think. Rather what is destroyed are the disturbances, which

are stopping the mind from working perfectly- the perfect mind can

perfectly reflect God, like a crystal.

 

Nirodha is a very important word in Yoga- Asana(or Yoga postures) are

Nirodha of the body, or controlling of the body by power of awareness.

In Asana the body is put in its original state of calmness & purity.

 

Pranayam is the Nirodha of the Pran. The Pran or life force is calmed

& controlled by power of awareness.

 

Related to Pranayam is Pratyahar, or Nirodha of senses, in which the

outgoing energies of the senses are controlled by awareness & then

turned inside.

 

Only then can the mind be controlled. When the mind is controlled by

awareness, then Yoga, or Union with God, occurs.

 

A good example is like waves on a lake. Due to these waves, we cannot

see the bottom. When the waves stop, the surface becomes clear & we

can see the hidden bottom of the lake.

Similary, when the waves of non-stop thoughts ceases, we can see the

hidden source of our mind, which is Pure Conciousness-Bliss.

 

 

....to be continued

 

with love

Shantnu

[Guest guest]

Yes Sir, I fully agree with you that silencing is the better term

than destroying, controlling or inhibiting the mind while explaining

chitta vritti nirodha. Empty all thoughts in the mind so that it can

remain as pure awareness - silent, calm and relaxed and yet, alert,

vigilant and vibrant - to hold/apprehend Reality as it is. It is

indeed a great psychology of accurate perception!

 

Patanjali Yoga Sutra embodies attainment of the supreme height of

intellect that is unparalleled in the history of human

civilization.Many and deep experimentation on the inner being has

been conducted by the Rishis that is codified by the sage Patanjali,

pouring out verified facts after facts on human psyche.You are also

right when you say that Mind for the Eastern 'Thinkers' involves

intellect, emotions, intentions and ego/ahankar. What is more, mind

for us is in the realm of Matter! Bhoomiraponalovayu kham mano

buddhirevaca,ahankara itiyam me binna prakritirashthada /

earth,water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect and ego/ahankar is the

eight division of matter - apara - part of of My Nature, says the

Lord in Bhagavadgita, the other part being spiritual - para.

 

Please go on with the exposition of one of the greatest saga of human

reach, I am eagerly looking forward to it! You have rekindled my

hunger for it!!

 

 

 

, shanracer <no_reply wrote:

>

> Namaste!

>

> I would like to post a few verses from the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,