A H A M - Blog By Swahilya

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - III - V

2012-01-13T07:52:00.004+05:30

Tajjayath Pragnyallokaha

With practice of Samyama i.e. Dharana - concentration, Dhyana - meditation and Samadhi - the culmination of the mind in state of cosmic consciousness, the person attains to a steady wisdom with certainty. I narrate here a dream that I had this morning of Thursday, January 12. I was preparing to write an exam in Tamil grammar (may be because the previous night I read about the Sage Agastya and his writing a text on Tamil Grammar!). Till after an hour of the examination, I was filling ink in my pen and the ink was mushy. I spent one hour writing nothing. When I saw the first question for the exam I hadn't prepared much for, it said - "Explain the grammatical expression for the word Siva." I began writing - Va is for Vasanas and Si is for Chit. The moment I wrote Chit, I woke up from the dream. I knew it was a dream! Same way I thought, when you are surrounded by thoughts of self-realisation and realised beings, there is the awakening of Chit or consciousness in you. That awakening shows to you that this world is a dream. After I knew that the dream was a dream, it made it meaningless to continue writing the exam. Likewise, when you know this world you live in is a dream, life becomes meaningless, but yet you play on as it is not a dream for the other players in the game! - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - III - 4

2011-09-14T21:02:00.003+05:30

Three in one

Thrayamekatra Samyamaha||

When the threesome of Dharana or concentration, Dhyana or meditation which is a gradual entry into a merging of concentration and its confluence with the object meditated upon and eventually a complete merger of the subject, object and the meditation in Samadhi. The combination of the three makes it Samyama or a complete restraint of the mind that's absorbed in consciousness.

- Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - III - 3

2011-09-02T09:28:00.004+05:30

Contemplating well to merge

Tadevarthamathra Nirbhasam Swaroopa Shunyamiva Samadhihi||

When the object of focus, concentration and meditation begins to merge, then the state of Samadhi is said to be reached. Take an example of climbing a flight of stairs to reach the terrace. At first you get accustomed to the steps and focus on it as you climb. That is Dharana. Then as you climb, you have achieved a state of ease and a mind that can afford to be within and contemplate - i.e. Dhyana. Once you begin to contemplate on a statement of truth or the Pranava Mantra, you feel as if you have lost your own name and form and only the contemplation remains. That is arriving at the terrace of Samadhi. The yogi and a Shaivaite saint Sadasiva Brahmendra Saraswati has written a commentary on the Patanjali Yoga Sutra explains Samadhi as Samyak Aadheeyate Ekagrikriyate Yat Manaha Saha Samadhi - That mind which delves well and deeply after becoming completely integrated is Samadhi. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - III - 2

2011-08-19T21:32:00.005+05:30

A continuous flow

Tatra Pratyaya Ekatanata Dhyanam||

Once the mind is sufficiently settled in a point of concentration, which is dharana, there follows a stage when the thoughts begin to flow uninterruptedly into one field of consciousness, just as an estuary merges into the ocean. This is called Dhyanam.

(Quiet flows the lamp on the Ganga at Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh. Text and Pix. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II -

2011-07-07T21:58:00.003+05:30

Putting the mind in place!

Desha Bandhaha Chittasya Dharanam||

Dharana means concentration. The concentration of the mind on a point, an image, person, place or object holds the mind in a place towards which it is directed. It binds it to the space on which it concentrates, instead of following its own natural way of flitting about here and there into a million memory routes of the past and the anxiety routes of the future. Dharana is a tool to put the mind in its place i.e. the present moment! - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 55

2011-06-07T18:06:00.001+05:30

When all the senses merge in

Tatah Paramavashyata Indriyanam|

By the practise of Pratyahara or the process of turning the sense organs and the energy that goes out with it, inward, the senses come under the control of the supreme presence within. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 54

2011-05-30T20:51:00.003+05:30

Turning inwards

Swavishaya Asamprayoge Chittasya Swarupanukarah Iva Indriyanam|

The organs of action and the senses are always on an outward mode. They travel outside, splitting the energy of the mind into a myriad names and forms, divesting it of its innate power. By conscious practice of Pratyahara, the senses begin to withdraw themselves from the world outside and even the thoughts within. This allows the mind to rest in its totality, helping it to realise the dynamics of energy which is the source. Once realised whichever direction the source looks at through the senses, there are the qualities of abundance, peace, harmony, prosperity and realisation. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 53

2011-05-23T21:12:00.002+05:30

Pranayama leads to better concentration

Dharanaasu Cha Yogyata Manasaha|

With the regular practice of Pranayama or regulating the flow of vital energy, through regulating the flow of breath, the covering over the inner light is removed and life appears more clearly now. You begin to see which is the right path to move forward and focus your attention on that growth with absolute concentration. The mind becomes fit for concentration or dharana. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 52

2011-05-17T23:07:00.003+05:30

Destroys the veil covering light

Tatah ksheeyate Prakashavaranam|

Regular practice of Pranayama thins out the veil of chitta vrittis or mental impurities caused by desire, anger, delusion, greed, arrogance and jealousy. These thoughts born out of avidya or ignorance of the supreme truth within, hides the light like a screen. Regulation of the flow of Prana helps to attenuate this covering. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (In Pic: Shaktipeetam.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra II - 51

2011-01-25T12:41:00.001+05:30

When the breath becomes still

Bahya Abhyanthara Vishaya Aakshepi Chaturthaha|

This is the fourth type of Pranayama where the outgoing breath is not holding on to any thought or object outside and the incoming breath is not holding on to any ideas inside. The flow of the breath in and out hence becomes very smooth and takes the mind to a transcendental state of existence. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 50

2010-12-23T11:24:00.004+05:30

Watching the breath within and without

Bahyaabhyantara stambhavrittirdesha kala sankhyabhihi paridrishto deergha sukshmaha|

Sri Patanjali speaks about the process of Pranayama here. He says, pranayama is the process of observing the breath as it travels in from out and out from within and stays still and moves too as it is directed to a particular place in the body for a regulated period of time (counts). It is also long, deep and subtle. Practice of Pranayama increases the prana. This Prana in turn energises the mind and increases awareness. In a heightened state of awareness, the mind becomes subtle and the intellect sharp, emotions stable and the body health.

- Text and Pix: Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 49

2010-12-15T22:08:00.004+05:30

When the breath in meets the breath out

Tasmin Sati Shwasa Prashwasayoho Gativicchedaha Pranayamaha|

Once established in the right yogic posture of asana, the focus can now be shifted to the Prana or life force. The Sutras begin with Yama and Niyama which purify and move on to steadying the physical body with asana and a focus on the inhalation and exhalation of the breath.

Breath is like a container for Prana which is subtle life energy. By regulating the inhalation and exhalation, Prana is regulated.

This Sutra speaks of stopping the flow of Prana or rather making it so quiet and steady that there is no inhalation and exhalation. There is a state of fullness and stillness of the breath. This reflects in a stillness in the state of mind too.

(Participants at a yoga event in Chennai's Jiva Park, organised by the Bharatiya Yog Sansthan on Gandhi Jayanthi. - Pix. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 48

2010-11-09T22:41:00.004+05:30

Transcending the primordial disease

Tato Dwandwa Anabhigataha|

Perfection and practice of Asana turns the mind inward to the presence of one truth. When the mind is turned outward, there is duality or dwandwa - day-night, heat-cold, high-low, rich-poor, happy and sad. But when the mind is turned inward - there is only the seer of every action, word and thought. This seer is the same in everyone. Practice of a steady and comfortable posture helps you to transcend duality. Duality is the Adi Vyadhi or the primordial disease of the sense of separatedness from the rest of the Universe. - Swahilya Shambhavi (Pic. Teachers at Vasantham Home for Special Children doing the Surya Namaskar.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 47

2010-10-11T21:34:00.005+05:30

No gain without pain

Prayathna Shaithilya Ananta Samapattibhyam|

Once seated in a steady and comfortable posture, there should be a loosening of all effort. In this state of a yoga asana of the body, breath and mind, the mind enters into an infinite state of unity with the cosmic consciousness. (Pix. and Text by Swahilya Shambhavi. Workers breaking stones to lay a proper pathway for pilgrims enroute Tungnath, the mountain in the Himalayas which has a Shiva temple at the highest elevation in India.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 46

2010-10-04T23:37:00.004+05:30

Steady and comfortable

Sthira Sukham Aasanam|

Asana is seat. It means posture. It is from the root word As - means to Be. It is from this word that Asti or Is in Sanskrit is derived. Asana is the posture that helps to keep the body, breath, mind and intellect in a state of being. This state is naturally calm, tranquil and quiet. Today we have people recommending Asanas for this disease or that. Ultimately, all that the Asana or meditative posture does is to keep the body and mind still and steady in a meditative state. In that state, all healing happens. The Yoga Sutra states the only meaning for Asana here as a posture of way of keeping yourself steady yet comfortable all the time. (Pix: Teachers at the Vasantham Home for Special Children being in Prashanthasana or Shavasana, befor the beginning of the other asana practices. Text and Pix by Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 44

2010-09-20T21:24:00.004+05:30

Surrender to the supreme

Samadhi Siddhihi Ishwara Pranidhanaath|

When you surrender or offer yourself totally to God, you attain a state of samadhi, or the merger of your mind and intellect, with the cosmic awareness and the supreme self. Just as a handful of water taken out of the river looks apparently different, is offered back to the river and it merges, the mind is only an apparent individual wave in the ocean. In the state of samadhi, the wave forgets it is a wave and revels in its oceanic self.

- Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: II: 44

2010-09-07T13:10:00.003+05:30

Study your self

Swadhyayadishtadevatasamprayogaha|

By Swadhyaya - contemplating on the essence of your being, you achieve union with the deity you worship. Swadhyaya means many things, but everything leads to the same essence. It means study of the self. The Upanishads are books that speak of the self. Studying the Upanishads is Swadhyaya. Meditation in silence is also Swadhyaya as in meditation you get to know who you are. Studying your thoughts, your emotions, your physical body and all its components - so deeply that from whichever way you go, you arrive at yourself, which is the self in all. You come to that space in you where you, me and it vanishes. - Swahilya Shambhavi
(Pic: Swahilya Shambhavi - Gangaji at Rudraprayag.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: II: 48

2010-08-26T19:39:00.003+05:30

Austerity purifies

Kaya Indriya Siddhihi Ashuddhikshayath Tapasaha|

Tapas means austere practices. It emerges from the root word Thap, meaning to burn. Any austerity practiced or endured through the body, breath, speech and mind is Tapas. It is the yoga of plain acceptance. As Manikkavasagar, a Tamil saint says in Tiruvasagam - Uninai Urukki Ulloli Perukki Ulappila Aananda Aaya - when the body is melted through that heat of tapasya, the light within shines more and more. This heat of cheerful endurance makes the body and sense organs adept and skillful and destroys impurities. Many forms of tapasya include yoga asanas, pranayama, concentration on a point, symbol, mantra or person of noble qualities or a god, even enduring harsh words and pain is a form of tapasya. The secret of this yoga of tapas is - accept and grow. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic. Swahilya Shambhavi. Students of the Vasantham Home for Special Children doing Surya Namaskar.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 42

2010-08-11T19:45:00.003+05:30

Unparalleled joy

Santoshathuttama Sukhalabhaha|

Santosha means contentment or happiness within. What one is and has in the present moment, with the practice of Santosha, one attains to unparalleled gain of happiness and comfort says Sri Patanjali. When there is Santosha, the mind is not hankering for this or that. It is totally content with what you have - the clothes, the food, the house, the footwear, the vehicles or the knowledge. When the mind is at rest with Santosha, it is totally present to the Presence, which is the source of all joy, happiness and comfort. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Picture: Happy faces in Kali Shila, Uttarakhand, Himalayas. Pic. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra : II - 40

2010-08-03T21:25:00.004+05:30

Cleanliness reveals God
----------------------------

Shauchath Svangajugupsaparaih Asamsargaha|
Satvashuddhir Saumanasya Ekagrya Indriyajaya Atmadarshan Yogyatvani Cha|

Shaucha is cleanliness. Why is it next to Godliness? Cleanliness leaves no distortion. Truth shines through without getting lost in unnecessary distractions. Truth is like the light in a bulb. A glass bulb that is sparkling clean and does not have dust covering it, offers its light totally. If there is dust anywhere, it not just hides the light, but also distorts its path of flow.
Cleanliness is not about cleaning things up - your home, office draw or the mind. Do it if you must, though! Shaucha is about identifying yourself with that permanently clean part of your being called consciousness - when you realise that you are that consciousness which is unchanging, your identification with the constantly changing and modifying stuff of your body, mind and intellect ceases. You even begin to dissociate with this body of yours and other bodies around you.
Moreover, material and spiritual cleanliness that happens through the practice of the 10 yamas and niyamas result in the purification of the mind, making it calm. It makes the mind one-pointed in its pursuit of truth. It aids in the mastery of the senses. Once you identify yourself with the awareness that witnesses the play of the sense organs, you are no longer carried away by the game of the senses. You are a settled witness. That shaucha helps you to have a glimpse of yourself. With no impurity or mental modification to distort your vision, you see yourself as the essentially pure truth. The practice of shaucha makes your body, mind and intellect a fit instrument for allowing the expression of truth. (Bare mountains near Kailash in Tibet. A clean place is not just a feast for the breath, but of the soul too. Pic. Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra II: 39

2010-07-19T21:52:00.004+05:30

Relax your hold....

