Yamas
The first of these is Yama (ethical disciplines) - the
great commandments transcending creed, country, age and time. They are : Ahimsa
(non-violence), Satya (truth), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (continence)
and Aparigraha (non-coveting). These commandments are the rules of morality for
society and the individual, which if not obeyed bring chaos, violence, untruth,
stealing, dissipation and covetousness. The roots of these evils are the
emotions of greed, desire and attachment, which may be mild, medium or
excessive. Maharishi Patanjali strikes at the root of these evils by changing
the direction of one’s thinking along with the five principles of Yama.
Niyamas
Niyama is the Sanskrit term for a
duty or observance recommended by yogic philosophy and teaching as part of the
path of yoga. Niyama are the rules of conduct that apply to individual
discipline, while Yama are universal in their application. Practicing the
niyamas is said to give the yogi the inner strength, clarity and discipline
that he/she needs in order to progress on his/her spiritual journey. The five
niyama listed by Patanjali are : Saucha (purity), Santosa (contentment), Tapas
(ardour or austerity), Svadhyaya (study of self) and Ishvara Pranidhana
(dedication to the Lord).
Asanas
The third limb of yoga is asana or posture. Asana
brings steadiness, health and lightness of limb. A steady and pleasant posture
produces mental equilibrium and prevents fickleness of mind. The yogi conquers
the body by the practice of asanas and makes it a fit vehicle for the spirit.
He knows that it is a necessary vehicle for the spirit. By performing asanas,
the sadhaka first gains health, which is not mere existence. It is a state of
complete equilibrium of body, mind and spirit.
Pranayama
Just as the word yoga is one of wide import, so also
is prone. Prana means breath, respiration, life, vital9ty, wind, energy or
strength. Ayama means length, expansion, stretching or restraint. Pranayama is
thus science of breath. It is the hub round which the wheel of life revolves.
The yogi’s life is not measured by the number of his days but by the number of
his breath. Therefore, he follows the proper rhythmic patterns of slow deep
breathing.
Pratyahara
If a man’s reason succumbs to pull of his senses he is
lost. On the other hand, if there is rhythmic control of breath, the senses
instead of running after external objects of desire turn inwards, and man is
set free from their tyranny. This is the fifth stage of yoga, namely,
Pratyahara, where the senses are brought under control. When this stage is
reached, the sadhaka goes through a searching self-examination. There is
bondage when the mind craves, grieves or is unhappy over something. The. Ind
becomes pure when all desires and fears are annihilated.
Dharana
When the body has been tempered by asanas, when the
mind has been refined by the fire of pranayama and when the senses have been
brought under control by pratyahara, the sadhaka reaches the sixth stage called
dharana. Here he is concentrated wholly on a single point or on a task in which
he is completely engrossed. The mind has to be stilled in order to achieve this
state of complete absorption. Without ekagrata or concentration one can master
nothing. Without concentration on Divinity, which shapes and controls the
universe, one cannot unlock the divinity within oneself or become a universal
man.
Dhyana
When oil is poured from one vessel to another, one can
observe the steady constant flow. When the flow of concentration is
uninterrupted, the state that arises is dhyana (meditation). As the filament in
an electric bulb glows and illumines when there is a regular uninterrupted
current of electricity, the yogi’s mind will be illuminated by dhyana. The
signs of progress on the path of yoga are health, a sense of physical
lightness, steadiness, clearness of countenance and a beautiful voice,
sweetness of odour of the body and freedom from craving. He has a balanced,
serene and a tranquil mind. He is the very symbol of humility. He dedicates all
his actions to the Lord and taking refuge in Him, frees himself from the
bondage of karma (action) and becomes a Jivana Mukta (a liberated soul).
Samadhi
Samadhi is the end of sadhaka’s quest. At the peak of
his meditation, he passes into the state of samadhi, where his body and senses
are at rest as if he is asleep, his faculties of mind and reason are alert as
if he is awake, yet he has gone beyond consciousness. The person in the state
of samadhi is fully concentrated and alert. Reaching this stage, the yogi has
departed from the material world and is merged with the Eternal. There is then
no duality between the knower and the known for they have merged like camphor
and the flame.
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