UNDERSTANDING OF YOGA
The term Yoga is derived from Sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means ‘joined’ or ‘union’ of the individual self（jiva-atman） with the supreme self (parama-atman). [Vedanta] It is the ancient Indian science and technology of attaining health, purity, peace and bliss. The word denotes the spiritual link of man not only with God but also with nature and its hundreds of thousands of creatures, plants and animals.
"Yujyate anena iti yogah” yoga is that which joins. In the traditional terminology it is joining of jevatma with paramatma. It is an expansion of the narrow constricted personality to an all pervasive, eternal and blissful state of reality.
Jñāna yoga, Karma yoga, Rāja yoga, and Bhakti yoga are four well-known yogic systems to achieve communion with God through spiritual knowledge, dhārmic action, and devotion to God and self-control respectively. It is however incorrect to treat these three as water-tight compartments as all four are mutually complementary and integrate and are integrated into each other. With the growing stress, strain reckless necessity of modern living, there is a total fall in the values of living what man needs today are the inner tranquility, happiness and health and a willingness to let others also in peace. For this end there is no system as perfect as the yogic system. Hatha yoga or Rāja Yoga is to improve the body as well as the mind, link man spiritually to the Almighty. Karma Yoga helps to develop a healthy attitude and Bhakti yoga helps to get a wholesome approach to our emotions. Patanjali yoga is one of the six systems of Indian Philosophy known as Satdarśans. One of the great Sage Patanjali compiled the essential features and Satdarśans. He also compiled the essential features as principles of yoga in the form of sūtras and made a vital contribution to the field of yoga nearly 4000 years ago (as dated by some western historians).
According to Patanjali, yoga is a conscious process of gaining mastery over the mind. But the scope of yoga as portrayed in the Gītā and the upanishads is far more comprehensive.
As Swami Vivekananda puts it, "it is a means of compressing ones evolution, into a single life or a few months or a few hours of one’s existence". In general, there is growth, which is natural and instinctive characteristic of all animals. Man endowed with the power to discriminate, a conscious thinking faculty Buddhi and well-developed voluntary controls, aspires to accelerate his growth. Yoga is that systematic conscious process which can compress the process of man’s growth greatly.
As mentioned earlier, Patanjali defines yoga as a process of gaining control over the mind.
“Yogah citta vrtti nirodhah” (PYS: 1.2)
In yoga Vasistha, one of the best texts on yoga, the essence of yoga is beautifully portrayed thus,
‘Manah Praśamanopäyah Yoga Ityabhidhéyate’
Yoga is a skillful methodological trick to calm down the mind. In action, yoga is a special skill which makes the mind reaches its subtler state.
Gītā defines yoga as ‘Yogah karmasu kauśalam’ (Gītā: 2.50).
‘Samatvam yoga ucyate’ Being fixed in yoga renouncing attachment and staying even-minded in success and failures. Evenness is verily yoga.
Yoga is dexterity in action. Relaxed action is the process of efficiency in action is an outcome. Thus, yoga is a skilful science of gaining mastery over the mind. Yoga is normally and traditionally conjectured and popularly known as a process or a technique to reach the ultimate state of perfection. However, yoga is found defined even as the states where higher powers and potentialities region and also as the ultimate state of silence. Yoga is also described as the power of all creative endeavors and creation itself. In action, yoga is a special skill which makes the mind reaches its subtler states.
Sri Aurobindo says “yoga is a systematic process of accelerating the growth of man in his entirety. With this growth, man learns to live at the higher states of consciousness. The key to this all-round personality development and growth is the culturing of the mind”.
Swami Vivekananda says “Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature internal & external, by work, worship, philosophy or psychic controlled by one or more or all of these & be free”.
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