Aparigrahasthairye Janma Kathamtha Sambodhaha|

When one stands firmly rooted in the Yama of Aparigraha or not holding on to anything material or non-material - this includes objects, people, emotions, thoughts and ideas - then the process of life is revealed. This process is the knowledge of how we came into the world in the first place and how many times we have been coming and going. This leads to the effort in the direction of putting an end to this coming and going by simply being in the presence of the one awareness. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (The art of letting go...perfected by babies! : In Pic. Baby Akshara by Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 38

2010-07-05T22:16:00.005+05:30

Rooted in Brahman

Brahmacharya Prathishtayam Veeryalabhaha|

For the one who is rooted in Brahmacharya - he/she gains a lot of vital energy force. The common understanding of Brahmacharya is sexual abstinence. The word, when split gives the clear meaning Brahma - the divine self and charya - to walk the path. Clearly it means, through the roads of the five sense organs, one has to train the mind on the path of god.
When actions are done in this frame of mind - i.e. while seeing it is the divine you see, while hearing, smelling, touching, tasting and thinking you are aware of the divine essence that runs through everything and thought in the world, then you are rooted in Brahmacharya.
For such people who see the one divine in everything, there is an immense gain in prana shakti which is not dissipated in a wrong and illusory understanding of duality. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic: Trekker walking up to the Kali Para near the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Neyyar Dam, Kerala. - Swasham.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 37

2010-06-28T21:30:00.003+05:30

The source of all wealth

Asteya Pratishtayam Sarva Rathnopasthanam|

For the one who practices non-stealing of what does not belong to one - all the jewels and riches of the world will come a seeking. The logic is simple. Wealth and riches are Maya Shakti. The more you chase her, the more she slips out of hand. But for the one who cares not about riches and wealth, it comes seeking them. The answer is in simply being with one's own self. Everything one needs to live in the world comes and falls in place. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II: 36

2010-06-23T13:51:00.005+05:30

When they say it should rain, it rains!

Satya Pratishtayam Kriyaphala Aashrayathwam|

Speaking the truth means, the speech happens with integrity of body, mind, intellect, words and being totally in the present moment. When one practices speaking with such integrity, then the person gets deeply rooted in Satya or consciousness, the essence of being. Whatever that person says will happen. The results of actions are in accordance with the will of such people who are rooted in the truth of being.
This is a Siddhi or an accomplishment of practising the Yama of Satya or integrity of communication. Sri Rama was a Satya Vakya or one who always spoke the truth. It is for this reason that all the kings of the Raghuvamsha never spoke much, because they practised this vrata or austerity of speaking only the truth. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 35

2010-06-14T15:09:00.004+05:30

Where tigers and deer play together

Ahimsa Pratishthyavam Tatsannidhau Vairathyagaha|

In the presence of one firmly rooted in the quality of Ahimsa, all enemities cease. You might have heard stories of how animals with naturally inimical qualities like a tiger and deer, peacock and snake sport and co-exist harmoniously in the ashram of a rishi. In a being where Ahimsa is expressed, the vibrations of the Anahata Chakra or the heart centre is very subtle and it enters and influences the hearts of all around. All enmity and anger is dissolved in the presence of such a person. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Caption: Words of The Buddha inscribed on a plaque at Sarnath where he gave his first sermon after enlightenment. Pic. by Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II: 34

2010-06-07T21:46:00.003+05:30

Beware of the consequences!

Vitarka Himsadayah Kritakritanumodita Lobha Krodha Moha murvaka Mridumadhyadhimatra duhkhagnanantaphala iti pratipaksha bhavanam||

At times thoughts like, "I hate that person and I wish he were....," etc or other thoughts such as speaking untruth, stealing, not seeing the divine in all, a desire to possess undue material wealth, uncleanliness, discontentment, laziness to know the true self and god can occur. These thoughts may be preceded by greed, anger and delusion. One might even mildly, moderately or very intensely think about acting on those thoughts, instigate others to act or silently support others in such actions.
Here the whistle-blower Patanjali Mharishi warns us. Even if slightly, moderately or intensely, such thoughts happen in the mind, think deeply for a moment that the result of such thoughts are endless sorrow and ignorance. When one is aware of this, then they automatically refrain from thinking such thoughts. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II : 33

2010-06-01T18:44:00.003+05:30

Try doing the opposite thing

Vitarka Badhane Pratipaksha Bhavanam

When you are facing trouble in the path of practising the 10 yamas and niyamas, due to the strength of latent tendencies, try taking the opposite stance. When confronted by the thought of hurting - himsa, wilfully practise non-hurting - Ahimsa. When you catch yourself in unclean surroundings at home, city or country - ashaucha, instead of complaining about the state of affairs and energising the situation consciously, take the opposite stand and focus on how the place would be if it were clean and beautiful. Do your bit to make that vision happen.
There is a Hawaaiin meditation technique called Hooponoopono. It says that all the disharmony you see is actually within you. Hence to fix any problem, the technique says, keep your hands in front of your heart, open in blessing posture and visualise the person or situation where there is disharmony and repeat - "Im sorry, I love you, I thank you." This is a magic healing method especially for getting free of bad relationships. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra II - 32

2010-05-10T21:22:00.004+05:30

Five attitudes to Yoga
------------------------

Shaucha Santosha Tapas Swadhyaya Ishwara Pranidhanani Niyamaha||

Yama and Niyamas are the foundation of Yoga. Even after taking strides in the other steps of Pranayama, Asana, Dharana or Dhyana, it is important to continue the observation of Yamas or the five personal disciplines and the Niyamas or five attitudes of the mind.
The five Niyamas are Shaucha - Cleanliness of the mind and body, Santosha - Contentment, Tapas - Austerity, Swadhyaya - studying about the self which can specifically refer to the scriptures and the Upanishads. It also means to study directly about the self within - the nature of the thoughts and the essence behind the thoughts. The last Niyama is Ishwara Pranidhana or surrendering to the supreme consciousness that is the essential stuff of this expanding universe. Practice of any or all of these Niyamas constitutes Yoga by itself. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Picture: Pilgrims climbing the rocky Chaturagiri near Vaithirappu off Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Undertaking such arduous treks is a form of austerity or Tapasya of the body and mind.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 32

2010-05-03T22:47:00.001+05:30

Universal Vows

Jati Desha Kala Samaya Anavacchinna Saarva Bhauma Mahavratam||
The five Yamas of Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigrahaha - enumerated in the earlier Sutra is a universal penance. It is non-negotiable and has to be followed without any compromise whatsoever, irrespective of the community, country, period, circumstance and situation we find ourselves in. How do these affect the Yamas? Well, if you are born into or are living with a family of hunters, then practice of non-injury becomes difficult. Yet, that is not an excuse.
If the whole society refuses to speak the truth, there is no excuse for the yogi who must practice Satya. If everyone is stealing audios and video CDs, then that does not exonerate the yogi from doing it.
These practices are difficult and are hence called Mahavratam or a great austerity. This is the beginning step of Yoga and these practices purify the mind. At any point of spiritual growth, there is no excuse from swerving from the Yamas.
It is a common happening in society to see someone rise to fame as a master in spirituality, wielding tremendous power in the minds of people. But, however high up on the pedestal they may be, one small action of theirs, walking away from the path of the Yamas is enough to send them hurtling down to the abyss of ignominy and ill repute. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 30

2010-03-31T22:52:00.003+05:30

Five attitudes towards the world

Ahimsa Satya Asteya Brahmacharya Aparigrahaha Yamaha|

The five attitudes towards the external world are Ahimsa - non-injury to people, other creatures and material objects - by thought, word and deed and an active practice of compassion, Satya or speaking the truth as it is, in a way that it does not hurt or harm others as it should be in tune with Ahimsa, Asteya - not stealing or taking something that does not belong to you, integrity in using only that which belongs to you, Brahmacharya - treading the path of the Brahman or consciousness in all thoughts, words and action and Aparigrahaha - not acquiring excessive material possessions, more than what you may need.
These five qualities help to purify the mind and make it a fit vehicle to grasp the truth of consciousness. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2: 29

2010-03-22T21:41:00.003+05:30

Eight steps to liberation

Yama Niyama Asana Pranayama Pratyahara Dharana Dhyana Samadhayoshtavangani||

The eight limbs or parts of yoga are yama or self-restraints, niyamas or following certain regulations, asana or a steady posture, pranayama or regulation of the flow of prana by regulating the breathing pattern, Pratyahara or withdrawing the sense organs of smell, touch, taste, hearing, vision and the mind from going outwardly into objects of the world and turning within towards the supreme consciousness, dharana or the one-pointed concentration as an uplifting symbol, person or thought, dhyana or meditation. The eighth part, Samadhi is a natural outcome or the terrace space of emptiness after you climb the other seven steps. Of these eight parts, practice of the first five constitute Bahiranga Sadhana or outward practice while the last three amount to internal practice or Antaranga Sadhana. This can happen well within the mind unknown to other onlookers.
- Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic. by Swahilya Shambhavi taken of a step farming in Ukhimath, Himalayas.)

Practice

2010-02-01T23:25:00.004+05:30

Practice maketh a man perfect

Yoganganushtanath Ashuddhikshaye Gnana Dipthihi Avivekakhyateh
There is a lot of talk these days on the benefits of yoga. Yoga can make you fit, healthy, trim, smart, give you concentration, peace of mind, help attain Siddhis - so many many more are just the side effects of yoga.
In this Sutra, Sri Patanjali gives as one aphorism, the supreme benefit of the practice of many parts of yoga. By practising the different parts of yoga, the impurities of the mind, speech and body are destroyed. Impurity here has nothing to do with pollution, contamination or any virus as we commonly understand. Any thought, word or action that can disturb the equillibrium of your mind and take it away from being anchored in the essence of your being, truth or consciousness is an impurity. Yoga removes such disturbances. Due to that, the mind becomes still. It stops deflecting awareness in a million thoughts as it is wont to always. Because of this state of stillness, the light of awareness shines through the mind in its fullest glory. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: 2 - 27

2010-01-25T23:54:00.003+05:30

The seven steps

Tasya Saptadha Prantha Bhumihi Pragnya

Once in touch with awareness, the individual transcends seven steps to reach total awareness. The seven steps are described by many different masters in many ways. It could also be through the seven layers of consciousness, chakras or vortices of energy - the muladhara or earth, swadhishtana - water and vital energy, manipura - fire and mind, anahata - air and intellect, vishuddhi - space and bliss, agnya - sound and cosmic vibrations and sahasrara - the empty vast and cosmic awareness.
The more and more purity happens, through Tapas - austerity, swadhyaya - studying your own self and Ishwara Pranidhana - surrendering to the divine, the light of awareness present in all our states of existence begins to shine through. As it shines through each frontier of our being, that aspect of our life becomes known to us.
Awareness is like a torch. In darkness, all we need to reveal the different objects is to direct the torch at it and it becomes known. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2-26

2010-01-12T21:08:00.005+05:30

The light is you

Vivekakhyatihi Aviplava Hanopayaha|

The means of removing that Avidya or attachments to the people, things and happenings in life that are transient and come and go - is by identifying oneself with the ever- present awareness that helps you to discriminate between what is temporary and what is permanent. Awareness is like a floodlight on a football field. The light illuminates the field. Players come. Some win, some lose,some retire hurt, some abuse, audience cheer or swear. The light does not take part in all this. It just throws itself on what's happening. When the match is over, the ground becomes empty again and the light continues to reveal the empty ground. Similarly our awareness is theinner light that helps us to be aware of what we see, hear, taste, touch, smell and think during our waking hours, watch our dreams during the dream state and realise the next morning that we slept well in the deep sleep state. Identifying always with this awareness is the only way to come out of the ignorance of clinging on to the transcient things and fretting or getting excited about it. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Pic. Lamps lit by members of the Gayatri Parivar, chanting the Gayatri Mantra. - SS)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: II - 25

2009-11-30T23:24:00.004+05:30

The cause disappears together with the effect!

Tad Abhavat Samyoga Abhavo Hanam Tad Drisheh Kaivalyam

When the veil of ignorance that separates the one who sees, the Purusha, from all that is perceived by the five senses - prakriti, drops with the constant practice of yoga - then the duality of this world also leaves. When the sun of awareness shines brightly, the darkness of ignorance or avidya that creates a non-existent division between the subject and object vanishes by evaporation. When there is no duality - there is nothing to separate the purusha from the prakriti - the light alone remains. This sense of separation which is the adi vyadhi or the primordial disease is dissolved - that state of mind is called Kaivalya or a liberated being. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2: 24

2009-10-19T22:25:00.000+05:30

The root cause for ignorance

Tasya Hetuh Avidya

The last sutra said that the experiences we have in the field of prakriti or nature is to get us to experience purusha or consciousness. This sutra tells us that the union of the individual human mind with the different happenings, situations and people in nature is the root cause for avidya or ignorance of the truth within. The sanga or the association of the mind has to be with the truth within and not the apparent scenes, situations and people in the world outside. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: 2 - 22

2009-10-12T20:11:00.004+05:30

The purpose of relationship

Swa Swami Saktyoho Swaroopa Upalabdhi Hetuhu Samyogaha|

The union of the Master - consciousness and its own nature or Prakriti is for this achievement of self-realisation of the true form, which is consciousness. All the events and incidents that happen on earth and all the experiences we go through serve the only purpose of helping us to realise our true self which is the one undivided consciousness and for no other reason whatsoever. - Swahilya Shambhavi

(Pic. Floating a diya into the Ganga at Rishikesh. Relating to nature in one way or the other takes us to realise our true self.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: 2 - 22

2009-10-05T21:39:00.006+05:30

Nature drops you to attend to others

कृतार्थं प्रतिनष्टम् अपि नष्टं तदन्य साधारणत्वात्|

Kritartham Prati Nashtam Api Anashtam Tadanya Sadharanatwat|

(On request from a few blog visitors, I have tried my hand with google transliteration! Please excuse me for some errors such as anashtam and sadharan where I am not getting the teevra Na! I promise to get better!)

The nature outside is a beautiful means through which you get to know your true self which is consciousness. But after this self realisation happens, nature no more bothers you. It continues its work however on others who require its agency for their own self transformation.

An athelete runs with and climbs atop the pole vault, cross the bar and gracefully drops the pole and jumps to the other side. The pole is of no use to him when he has crossed and has to be necessarily dropped.

Nevertheless, the pole - nature - continues to serve otyhers who want to cross the bar to fall into the ocean of self realisation. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Pic: Like this cable car in an amusement park, nature takes you on a roller-coaster trip in this world. There is all the thrill or fear until the lessons are mastered and you realise consciousness. Even after you get dropped, the cable car continues shuttling other passengers in the game!)

(swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: 2 - 21

2009-08-24T23:27:00.002+05:30

Matter only for spirit

Tadartha Eva Drishyasyatma
The prakriti or nature exists only for the sake of this purusha or consciousness. Consciousness is the only essence that pervades everything. This is still silent, colourless, odourless and the witness for all that happens. From this substance called consciousness emerges dynamic movement, light and sound called energy. Energy in turn manifests as matter and the five elements. All the five elements are enlivened by consciousness. Consciousness is the basis for their existence. They exist only for the sake of this Purusha and for nothing and nobody else.
- Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra : 2: 20

2009-07-20T23:23:00.003+05:30

The seer behind the seeing

Drashtaha Drushimatrah Shuddhopi Pratyayaanupashya

The one who sees, hears, tastes, smells and experiences the sense of touch is the seer and not the body. That seer is pure and does not go through any modifications. It has only the power to see. But the seeing happens not alone, but through the mind and the intellect. The seer is the Purusha who is like the light in a bulb. The lesser the dust and dirt on the bulb, the better the light shines. The dust and dirt are our thoughts that modify the passage of consciousness by its mere presence. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2:19

2009-07-13T22:28:00.002+05:30

From gross to subtle

Vishesha avishesha linga matra lingam Gunaparvani

The gross world of names and forms have these four qualities - some objects can be defined as they can be perceived by the five sense organs - something like a mountain for instance.
Some cannot be defined like empty space and the particles of light emitted by people - called the aura. Some can be identified by symbolocial understanding like the world can be understood by a map.
But some have no symbols. whatsoever as these are the manifestations of different qualities.
-Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2: 18

2009-06-22T23:01:00.004+05:30

Nature for experience or liberation

Prakashakriyasthithi sheelam Bhootendriyatmakam Bhogapavargartham Drishyam

Nature manifests itself in three ways - a brilliant and tranquil vibration which takes the form of purity and intelligence called Satwa, a forceful and dynamic movement called Rajas or action and an inert state of stillness called Tamas or inertia.

What are the constitutes of nature that have these three qualities in various permutations and combinations? First there are the five elements of earth, water, fire, aire and space. Then there are the sense organs of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing and five sense organs of action - hands, legs, speech, excretory and reproductive organs. The first five organs of perception help in receiving information and the next five organs of action express outwardly into the world. This is the way nature is organised. There is also the mind which has four faculties called the Manas - feeling, Buddhi - intellect, Chitta - memory and Ahamkara or the sense of 'I' and 'Mine.

All these put together are outside of the self and they help in cognition of names, forms and sounds, during the conscious state of waking and sub-conscious state of dreaming.

All this perception and understanding serves two purposes. The first is to experience and derive pleasure out of it and the second is to contemplate inward and get liberated from the limiting objects of perception in nature. - Swahilya Shambhavi (Picture: Icy mountains near the lake Manasarovar in Tibet). (Swahilya Shambhavi).

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: II - 17

2009-05-12T23:57:00.003+05:30

The confusion of what sees with the seen

Drashtadrishyayoho Samyogaha Heya Hetuhu
There is one main cause for suffering which can be avoided. That is the union of the one who sees, with what is seen, heard, tasted, touched, smelt or thought about. You watch a movie. There is an emotional scene. You are so engrossed in the scene that you identify yourself with one of the characters almost like you, and begin to cry. The sorrow happens because of the total identification of the seer - the witnessing consciousness to what is seen/ What is seen is constantly changing and moving. There is joy, sorrow, hatred, anger and all sorts of emotional and physical disturbances out there. When the witness identifies itself with, or holds on to any one of these changes - then there is sorrow. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II: 16

2009-04-27T21:23:00.003+05:30

Avoiding future sorrow

Heyam Duhkham Anagatam

We live in time and perform actions. The actions lead to results which lead to further actions.The chain link continues since the birth of man. This chain link of action is Karma. There are three types of Karma - Sanchita Karma, Prarabdha Karma and Agami Karma. Sanchita Karma is our actions, experiences of sorrow and joy in the past - in this life time and the births before. Prarabdha Karma is the life inclusive of its pains and pleasures that we experience now. The way we experience the two - reacting to sorrowful experiences and overindulging in the pleasures, sets the pace for the future lifestyle called the Agami Karma.
While the past is over and cannot be changed, the present has to be tasted as it happens. If I have a headache now, due to my wrong eating habits and emotional patterns of thought, I have to experience that fully, even if it is by taking a paracetemol.
This sutra says that practice of Yoga - Tapas (austerity) Swadhyaya (study of self) and Ishwara Pranidhana (surrender to the supreme force) helps to avoid the sorrow that can happen in the future. It helps to avoid the head aches that I am likely to have in the future. It also means that the sufficient mental training to approach the pleasurable situations of the future with a state of balance is also given by Yoga. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II: 15

2009-04-21T21:43:00.005+05:30

Everything is filled with sorrow

Parinama Taapa Samskara Duhkhe Guna Vritti
Virodhaccha Dukhameva Sarva Vivekinaha
Pain comes to us in three ways. The first is by change. We settle down in a seemingly good relationship. A marriage happens. Suddenly after marriage, all those expressions of love are gone/ The words that the man speaks to the woman turns spiteful. The hands that caressed suddenly doesn't hesitate to slap, beat or even maul. How come? The woman may wonder. Yesterday it was so dreamlike and rosy. Today it is so ugly. That is the pain of change.
The second pain comes from sorrow inflicted upon us. There is sorrow when we don't get the toy or dress we want as a child. As a youth, we want to marry this girl or boy. It does not happen. Sorrow again. At work, we aim for a promotion but it never is there in the boss's mind. Sorrow. Neighbour buys something we can;t afford. Sorrow. The cause for pain and sorrow is endless.
The third is due to the impressions in our subtle mind. We go through some experience that gives us happiness. It creates a deep impact in our psyche. We crave for it. It may not repeat itself. There is sorrow.
Our mind too which is a constant play of three qualities of tranquility. dynamism and inertia is giving us something is givine us something when we want something else. I want to stay fit, trim and slim. The mind wants to indulge and relax. There is a conflict of interest which leadsa to sorrow. This way, the wise one understands that there is sorrow in both pleasure and pain. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II: 14

2009-04-15T16:17:00.001+05:30

Thoughts become your biology and life

Te hlada Paritapa Phalah Punya Apunya Hetutvat

The thoughts that spring from the un-conscious and sub-conscious mind leads to actions performed by us. According to the quality of thoughts, the actions can be good or bad and this in turn brings us either joy or sorrow. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 12/13

2009-04-06T22:49:00.003+05:30

An ocean of Karmic seeds

Klesha moolaha Karmaashayaha Drishta Adrishta Janma Vedaneeyaha
Sati Moole Tadvipaka Jati Ayuhu Bhogaha

The five impurities of ignorance, 'I' ness, attachment, hatred and clinging on to life has its roots firmly planted in a storehouse of karma or action. All our thoughts, words and actions leave deep impressions in this Karmic storehouse. So the subsequent thoughts and the flow of energies in our lives is like an eddy swirling around these impressions.
These movements of thought currents yield results that are experienced in the present moment and that will happen in the future. This decides the sort of experiences we will have in this birth and lifetime.
The pedigree, caste, class, birth, lifespan and the pleasures we experience or will experience in the future are all decided by this blueprint of Karma that we carry long with us from birth to death. Though the blueprint decides what we experience now, our attitudes and actions determine whether we continue to suffer or enjoy. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 11

2009-03-23T21:47:00.003+05:30

Meditation is the solution

Dhyana Heyaha Tadvrittayaha
The mind moves in waves called vrittis or the chitta vrittis/ These waves can be quietened by constant practice of meditation. You might find yourself at the cross roads of life sometime and too many paths beckon at the same time. during such moments, dropping all the search and chasing of ideas, quiet moments of being in meditation can quieten the mind.
- Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - II - 20

2009-03-03T20:53:00.001+05:30

Check them with involution

Te Prati prasava heyaaha Sukshmaha
The five kleshas or impurities that cloud consciousness - Avidya, Asmita, Raga Dwesha, Abhinivesha - are present in a subtle state in the human mind. These five qualities can be subdued by the process of involution. This happens when the mind that usually spends its energies outside in the field of sense attachments to the world, closes in on itself and begins to look within the source of these five impurities which is consciousness.
- Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: II - 9

2009-02-17T21:46:00.003+05:30

Afraid to let go

Swarasavahi Vidushaha Api Tatha Aarudhaha Abhiniveshaha
First there is a false imagination that we have something - life to begin with, loved ones, property, name, fame, material possessions, beauty, good looks, knowledge....They are all travelling in us by their own force and essence. Particularly what we consider as our life, has a habit of preserving itself. Even the learned and the wise who have imbibed the non-duality of existence are not exempt from this fear. This fear of loss of life, loved ones, property and material possessions, name or fame, all born out of the primary delusion of Dwaita - two-ness - or a separate existence is unwarranted. It is a Klesha or an impurity which is a hindrance in the path of self-realisation. Practice of Kriya Yoga - Tapas, Swadhyaya and Ishwara Pranidhana (first Sutra of the second chapter) helps remove this impurity of the struggle to preserve and protect what doesn't belong to you in the first place. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: II - 7 & 8

2009-02-11T22:46:00.003+05:30

Attachment and Hatred

Sukkhanushayi Ragaha

Duhkhanushayi Dweshaha

Out of the five kleshas or impurities that cloud our consciousness, are raga and dwesha. Where attention goes, energy flows. When a particular object person or situation gives us pleasure, our energy travels along with the mind that gets attached to it This is Raga. It comes with Avidya or ignorance that we are separate from the other. Since we think we are separate when we go through a happy time, say while eating a chocolate, we fail to realise that the chocolate has not given us any new happiness, but just triggered the happiness within. With this wrong understanding, we get attached to the chocolate and have more and more of it. This leads us to decay and that is Raga or attachment. It follows our attachment to all that gives us happiness and pleasure.
Opposite of Raga is Dwesha. The more we love someting, the more we hate something. While pleasure is the basis of getting attached, we shudder or run away from that which is unpleasant, bitter or has given us an experience of sadness. When we are averse to or hate something, the balance of energy and mind is tipped outside and we lose our centred state of being within us, which is the true reason for our happiness. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: II - 6

2009-02-02T22:29:00.004+05:30

The seer is not the seen

Drigdarshanashaktyorekatmateve Asmita
In this Sadhana Padaha, the chapter of practice, we first saw that Kriya Yoga removes impurities. The first impurity was Avidya or ignorance of the real self, which is consciousness and not the tools of expression of consciousness, namely the body, mind and intellect. Consciousness may be likened to the ink, while the body, mind and intellect are like the outer cover, tip and inner tube that holds the ink in a ball point pen.
Now, in this Sutra, Patanjali says - out of ignorance or Avidya about our true self - i.e. consciousness, imagining the seen objects, people and situations, our own body, mind, intellect and Prana Shakti and thinking all that is either 'I' or myself or mine is Asmita or Ego. It is alright to have an ego. It is alright to have a pen. But the problem comes when we think that we are the body, mind and intellect. It is as wrong as to think that the letters are written by the pen, forgetting that it is the ink that flows through the pen.
This Sutra says that, of the two, the seer and the seen, the mind, instead of realising the presence of the seer, that sees through it, thinks of it as the sen. Wne I look out of the window, it is I who see what is outside and not the window. Same way, I look through the eyes, I perceive through the mind and I am different from the eyes and other parts of the body, the mind and all its thoughts and that intellect which is the officer who segregates the different thought files and takes action on each file.
Practice of Yoga can help remove this impurity of wrong understanding of the body, mind and intellect to be one self. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2: 4 & 5

2009-01-26T22:29:00.003+05:30

The fertile field for impurities

Avidya Kshetramuttaresham Prasupta Tanu Vicchinna Udaranam

Anithya Ashuchi Dukha Anatmasu Nithya Shuchi Sukha Athma Khyatihi Avidya

After outlining the five impurities, in these two Sutras, Patanjali says that Avidya or ignorance is the root cause for all the other four impurities.

In the fertile soil of Avidya, a conducive atmosphere is presented for the sprouting of the sapling of Asmita or the "I, Me, Myself," ego, the attachment of people, places, things and situations born out of that ego, hatred to all that doesn't act in conformity with this ego and finally an effort to preserve this false and non-existent ego are the impurities in consciousness born out of Avidya. These impurities are almost non-existent, dormant, lean, thin and weak. They express sometimes in fits and starts or are fully active. The fully active cases of these Kleshsas is what we see manifested in today's world of terrorism, killing, violence and gore.

The next sutra explains what Avidya is. Confusing or mistaking the impermanent, impure (mixed qualities), the sorrowful and material for the permanent, pure, pleasurable soul is Avidya. To quote an example - the human body and mind is impermanent - it is born and goes through phases of transformation and dies. It is impure in the sense, it is not one homogenous composition, but a mixture of matter and thoughts of innumerable frequencies ofr vibration. They are afflicted by sorrow. It is non-spirit by its sheer gross eistence. Taking this body and mind to be the permanent, pure, blissful soul is Avidya. Though the hand writes, we say, "I am writing," confusing the soul "I" here with the body. Knowledge or Vidya is a 24/7 understanding that we are the one indivisible soul and this body and mind are tools for its expression. - Swahilya Shambhavi (Pic. A garden of a Babaji's Kutir in Ukhimath, Himalayas. There is possibility for plants and weeds in the garden soil.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2:3

2009-01-19T21:48:00.003+05:30

The five impurities

Avidya Asmita Raga Dwesha Abhiniveshaha Kleshaha

Sutra 2 spoke of the need to do any three parts of Kriya Yoga or the Yoga of Action - Penance, Self-Study and Surrender to the Supreme for achieving a state of Samadhi and to remove impurities. This Sutra outlines the impurities. Patanjali lists five types of impurities of the mind. The first is Avidya or lack of knowledge and right understanding of the one consciousness. The second impurity is Asmita. Asmi means "I am". Asmita is an assertion of myself as the physical ego. Asmita is born of Avidya. Lack of knowledge of the real self which is consciousness leads to an erroneous and arrogant perception of oneself as intelligent, or stupid, rich or poor, handsome or ugly - all the differences. Raga is attachment born out of ego. If I like myself so much, I like to surround myself with people, things and situations that I like. My mind goes berserk in this search and loses its stability. This loss of balance is the impurity or klesha that can be fixed by Kriya Yoga. Dwesha is selective dislike and hatred. If there is a type of food I like, there is a certain thing I may hate. Same with persons, places, things and happenings. This hatred is a mental impurity.

Abhinivesha is the human nature of holding on to life. This is an impurity and impurity here is not the common understanding of uncleanliness but of something that distorts our perception or vision. When I cling on to life, I may do a lot of things that can disturb the balance of mind. Clinging to life means running away from death. Fear, born as a result of Abhinivesha is the greatest destroyer of clear perception. A clear and stable mind allows awareness to shine through. These five impurities don't let that happen. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Photo: Patanjali gives even my shaky pictures a chance to be here! This is Pranayama at the Robinson Park in Old Washermenpet, Chennai. The picture is here on account of its shake. To show how a balance of mind and body can result in a distorted perception!)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2:2

2009-01-12T19:55:00.004+05:30

The result of Yoga

Samadhi Bhavanarthaha Klesha Tanookaranarthascha

The practice of Tapas - austerities, Swadhyaya - studying one's own mind and the different aspects of one's self - the physical, bio-plasmic, mental, intellectual and bliss bodies and Ishwara Pranidhana - offering all our actions and the fruits of the action to God or the one supreme being, the three parts of Kriya Yoga is to first give us the experience of the Samadhi state of mind and to also lessen the potency of the various impurities in the mind and body. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic. An evening on the Ganga. The Sandhya time when the sun sets is when nature is in a state of Samadhi. - Swahilya Shambhavi.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2:1

2009-01-05T22:54:00.003+05:30

Sadhana Padaha

Here begins the second chapter of the Patanjali Yoga Sutra called the Sadhana Padaha. It outlines the different steps to the most famous Ashtanga Yoga. All the different Yogic practices that are being taught in the Yoga studies around the world have their beginnings in this chapter that gives us the eight steps to reach the state of Yogic union of the individual and cosmic consciousness.
Tapah Swadhyaya Ishwara Pranidhanani Kriya Yogaha
Kriya Yoga - the yoga of action has three steps or rather parts to it. The first is Tapas. Tapa is to burn. Just like how one burns calories which is converted and released as energy on the treadmill, con stant and conscious exposure of the mind to the light of consciousness generates a psychic heat that actually burns away the impressions or seeds in the mind that germinate as distorted thoughts. Taas has many variations - silence is Tapas, fasting is Tapas, physical, mental and breath workout is Taas.
The next is Swadhyaya. Swa - One's own, Adhyaya - study. To practice Swadhyaya is to study what is happening to us at five levels - body, breath, mind, intellect and bliss. These are five parts of our being. A constant attention to how these five parts are is Swadhyaya. Reading or learning aything that shows us the way to do this is also Swadhyaya.
Ishwara Pranidhana - Ishwara is Lord - consciousness. Pranidhana is to surrender. All practice bears fruit only with this complete surrender of our thoughts, words and action with love to this consciousness. Immersion into this consciousness gives us the strength. These three are the steps to the Yoga of Action. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 51

2008-12-30T11:58:00.003+05:30

The last word too drops

There is just a day left to shake hands with a New Year of the Solar Calendar. And here, with this Sutra we come to the end of Samadhi Padaha, the first of the four chapters of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. We will soon move on to the Sadhana Padaha or the practical part. Practising the methods outlined in the Sadhana Padaha, we can reach the ideal state of union of the mind with the one consciousness that has been vividly described in the Samadhi Padaha. Just before that, here is the last Sutra -

Tasyapi Nirodhe Sarva Nirodhath Nirbeejas Samadhihi

Here I would like to repeat a story in the Upanishads called Simha Swapnavat. A man is sleeping. In his sleep, he has various dreams of people, places and lots of vague thoughts cluttering. He walks in a forest, enjoys the view of sunlight filtering through the trees, dried leaves crunching beneath his feet as he walks. He is tired and sits on a rock beside a fresh spring of water and kneels down to sip a palmful of water. At that time, when he is thirsty, he hears a lion roar. He turns and begins to run, sweating and as the lion stretches its claws to catch him, our man wakes up from the dream!

So here we are, with all our confusing thoughts, stuck with the ever-changine phenomena of the world outside. There are pleasant patches when we learn a bit of Yoga, meditation and contemplation. Then the lion of contemplative flashes of truth surfaces. Even that has to go finally and what remains is an empty sky of consciousness, with no singular thought or thoughts that usurps its attention.

This Sutra says that even that one thought - of Om, a mantra, a Sutra, a text, Guru, form or anything with which the other thoughts are driven out - should ultimately go. When we reach the last step, we got to let go our hold on the ladder and walk freely into the vast consciousness which is our true self.

Wishing you all a very happy new year - Swahilya Shambhavi

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 49-50

2008-12-22T22:11:00.002+05:30

Knowing that which erases Sanskaras

(deep thought impressions)

Shrutanumana Pragnyabhyam Anya Vishaya Vishesharthathvath

Tajjas Sanskaraha Anyasanskarapratibandhi

We are almost at the end of the Samadhi Padaha as this year too comes to a close. Sutra 49 is very significant in telling us what the truth is. Sutra 50 tells us about the effect of being rooted in the truth, on our sub-conscious impressions that the memory part of our mind bears.

The first sutra clarifies that the purpose of this truth is away from all that we know through our sense perceptions of hearing, inference and material knowledge, fitting into the dimensions, time and space. What we see, hear touch, taste, smell and think about is behind all these perceptions and provides a support for the perception to exist and even throw light on them. Truth is Shiva or consciousness and the expressions are Shakti or the movements, sounds, emotions and feelings caused by energy. In this manner, everything is discounted as non-truth.

Once a person knows the way to hold on tightly to the truth, all the deep embedded impressions are gently erased. This truth has the power to even keep off new thought impressions from settling down in the mind The Atman begins to shine like a globe of light around a being, preventing the darkness of separate thoughts from even entering within.

- Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 49

2008-11-24T17:54:00.003+05:30

Something different from all we know
Shruta Anumana Pragnyabhyam Anavishaya Vishesharthathvat
This knowledge that is rooted in the truth of consciousness is distinctly different from all that we know through hearing and other sense organs or by inference. What is the true self that we are? Anything that we see is not our self. Anything that we hear is not our self. Anything that we touch is not our self. Anything that we taste is not our self. Anything that we smell is not our self. Anything that we may know about through inference, is also not our self. Inference is the word Anumana. If there is thick smoke coming somewhere from the depths of a forest, we infer that probably there may be a fire. If a child gives brilliant answers to questions in class, we may infer that he may have got the intelligence genetically from his parents. But inference is also not the truth. The ultimate knowledge that is based on truth is simply an inner experience which can never be described with words, names and forms. Swahilya Shambhavi

Pic: Forms, names and symbols take us to the truth, but they are not the ultimate truth. It is an inner experience. (Swahilya)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 47-48

2008-11-10T22:56:00.005+05:30

Intelligence shines with consciousness

Nirvichara Vaisharadye Adhyatma Prasadaha

Ritambhara Tatra Pragnya

When an individual becomes proficient in this state

of being where there are no thoughts to deflect the consciousness, he or she naturally becomes an expression of the stillness of the soul. Consciousness is like the sky, well almost. We are that consciousness. When a thought passes by like a cloud, we, who are actually the sky, forget the fact and begin riding on a limited thought or thoughts. When the time of the thought ends, we awaken to the reality that we are the sky and not the cloud.

For one who has managed to identify himself as the sky, then the consciousness distributes itself to all around, usurping the place of the human ego.

Bearing the truth fully and becoming the truth in this manner, the intellect gets firmly rooted and completely identified with this consciousness. - Swahilya Shambhavi. Pic: Deoria Tal.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 46

2008-10-27T22:41:00.004+05:30

Samadhi with embedded causes

Ta Eva Sabija Samadi

All that has been described in the Sutras earlier are different states of absorbtion which has an embedded cause like a seed which is the reason for the sprouting of a plant which grows into a tree. The seeds of various mental tendencies lie hidden in the sub-conscious mind and can sprout any time when the situation is conducive. So when such a person enters into samadhi due to various factors, can drop down to normal human experiences filed with likes and dislikes, passions and hatred. The seed are still remaining within and hence the state of Samadhi with seeds is for a temporary period. - Swahilya Shambhavi

(Trees in Tungnath. As long as there are seeds, there will be trees. As long as there are imprints embedded in the sub-conscious, thoughts will keep springing.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 45

2008-10-22T12:42:00.003+05:30

After mind, it's emptiness

Sukshma Vishayathwam Cha Alinga Paryavasanam

The mind can observe the body which is gross - made up of cells, atoms, molecules, sub-atomic particles and quarks floating in space. The mind and intellect are a form of energy that travels as a communication channel between these particles, forming thoughts, concepts and ideas. Beyond these forms of thought, nature is empty, without a name and form to describe it.

The capability of the mind to understand and comprehend anything ends with the concepts. When the

mind embraces the last element of nature called consciousness, it loses its own identity and dissolves into a vast that has no name or form or idea to express itself. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Pic. This is yet another of my many pictures of the sky above the clouds taken on an Air France flight from Chicago-Paris-Chennai. The world of thoughts here are the clouds. The last bits of contemplation are the colours of the rainbow. Beyond that is just emptiness where nature is nothing but pure consciousness.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 44

2008-10-14T23:10:00.004+05:30

Savichara Nirvichara Samadhi

Eta yaiva Savichara Nirvichara cha Sukshma Vishaya Vyakhyata

All this while, Patanjali explained about the different states of Samadhi born out of meditating on a form with a definition and a name. Now, he speaks of a state of absorption by mere contemplation on a formless idea such as love, universe, cosmos or consciousness called Savichara Samadhi and a state of Nirvichara Samadhi where the mind is absorbed in consciousness without even holding on to or contemplating about an idea or abstract concepts. In this manner, the contemplation shifts from a gross form to a subtle dimension. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic. The reflection of mountain peaks and the trees around the Deoria Tal Lake at Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag District. An arduous trek took me up to the lake. As I was contemplating in its benign presence, a boy jumped into the waters for a splash and swim and I could feel the waves of energy spread all around.)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 43

2008-10-06T23:49:00.005+05:30

When consciousness

shines through

Smritiparishuddhau Swarupashunya Iva Arthamatranirbhasa Nirvitarka

With different efforts in Yoga Sadhana, the mind is purified and memory is cleansed. In this state of purity, one's consciousness which is the purest light of wisdom, shines through with clarity.
Visualise a vase made of glass. The glass is filled with light. When an object or idea is impacting that glass, it shatters forming cracks. The light within shines through a distorted pattern on the glass.
Next visualise a lampshade made of silk cloth. Compare an idea to a wooden object that impacts the taut cloth which caves in forming a deviation in the path of the light. Now imagine a brightly lit room with an open space at the window ledge. An object passing through the window falls flat, making no dent or disturbance to the light that shines through out of the room.
The glass vase, the silk lamp and the brightly lit room with open windows are nothing but yourself. The objects that are thrown are thoughts and ideas. Meditation is the process which purifies the memories which make the mind. In the beginning it is gross and impenetrable like wood, then it becomes glass, then yielding like cloth and then remains like empty space, merged with consciousness.
This state is Nirvitarka Samadhi, where consciousness shines through steadily through a pure mind. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Pic: Sunset falling on the waters of the Ganga at Rishikesh. The waves on the water are compared to the different thoughts on the surface of the mind. Deep down, the water is tranquil and reflects the light of the sun - consciousness, sharply) Photo: Swahilya

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 42

2008-09-29T22:39:00.003+05:30

When forms, ideas and meanings still exist....

Tatra Shabdarthagnana

vikalpaihi Sankeerna Savitarka Samapattihi

The various meditative practices leads us to a certain state of Samadhi or absorbtion called Savitarka. It is a conditional state of absorbtion. You meditate on an object or thought. Soon every other thought, emotion or object, except the one you are meditating upon - leaves your awareness temporarily. Like, when you watch a movie in the theatre, you almost forget the world outside, whether it is sunny or raining and during gripping scenes, you even forget the people sitting just next to you. But still, the mind is not totally quiet. It is conditioed by what you see - the name and form and your prior knowledge about the form and its associated meanings within. It is a state of Samadhi, but there is still the doubting and questioning mind that is active. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Picture: The clouds are bright with sunshine above the city of Paris, but the city is shrouded by the clouds. Even though there is a glimpse of truth, it is only a conditioned vision. (Pic. Swahilya)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 41

2008-09-22T23:00:00.005+05:30

Crystal clear

Ksheene vritteh abhijatasya manehe grheetru grihana grahyeshu tatstha tadanjanata samapattihi

There is a point of time during the sadhana, or spiritual practices, when all the thoughts that kept rising like incessant waves on the ocean of consciousness ebb outh a state of pure tranquility, the mind becomes like a pure cryst

al which simply reflects the colours of objects that surround it.

In this state of Samadhi, the one who is trying to comprehend an object of meditation, the process and means of comprehension and the object of comprehension dissolves its difference and everything just remains a unified field of consciousness - one without a second.

As an example, I narrate here my experience of such a state when I went to the Himalayas for the first time with a group led by Swami Akshara.

After all the arduous trek from Gangotri to Chirwasa and on the next day to Bhojwasa and on the third day to Gomukh on a pony, I had to climb rocks boulders and walk through soft sand and rivulets to finally sit on a stone washed by the gushing Bhageerathi, which flows out of a cave shaped like the face of a cow and hence the name Gomukh, or cow-face.

My energies were thoroughly exhausted in the trek when I sat down on the rock beside the ice-cold waters. There was a while I don't know how long when I did not exist - nor did the rock or the people and voices around or the river. I opened my eyes when a ponyman tapped me to say it was not proper to sit there as the river might swell any moment without a warning. That was a moment of absorbtion - I realise now with gratitude to my Guru. - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com) Pic: Quartz Crystal Hanuman

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 40

2008-08-25T19:19:00.003+05:30

From the atom to the cosmos

Paramanuparama mahathwanthaha asya vasheekaraha

By the several practices of keeping the mind to stay as one whole without shattering into as many pieces of thoughts that it encounters, moment by moment, it gains the infinite capacity to penetrate into the subtle truth of the tiniest atom and is also able to easily comprehend the complex unfolding of the cosmos. From the microcosm to the macrocosm, such a mind is able to comprehend anything. - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com) Fitness, Satori

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 39

2008-08-18T22:46:00.004+05:30

Form or place that you love

Yathabhimata Dhyanat Va

Or by meditating on a chosen object, place, person that one feels good within.

This sutra gives the ultimate freedom for meditation. The last of the several means of meditation to prevent the mind from breaking into pieces of mind and remain rather in peace and in one whole.

The last method suggested is that one can take up anything that they love to do or see and meditate upon that. The subject of meditation goes without saying that it should be an uplifting topic, music, personality, object or place. When one contemplates in this manner, the vibrations of the mind is at once connected to the subtle vibration of the topic, person, place or thing that it ponders about and becomes one with it. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 38

2008-08-11T23:20:00.005+05:30

Contemplations of visions in dream and sleep

Swapna Nidra Gnanalambanam Va

There is yet another way of bringing the mind to a state of tranquility. That is by recalling and meditating upon any clear vision of truth that we may have had during the dream state and the deep sleep state.

Though we might not be aware, dreams happen during the time just after we go to bed and even while we are fast asleep. Nidra or sleep as we saw in one of the first few Sutras is among the five activities of the mind. Not all dreas should be meditated upon. Most of them can revolve around the undigested thoughts of fear, anger, jealousy, hatred or fundamentally an unnecessary emotion.
Some dreams can be visions of truth too. Recently I experienced such a dream - of myself being a blob of liquid floating in a vast ocean in a subtle human form nevertheless. I am looking up to another similar blob of liquid - another human being for love, grace and benediction.
For a moment, I pause and look beneath my watery feet and it is a deep ocean with unfathomable, yet crystal clear water. The bed of the ocean is no sand, but an orb of light like a moon almost glimmering and from the bottom there are bubbles of love that rise to the surface. In the same dream, I contemplate and realise that the same love, grace, blessings and energy that I look forward to receiving from another person is available all around. And even the other person who will give us also takes from this same ocean to do so. This was not surprisingly a vision of the conscious mind while meditating, but something that I recall happening in deep sleep!
- Swahilya Shambhavi (Fitness, Satori)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 37

2008-08-07T19:45:00.003+05:30

Focus on the one

devoid of passion

Veetaraga Vishayam Va Chittam

Another method of bringing the mind to lovingly rest with consciousness is to set it upon a self-realised individual who has renounced all passions. What the mind sees, that it becomes. It can be the image of a deity or the form of the Guru or the Master. As the mind focusses on the form

in the picture or an idol in a temple or a living personality in front of him or her, reading about such a person, meditating upon him or her who is not swayed by passion - a Vairagi or desireless person, the mind also becomes so and rests quietly at the altar of consciousness instead of being swayed like the waves of an ocean caught up in a storm.

Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com) Fitness, Satori

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 36

2008-07-29T21:55:00.004+05:30

See the light and you become it

Vishoka Va Jyotishmati

Another form of meditation is on the luminous effulgent light that is beyond sorrow. Practices in many religions have a lot to do with light. Traditional Hindus light a lamp. Christians

light the candle and many light fires and invoke the presence of the divine too. There is also the worship of the sun, moon and many stars in the galaxy. What your mind watches for a while, it takes up that form.

In my own experience, I have always loved to gaze at the illumination of the serene soft light from a lamp placed in a dark room. Seeing the light even for a while, can throw up great visions that take you to the pleasant light that all of us are composed of. We are in essence beings of light.

During one such time spent in gazing at a lamp a couple of yeas ago, I had an arresting vision of a Jyotirlingam - a huge cylindrical column of light, fire compressed in the shape of a Lingam that has a flat circular base and ends in a round dome - orange in colour. As if covered by a sheet of glass, there was a layer of water, with more water constantly flowing over it. The circular base of the Lingam was of solid matter in the form of a black stone. After the water, there was air and then came space.

First I saw this apart of myself. Then analysing the contents further revealed that it was myself - the fire within, covered by the constant flow of water, air passing through and surrounded by space. The whole subtle structure is supported in the base of the body, that is gross matter. A moment of intensely watching the lamp led me to this inner realisation. - Swahilya Shambhavi swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com (Fitness, Satori)

Pic: The full moon and its reflection in the Bay of Bengal on Guru Purnima this year.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 35

2008-07-22T19:23:00.002+05:30

Merging the mind with the object of perception

Vishayavati Va Pravrittiruthpanna Manasah Sthithinibandhini

How to bring the mind with waves and tides high and low into one's control? Patanjali is explaining many ways for this and in this Sutra, he says the mind can become merged with the object of sense perceptions.
There are five main senses of the mind. They are sight, taste, touch, smell and hearing. Merging with the object of sense perception is focussing on something that the eyes sees for instance, a river or the sky. With practice, the mind becomes steady. Same is to listen intensely to something, whether it is music or spoken words, the prattle of a child, the humming of a bee - any sound. Through being totally with a sip of water or a mouthful of food and getting into the taste, the mind quietens down. Smelling an aroma, or touching an object and putting one's mind fully into feeling that object of touch can bring a state of tranquility that keeps the mind as one whole piece.
- Swahilya Shambhavi. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com) Fitness, Satori

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 34

2008-07-14T23:41:00.003+05:30

The Energy within the Breath

Pracchardanavidharanaabhyam Va Pranasya
The next method Patanjali gives to remove the impediments that prevent the mind from residing with the consciousness is by exhaling the breath which carries the energy called Prana and remaining in that state of exhalation as long as one is comfortably able to do so.
There is the whole science of Pranayama which has to be practised with the help of a master. But those few moments of awareness at the point of complete exhalation puts the mind to rest and the awareness alone is in those moments.
As long as there is life in the body, Prana exists in many forms and does not get emptied with an exhalation. But the most tangible experience of Prana happens when it enters and exits along with the breath. - Swahilya Shambhavi. swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com Fitness, Satori

Patanjali Yoga Sutra: 32-33

2008-07-08T20:03:00.003+05:30

The Taming of the Shrew

Tat pratisedartham Eka Tatwa Abhyasaha
Maitri Karuna Mudita Upekshanam Sukha Dukha Punya Apunya Vishayanam Bhavanataschitta Prasadanam
When I was writing out the headline for this post, I remembered William Shakespeare's drama - The Taming Of The Shrew. In fact, bringing the mind to sit quietly with the consciousness is an effort similar to the taming of the shrew.
After Patanjali describes the nine impediments to the unity of the mind with the consciousness and the four ways in which the impediments are revealed, in the subsequent Sutras he presents solutions to bring the mind back to order.
In the 32nd Sutra, Patanjali says, the individual should take up practice of following or contemplating upon one principle - Eka Tatwa Abhyasaha.
The Eka Tatwa can be - Aham Brahmasmi - I am that Brahman, Tat Twam Asi - You are That, Pragnyanam Brahma - Consciousness is Brahman and Ayam Athma Brahma - This Soul is Brahman. Brahman here means consciousness.
This is however a contemplation on the supreme truth of existence. The single truth practice can be done as enumerated in the next Sutra.
The truths that can be practised are Maithri - Friendliness towards those that give you happiness, Karuna - Compassion towards those who may be causing misery to you, Mudita - Joy towards those who may be doing good things and Upekshanam is an indifferene when we may come across someone visious and beyond the ken of our efforts to reform.
Cultivating these four habits can help in calming the mind from its habitual reactions such as jealousy when someone is happy, hatred towards someone suffering with an attitude of, "They deserve it," anger when someone is able to do great things that are impossible by us and delving on the misdeeds of others or trying to judge their actions.
These outbound and natural tendencies of the mind can lead us to misery. Converting them to compassion, friendliness, joy and a centred approach will help the mind to remain placid at all times. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com) Fitness, Satori

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 30/31

2008-06-30T22:47:00.007+05:30

Obstacles on the path
and their symptoms

Vyadhi-Styana-Samsyhaya-Pramada-Aalasya-Avirati-
Bhrantidarshana-Alabdha Bhumikatwa Anavasthitathwani
Chitta Vikshepaha Te Antaraya ha
--------------
Dukha Daurmanasya Angamejayathwa Shwasaprashwasaha
Vikshepa Saha Bhuvaha

There are nine obstacles on the path of the unity of the divided individual mind with the one undivided consciousness. The nine impediments can happen to block the success of any work that we undertake - in this context - Yoga or union. In fact, success in anything is ultimately a union with the goal - success for an athelete is union with the gold medal, success for a writer is union with his or her published work and likewise, success in Yoga is realising permanently the one consciousness.

The nine impediments are Vyadhi - disease, styana - sluggishness, a sudden drop in interest towards pursuing a goal or target, Pramada - the "I know it all," or "Been there done that," attitude which stalls the way for further experience, Aalasya - a lazy and nonchalant posture, Avirati - an extraordinary interest in pursuing the pleasures of the sense organs, be it in food, sex, music, reading or interacting with people that is pleasurable to the five senses of sight, smell, taste, hearing and touch - rather getting lost in them, Bhrantidarshana - hallucinations, illusions or seeing and hearing what is not there. For instance, seeing a white shirt in a dark room and thinking it is a ghost is Bhranti Darshana, or being out of tune with the reality.

Alabdha Bhumikathwa is the inability to sustain the moments of truth reached through contemplation - a frequent fall from the glimpse of the one pervading consciousness to the world of dualities, Anavasthitathwani - an inability to remain in one state of mind for long and being in an agitated frame of thought. Chitta Vikshepa is a scattered mind - one part of the mind wants an ice cream, another part wants to run to a bookshop, another to a movie and yet another part to the disco - pieces of mind, rather than peace of mind!

The presence of these nine obstacles will be revealed by either one or all four of the symptoms enumerated in the next Sutra. Patanjali lists them as Dukha - sorrow or sadness, Daurmanasya - a depressed state of mind or a negative shut down mode of the mind commonly referred to as a bad mood, Angamejayathwa or restlessness of the body, fidgeting, unsettled running around and Shwasaprashwasaha - Irregular and often shallow breathing. These four are signs of a scattered state of mind.

(Picture: Sage Patanjali who is rather filling my consciousness these days, author of the Yoga Sutras) - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)
The New Indian Express - Fitness, The New Indian Express - Satori

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 27-29

2008-06-17T19:28:00.005+05:30

The name of God

Tasya Vachakah Pranavaha
Tajjapah Tadartha Bhavanam
Tatah Pratyakchetanadhigamopyantarayabhavascha
Everything that is known has a name. You talk of a world and it is called the earth. It is represented b a map. The letter Om, is written in Sanskrit, is a map to describe God. Patanjali says that the word t describe God is Om. It is considered as the root sound of all the letters and words. It is considered as the essence of speech and sound. The sound of thunder, the sound of a crashing wave, the sound of a flowing river, the sound of a revving engine or a concorde jet, the sound of the air inside a sea shell - all vibrate with Om.
Om is a combination of three letters A (as in aunt) - creation, U (as in pooh) - preservation and the nasal M (as in hmm...) - destruction. Many call the word God as Generator, Operator and Destroyer which is synonymous with Creator, Preserver and Destroyer that Om stands for.
Om or Aum may be a gift of the Sanskrit language of ancient India, but Aum is present in words of blessing such as Amen or Ameen.
Setting aside the philosophy of the sound Om - Patanjali says that repeated chanting of the Mantra (a sound tool), Om, feeling the essence of the consciousness that ir represents all along the chanting, is a technique to turn the wavering mind to one's own essence by making it one-pointed.
This removes the several obstacles to the realisation of one's being. The obstacles to such a realisation are listed out in the subsequent Sutras.
At Ukhimath in the Himalayas recently, I came across a Brahmachari by name Sudhir, who was particular that I sat down and chanted 'Om' along with him in the evenings. He explained that the house of the mind is always littered with thoughts. Om is the broom with which one can sweep away those thoughts and experience pure consciousness.
What I write here is almost always born out of a direct experience. Some with these Sutras too. As I began to study and write them, I was seized by some unnameable indolence (an obstacle enumerated in the next Sutra). It was a kind of laziness that made me push aside my books and pen and just lie down exhausted. I experimented with the chanting of Om loudly and later silently to remove this obstacle. And soon, I find myself writing and completing this post with a picture that has just been taken too! It is a sound that has the energy to work in our lives.
- Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 25/26

2008-06-03T14:55:00.006+05:30

The seed of creation

Tatra Niratishayam Sarvagnyabeejam

Sa esha purvesham Api Guruh Kalena Anavacchedath

There are more qualities of God described here. In him resides the seed that is unparalleled that knows all. The seed here refers to the source or origin of all creation. In the tiniest seed lies the blueprint of the most massive oak, elm or banyan tree. Even humans, animals, plants and other creatures are products of the tiniest and invisible essence in a seed.

The biggest buildings and bridges were the outcome of the contemplation that happened in the invisible realms of the architects' mind. this whole universe that we experience through our senses spring out of the seed called God. It is pure consciousness that knows and is aware of everything.

This consciousness is the teacher, Guru of the most ancient teachers. It has always existed without a break, not bound by any time. It always exists - this Master. - Swahilya Shambhavi

Unpublished articles

(swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 23 & 24

2008-05-26T16:24:00.004+05:30

Surrender to God

Ishwara Pranidhanat Va

Klesha Karma Vipaka Ashayai Hi Aparamrushtah Purusha Vishesha Ishwaraha

Patanjali understands the human mind so beautifully and does not allow the scope for the least confusion. In the 23rd Sutra he says, another way for reaching the state of Samadhi or supreme tranquility of mind is by surrendering one's actions, words, feelings and thoughts and one's whole being to God.

He is quick to explain who or what is God in the very next line. God is the special being that is free from any afflictions, free from seeds that give birth to activity born out of desire and is something that is untouched by anything that is experienced by the senses, emotions or thoughts.

To bring in a modern-day understanding, God is one's consciousness, awareness. Surrendering here means being fully aware of one's thoughts and actions. This leads to Samadhi, which is nothing but the experience of consciousness, an experience of God, being with the creator - the Purusha. - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

(Picture: Ganga at Rishikesh, spreading beneath the Ram Jhoola).

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 21

2008-05-17T17:44:00.004+05:30

Mild, moderate or intense?

Mridhu Madhya Adhimatrathvat Tatah Api Viveshaha

Intensity is the key to reaching the goal of Samadhi. Just as reaching to any target in our day-to-day life, the intensity of our effort matters. Intensity here is not to be confused with speed. It is the focussed conscious effort that is thrown into the practice which generates the heat of Tapas. That dissolves the being and removes the mental barrier that comes in between the inner and outer consciousness.

I had an experience of intensity at a recent meditation programme in which I participated on duty as Editor/Columnist of the Spirituality and Fitness pages for The New Indian Express. I was among 2000 participants gathered at the Anna University grounds and was simply breathing chaotically for about 10 minutes. It was so intense that the simple act of breathing in and out caused profuse sweating in a very short while.

Intensity generates heat. Heat burns and destroys. At the end of the process of burning, there is just the remnant ash which gets easily dissolved and the consciousness shines through in its brilliance. - Swahilya Shambhavi (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 20

2008-05-11T23:14:00.004+05:30

Intensity yields results

Tivra Samveganam Asannaha

With intense practise, the goal of Yoga, merging of the individual consciousness with the cosmic consciousness is achieved. This merging, or a state of Samadhi happens when the mind is functioning in tune with the cosmic consciousness and not broken into vrittis or individual thought waves. The means of practise to reach the state of Samadhi has been outlined in the many sutras in the next part of the Patanjali Yoga Sutra, called the Sadhana Padaha. - Swahilya Shambhavi

(The New Indian Express, E-paper, Expresso - Page 6, Fitness, Monday, May 12)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 19

2008-05-03T15:16:00.015+05:30

The need to practise

Shraddha Virya Smriti Samadhi
Pragnya Poorvaka Itaresham

Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some have greatness thrust upon them. There are some who are born with the experience of Samadhi very early in age. Samadhi is endowed by nature on some others at different stages of their lives. Samadhi here simply means an equanimity of vision and a personal experience of connectedness with the Unverse. It is important that Samadhi is not or rather need not be some fantastic experience or imaginary expeditions of the mind. It simply means a working knowledge of the interconnectedness applied moment to moment.

There are however a large segment of people who are neither born with it nor can they hopefully wait for such an experience to happen. Those persons, Patanjali says, can reach the Samadhi state of mind with Shraddha - faith in a glimpse of truth that has been revealed to them and holding on to it, Veerya - dynamic energy and enthusiasm, Smriti - constant remembrance of the state of oneness and extending the periods of awareness of a glimpse of any experience that one may have had.

For instance, if one has tasted sugar, there is a remembrance of the taste and a hope to taste it sometime again. Samadhi can happen in very ordinary states of absorbption - while eating a chocolate, while spending silent moments alone watching a gurgling brook, while intensely hugging someone dear to you - a state where you are not there, but the experience is.

(Trekkers' progress: An arduous climb up Parvathamalai.)
(Articles on health, fitness, spirituality including two columns About You, and Zenith on April 28 and May 1 issues on Expresso - Page -6 in the epaper of The New Indian Express)

Something more

2008-04-28T23:16:00.003+05:30

Dear friends.
I am writing a page on fitness, wellness and another on spirituality in The New Indian Express. Each of the pages on Monday and Thursday will also feature a column written by myself. If you wish to check it out you may visit http://www.newindpress.com There you have to click on a tab called epaper and then Expresso and move on to Page 6. Today the first column has appeared on Monday, April 28 issue. Good luck if you are trying to find the page!
Last week's issue on April 21 had a lead article on Surya Namaskar and this week it is crystal healing. The page on spirituality will be on the following Thursday.
Swahilya.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 19

2008-04-25T23:05:00.003+05:30

Merging with nature

Bhavapratyayo Videhaprakritilayanam

Prakritilaya or becoming one with nature or its elements. It is a state of being where the consciousness is able to experience a state of oneness with a stone, a mountain, a tree, a flowing river or flowers. The unifying experience happens between the individual and nature. This happens most to poets like William Wordsworth who sang of host of golden daffodils

This Samadhi sometimes happens without an effort at any age of life. This is a glimpse of the experience of an evened out intellect which leaves its separate state of existence and merges with the bliss that already exists in the Universe.

As I walked up to the origin of the Ganga once in Gomukh, culminating in a spiritual journey, the last lap of the trek was intensely difficult. It was through the nooks and crannies of the rocks and boulders, slippery soft sand and tiny rivulets that I had to take. All exhasted with a parched throat, I sat down on a rock, well into the bank of the mighty Ganga, gushing out of the Gomukh cave. After watching the river for a while, I closed my eyes. It may have been a few minut

es or over a quarter of an hour - I do npot know. There was no voices of my co-trekkers, nor even the roar of the river that I heard. When I opened my eyes, a local resident was telling me to move out of there as the river might swell erratically. Even as I close my eyes now and recollect my experience, I know it was a glimpse of Prakritilaya Samadhi, when the individual merges with nature.

Photo: Waters of the Mandakini gushing past the temple at Kedarnath in the Himalayas.

(Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Tirumandiram, Bamboo Wisdom, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 18

2008-04-18T23:51:00.005+05:30

Satori

Viramapratyayabhyasapurvaha Samskarasheshonyaha

The thoughts on Samadhi continue here. There are many methods of Samadhi described in the previous Sutra. This sutra speaks of repeatedly practising of holding on to one thought, an idea or a symbol. The symbols and forms that one thinks about are themselves an idea. But it is nevertheless an idea that can help in dissolving with the source like sugar in milk or salt in water. In this case, the mind that repeatedly holds on to a thought by mentally chanting a name, looking at one symbol, hearing a particular musical note again and again will dissolve into consciousness.

All these forms of Yoga practise is to help this mind to dissolve without resistance, dissolve with ease.

However, in such a state of Samadhi caused by concentration on one particular form or symbol is but a temporary state that will re-energise and revitalise the individual on a spiritual mountain climb. It is a temporary cessation of thoughts because the seeds of the past still continue to be present whih grow in the form of thoughts. The final achievement can happen only when the seeds are no more.

Yoga is like tending a garden. There needs to be daily watering and feeding the tree of this body. It also requires some digging and weeding out unnecessary growth from the surroundings. Unless the digging is done and the seeds of thoughts are destroyed, chances are that the weeds will continue to spring again and again.

To quote a live example to explain Virama is now, as I write this Sutra. An hour ago, I was trying to sleep, but with no avail as there were lots of thoughts and activities to take my attention away. Nevertheless, I sat down to just focus and study this Sutra and almost completed writing it when the contemplation on the form and content of the Sutra dissolved itself with the rest of my mind into a deep sleep. Samskara Sesha are the remaining seeds of thought that does not get destroyed even after a brief period of Samadhi as now when I get up fresh from my sleep, I pick up from the seeds of thought and continue writing this Sutra. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Picture: Omjasvin resting a while on a trek up Swamimalai with me in Yelagiri. The age-old practice of climbing mountains is one such method to help stop the formation of thoughts.)

(Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Bhagavad Gita, Tirumandiram, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 16

2008-04-11T22:05:00.005+05:30

Samadhi

Vitarka Vichara Ananda Asmitaroopa Anugamath Sampragnyataha

Samadhi is the goal of Yoga. It means an absorbtion of the individual mind with the cosmic mind. Of the four chapters, Patanjali begins the Yoga Sutras with the Samadhi Pada (chapter).

Samadhi may sound to be quite an esoteric word. But it can actually be a common everyday experience that goes unnoticed. It can happen when driving a car in the midst of a traffic jam and honking vehicles. It can happen while looking at a bunch of flowers. Samadhi is a simple combination of Sama + Adhi - Sama is same and Adhi is cosmic awareness. The individual awareness gets merged with the cosmic awareness.

Patanjali mentions four ways in this sutra for entering into Samadhi, with the help of objects, nature or people outside, thoughts or happiness within or contemplation on one's own self.

If Albert Einstein was intensely absorbed in a scientific theory and comes out with an original discovery - that happens in a state of Samadhi. At that time all the faculties of his mind are directed toward the object of his study and only awareness remains. This is Vitarka - giving all the faculties of the mind to study and analyse somethng.

Next is Vichara. This is reflection within. Sitting with eyes closed in a quiet ambience, you may find thoughts springing up. Being with those thoughts or emotions and observing the source from which they spring can lead to Samadhi.

Ananda is bliss,m exhalted mood, jubilation. It may have causes outside like being in a beautiful natural surrounding, seeing a lovely movie, playing with children, or even sitting quietly may aid in experiencing the bliss within Going to the source of this bliss is Samadhi through Ananda.

Asmitaroopa - This is the most famous technique expounded by Ramana Maharishi. Let us take our bloggers for instance. I say, "I am Swahilya." JJ will say, "I am JJ," and Fruitu will say, "I am Fruitu." The "I" is common to all the three of us , rhough we come from different places, have different names and forms. The technique to reach Samadhi here is to constantly enquire, "Who am I?" That takes you to the source.

So following the steps shown by Vitarka, reasoning and study of the Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Bhagavad Gita, The Holy Bible and the Qur'an, Vichara - reflection on the source, being with the experience of bliss and finding the "I" that we refer to ourselves can take one to a state of Samadhi. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

Photo: Sunset over a lake in Naperville, Illinois. Tranquil scenes of nature are aids to Samadhi if we be fully with that silence.

(Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Bhagavad Gita, Tirumandiram, swahilya.soulmate@gmailcom)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 15

2008-04-04T12:30:00.006+05:30

Hold on within

Tatparam Purushakhyatehe Guna Vaithrushnyam

*****

By knowing what does one achieve detachment from the world - which is nothing but an amalgam of the three Gunas or characteristics - Satwa - Tranquility, Rajas - Dynamism and Tamas - Inertia. Any person, animal, plant, being, objects and situations that comprise this world is a permutation combination of the three Gunas.

To achieve a steady mind, one needs to be detached from the Gunas and remain a dispassionate observer of people and events. The detachment achieved in this manner does not make one a helpless spectator, pushed by situations and people. On the contrary, a sense of detachment with the world and attachment to the Parama Purusha or the Cosmic Consciousness within one's mind can make an individual strong and steady, ready for action when required.

Take the example of the game of tug of war. A team which is focussed on its strength can easily pull the opposing team to its side. However, if the team members are agitated by fear and confused by focussing on the Gunas (characteristics) of the opposing team, then they lose their balance as the outside forces get an upper hand and scatter them to their side.

This detachment without and attachment within brings to my mind a scientific reply for a question on how the creamy layer forms over milk when heated. The scientist said that one end of the fat molecules that constitute the milk is hydrophilic and the other end is hydrophobic. When the milk is agitated with heat, all the hydrophobic ends huddle together and attach to each other while the hydrophilic ends expand outward to the water element, forming a thick layer of cream. Same with the mind which attaches strongly to the supreme consciousness within and expands from the outer circumference with freedom into the world. Such a mind of dispassion without and compassion within is steadily rooted in Yoga.

(Picture: The earth below, cloud in between like an umbrella over the city of Chicago and the sky above. The Gunas are many which form the world of matter, and the one consciousness is like the sky plain and expanded. The mind that connects the two is like the cloud.)

- Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Bhagavad Gita, Tirumandiram, The Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 12

2008-03-28T23:33:00.004+05:30

Ready, Steady Go...

Drashtanushravika Vishaya Vithrushnashya Vasheekara Samgnya Vairagyam

*****

The practice needs to be done for a long period of time. As a result of the practice of Yoga, what happens? This is the subject of the 15th Sutra. The practitioner has lesser and lesser attachment to temporal objects that are perceived by the senses. The objects outside that were all along holding a sway on the individual, ceases to control the person who is practising Yoga. He acquires a quality of mind called Vairagyam when he remains unmoved by pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow and is not attached to one particular thing, person or situation. A person with vairagya lives in the present moment and is no longer tussled by the whims and fancies of others. He is established firm as a rock in his own self.

What is the use of Vairagya - Dispassion and non-attachment? In the event of a calamity, say a flood situation, people are running helter skelter, confused and not knowing what to do. There are people who escape and run back into their homes, to pick up jewels and other property they think are valuable, but lose their life in the process. A person with Vairagya will not lose his mind in transcient objects or treasures, but will instead be totally in the present moment, save himself and many others too, because he has learnt to keep his mind steady and is unmoved by fear, anxiety, worry or any kind of fleeting emotions.

(Picture: I still have many pictures above the clouds and of the earth below from the skies. Yet to heed to Nature Nut JJ Loch's request to send some rays her way, I have posted a picture of warm sunshine over a banana tree in Chennai!)- Swahilya Shambhavi. (Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Tirumandiram, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 11

2008-03-22T04:47:00.005+05:30

Effort with Patience

Sa tu deerghakala Nairantarya Satkara Aadara Aasevito Dridha Bhoomihi

The effort of Yoga is to watch events, people and places from the Consciousness and not through the mind. Consciousness can be likened to the space inside the home. The window with the screen are the eyes and other sense organs. To function through the mind is like viewing and interpreting the events happening outside or the actions of people moving about with the screen covering the window. The viewing happens with only that much clarity that the screen allows.

But the practice of Yoga helps us to draw the screen over the window when we need it and pull it to a corner when we want to see clearly. Yoga helps in clearing up this screen, yet retain it transparent and clean for use when needed.

This line of the Yoga Sutra says that to achieve this clarity of the mind, the practice or Sadhana should be done with attention, care and reverence, uninterrupted over a long period of time, nurturing the thought with care, practicing it repeatedly with zeal. This will help to firmly root the understanding of yoga at the physical and mental level with success.

(Picture: Wet snow over the earth through the window screen.) - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Tirumandiram, I Am That, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 10

2008-03-16T01:25:00.003+05:30

Practice to stay there

Tatra Sthithau Yathnobhyasaha:
Practice leads to perfection. This line says that once the mind is disciplined, with the aid of constant practice, sufficient effort has to be taken to sustain the mind steadily on an object of concentration, focus or study. The Patanjali Yoga Sutra is a text of universal applicability. For a school child, quietening the mind will help her to focus on studies and play well. For a lover, a quiet and tranquil mind can help to focus on the beloved. For a scientist, a still mind will help him slice through her slide and land on a scientific truth with clarity. For a meditator, a serene mind can help to pick pearls of wisdom with insight into consciousness.
The Yoga Sadhana (practice) that is prescribed are ways to quieten the flow of thoughts and raise the mind to serene heights or tranquil depths. Practice is still required to sustain the mind in such tranquility when required. Sadhana or effort is required up to a point when such a calm texture of the mind, becomes a way of life. - Swahilya Shambhavi.
(Picture: The plain branches reach out to the sky in New York's Central Park. The tree is like the mind in sadhana, trying its best to expand and grow and reach the greatest heights possible.)
(Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Tirumandiram, Maha Shivaratri, Chicago Satsang, Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - IX

2008-03-06T08:09:00.004+05:30

Practice Dispassion

Abhyasa Vairagabhyam Tannirodhaha:

The mind has the five capabilities of cognition, misapprehension, imagination, deep sleep and memory. The nature of the mind is constant activity in trying to put its faculties to use. It always keeps trying to understand, interpret and report its feedback on the happenings in the world outside.

The key of yoga is to reign in the mind, which will then become obedient to the command of the intellect. The obedience in this case will be more like a friend or a lover, rather than as a servant to an overbearing and fearsome master.

By constant practice, the mind can be trained to listen to the intellect rather than acting on its own.

An example of the relationship between the intellect and the mind can be understood this way - the relationship between the CEO of a company and his personal secretary. The personal secretary of the mind has got all the five capabilities. But if he begins to use them on his own, it will be like the secretary receiving all office correspondences and issuing orders himself. A secretary is just supposed to receive the mails and the information and pass it on to the CEO who will take decisions and issue directions. The CEO may chose to ask the secretary for advice now and then, but the final decision is left to himself.

Patanjali says that by constant practice of Yoga - the different methods of practice are mentioned in the other Sutras, the energies of the restless, clueless mind can be harnessed and channelised to thoughts and activities that enrich and enhance the individual.

The purpose of keeping the mind trim and fit with Yoga also prevents the six types of aberrations that cause distortion - Kama - lust, Krodha - anger, Lobha - greed, Moha, Delusion, Mada - arrogance and Matsarya - jealousy.

By sustained practice of Yoga, the mind is not following in the direction of thoughts uncontrollably like a rudderless ship caught in a storm, but is held in charge by the intellect for what it choses to do.

(Photo: Sunset in Naperville, Illinois. A tranquil mind is a friend in need for any work at all times.) - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Maha Shivaratri, Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Satsang in Chicago, Tirumandiram, Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - VIII

2008-02-29T09:40:00.005+05:30

Remembering

Anubhuta Vishaya Asampramoshaha Smritihi

To remember is the fifth quality of the mind. An incident that happened, a song or speech that one heard, the names and faces of people, emotional feelings, concepts and ideas one has read or recollection of any experience through the five sense organs is called Smriti or Memory.

To re-member (hyphen used deliberately to signify that the word means to connect again) means to attach the mind from the present moment, to some name, object, situation, concept or experience. I travel to the Himalayas, see the mountains, rivers, temples, sights, scenes and people. Now sitting in Chicago, I re-member my experience in the Himalayas and connect my mind to it. Depending on the , understanding and my response to the experience, the memory can be good or bad, comfortable or uncomfortable, joyous or sad.

Yoga, the technique of connecting the individual mind with the cosmic mind, uses smriti or memory to re-member the biggest, infinite existence and become that in the present moment.

Every moment spent at the altar in prayer is an exercise in Smriti of Jesus Christ, Allah, Shiva or the Para Brahman - connecting our mind to that person or thing that we are thinking about. Every act of chanting a mantra or repeating an affirmation is to use this faculty of Smriti to re-member oneself with the name and form we think about.

(Photo: Our actions are the results of Smriti or memory. One who thinks of Consciousness has written 'Om' on snow while another who has thought of a greeting has written 'Hi' in the same snow.) - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Maha Shivaratri, Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Himalayas, Satsang in Chicago, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - VII

2008-02-21T09:58:00.005+05:30

Sleep

Abhavapratyayalambana Tamovrittir Nidra: The mind has the faculties of cognition - Pramana, misapprehension - Viparyaya and imagination - Vikalpa. It has a fourth capability too, which happens to all at the end of day time - sleep.

Sleep happens daily at night and sometimes during the day too, when there is an absence of any thoughts, notions or ideas. The mind holds on to this attitude of a state of no thoughts when it takes rest, along with the body.

Either, when it is the time to sleep at night, or when the body is tired with hard work and exhausted and also when the mind is bored, it slips from conscious activities of working, talking and thinking and settls down like a wave that rises high and falls back into the ocean. Every living creature is a similar wave of expression that falls back to a few hours of rest.

During this period of rest, the mind is submerged in the super-conscious self and wakes up in the morning or at any time, after sleep -refreshed and rejuvenated.

(Photo: Sunset near the Aurora temple in Chicago. Even when day slips into night, it rests a while and wakes up refreshed next morning.) - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Himalayas, Indians in Chicago, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com).

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - VI

2008-02-14T00:52:00.005+05:30

Imagination-Visualisation

Shabdagnananupati Vastushunyo Vikalpaha

Following Pramana and Viparyaya, Vikalpa is the third faculty of the mind. The mind is just like a toggle switch. Each time the same mind can function with one faculty or the other. When it sees something and grasps it, it becomes the understanding mind. At another time, the same mind can have a distorted vision, leading to misunderstanding.

Vikalpa is imagining something which is not, following sounds and words one is hearing or has heard before. The misunderstanding in the case of Viparyaya is a distorted vision. In the case of Vikalpa it is a doubt, uncertainty, indecision, hesitation, suspicion, contrivance, artfulness or a dilemma, caused by what one has heard. Many a time, our first impression of a person may get distorted if we have heard something unpalatable told about him/her by another. The opinion may change when we get to know the person more and find that what we heard was not true!

This can be seen most with children. If the child has heard a fake roaring sound of a lion, in a dark room, where it cannot see anything, it will hear the roar of a lion and cry, imagining a lion to be there.

Vikalpa is a function of the mind, negative when it gets anxious, imagining situations which are not and perceiving people different from what they actually are. A wife who is anxiously waiting for her husband to return home from office imagines some mishap if he is a little late, for instance.

