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Raja Yoga From the Mahabharata
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Raja Yoga by Swami Nikhilananda
(Sankhya and Yoga compared)
Addressing King Janaka
Listen now to me as I truly discourse on the science of the Yogis as heard and seen by me, O best of kings! There is no knowledge that can compare with that of the Sankhyas. There is no puissance that compares with that of Yoga. These two ordain the same practices, and both are regarded as capable of leading to Emancipation. Those men that are not blest with intelligence regard the Sankhya and the Yoga systems to be different from each other. We, however, O king, look upon them as one and the same, according to the conclusion to which we have arrived (after study and reflection). That which the Yogis have in view is the very same which the Sankhyas also have in view. He who sees both the Sankhya and the Yoga systems to be one and the same is to be regarded as truly conversant with the topics or principles that ordain the universe. Know, O king, that the vital breaths and the senses are the chief means for practising Yoga. By only regulating those breaths and the senses, Yogis wander everywhere at their will.
[Note: By the word Rudra is meant Prana and the other breaths. The commentator explains that the etymology in Sanskrit is :Utkramana Kale Dehinam Rodyanti iti Rudrah Pranah. By regulating the vital breaths and the senses, Yogis attain to Yoga puissance and succeed in roving wherever they please in their Linga-sarira or subtle bodies.]
When the gross body is destroyed, Yogis endued with subtle bodies possessed of the eight Yoga attributes of Anima, Laghima, Prapti, etc., wander over the universe, enjoying (in that body) all kinds of felicities, O sinless one. The wise have, in the scriptures, spoken of Yoga as conferring eight kinds of puissance. They have spoken of Yoga as possessed of eight limbs.
[Note: The eight limbs of Yoga are Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dhyana, Dharana, Tarka, Samadhi, with the two additional ones of Yama and Niyama]
Indeed, O king, they have not spoken of any other kind of Yoga. It has been said that the practices of Yogis excellent as these are (for their results) are of two kinds. Those two kinds, according to the indications occurring in the scriptures, are practices endued with attributes and those freed from attributes. The concentration of the mind on the sixteen objects named, with simultaneous regulation of the breath, O king, is one kind. The concentration of the mind in such a way as to destroy all difference between the contemplator, the object contemplated, and the act of contemplation along with subjugation of the senses, is of another kind. The first kind of Yoga is said to be that possessed of attributes; the second kind is said to be that freed from attributes.
[Note: In the first line of 9 the word Pranayama is used to mean regulation of the vital breaths. In the second line, the same word implies the Ayamah or Nigraha of the senses with the mind. By Dharana is meant the fixing of the mind, one after another, on the sixteen things named in treatises on Yoga. By Ekagrata of the mind is meant that concentration in which there is no longer any consciousness of difference between, Dyatri, Dhyeya, and Dhyana.]
Then again, regulation of the breath is Yoga with attributes. In Yoga without attributes, the mind, freed from its functions, should be fixed. Only the regulation of the breath which is said to be endued with attributes should, in the first instance, be practised, for, O ruler of Mithila, if the breath (that is inhaled and suspended) be exhaled without mentally reflecting the while upon a definite image (furnished by a limited Mantra), the wind in the neophytes system will increase to his great injury.
[Note: It is difficult for those who do not practise Pranayama to understand this fully. The fact is, Saguna Pranayama , when the breath is inhaled, the inhalation is measured by the time taken up in mentally reciting a well-known Mantra. So when inhaled breath is suspended, the suspension is measured by the time taken in mentally reciting a particular Mantra. When therefore, the suspended breath should be exhaled, it should be done by similarly measuring the time of exhaling. For beginners, this Saguna Pranayama is recommended. Of course only exhalation has been spoken of but it applies equally to inhalation and suspension. These three processes, in Yoga language, are Puraka, Kumbhaka, and Rechaka.]
In the first Yama of the night, twelve ways of holding the breath are recommended. After sleep, in the last Yama of the night, other twelve ways of doing the same have been laid down. Without doubt, one endued with tranquillity, of subdued senses, living in retirement, rejoicing in ones own self, and fully conversant with the import of the scriptures, should (regulating ones breath in these four and twenty ways) fix ones soul (on the Supreme Soul).
[Note: Ekantasilin means a Sannyasin. Atmarama is one who takes pleasure in ones soul instead of in spouses and children.]
Dispelling the five faults of the five senses, viz., (withdrawing them from their objects of) sound, form, touch, taste and scent, and dispelling those conditions called Pratibha and Apavarga, O ruler of the Mithilas, all the senses should be fixed upon the mind. The mind should then be fixed on Consciousness, O king, Consciousness should next be fixed on intelligence or Buddhi, and Buddhi should then be fixed on Prakriti. Thus merging these one after another, Yogis contemplate the Supreme Soul which is One, which is freed from Rajas, which is stainless, which is Immutable and Infinite and Pure and without defect, who is Eternal Purusha, who is unchangeable, who is indivisible, who is without decay and death, who is everlasting, who transcends diminution, and which is Immutable Brahma.
Listen now, O monarch, to the indications of one that is in Yoga. All the indications
of cheerful contentment are his who is slumbering in contentment are seen in the person,
that is in Samadhi. The person in Samadhi, the wise say, looks like the fixed and upward
flame of a lamp that is full of oil and that burns in a breezeless spot. He is like a rock
which is incapable of being moved in the slightest degree by ever a heavy downpour from
the clouds. He is incapable of being moved by the din of conches and drums, or by songs or
the sound of hundreds of musical instruments beat or blown together. Even this is the
indication of one in Samadhi. As a man of cool courage and determination, while ascending
a flight of steps with a vessel full of oil in his hands, does not spill even a drop of
the liquid if frightened and threatened by persons armed with weapons even so the Yogi,
when his mind has been concentrated and when he beholds the Supreme Soul in Samadhi, does
not, in consequence of the entire stoppage of the functions of his senses at such a time,
move in the slightest degree. Even these should be known to be the indication of the Yogi
while he is in Samadhi. While in Samadhi, the Yogi beholds Brahman which is Supreme and
Immutable and which is situated like a blazing Effulgence in the midst of thick Darkness.
It is by this means that he attains, after many years, to Emancipation after casting off
this inanimate body. Even this is what the eternal Sruti declares. This is called the Yoga
of the Yogis. What else is it? Knowing it, they that are endued with wisdom regard
themselves as crowned with success.
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Practitioners of Yoga aim for union with the Self (Yoga is Sanskrit for union) by undertaking distinctive mental and physical exercises. Most of these exercises can be traced back to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which were written more than 2000 years ago. Patanjalis system known as Raja Yoga, contains eight distinctive levels and practices.
