365bet

The concept of Yoga in Yoga Upanishads

by Philomina T.L | 2018 | 42,235 words

This page relates ‘The Trimurtti Concept and Pancadaivatya Concept� of study dealing with the evolution and significance of Yoga as reflected in the Yoga-Upanishads, a collection of authoritative texts dedicated to the concept of Yoga (spiritual discipline). The thesis traces the origins of the practice back to pre-Vedic times and and suggests that Yoga became a philosophical system following the creation of the Yogasutras.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

3. The հūٳپ Concept and ʲñ岹ٲⲹ Concept

Apart from Ś, Śāktism and ղṣṇ the ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa highlight the հūٳپ concept and ʲñ岹ٲⲹ concept also.

The ٳԲԻū貹Ծṣa describes the հūٳٲⲹⲹⲹԲ through the practices of the ṇҲ like ū첹, ṃb󲹰첹, and recaka which represent the deities of վṣṇ, Brahma, and Ś respectively:

ٳܰᲹ� 屹ṣṇ� pūrakeṇa vicintayet ||
kumbhakena hṛdisthane cintayet kamalāsanam ||
recakena tu vidyātmā lalāṭastha� trilocanam ||
[1]

Again the śܱ貹ٲ󳾴DZ貹Ծṣa describes Rudra, վṣṇ, and Brahma as the increased forms of the ٰṇa of tamas, sattva, and rajas respectively:

The 󳾲DZ貹Ծṣa, as ponited out earlier describes the concept of 貹ñ岹ٲⲹ such as Brahma,վṣṇ, Rudra, Ѳś and Acyuta. Each occupies the body regions of the heart, neck, throat, forehead and tip of the nose respectively.

On the bases of its ٰ it is stated:

ekamātro dviٰśca triٰścaiva bhedata� |
ardhamātrā parā jñeya tat ūrdhva� parātparam ||
pañcadhā pañcadaivatya� sakala� paripaṭhyate |
brahmaṇo hṛdayasthana� kaṇṭhe viṣṇu samāśrita� ||
tālumadhye sthito rudro lalāṭasthe maheśvara� |
nāsāgre acyuta� vidyāttasyānte tu para� padam ||
[2]

Here the finite Āٳ is described with the deities. Brahma, վṣṇ , and Rudra are treated as the finite existence (ī) with one ٰ as ‘A�, Ѳś is measured by two ٰ of ‘Au� and Acyuta is measured by three mantras of ‘AUM� and the �Param�, the Supreme Brahman (貹ٳ), the infinite, is measured by half ٰ.

The ۴DzٲٳٱDZ貹Ծṣa describes the ṇa of five Brahmans in the region of 貹ñūٲ, such as ṛt󱹾 region denoting brahmadyāna, apāh region devoted to վṣṇdhyāna, tejah region denoting Rudradyāna. Vayu region pertaining to ĪśԲ and the ś region concerned with the śԲ.

This is stated in the ṣy as:

pṛthvīśabdena pāthirvamaṇḍalamucyate ٲٲ� pārthive |
abmaṇḍale viṣṇudhyāna� tatphala� cāha-jānoriti |
vahnimaṇḍale rudradhyāna� tatphala� cāha-pāyoriti |
vāyumaṇḍale īśvara tatphala� cāha-hṛdayamiti |
śmaṇḍale sadāśivadhyāna� tatphala� cāha-bhrūmadhyāditi |
[3]

Through these ṇa of the Brahmans, a yogi can contain the consecutive elements like the earth that leads to deathlessness, water that leads to water fearlessness and deathlessness due to water, fire that leads to burnlessness, air that leads to deathlessness by air and space provides ability to fly. Thus these ṇa make a yogi comfortable and provides him robustness to his body.

Thus the ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa are highly influenced by the religious thoughts of Hinduism like Ś, Śāktism, and ղṣṇ. These religious thoughts present the consecutive deities and ultimate and these can be attained through the yoga practices. Most of these twenty ܱ貹Ծṣa describe the deities in more or less the same manner; one and the same ܱ貹Ծṣa describes the multiple deities as the ultimate. From these it can be understood that, like all other literary works, the ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa also subject the society to the religious practices in accordance with the regional and periodical changes that occur in the society to a great extent.

Through Ś the ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa introduce different Śٱ concepts like ʲśܱ貹پ, Pāśu, Mala etc. These concepts are very much related to yoga and ձԳٲ. These terms belong to the consecutive terms like Brahman, Īś, ī or 󲹰첹, karma, ñԲ or avidya etc., respectively. In Ś Śپ is treated as one of its aspects. Ś is treated as an entity without a second. They also illustrate Ś with an advaitic view. Here, when a yogi realises himself as Ś he becomes Ś himself or he attains oneness with Ś.

In Ś Śپ is treated as a personal God which represents Devi or a woman deity. Here the DzDZ貹Ծṣa, identifies this deity with the ṇḍīśپ The ۴Dz岹śԲ provides different roles to almost all deities in the body as an aid for the yoga practice. These principles are mostly applied in the tantra; and, on the basis of it, their emerged a kind of yoga named ᲹṻDz, which exhibits the occult nature of body and the mystic forces accumulated in it. Thus the Գٰ reflections of yoga play a good role in the ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa. This Śٲ Գٲ reflects the dual principle such as Ś and Śپ. Thus it may be treated as a Dvaita philosophy as that of ղṣṇ, where ⲹṇa and ṣm are the two entities. Because of this, the ⲹṇattva concept reflects the վśṣṭ屹ٲ also. The ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa present վṣṇ as the Dz, who is treated as a model and who becomes a light for the yogins. So it presents him as ܰṣoٳٲ. ղṣṇ call kaivalya as the parmapada and bhakti as its means. So also it is dualistic and վśṣṭ屹ٲm in its nature.

The ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa assimilate different means for the attainment of one and the same entity, that is ǰṣa, This ǰṣa concept is expressed here differently as Īś, Ś, Śپ, վṣṇ, Brahman etc. Again they often indicate some concepts by different terms. This also shows the greatness and validity of the same. In fact, as the name ܱ貹Ծṣa indicates the ۴DzDZ貹Ծṣa are primarily treated as the providers of 󳾲ñԲ through the versatality of their contents.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Dhy.b.U.30,31,32

[2]:

Bra.V.U.39-42

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: