Maharishi Patanjali composed The Ashtanga Yoga Sutra around 4000 years ago. According to Maharishi, Ashtanga yoga is the easiest path to attaining samadhi by karma yoga. Which is based on around 196 concise sutras that are separated into four Padas (Chapters). There are 51 sutras in the Samadhi Pada. There are 55-56 sutras in the Sadhana Pada and Vibhuti Pada, and 34 sutras in Kaivalya Pada.
YAMA: Restraints consist of Ahimsa: nonviolence, Satya: truthfulness, Asteya: nonstealing, Brahmacharya: continence, Aparigraha: non-covetousness.
Ahimsa: nonviolence
Ahimsa is in the spiritual view: refer us to do not torture physically or mentally any living beings around you.
SIX PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE
1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people. It is active nonviolent resistance to evil.
2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding. The end result of nonviolence is redemption and reconciliation.
3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people. Nonviolence recognizes that evildoers are also victims.
4. Nonviolence holds that suffering can educate and transform. Nonviolence willingly accepts the consequences to its acts.
5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate. Nonviolence resists violence to the spirit as well as the body. Nonviolence love is active, not passive. Nonviolence love does not sink to the level of the hater. Love restores community and resists injustice. Nonviolence recognizes the fact that all life is interrelated.
6. Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice. The nonviolent resister has deep faith that justice will eventually win.
:From The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change
Satya: truthfulness
The Sanskrit word Satya means truth, it stems from the Sanskrit root Sat when means reality or existence. According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, “when one is firmly established in speaking truth, the fruits of action become subservient to him.”
“Satya pratishtayam kriya phala shrayatvam’’ ( Sutra II 36)
Satya = truth; Pratishtayam = established in; Kriya = action; Phala = fruits; Shrayatvam = will follow.
“When you are established in truth then the fruits of action will follow.”
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17, Verse 23: “OM TAT SAT” this has been declared to be the triple designation of BRAHMAN. By that were created formerly, the BRAHMANAS, VEDAS and YAJNAS (sacrifices)
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17, Verse 26: The word “SAT” is used in the sense of Reality and the Goodness; and also, O partha, the word “SAT” is used in the sense of an auspicious act.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 17, Verse 27: Steadfastness in sacrifice, austerity and gift is also called “SAT” and also, action in connection with these (for the sake of Supreme) is called “SAT”.
Alan Redpath, a well-known British evangelist, pastor and author explains the word “THINK” beautifully.
T—Is it true?
H—Is it helpful?
I—Is it inspiring?
N—Is it necessary?
K—Is it kind?
“If what I am about to say does not pass those tests, I will keep my mouth shut!”
Asteya: nonstealing
According to Maharishi Patanjali, “Asteya pratishtayam sarvara ratnu pasthanam” (II, Sutra 37)
“When non-stealing is established, all the jewels (wealth) approach the person.”
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar elaborates: “All the wealth comes to you effortlessly. A little intention to steal can keep you poor. Most of the time poverty is self-made. A person wants to be sneaky and grab and get as much as he can. That is where his luck goes down the drain. But the virtue of Non-stealing brings all the wealth effortlessly.”
Brahmacharya: continence
When you are determined to take your consciousness to a higher level, and for that, you keep your core energy in treasure and propel it towards the invisible point. “Alekha Kund” or “Bindu- Visarga” It is called Brahmacharya.
In that situation, the behaviour of the physical senses couldn’t distract you, if your complete focus leans toward Brahma.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 6, Verse 14: Serene-minded, fearless, firm in the vow of BRAHMACHARYA, having controlled the mind, thinking on me and balanced, let him sit, having me has the supreme goal.
8 Aspect of brahmacharya
Darshanam: Don’t look lustfully the opposite sex.
Sparshanam: Shouldn’t touch passionately or lustful way the opposite sex.
Kirtanam: One should not discuss with others about opposite sex life.
Kelih: Should not indulge in a amorous act with the opposite sex.
Guhyabhasanam: Don’t make any private space with opposite sex.