Most of these practices can be found in other spiritual systems. The only exceptions
are Hatha Yoga and Pranayama and it is these, which give Raja Yoga its distinctive
character. When visitors asked Sri Ramana about these practices he would usually criticise
Hatha Yoga because of its obsession with the body. It is a fundamental premise of his
teachings that spiritual problems can only be solved by controlling the mind, and because
of this, he never encouraged the practice of spiritual disciplines that devoted themselves
primarily to the well being of the body. He had a higher opinion of Pranayama (breath
control), saying that it was a useful aid for those who could not otherwise control their
mind, but on the whole he tended to regard it as a beginners practice.
Freedom and Bondage
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The yogi tries to drive his mind to the goal, as
a cowherd drives a bull with a stick, but on this path (the Direct Path) the seeker coaxes
the bull by holding out a handful of grass.
In addition to Raja Yoga there is another popular system called Kundalini Yoga. The practitioners of this system concentrate on psychic centres (Chakras) in the body in order to generate a spiritual power they call Kundalini. The aim of this practice is to force the Kundalini up a psychic channel (the Sushumna) which runs from the base of the spine to the brain. The Kundalini Yogi believes that when this power reaches the Sahasrara (the highest Chakra located in the brain), Self-realisation will result.
Sri Ramana Maharshi never advised his devotees to practise Kundalini Yoga since he regarded it as being both potentially dangerous and unnecessary. He accepted the existence of the Kundalini power and the Chakras but he said that even if the Kundalini reached the Sahasrara it would not result in realisation. For final realisation, he said, the Kundalini must go beyond the Sahasrara, down another Nadi (psychic nerve) he called Amritnadi (also called the Parnadi or Jivanadi) and into the Heart-centre on the right hand side of the chest. Since he maintained that self-enquiry would automatically send the Kundalini to the Heart-centre, he taught that separate yoga exercises were unnecessary.
The Self is reached by the search for the origin of the ego and by diving into the Heart. This is the direct method of Self-realisation. One who adopts it need not worry about Nadis, the brain centre (Sahasrara), the Sushumna, the Paranadi, the Kundalini, Pranayama or the six Chakras (centres).
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Question: Yoga means union. I wonder union of what with what?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Exactly. Yoga implies prior division and it means later union of one thing with another. But who is to be united and with whom? You are the seeker, seeking union with something. If you assume this then that something must be apart from you. But your Self is intimate to you and you are always aware of it. Seek it and be it. Then it will expand as the infinite and there will be no question of Yoga. Whose is the separation (viyoga)?
Questioner: I dont know. Is there really separation?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Find out to whom is the viyoga. That is yoga. Yoga is common to all paths. Yoga is really nothing but ceasing to think that you are different from the Self or Reality. All the Yogas -Karma, Jnana, Bhakti, and Raja- are just different paths to suit different natures with different modes of evolution. They are all aimed at getting people out of the long-cherished notion that they are different from the Self. There is no question of union or yoga in the sense of going and joining something that is somewhere away from us or different from us, because you never were or could be separate from the Self.
Question: What is the difference between Yoga and enquiry?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yoga enjoins chitta-vrittti-nirodha (repression of thoughts) whereas I prescribe atmaniveshana (quest of oneself). This latter method is more practicable. The mind is repressed in swoon, or as the effect of fasting. But as soon as the cause is withdrawn the mind revives, that is, the thoughts begin to flow as before. There are just two ways of controlling the mind. Either seek its source, or surrender it to be struck down by the Supreme power. Surrender is the recognition of the existence of a higher overruling power. If the mind refuses to help in seeking the source, let it go and wait for its return; then turn it inwards. No one succeeds without patient perseverance.
Question: Is it necessary to control ones breath?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Breath control is only an aid for diving deep within oneself. One may as well dive down by controlling the mind. When the mind is controlled, the breath is controlled automatically. One need not attempt breath control, mind control is enough. Breath control is only recommended for those who cannot control their minds straightaway.
Question: When should one do Pranayama and why is it effective?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: In the absence of enquiry and devotion, the natural sedative pranayama (breath regulation) may be tried. This is known as Yoga Marga (the path of yoga). If life is imperilled the whole interest centres round one point, the saving of life. If the breath is held the mind cannot afford to (and does not) jump at its pets- external objects. Thus there is rest for the mind so long as the breath is held. All attention being turned on breath or its regulation, other interests are lost.
The source of breath is the same as that of the mind. Therefore the subsidence of either leads effortlessly to the subsidence of the other.
Question: Is the mind control induced by pranayama also temporary?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Quiescence lasts only so long as the breath is controlled. So it is transient. The goal is clearly not pranayama. It extends on to Pratyahara (withdrawal), Dharana (concentration of the mind), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi. Those stages deal with control of the mind. Such mind control becomes easier for a person who has earlier practised pranayama. Pranayama therefore leads one to the higher stages. Because these higher stages involve controlling the mind, one can say that mind control is the ultimate aim of Yoga.
A more advanced man will naturally go direct to control of mind without wasting his time in practising control of breath.
Question: Pranayama has three phases exhalation, inhalation and retention. How should they be regulated?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Completely giving up identification with the body alone is exhalation (rechaka); merging within through the enquiry Who am I? alone is inhalation (puraka); abiding as the one reality 'I am That alone is retention (kumbhaka). This is the real pranayama.
Question: I find it said in Maha Yoga that in the beginning of meditation one may attend to the breath, that is, its inspiration and expiration, and that after a certain amount of stillness of mind is attained, one can dive into the Heart seeking the source of the mind. I have been badly in want of some such practical hint. Can I follow this method? Is it correct?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The thing is to kill the mind somehow. Those who have not the strength to follow the enquiry method are advised to adopt pranayama as a help to control the mind. This pranayama is of two kinds, controlling and regulating the breath, or simply watching the breath.
Question: For controlling the breath, is not the ratio 1:4:2 for inhaling, retaining the breath and exhaling best?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: All those proportions, sometimes regulated not by counting but by uttering Mantras, are aids to controlling the mind. That is all. Watching the breath is also one form of pranayama. Inhaling, retaining and exhaling is more violent and may be harmful in some cases, for example when there is no proper Guru to guide the seeker at every step and stage. But merely watching the breath is easy and involves no risk.
Question: Hatha Yogic practices are said to banish diseases effectively and are therefore advocated as necessary preliminaries to Jnana Yoga (Yoga of knowledge).
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Let those who advocate them use them. It has not been the experience here. All diseases will be effectively annihilated by continuous self-enquiry. If you proceed on the notion that health of body is necessary for health of mind, there will never be an end to the care of the body.
Question: Is not Hatha Yoga necessary for the enquiry into the Self?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Each one finds some one method suitable to himself, because of latent tendencies (purva sanskara).
Question: Can Hatha Yoga be accomplished at my age?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Why do you think of all this? Because you think the Self is exterior to yourself you desire it and try for it. But do you not exist all along? Why do you leave yourself and go after something external?
Questioner: It is said in Aparoksha Anubhuti (by Sri Sankaracharya) that Hatha Yoga is a necessary aid for enquiry into the Self.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The Hatha Yogis claim to keep the body fit so that the enquiry may be effected without obstacles. They also say that life must be prolonged so that the enquiry may be carried to a successful end. Furthermore there are those who use some medicines (kayakalpa) with that end in view. Their favourite example is that the screen must be perfect before the painting is begun. Yes, but which is the screen and which the painting? According to them the body is the screen and the enquiry into the Self is the painting. But is not the body itself a picture on the screen, the Self?
Questioner: But Hatha Yoga is so much spoken of as an aid.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes. Even great pandits (pundits) well versed in the Vedanta continue the practice of it. Otherwise their minds will not subside. So you may say it is useful for those who cannot otherwise still the mind.
Question: What are Asanas (postures or seats)? Are they necessary?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Many asanas with their effects are mentioned in the Yoga sastras. The seats are the tiger-skin, grass, etc. The postures are the lotus posture, the easy posture, and so on. Why all these only to know oneself? The truth is that from the Self the ego rises up, confuses itself with the body, mistakes the world to be real, and then, covered with egotistic conceit, it thinks wildly and looks for asanas (seats). Such a person does not understand that he himself is the centre of all and thus forms the basis for all.
The asana is meant to make him sit firm. Where and how can he remain firm except in his own real state? This is the real asana.
Attaining the steadiness of not swerving from the knowledge that the base (asana) upon which the whole universe rests is only Self, which is the space of true knowledge, the illustrious ground, alone is the firm and motionless posture (asana) for excellent Samadhi.
Question: In what asana is Bhagavan (Sri Ramana) usually seated?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: In what asana? In the asana of the Heart. Wherever it is pleasant, there is my asana. That is called Sukhasana, the asana of happiness. That asana of the Heart is peaceful, and gives happiness.There is no need for any other asana for those who are seated in that one.
Question: Meditation is with mind. How can it kill the mind in order to reveal the Self?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Meditation is sticking to one thought. That single thought keeps away other thoughts. Distraction of mind is a sign of its weakness. By constant meditation it gains strength, that is to say, the weakness of fugitive thought gives place to the enduring background free from thought. This expanse devoid of thought is the Self. Mind in purity is the Self.
Question: What is Dhyana (meditation)?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: It is abiding as ones Self without swerving in any way from ones real nature and without feeling that one is meditating.
Question: What is the difference between Dyana and Samadhi?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Dyana is achieved through deliberate mental effort. In Samadhi there is no such effort.
Question: What are the factors to be kept in view in Dhyana
Sri Ramana Maharshi: It is important for one who is established in his Self (atmanishtha) to see that he does not swerve in the least from this absorption. By swerving from his true nature he may see before him bright effulgences, or hear unusual sounds, or regard as real the visions of gods appearing within or outside himself. He should not be deceived by these and forget himself.
Question: How is meditation to be practised?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Meditation is, truly speaking, atmanishtha (to be fixed as the Self). But when thoughts cross the mind and an effort is made to eliminate them the effort is usually termed meditation. Atmanishtha is your real nature. Remain as you are. That is the aim.
Question: But thoughts come up. Is our effort meant to eliminate thoughts only?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes. Meditation being on a single thought, the other thoughts are kept away. Meditation is only negative in effect in as much as thoughts are kept away.
Questioner: It is said Atma samstham manah krtva (fixing the mind in the Self). But the Self is unthinkable.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Why do you wish to meditate at all? Because you wish to do so you are told atma samstham manah krtva. Why do you not remain as you are without meditating? What is that manah (mind)? When all thoughts are eliminated it becomes atma samstha (fixed in the Self).
Questioner: If a form is given I can meditate on it and other thoughts are eliminated. But the Self is formless.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Meditation on forms of concrete objects is said to be Dhyana, whereas the enquiry into the Self is Vichara or Nididhyasana (uninterrupted awareness of being).
Question: How is Dhyana practised- with eyes open or closed?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: It may be done either way. The point is that the mind must be introverted and kept active in its pursuit. Sometimes it happens that when the eyes are closed the latent thoughts rush forth with great vigour. It may also be difficult to introvert the mind with the eyes open. It requires strength of mind to do so. The mind is contaminated when it takes in objects. Otherwise, it is pure. The main factors in Dhyana is to keep the mind active in its own pursuit without taking in external impressions or thinking of other matters.
Question: How do I prevent myself falling asleep in meditation?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: If you try to prevent sleep it will mean thinking in meditation, which must be avoided. But if you slip into sleep while meditating, the meditation will continue even during and after sleep. Yet, being a thought, sleep must be got rid of, for the final natural state has to be obtained consciously in jagrat (the waking state) without the disturbing thought. Waking and sleeping are mere pictures on the screen of the native, thought-free state. Let them pass unnoticed.
Question: What is to be meditated upon?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Anything that you prefer.
Question: Siva, Vishnu and Gayatri are said to be equally efficacious. Which should I mediate upon?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Any one you like best. They are all equal in their effect. But you should stick to one.
Question: How do I meditate?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Concentrate on that one whom you like best. If a single thought prevails, all other thoughts are put off and finally eradicated. So long as diversity prevails there are bad thoughts. When the object of love prevails only good thoughts hold the field. Therefore hold on to one thought only. Dhyana is the chief practice.
Dhyana means fight. As soon as you begin meditation other thoughts will crowd together, gather force and try to sink the single thought to which you try to hold. The good thought must gradually gain strength by repeated practice. After it has grown strong the other thoughts will be put to flight. This is the battle royal always taking place in meditation.
One wants to rid oneself of misery. It requires peace of mind, which means absence of perturbation owing to all kinds of thoughts. Peace of mind is brought about by Dhyana alone.
Question: What is the difference between Dhyana (meditation) and Vichara (investigation)?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Both amount to the same. Those unfit for investigation must practise meditation. In meditation the aspirant forgetting himself meditates I am Brahman or I am Siva and by this method holds on to Brahman or Siva. This will ultimately end with the residual awareness of Brahman or Siva as being. He will then realise that this is pure being, that is, the Self.
He who engages in investigation starts by holding on to himself, and by asking himself Who am I? The Self becomes clear to him. Mentally imagining oneself to be the supreme reality, which shines as existence-consciousness-bliss, is meditation. Fixing the mind in the Self so that the unreal seed of delusion will die is enquiry.
Whoever meditates upon the Self in whatever bhava (mental image) attains it only in that image. Those peaceful ones who remain quiet without any such bhava attain the noble and unqualified state of Kaivalya, the formless state of the Self.
Questioner: Meditation is more direct than investigation because the former holds on to the truth whereas the latter sifts the truth from the untruth.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: For the beginner meditation on a form is more easy and agreeable. Practice of it leads to self-enquiry, which consists in sifting the reality from unreality.
What is the use of holding on to truth when you are filled with antagonistic factors?
Self-enquiry directly leads to realisation by removing the obstacles which make you think the self is not already realised.
Meditation differs according to the degree of advancement of the seeker. If one is fit for it one might directly hold on to the thinker, and the thinker will then automatically sink into his source, pure consciousness.
If one cannot directly hold on to the thinker one must meditate on God and in due course the same individual will have become sufficiently pure to hold on to the thinker and to sink into absolute being.
Meditation is possible only if the ego is kept up. There is the ego and the object meditated upon. The method is therefore indirect because the Self is only one. Seeking the ego, that is its source, the ego disappears. What is left over is the Self. This method is the direct one.
Question: Is the practice of concentration between the eyebrows advisable?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The final result of the practice of any kind of Dhyana is that the object on which the seeker fixes his mind ceases to exist as distinct and separate from the subject. They, the subject and object, become the one Self, and that is the Heart.
Question: Why does not Sri Bhagavan (Sri Ramana) direct us to practise concentration on some particular centre or Chakra?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yoga Sastra says that the sahasrara (the Chakra located in the brain) or the brain is the seat of the Self. Purusha Sukta declares that the Heart is its seat. To enable the sadhaka to steer clear of possible doubt, I tell him to take up the thread or the clue of I-ness or I am ness and follow it up to its source. Because, firstly, it is impossible for anybody to entertain any doubt about this I notion. Secondly, whatever be the means adopted, the final goal is the realisation of the source of I am-ness, which is the primary datum of your experience.
If you therefore practice self-enquiry, you will reach the Heart, which is the Self.
Question: I practise Hatha Yoga and I also meditate I am Brahman. After a few moments of this meditation, a blank prevails, the brain gets heated and a fear of death arises. What should I do?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: I am Brahman is only a thought. Who says it? Brahman itself does not say so. What need is there for it to say it? Nor can the real I say so. For I always abides as Brahman. To be saying it is only a thought. Whose thought is it? All thoughts are from the unreal I, that is the I-thought. Remain without thinking. So long as there is thought there will be fear.
Questioner: As I go on thinking of it there is forgetfulness, the brain becomes heated and I am afraid.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes, the mind is concentrated in the brain and hence you get a hot sensation there. It is because of the I-thought. When the I-thought arises fear of death arises simultaneously. With regard to forgetfulness, so long as there is thought there will be forgetfulness. First there is the thought I am Brahman, then forgetfulness supervenes. Forgetfulness and thought are for the I-thought only. Hold on to it and it will disappear like a phantom. What remains over is the real I and that is the Self.
I am Brahman is an aid to concentration since it keeps off other thoughts. When that one thought alone persists, see whose thought it is. It will be found to be from I. From where is the I-thought? Probe into it, the I-thought will vanish, and the Supreme Self will shine forth of itself. No further effort is needed.
When the one real I remains alone, it will not be saying I am Brahman. Does a man go on repeating I am a man? Unless he is challenged, why should he declare himself a man? Does anyone mistake himself for an animal that he should say, .No, I am not an animal, I am a man? Similarly, Brahman or I being the only existing reality, there is no one there to challenge it and so there is no need to be repeating I am Brahman.
Question: Why should one adopt this self-hypnotism by thinking on the unthinkable point? Why not adopt other methods like gazing into light, holding the breath, hearing music, hearing internal sounds, repetition of the sacred syllable Om or other Mantras?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Light-gazing stupefies the mind and produces catalepsy of the will for the time being, but it secures no permanent benefit. Breath control temporarily benumbs the will but it is not permanent. It is the same with listening to sounds, unless the Mantra is sacred and secures the help of a higher power to purify and raise the thoughts.
Question: We are advised to concentrate on the spot in the forehead between the eyebrows. Is this right?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Everyone is aware- I am. Leaving aside that awareness one goes about in search of God. What is the use of fixing ones attention between the eyebrows? It is mere folly to say that God is between the eyebrows. The aim of such advice is to help the mind to concentrate. It is one of the forcible methods to check the mind and prevent its dissipation. It is forcibly directed into one channel. It is a help to concentration.
But the best means of realisation is the enquiry Who am I? The present trouble is to the mind and it must be removed by the mind only.
Question: I do not always concentrate on the same centre in the body. Sometimes I find it easier to concentrate on one centre and sometimes on another. And sometimes when I concentrate on one centre the thought of its own accord goes and fixes itself in another. Why is that?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: It may be because of past practices of yours. But in any case it is immaterial on which centre you concentrate since the real Heart is in every centre and even outside the body. On whatever part of the body you may concentrate or on whatever external object, the Heart is there.
Question: Can one concentrate at one time on one centre and at another time on another or should one concentrate always consistently on the same centres?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: As I have just said, there can be no harm wherever you concentrate, because concentration is only a means of giving up thoughts. Whatever the centre or object on which you concentrate, he who concentrates is always the same.
Questioner: Some say that one should practise meditation on gross objects only. It may be disastrous if one constantly seeks to kill the mind.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: For who is it disastrous? Can there be disaster apart from the Self?
Unbroken I, I is the infinite ocean. The ego, the I-thought, remains only a bubble on it and is called Jiva or individual soul. The bubble too is water for when it bursts it only mixes in the ocean. When it remains a bubble it is still a part of the ocean. Ignorant of this simple truth, innumerable methods under different denominations, such as Yoga, Bhakti, Karma, each again with many modifications, are being taught with great skill and in intricate detail only to entice the seekers and confuse their minds. So also there are religions and sects and dogmas. What are they all for? Only for knowing the Self. They are aids and practices required for knowing the Self.
Objects perceived by the senses are spoken of as immediate knowledge (pratyaksha). Can
anything be as direct as the Self- always experienced without the aid of the senses?