The other end of Vikalpa is Sankalpa or creating a positive affirmation. This is a commonly practised self-improvement technique to create an image of a desired situation or goal and work for it to happen. A student who wants to become a doctor can create the image of becoming one in his or her mind and work to make that ideal a reality.

Great revolutions, movements, achievements in life are usually the result of a Sankalpa of an individual or a group of inspired people who work with a strong vision or a dream for the future. Vikalpa denotes the imaginative and creative faculty of the mind.

Photo: A night skyline view of the Chicago Tribune building. A building such as this is the result of the sankalpa of the architect who visualised it in his mind before even laying the foundation. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Bhagavad Gita, Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Himalayas, swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 5

2008-02-09T07:11:00.001+05:30

Misapprehension

Viparyayo Mithyagnanam Atadroopa Prathistam

Out of the five capabilities of the mind, Viparyaya, or the ability to misunderstand or misapprehend a situation or a person is the second.

Few are the people who can see the world with plain eyes. There are many who need power glasses. Some others see the world through coloured lenses and there are many who see the world through cracked glasses.

The mind is like a glass. When the glass is polished and clean, we can see clearly. When there is a stain on the glass, the vision also contains that stain, which is not in truth there.

The texture of the mind is dependent on the experiences a person goes through in this lifetime, his or her social, economic and environmental conditioning. And the differences we see among humanbeings at birth is because of the different experiences each one has gone through in the previous lifetimes and their response to it.

A clear mind is one that is not having disturbing thoughts. It is just like a serene surface of a lake with clear water. We can see through the lake and even the pebbles on its bed.

A disturbed mind is one that has rushing flow of thoughts. Though the telecast from the station is clear, if there is a problem with the television set, the picture will not have clarity.

To quote an example for misapprehension, we can take a rose for instance. A rose is simply a rose. A botanist will call it with a botanical name and look at it as a specimen to study due to his academic conditioning. A poet will look at it with a poetic mind and sing that life is not a bed of roses, but has its thorns too. A lover will see the same rose as a possible gift for his beloved and plan how to pluck it. A priest might be wondering how to offer it at the altar of his deity while a bee will be sipping the honey from the flower without a thought!

There will be misunderstanding and misapprehension as long as the thoughts agitate in the mindscreen in multiple, criss-crossing frequencies. When the mind is fine-tuned, with the practice of Yoga, then the screen is not agitated and helps the individual to perceive people, circumstances and situations with clarity. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Bhagavad Gita and Vignana Bhairava Tantra. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 4

2008-02-05T06:59:00.000+05:30

Three types of cognition

Prathyaksha Anumana Agamaha Pramanani:

Out of the five different activities of the mind, Pramana or its cognitive ability using its own yardstick is of three types.

The first is Pratyaksha. Through the five senses, the mind recognises an object directly and clearly. For instance, if there is a tree before you, your eyes see the form and the different colours of the tree. Your ears perceive the sounds of the rustling leaves and the birds on the tree. The tongue can taste its leaves and fruits and know about the tree. The nose can, by smell, understand the presence of a tree and the skin can touch, feel and know that the tree exists. This is the direct cognitive capacity of the mind through the five sense organs.

Anumana is the second tyle of understanding by the mind. For instance, you are standing on a ground where a tree existed before, but has been chopped of presently. From your previous exposure to a similar tree, your mind can understand how this tree would have been and recall its smell, sounds, texture, colour, taste and looks.

The third faculty of cognition by the mind is through the Agamas or a body of information compiled or written by reliable sources. This applies to understanding abstract ideas. For instance you wish to know about the world. It is too big for your five senses to grasp. So you look up a globe or an atlas compiled by sources you think are reliable.

It is the same with concepts such as Yoga. You refer to the yoga sutra, the Bhagavad Gita or the Upanishads or any sacred texts for that matter. For an understanding of abstract concepts and ideas, the cognitive faculty of the mind relies on Agama or texts that have been written down in the past. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Bhagavad Gita and Vignana Bhairava Tantra. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 3

2008-01-31T07:46:00.000+05:30

Five functions of the mind

Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra

Vrittayah Panchatayyah Klishtaklishtaha

Pramana Viparyaya Vikalpa Nidra Smritayaha

*****

When the mind is tranquil, it can grasp the truth. But when the mind is distracted, there is a misunderstanding of the truth in terms of quality and depth. Just as the pure white light of the sun gets refracted into many colours, giving rise to illusionary patterns, a mind that is tossing about does not allow a clear perception of the truth.

There are five activities of the mind. They can be either of help in creating a feel-good factor, or can create a lot of misunderstanding and disturbance.

The five activities of the mind are Pramana - Cognition of, understanding and grasping an object or an idea. Viparyaya - Misapprehension or confusion. Interpreting what one sees in ways it is not actually, misunderstanding. Vikalpa - Imagination. One can imagine a positive situation, for instance - when caught in difficult circumstances, the mind can provide temporary relief by imagining a situation where there are no problems.

Vikalpa can be negative too. For instance, when a person approaches with a good intention, the mind can imagine the person approaching with an ulterior motive behind.

The fourth activity that the mind is capable of is called sleep. When all its faculties go to rest and does not work, the mind is at sleep. The mind is not on its office seat, minding its business of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching - but takes a holiday and shuts shop.

The last capability of the mind as described by Patanjali is memory. Whatever it has experienced through the five senses, is stored as memory in the unconscious and sub-conscious layers of the mind. When the situation requires, the conscious mind can remember and recall the object or situation. This quality of the mind helps us to identify objects and people and helps in calling a computer as a computer and a car as a car. If this faculty was absent, we would be calling the tree a tubelight or a chair as daddy!

(Photograph: Geese wading in a rainwater percolation pond off a Naperville road in Chicago.)

(On Bamboo Wisdom find a verse-by-verse explanation of the Bhagavad Gita and on the Vignana Bhairava Tantra in Cosmic Consciousness - Swahilya Shambhavi. (swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 2

2008-01-26T02:07:00.000+05:30

If the mind is quiet, so what?

Tada Drashtuhu Swarupe Avasthanam: What happens when there is a quietening of the flow of thoughts? One is able to get an understanding of something that is fundamental, refreshing, infinite, everlasting, original, fresh and unnoticed all the while.

The practice of Yoga in whatever form, whether it is the Yoga with the body, Hatha Yoga, Pranayama - the breath, Karma Yoga - through all the actions performed in a day, Bhakthi Yoga - through emotions of love felt for all and several innumerable forms of Yoga practices, one achieves just a singular goal. At the end of the practice, the mind is quiet as there is a finetuning in the flow of thought frequencies. The actual Yoga happens when the thought waves of the individual merge with the thought waves of the cosmos.

And this is the eternal original essence that one is able to experience when the mind is still. Just as when the river is turbulent, you can see just the ruddy, foaming eddies, gushing in currents. But when the water is tranquil, one gets a much deeper insight into what lies down in the river bed. With a quiet mind around, one is able to see through the world with the tranquil vision of truth. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Picture: The campus at the Chicago Law School, University of Illinois.)

Yoga Sutra

2008-01-21T09:51:00.001+05:30

Patanjali's insight into Yoga

There are many things that come to us as treasures of the past. The most important of them all are the books that have codified knowledge. The better if they remain undistorted over the centuries, so we can still taste the essence.

One of those texts that is the most spoken about today is the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. He codified Yoga as we know it today into a garland of aphorisms tied through a connecting thread. He is known to be a person who was human up to his shoulders, a conch in his left hand and a disc on his right, with a sword on each of the other two hands. A snake above his shoulders, he is extremely white in complexion with a thousand hoods. Patanjali was an Avatar (incarnation) of Adisesha, the snake that yields itself as a bed for Lord Vishnu in the ocean of milk.

In modern-day understanding, Patanjali is a sage who sounded the conch which served as a clarion call to the people seeking to live a life of integrity, uniting the individual mind with the cosmic consciousness.

Sutra is a thread. It also means a tight aphorism where words are used with deep brevity. Chanting the lines again and again will produce a certain vibration in the mind that reveals by itself, the many inner layers of meaning that is packed in it. With an increase in intensity of the chanting, the revelation of the meaning is deeper. The brevity has also ensured that the transmission of knowledge happened accurately, without loss in interpretation by the line of descendants.

The Samadhi Padaha is the first part which defines Yoga.

Atha Yoganushasanam: This is Yoga. What a beautiful sentence! This - that is, everything that we hear, see, smell, taste and touch and experience through these senses is Yoga. The being is Yoga. The Universe, with its suns, moons, stars, space and the planets, is Yoga. Everything that is included in the This - is Yoga. And that includes the nothingness and the silence too.

Yogaha Chitta Vritti Nirodhaha: There is some more to the This. Yoga is the stopping of the flow of thoughts. Rather, it is a way of being with the This - the everything, without being carried away by the tiny waves of thoughts in the thin screen of the mind. Yoga means to view the world through the open window and not through a screen which has properties of colour, space, time and characteristics.

The thoughts cannot be stopped. It is like telling all the waves of the ocean to be quiet in order that one can see the ocean! The thoughts will continue to come and go. But Yoga is the art of being like the empty sky. Different moods of the sunlight may reflect on it, in colours of blue, pink, orange, purple and black. Different objects may move past it, clouds, snow, hail, birds, aeroplanes, kites. But the sky remains as it is. Identifying with the unmoving consciousness and witnessing the thoughts go by as clouds in the sky is Yoga. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Picture: A cold afternoon in Chicago. When it comes to Yoga, nature is the best teacher. When it is warm, the trees and the earth spring with life. When it is cold and freezing, they shed their leaves and just be!)

(You may wish to look up for update on the Bhagavad Gita on Bamboo Wisdom and on the Vignana Bhairava Tantra. Discussions and questions on any of the posts may also be mailed me at swahilya.soulmate@gmail.com.)

Bhagavad Gita - Chapter VI

2008-01-12T17:22:00.000+05:30

Not more not less, but just right

In the sixth chapter, called Athmasamyama Yoga - the Yoga of becoming one with the soul, Sri Krishna continues with techniques of Pranayama, Hatha Yoga and Dhyana. But he cautions in two beautiful verses:

Nathyashnatasthu Yogosthi Nachaikanthamanashnathaha

Nachathi swapnashilasya Jagrato Naiva Charjuna

Yukthahara Viharasya Yuktha Cheshtasya Karmasu

Yukta Swapnavabodhasya Yogo Bhavathi Duhkhaha

*****

Success in Yoga cannot happen for the person who eats too much or too little. Here lies the caution for those who storm the fast food centres and those who suffer themselves out starving with fasts, diets and rituals. It is also not for those who sleep too much, nor to those who are awake all day.

For one who eats moderately and in using the body, mind and intellect in entertainment and getting entertained, who works in a detached manner, giving one's best but not anxious of the results, who sleeps moderately - a practitioner of such Yoga sees an end to the sorrow of existence.

(For a verse by verse explanation of the Bhagavad Gita and its application in daily life, please log on to Bamboo Wisdom.) - Swahilya Shambhavi.

The Bhagavad Gita - V

2007-12-28T14:07:00.000+05:30

The Yoga Sutra of Sri Krishna

There has been some delay, since I last posted on the Gita. I was away in the Himalayas at Ukhimath, where Sri Krishna is supposed to have fought Banasur from the place where the Bholeshwar temple stands today. And he also attended the wedding of his grandson Anirudh with Usha, the daughter of Banasur at the Omkareshwar Temple. There is the Usha Anirudh Vivaha Sthal, where people worship even today! At the Bharath Sevashram Sangha where I stayed, I woke up to the chants of the Gita for the whole two weeks I was there and chanted Gita at the satsangs at night studying the meanings of the verses. (That was just an aside to explain my absence from my blog for nearly a month!)

We have heard of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. But in the Gita, Sri Krishna mentions many a sutra (formula) to be in Yoga, Brahman, the Absolute.

Sparshan Kritva Bahir Bahyan Chakshush Chaivanthare Bhruvoh

Pranapanau Samau Krithva Nasabhyanthara Charinau.

Yathendriya Mano Budhihi Munir Moksha Parayanaha

Vigathechchabhayakrodhaha Yahsada Muktha Eva Saha.

The verses here show the path to liberation. Withdrawing oneself from all the perceptions of the five senses - shutting the eyes, and not reacting to the inputs through the ears, tongue, nose and skin, being aware of the space between the eyebrows (temple), watching the incoming and the outgrowing breath until it flows steadily, not expresssing through action or desires, fear or anger, the sage in meditation who aspires for liberation alone, becomes a free mind.

Amid extremely disturbing situations, the path to freedom is to simply withdraw. Shut up and sit down. Close the eyes. Breathe in and out with focus on the breath. If provoked, do not react with either fear or anger, expect with desire or anxiety. But just be in the empty space within. Being with the flow of life is the freedom of a meditative mind. - Swahilya Shambhavi.

(Picture: Bholeshwar Temple at Ukhimath, Himalayas.) (You may wish to check out the latest update on .soulmate.) For a verse-by-verse explanation of the Bhagavad Gita, please refer to Bamboo Wisdom, beginning New Year.