Sankalpa: Don’t decide with lustful thought to engage in sexual intercourse.
Adhyavasaya: Don’t endeavor for sex life.
Kriyanivritti: Stay out from the real sexual enjoyment.
A life of celibacy is a hundred times better than the life of a Grihasthi. I believe in celibacy, for it is the thing that unfolds the hidden power in man. Brahmacharya is the straight road to God-realization; marriage is a serpentine route. The former is more preferable than the latter, but the man takes to the latter route on account of his lower passions.
Aparigraha: noncovetousness
The art of detachment and releases the unneeded things in life. abstaining from accepting gifts,” not expecting, asking or accepting inappropriate gifts from any person,” and “not applying for gifts which are not to be accepted.”
NIYAMA: Observances consist of Saucha: cleanliness, Santosa: contentment, Tapa: austerity, Swadhaya: self-reflection, Ishwar Pranidhana: surrender.
Saucha: cleanliness
Santosa: contentment
Tapa: austerity
Swadhaya: self-reflection
Ishwar Pranidhana: surrender
ASANA: Physical postures, It’s very much important for all to practice various yoga postures to bring flexibility to the body as well as the mind.
PRANAYAMA: Types of breath control.
There are 14 types of pranayama in the patanjali yoga sutra.
- Bhastrika Pranayama
- Anulom-Vilom Pranayama
- Kapalabhati Pranayama
- Dhramari Pranayama
- Nadi Shuddhi
- Udgeeth Pranayama
- Ujjayi Pranayama
- Bahya Pranayama
- Pranav Pranayama
- Shitayu Pranayama
- Sheetkari Pranayama
- Shitali Pranayama
- Surya bhedan Pranayam
- Chandra bhedan Pranayama
PRATYAHARA: Withdrawal of senses, Literally means detach you from the sensorial pleasure of the material world and move the senses inwards.
Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2, Verse 58: When, like the tortoise which withdraws its limbs from all sides, he withdraws his senses from the sense-objects then his wisdom becomes steady.
You must have to keep your senses away from sensory objects to bring in a state of your intellect and mind and that will help you to move towards the next limb of the yoga sutra.
DHARANA: Concentration, Deeply concentrate your mind on one thing inside or outside without distracted by your senses, and focus on your breath.
DHYANA: Meditation
16 Types of Meditations
Meditation is a process of listening to the vibrations of the soul.
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Transcendental Meditation
- Shoonya Meditation
Everything has come from and will be extinct in Shoonya. Sunya Meditation the only way to help you reach the samadhi.
Stages of Samadhi
SAMADHI: State of consciousness, Diving into the depth of the breath to recognize the real existence.
Source: Speaking Tree
Sabija Samadhi – As the name suggests, it is the Samadhi ‘with the seed’. It means that there is an object of meditation. The object of meditation is called pratyaya. There are 2 types of Sabija Samadhi:-
Samprajatna Samadhi – In this Samadhi the seeker is absorbed in Pratyaya at a singular level of consciousness. Saprajatna Samadhi can occur at each of the four levels of consciousness. The four states are:-
Savitarka Samadhi – Vitarka is the consciousness of specifics
Savicara Samadhi – Vicara is the consciousness of the paradigm
Ananda – The consciousness of patterns amongst paradigms, where one mulls more over the patterns than the paradigm.
Asmita – This is defined as the consciousness of oneness. There are no distinctions between the stages of awareness in this consciousness.
Asamprajatna Samadhi – This is the state of moving from one level to another of consciousness. The four stages of transition are as follows:-
Nirvitarka – vitarka to vicara
Nirvichara – vicara to Ananda
Ananda to Asmita
Asmita to Nirbija Samadhi
Nirbija Samadhi – It is the Samadhi ‘without a seed’. It is the highest form of Samadhi and leads directly to Dharma Megha Samadhi.
Dharma Megha Samadhi – It is the most unique kind of Samadhi. It is the state of travelling out of the universe of relative happenings and surroundings and transitioning into Kaivalya.