Sense-perceptions can only be indirect knowledge, and not direct knowledge. Only
ones own awareness is direct knowledge, and that is the common experience of one and
all. No aids are needed to know ones own Self.
From The Bhagavad Gita
Shutting out (all) external contacts and fixing the gaze between the eyebrows,
equalising the outgoing and incoming breaths moving within the nostrils.
With the senses, the mind and the intellect (ever) controlled, having liberation as his
supreme goal, free from desire, fear and anger- the sage is verily liberated for ever.
He who is happy within, who rejoices within, and who is illumined within, that Yogi
attains absolute freedom or moksha, himself becoming Brahman.
Absolute freedom (or Brahmic bliss) exists on all sides for those self-controlled
ascetics who are free from desire and anger, who have controlled their thoughts and who
have realised the Self
He who is able, while still here (in this world) to withstand, before the liberation
from the body, the impulse born out of desire and anger - he is a Yogi, he is a happy man.
The enjoyments that are born of contacts are only generators of pain, for they have a
beginning and an end, O Arjuna: the wise do not rejoice in them.
Raja Yoga by Swami Nikhilananda
Let us consider the spiritual discipline prescribed in Raja Yoga, which devotes itself to the study of the mind and its control. In the Yoga-sutras, these disciplines have been systematised by the ancient Hindu philosopher and seer Patanjali. The method of Raja Yoga, practical and rational, has been tested again and again by Indian Yogis. Its technique can be followed in varying degrees by all, irrespective of their religion, in their practice of meditation and concentration.
The study of the mind is more difficult than the study of the external world, because the states of the mind constantly change. Furthermore, in this Yoga the observer, the object, and the instrument of observation are all different states of the mind. Still another difficulty arises from the fact that most of us have been trained from childhood to observe and analyze only outer world of nature and not the inner world of the mind. In the West the systematic study of physics and astronomy began much earlier than that of psychology. What we are now to deal with is the phenomenon of the mind studying itself through the mind. The powers of the mind are generally scattered; but they can be concentrated and thus be made to become a powerful searchlight to illumine the whole of a mans inner self.
All great achievements of human civilisation, for instance, the cathedral of Chartres, the Taj Mahal, the caves of Ajanta, Michelangelos statue of Moses, the dome of Saint Peters, the Republic of Plato, or Einsteins theory of relativity, were first conceived in the mind and then tangibly expressed in the outer world. Before being relegated to oblivion by the process of nature, they also will have been discarded by the mind. Concentration is the sole method by which one can develop the innate power of the mind and learn the secrets not only of the outer but also of the inner world. Scientists observe facts to arrive at reality; but mere observation does not constitute the scientific method; the facts must be properly studied. Men had seen apples falling for untold ages, but Sir Isaac Newtons reflection on this fact resulted in the formulation of the law of gravitation. Concentration of the mind should be practised by all creative people who wish to succeed in their work. In the realm of religious experience its value is immeasurable.
Patanjali has defined Yoga as the restraining of the mind from taking various forms (vrittis). Let us try to form a general idea of the mind according to Hindu philosophers and psychologists. Consisting of subtle material elements, the mind is the inner organ of appreciation, as opposed to the outer organs by which the objects of the external world are perceived. It functions in four different ways and is given names appropriate to its functions, such as Manas (mind), Buddhi (intellect), Chitta (mind-stuff), and Aham (ego). The Upanishads give the following functions of the inner organ: desire, determination, doubt, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness, shame, intelligence, and fear. According to Hindu psychologists, the inner and outer organs, as also physical objects, are not essentially different from one another, because they all consist of gross or subtle matter. The insentient sense organs and mind derive the power of illumining objects from atman, or the inner spirit, which is the source of all light.
How does a perception arise? The sense organs, through the nerves, carry the sensations of external objects to the brain centres, where they are presented to the inner organ. One aspect of the inner organ, the Manas or mind, creates doubt regarding the nature of these sensations; the Buddhi or the intellect, comes to a decision by comparing them with the sensations stored up in the Chitta, or mind-stuff; then the Aham or the ego, plays its part. Thus it is that one says: I see a cow, or I hear a bus. But, as already stated, the inner organ, which by nature is material and non-intelligent, cannot function unless activated by the light of atman (soul).
The nature of mental states is influenced by the three gunas Sattva, Rajas and Tamas which constitute the mind as well as all material objects, gross or subtle.That is why the same object can create different feelings in different minds. A beautiful woman, for instance, may be regarded either with pain or with joy by the disappointed or successful suitor in whom Rajas prevails, and with calmness by a saint whose mind has a preponderance of Sattva; she hardly evokes any sentiment in a mind full of Tamas.
One does not generally see what lies deep in the mind, because its surface is constantly agitated by impressions from the outside world. If the water of a lake is muddy or disturbed, one does not see the bottom. But when the mud settles and the ripples subside, an object lying in the depths is plainly visible. As the water is clear by nature, mud being extraneous to it, so the mind is by nature translucent and capable of revealing the true nature of atman (soul). But it appears to have lost its clarity on account of an excess of Rajas and Tamas, which may be controlled through proper spiritual disciplines. The uncontrolled sense organs, coming in contact with physical objects, constantly draw the mind outward and create waves. It is the aim of Yoga to detach the mind from the sense organs and check its outward tendencies. Only then can it reflect the true nature of atman.
The ordinary states of the mind are darkened or scattered. The darkened mind, filled with Tamas, is dull and passive. The scattered mind, with an excess of Rajas, is restless. No higher perceptions are possible through either of these states. By the disciplines of Yoga the darkened mind and the scattered mind can be gathered and made one-pointed. Then alone does the Yogi attain total absorption, or samadhi, and realise the true nature of his self, as when the waves subside, one sees the bottom of the lake. But an ordinary man identifies himself with one or another state of the mind and experiences grief, fear or happiness.
According to Raja-Yoga, the waves of the mind can be controlled by practice and non-attachment. The unceasing struggle to keep the mind perfectly restrained is called practice. Though at first difficult, it becomes easy through protracted effort accompanied by intense love for the goal. Non-attachment means the control of yearning for any object unrelated to the goal the Yogi has set out to realize. This goal is the freedom of the soul, and non-attachment thus means the repression of desire for all such material objects of the phenomenal universe as one experiences on earth, and also for those which are realised in the heavenly worlds, about which one reads in the scriptures. Both kinds of objects are impermanent, being subject to time, space, and the law of causation.
Various disciplines are prescribed by Patanjali to quiet the mind. Here is one: A student of Yoga should cultivate an attitude of friendship toward those who are happy, mercy toward those who are unhappy, gladness toward the good, and indifference toward the evil.
