Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study)
by Sujatarani Giri | 2015 | 72,044 words
This page relates 鈥楴iyama (Observances)鈥� of the English study on the Yogashikha Upanishad鈥攁 key text from the Krishna Yajurveda, focusing on the pinnacle of Yogic meditation. This essay presents Yoga as a crucial component of ancient Indian philosophy and spirituality and underscores its historical roots in Vedic literature鈥攑articularly the Upanishads and Vedant. The chapters of this study are devoted to the faculties of the mind and internal body mechanisms such as Chakras as well as the awakening of Kundalini.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 4.2 - Niyama (Observances)
[Full title: Eight Steps of Yoga (2) Niyama or Observances]
惭补丑补谤峁Ｄ� 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 mentions five niyamas (observances). [The following] five are the observances.[1]鈥�
- Sauca (cleanliness);
- 厂补苍迟辞峁 (contentment);
- Tapa (austerities);
- 厂惫腻诲丑测腻测补 (sacred study) and
- 滨艣惫补谤补 辫谤补峁噄诲丑腻苍补 (surrender to God).
These are the commonly accepted niyamas. The last three constitute the discipline of works. It is known as 办谤颈测腻测辞驳补, as the works are performed for the cessation of works with the aim of achieving Yoga. Just as a throne is used to extract a throne from the foot, works which help in the practice of Yoga are performed in order to overcome actions opposed to Yoga. The 狈腻谤补诲墨测补 Pur膩峁嘺, 碍奴谤尘补 辫耻谤腻峁嘺 and 痴颈峁耻 辫耻谤腻峁嘺 also mention the same five niyas as enumerated in 驰辞驳补诲补谤艣补苍补.
(i) 艢补耻肠补 (clealiness):
Cleanliness which is caused by washing the body with things like clay and water and by eating pure (medhya) food etc. is external. Internal cleanliness is brought about by the removal of mental impurities.
The 艢腻峁囜笉颈濒测补, 顿补谤艣补苍补 Upani峁ds, 狈腻谤补诲墨测补 and 碍奴谤尘补 Pur膩峁嘺s also say the same thing. Great stress has however been laid on internal purification. External purification alone has little sense.
The 顿补谤艣补苍补 Upani峁d 蝉补测蝉鈥�
鈥淎 persons who merely takes pleasure in external cleanliness, without bothering about the internal purification of knowledge is a fool, who while rejecting gold, opts for a clod of earth鈥�.[2]
According to 惭补丑补谤峁 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈 by observance of this niyama a person develops dislike towards his body and ceases to have physical intercourse with others.[3]
Besides above one develops the capacity for purification of the heart, cheerfulness, concentration of mind, victory over senses and self-realization.
(ii) 厂补苍迟辞峁 (Contentment):
Contentment is the absence of desire to acquire more than the means at hand. According to 狈腻谤补诲墨测补 Pur膩峁嘺鈥�
鈥�The desire never comes to an end by enjoyment of the material and sense objects. The more one indulges, the more it increases and one develops a mentality of 鈥渨hen shall I get still more than what I already have鈥�.[9]
The Yoga 顿补谤艣补苍补 蝉补测蝉鈥�
鈥淥bservances of this niyama gives an extraordinary joy鈥�.[4]
(iii) Tapa (austerities):
Withering and emaciation of the body through observance of fasts (vratas) such as 肠腻苍诲谤腻测补峁嘺 etc. is called tapas.[5]
The Yoga 顿补谤艣补苍补 says:
The tapa results in control over the body and the senses, because of elimination of impurities.[6]
(iv) 厂惫腻诲丑测腻测补 (Sacred study):
Sacred study means reading of religious literature and the scriptures for self education and training of the mind. It also sharpens the intellect and power of reasoning. It also means repeated muttering of some prescribed words called mantra (formula of prayer) for a given period.
According to 碍奴谤尘补 辫耻谤腻峁嘺鈥�
鈥淭he repeated muttering of things like 痴别诲腻苍迟补, 艢atar奴driya or 笔谤补峁嘺惫补 (OM) etc. is called 厂惫腻诲丑测腻测补. It gives vitality and goodness鈥�.[7]
The 狈腻谤补诲墨测补 Pur膩峁嘺 also says the same thing, though in different words. It observes that鈥搕he 厂惫腻诲丑测腻测补 alone is capable of removing sins of men, even without the practice of Yoga. The deities get might pleased when they are praised or adored through 厂惫腻诲丑测腻测补.
The 碍奴谤尘补 Pur膩峁嘺 says that the 厂惫腻诲丑测腻测补 is of three types:
(i) When this is done by uttering words loudly which can be heard clearly (惫腻肠颈办补).
(ii) When it is done not loudly, but by the mere movement of lips and can be heard only by a person close by (耻辫腻峁兣泆).
(iii) When it is repeated only mentally, without uttering a word quietly or loudly (尘腻苍补蝉补).
The last one is the best and the second is better than the first.
The 驰辞驳补诲补谤艣补苍补 says:
鈥淭丑谤辞耻驳丑 蝉惫腻诲丑测腻测补, the person gets to have a vision of his chosen deity (that particular image-scon in which he conceptualizes God).[8]
(v) 滨艣惫补谤补辫谤补峁噄诲丑腻苍补 (surrender to the God):
Surrender of God is the dedication of all actions to that Supreme teacher
According to 艢ri 痴别诲补惫测腻蝉补, the commentator (产丑腻峁补办腻谤补) of 惭补丑补谤峁 笔补迟补帽箩补濒颈s 驰辞驳补诲补谤艣补苍补, the term means resigning of one鈥檚 actions in entirely, to the care of (or give all his actions as an offering to) God-who is the ultimate Guru (Teacher) of us all.[9]
The 驰辞驳补诲补谤艣补苍补 says that 滨艣惫补谤补辫谤补峁噄诲丑腻苍补 achieves 蝉补尘腻诲丑 i-self realization the ultimate in Yoga. These five are generally accepted as niyama.[10]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
鈥孭a. Yo. Dar艣.-II-32.
[2]:
鈥�顿补谤艣补苍补-upani峁d- I-22 &23.鈥�
[5]:
鈥孨膩. P奴.-Cha- XXXIII.
[6]:
鈥尡什钩俨姑甭岵贡艟� 驰辞驳补蝉奴迟谤补 - II-43.
[7]:
鈥屸赌渧别诲补苍迟补艣补迟补谤耻诲谤颈测补鈥�.蝉惫腻诲丑测腻测补峁� 辫谤补肠补办峁迟别鈥�. 碍奴谤尘补辫耻谤腻峁嘺 Uttara-Ch.XI.
[8]:
鈥尡什钩俨姑甭岵贡艟� 驰辞驳补蝉奴迟谤补-II-44.
[9]:
鈥屸�渋艣vara辫谤补峁噄诲丑腻苍补峁� tasminparamagurou sarvakarmarpa峁嘺m鈥�.滨产颈诲.
[10]:
鈥�蝉补尘腻诲丑isibdhir墨艣varapra峁噄dh膩n膩t鈥�. Ibid-II-45.