A Yogi still struggling for perfection does not become a social reformer. Jesus said to a disciple: Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. Come and follow me, or For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. A Yogi tries to redress evils happening before his eyes, if he sees them, but he certainly does not create new distractions by going out to seek them. He devotes himself to the spiritual welfare of others after he has attained illumination. The mind can also be quieted by regulated breathing, or through concentration on light, or on a pleasant dream or on any delectable object.
A further discipline for quieting the mind is devotion to Isvara, or God. Isvara is defined by Patanjali as a special Person, untouched by misery, actions and their results, and desires. Omniscient and not limited by time, He is the teacher of even the ancient teachers.
The word that signifies God is AUM. By repeating it and meditating on its meaning, the aspirant develops introspection and overcomes such obstructions to the spiritual life as disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of enthusiasm, lethargy, clinging to sense-enjoyments, false perception, non-attaining of concentration, and falling away from concentration when attained. Since AUM has been given a prominent place in the Hindu scriptures, a brief interpretation of the word will be appropriate.
Aum, often written Om (to rhyme with home), is the most sacred word in the Gayatri Mantra, which contains the essence of the Vedic philosophy. Hindus regard this word as an effective symbol of Brahman, and give the following reason.
Every thought has a counterpart in a word or sound; the word and the thought are inseparable. The external part of a thing is the word and the internal part of the same thing is what we may call the thought. The same thought may be expressed by different words of sounds. Though the sounds vary, yet the relation between the sounds and the thoughts is a natural one. This relation is effective only if there is a real connection between the thing signified and the signifying symbol; otherwise the symbol will never be universally accepted. When that natural connection exists, the symbol, when it is used, recalls the thing signified.
According to Patanjali, there is a unique relation between the Godhead and the word Aum. Though there are hundreds of words to signify the Godhead and each of them may be regarded as a symbol, Hindu philosophers regard Aum as the most generalised sound, the substratum and common ground of all sounds. The three letters A, U, and M, pronounced in combination as Aum, are the generalised symbols of all possible sounds. A (pronounced aw as in dawn) is the root sound, the key, pronounced without the tongues touching any part of the palate; it is the least differentiated of all sounds. Again, all articulate sounds are produced in the space between the root of the tongue and the lips; the throat sound is A, and M is the final sound produced by the closing of the lips. U represents the rolling forward of the impulse that begins at the root of the tongue and ends at the lips. When properly pronounced, Aum represents the whole gamut of sound production as no other word can. It is therefore the matrix of all sounds, and thus the fittest symbol of the Godhead; it is the word, which, according to St. John, was in the beginning, was with God, and was God.
In Hinduism, Aum has been used to denote all the various ideas about reality, and has been retained through all the stages of Indias religious growth.Dualists, qualified non-dualists, absolute non-dualists, and all other schools of Hinduism use Aum, one way or another, to denote ultimate reality. Even the Buddhists and Jainas, who repudiate the authority of the Vedas, have accepted the sanctity of Aum. This word, the material of all words, can be used as a sacred symbol for reality by non-Hindus as well. It is recognised by the Hindu scriptures as the symbol of both the personal God and Impersonal Reality, or pure consciousness.
The Personal God has been defined as the Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer of the universe. The three aspects of creation, preservation, and destruction are expressed by the three letters of Aum. A signifies the creative aspect of the Deity because A is the beginning of all sounds. U signifies the preservative aspect because the sound that is produced in the throat is preserved, as it were, by U, while rolling through the mouth. Finally, M is the symbol of the destructive aspect of the Deity because all sounds come to an end when the lips are closed. There is also an undifferentiated sound which comes at the end of the utterance of Aum and which is the symbol of pure consciousness, or the attributeless Brahman. Both the symbol and the entity signified by it are without parts or relationships. The undifferentiated sound finally merges in silence, which also is the final experience of the mystics.
The Upanishads describe Aum as the symbol of the atman, or individual soul, in its various aspects. Thus A is the symbol of the atman experiencing the gross world in the waking state through the gross body; U of the atman experiencing the subtle or mental world in the dream state through the subtle or dream body; and M of the atman experiencing the causal world in deep sleep through the causal body when the physical body, the senses, and the mind are at rest. Thus Aum represents the totality of the atmans experiences in the relative world. The undifferentiated sound that follows the particular sounds A, U, and M, signifies the atman free from the experiences of the relative world, which is known as Turiya, or pure consciousness.
The word Aum was not invented by any man. It is the primordial and uncreated sound, which is heard by mystics absorbed in contemplation, when their minds and senses are withdrawn from the world. Through this word is revealed to them the eternal process of creation, preservation, and destruction. Ramakrishna, describing Aum both in its relative and in its transcendental aspect, said: "I give the illustration of the sound of a gong: "tom," t-o-m. It is the merging of the relative in the absolute: the gross, the subtle, and the causal; waking, dream, and deep sleep, merge in Turiya, or pure consciousness. The striking of the gong is like the falling of a heavy weight into a big ocean. Waves begin to rise: the relative rises from the Absolute; the causal, subtle, and gross bodies rise out of the Great Cause; from Turiya emerge the states of deep sleep, dream, and waking. These waves arising from the Great Ocean merge again in the Great Ocean- from the Absolute to the relative, and from the relative to the Absolute. Therefore I give the illustration of gong, "t-o-m." I have clearly seen all these things. It has been revealed to me that there exists an ocean of consciousness without limit. From it are projected all things of the relative plane and in it they merge again. Millions of universes rise in the pure consciousness within the heart of man and merge in it. All this has been revealed to me; I dont know much about what your books say.
Patanjali states that there are different kinds of concentration. One can concentrate on the external, gross elements and thus learn their true nature. By means of such concentration a Yogi obtains knowledge of the subtle properties of material objects, and through this knowledge he acquires what are generally known as supernatural powers, which if abused are not only lost but also bring about suffering. The concentration practised by scientists may be said to belong to this category. Through deep concentration they have discovered the inner nature of the atom and released the energy locked in it. According to Patanjali, the power acquired through such concentration enables one to obtain mastery over physical objects and enjoy material happiness. The powers released from matter may be used for both constructive purposes, depending upon the characters of the persons handling them.
When used by people emotionally on the level of children and intellectually on the level of primitives, powers acquired from matter can spell disaster for humanity and bring about the downfall of physical science. Other forms of concentration, directed toward different material objects, produce corresponding results. Every Yogi is required to eradicate his selfish tendencies by the practice of ethical disciplines. A genuine Yogi is not interested in the enjoyment of powers, which are obstacles to the attainment of self-knowledge.
By means of concentration, the mind of a Yogi acquires such unique powers that it can contemplate all objects, whether minute as an atom or huge as the solar system. Thus it can function either like a heavy scales in a warehouse or like a delicate balance in a chemical factory. Through the power of concentration, the Yogi can withdraw his mind from all extraneous objects and identify himself solely with one object of thought. His mind becomes like a crystal, which, when placed near an object, such as a flower, identifies itself with it. The mind has now acquired one-pointedness and can penetrate deeply into the nature of the self. Thus it obtains knowledge which is far more profound than that acquired through the senses, inference, or the testimony of others. This is what is meant by direct and immediate experience, or knowledge by acquaintance; such knowledge is different from ordinary empirical knowledge coloured by the state of the senses and the mind.
The mind of a Yogi practising concentration is disturbed, at the beginning, by many distractions, as is the surface of a lake by waves. But through persistent practice of concentration, these distractions become attenuated. Intense concentration on the nature of the self creates a powerful wave, which gradually swallows up, as it were, all other waves created by past impressions. Finally, by utter non-attachment and a supreme act of will, the last wave can be made to burst and the mind becomes free from all distractions. It acquires its natural state of purity and reflects the true nature of the inner spirit or soul.
The Eight Limbs of Raja Yoga
Raja yoga consists of eight limbs or parts:
The first two, Yama and Niyama, denote, in general way, self-control. The discipline of Yama includes non-injury, truthfulness, non-covetousness, chastity, and non-receiving of gifts; all these bring about purity of mind, without which spiritual contemplation is not possible. Without self-control, the practice of Yoga can injure both the Yogi and others. A Sanskrit proverb says: To feed a cobra with milk without first taking out its poisonous fangs is only to increase its venom. Niyama signifies certain habits and observances, such as austerity, study of the scriptures, contentment, purity of body and mind, and devotion to God.
The third limb of yoga is Asana, or posture. That posture which comes easiest to the student is recommended. Different postures are prescribed; but the general principle is to hold the spinal column free. The Yogi sits erect, holding his back, neck, and head in a straight line, and resting the whole weight of the upper body on the ribs. With the chest out, he finds it easy to relax the body and think deeply.
The fourth limb is Pranayama, generally called the control of the breath. According to Hindu philosophers, the universe consists of two primordial elements: Akasa and Prana, which are the sources of matter and energy respectively. Through their interaction all tangible objects come into existence. Prana, which pervades the universe, is manifest in the human body in the movement of the lungs; and this motion is related to the breath. By controlling the breath one can gradually control the whole physical system and even the cosmic energy. The breath is like a flywheel of a machine. In a large machine, first the flywheel moves, and then the motion is conveyed to the fine parts, until the most delicate mechanism is set in motion. The breath supplies the motive power to all parts of the body. When the breathing is regulated the whole physical system functions rhythmically. By the regulation of breathing, the Yogis can perform such supernatural feats as remaining buried alive for a number of days, lying on a bed of nails, curing diseases both in themselves and in others, generating gigantic will-power, and transmitting thoughts to others. But the regulation of the breath, and the other Yogic exercises, should be learnt from a competent teacher, or they will injure a mans body, nerves, and mind.
Pratyahara, the fifth limb of Yoga, consists in training the mind to detach itself at will from a particular sense organ. We retain the impression of an object only when the mind is attached to it through a sense organ. Thus we may see, during the daytime, a thousand faces, but we remember at night only the face to which the mind felt attached. By means of Pratyahara, the Yogi can check the outward inclination of the mind and free it from the thralldom of the senses. The mind of the average person may be likened to a monkey which, restless by nature, has taken a deep draft of liquor, thus aggravating its restlessness. Further, the monkey has been stung by a scorpion, and finally has been possessed by a ghost. Just so, the naturally restless mind, after a deep dose of worldly pleasures, becomes intensely restless; it is, further, stung by jealousy, and finally possessed by the ghost of egotism. How is one to calm the excited monkey?
One method is to allow it to jump about until at last it becomes tired. Likewise, the aspirant may allow the mind to move in any way it likes, himself remaining relaxed, and witness its restless movements without trying to suppress his thoughts. Whether they are good or bad, he should let them come to the surface; thus he will be able to know his inner nature, and such knowledge is, in itself, a great gain. Gradually, as the mind grows tired, the thoughts become fewer. And then the mind can be brought under control and detached from any sense organ. Another method is to control mental restlessness by sheer power of will.
The sixth limb of yoga, Dharana, consists in holding the mind to a certain part of the body, making it feel that part alone, to the exclusion of all others. For instance, the yogi may remain aware only of the tip of his nose.
The seventh limb if yoga is called Dhyana, meditation. In this stage the mind acquires the power to think of an object uninterruptedly. The flow of the yogis mind to the object is unbroken, like the uninterrupted sound of a gong struck with a stick.
The eigth and last limb of yoga is called Samadhi, or total absorption, a state of mind in which the yogi rejects the external part- the name and the form- of the object of meditation, and contemplates only its essence. He thus comes face to face with the true nature of the object, ordinarily hidden behind the outer name and form, and is no longer deceived by appearances.
The last three limbs Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi taken together are called Samyama. The mind first concentrates on an object, then continues in that state for a length of time, and lastly, by continued concentration, is able to dwell on the essence of the object. Through the application of samyama with reference to various objects, the Yogi obtains supernatural powers. When by a supreme act of discrimination he rejects all the powers that come to him, regarding them as obstacles to liberation, and thus attains perfect desirelessness; the yogi achieves Kaivalya or isolation. Then he realises that the soul, completely separate from the body and mind, and untouched by time, space, and causation, is non-material. It is pure consciousness, unchanging and immortal. The yogi who has attained Kaivalya may be compared to a ripe nut in which the kernel is separate from the shell; he feels his soul, detached from his body, rattling inside it, as it were. An ordinary man is like a green nut: the kernel is attached to the shell.
According to the Sankhya philosophy, on which Raja Yoga is based, attachment to nature is the cause of the souls bondage, and detachment from nature is liberation.Yet she (nature) is not regarded as a mans enemy in his quest to realise the ultimate goal; on the contrary, she is his helpmate. She has taken upon herself, as it were, the unselfish task of assisting him, entangled as he is in the world, to attain liberation; and with that end in view she makes him pass through various experiences in different bodies, higher and lower. At long last, when, becoming dissatisfied with these experiences, he isolates himself from nature and regains his lost glory, natures task with this particular self-forgetting soul is accomplished, and she comes to the rescue of another who has likewise lost his way in the trackless wilderness of life. Thus mother nature, mans beneficent nurse, is ceaselessly at work, guiding one lost soul after another through pleasure and pain, good and evil to the haven of peace and freedom.
The Upanishads speak of the beginningless Prakriti, or nature, as consisting of three Gunas, namely, Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas, which by their combination produce the various physical bodies and objects of enjoyment. One birthless soul becomes attached to Prakriti for the purpose of enjoyment, when another birthless soul has left her after his enjoyment is completed. Both the Sankhya and Yoga philosophies postulate, as ultimate categories, an infinite number of Purushas, or souls, and one Prakriti, or Nature. The souls are conscious entities, whereas Prakriti is insentient.
Patanjali asserts that through Samadhi one becomes omniscient. The real source of knowledge is in the soul; the brain cells do not create knowledge but serve as channels for its outer expression. When it is said that by destroying part of the brain the knowledge of a man can be interrupted, what is really meant is that the channels for manifesting knowledge are blocked. The purpose of study or observation is to open up the cells; the greater the number of cells functioning in the brain, the greater is the availability of a mans knowledge. While certain gross cells may be opened by means of ordinary education, certain other cells, subtler in nature, may be made to function by means of Yogic disciplines. It is said that in Samadhi all the cells in the brain begin to function; thus a perfected Yogi claims omniscience.
Samadhi is a superconscious state of the mind, in which ego is completely transcended. After experiencing it a man becomes a saint or a prophet. It is a higher state of mind, beyond both instinct and reason. In the realm of instinct, there is no I-consciousness, as for instance in animals, and very few mistakes are made; but the area of instinct is extremely limited. Reason functions in a wider area and is accompanied by I-consciousness. But one does not obtain certainty through reason. Furthermore, working through the data furnished by the senses, reason is incompetent to deal with the supramental experiences of God, the soul, and immortality. There is a vast area outside reason, which is the realm of super consciousness and which can be known only by a faculty higher than reason, called intuition, inspiration, or direct and immediate perception.
Through proper disciplines instinct can be transformed into reason, and reason into intuition or direct perception. All profound religious experiences are related to the area of the super conscious: it is from this that the seers and mystics draw their knowledge. The higher religions lay down disciplines for the attainment of the super conscious experience, but one can stumble upon it without going through the discipline. Generally such a person becomes dogmatic and makes fanatical claims of having found the truth. Or a person can become deranged if this exalted experience is forced upon him, just as a penniless beggar may lose his balance of mind through suddenly coming into a fortune, which he has never dreamt of. A spiritual experience, like ordinary wealth, can be enjoyed to a greater degree when it has been earned by a mans own effort than when it is thrust upon him. The source of all spiritual experiences is beyond reason; reason takes a seeker of supramental truths as far as it can and then bows itself out. But although super conscious experiences are not directly obtained through reason, they must not conflict with reason. And again, when these supramental truths are presented to the world, the presentation must be couched in rational terms.
Samadhi can be attained, through proper steps, by all human beings. Each one of the steps has been reasoned and scientifically tested.
It is said that practice of Raja Yoga becomes easy for those who are born with natural inwardness of mind and the power of concentration. But for many who are not so fortunate, and who want to practise Raja Yoga, the disciplines of Hatha Yoga are first recommended. The two Yogas are closely connected. Hatha Yoga prepares the way for Raja yoga. As there exists a close relationship between the body and the mind, one finds it helpful and easy to control the mental states by certain physical exercises laid down in Hatha Yoga. For the practice of Hatha Yoga, a qualified teacher is absolutely necessary.
Two major disciplines of Hatha Yoga are posture and control of the breath. Eighty-four postures are prescribed; these make the body firm, light, and free from disease, and also help in the practice of concentration, the suppression of carnal desire, and the correction of the humours of the body. Next comes control of the breath. It is a matter of common observance that there is a close relationship between the breath and the mind: when the breathing is irregular, and the mind wanders, and when the breathing is controlled, the mind is calmer. One invites serious physical malady through incorrect practice of breath control. The teachers of this yoga also speak of various other exercises for the inner cleansing of the body. The main purpose of Hatha Yoga is to increase the strength, vitality, and digestive power, as well as to remove various physical ailments. A healthy body and long life are important factors in the realisation of the spiritual goal in the present life.
It appears from the study of the religious history of India that at different times different types of spiritual experience have been emphasized. Thus, for instance, happiness in heaven was prized during the early Vedic period, the realization of the nondual Brahman (Supreme Reality) through Vedantic disciplines at the time of the Upanishads, and communion with the personal God through love at the time of the Puranas. This is, of course, a very general statement. During the nineteenth century Ramakrishna and his great disciple Vivekananda laid special emphasis on the manifestation of God in man. Ramakrishna experienced the highest fruit of all the Yogas and communed with God in various ways. But in the end he said that the manifestation of God in man appealed to him most. He asked his disciples to serve men as visible images of God and to alleviate their misery; but he derided the idea of showing them pity.
One day the young Vivekananda prayed to Ramakrishna for the boon that he might commune with God in Samadhi for several days at a time, opening his eyes once in a while to take a little physical nourishment.
Ramakrishna reproached him and said: Why are you so eager to see God with eyes closed? Cant you see Him with eyes open?
He explained that the presence of God was felt not only when one shut the eyes; God could also be seen when one looked around. Service to the hungry, sick, and ignorant in the proper spirit was as effective as any other spiritual discipline. For several days before his passing away, Ramakrishna instructed the disciple as to how to minister to the spiritual needs of humanity. He also said many times that he himself would be willing to come back to earth even as a dog if given the privilege of serving others.
After the passing away of his master, Vivekananda practised intense austerities,
following the time honoured disciplines of the monastic life, and several times resolved
to end his days in meditation in a mountain cave; but each time he was thrown out, as it
were, by an unseen power. At last he discovered that one of his missions was to serve the
Indian masses by removing their poverty, sickness, and ignorance. He came to America to
explore the possibilities of applying scientific and technological knowledge to achieve
that purpose. Another mission was to serve Western men and women by bringing to them the
message of Vedanta in order to deepen their spiritual consciousness and their religious
outlook. Later he established the Ramakrishna Order of monks, whose members take the two
vows of personal liberation and service to humanity. The spiritual discipline of the monks
of the Order alternates between worship and service.
Thy God is here before thee now,
Before his death Vivekananda said: May I be born again and again and suffer
thousands of miseries, so that I may worship the only God that exists and the only God
that I believe in: the sum total of all souls.