The first sutra of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali states (sutra 1.1):

अथ योगानुशासनम्॥१॥
Atha yogAnushAsanaM

"Here, now (I present to you) the exposition of Yoga"

Vyasa, who is the most revered commentator of the sutras, defines the word yoga as being in the state of samadhi. It comes from the root word "yuj" which depending upon the context in which it is used, can mean either "in samadhi" or "union, yoking" etc. In the context of the yoga sutras, given the definition and objectives of yoga, Vyasa has decided to use the meaning "in samadhi".  Samadhi refers to a state of the mind wherein the mind is calm, free of any agitation, free of affliction (stress-free) and can stay in an undisturbed state under the most trying circumstances. In that state, as per sutra 1.3, the spiritual self (Purusha) is established in its own natural state which is considered unalterable and immutable.

In sutra 1.2, the definition of yoga is given as:

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥
yogashchittavRuttinirodhaH

"yoga is the ability to control the fluctuations of the mind"

In order to calm the fluctuations of the mind, it is important that we develop a deeper understanding of the mind and how it functions. Vyasa, in his commentary of sutra 1.1, states that the mind can be in one of these five states at any given time:

• Kshipta (agitated/scattered)
• Mudha (dull, lethargic)
• Vikshipta (partially focused)
• Ekagra (one-pointed)
• Niruddha (fully arrested).

Mind, which is a manifestation of Prakriti, is a composite of the three gunas of Prakriti – sattva (purity), rajas (activity) and tamas (dullness). The fluctuations in the mind are a reflection of the disequilibrium of the three gunas which is the common nature of all creation.

Here is a brief explanation of the five states of the mind:

Kshipta (scatter-brain)

This is the most common state of the mind that most of us are in during our waking hours. This state is fully dominated by the guna ‘rajas’. In this state, the mind is totally restless, jumping from one thought to another, from one emotion to the next and from object to the next. One oscillates between love and hate, likes and dislikes etc as a leaf flutters in wind.

Mudha (dull, somnolent)

The mudha state is dominated by the guna ‘tamas’ in which the mind is dull, sleepy, lethargic and lacking any alertness. When you are mentally fatigued, you may throw up your hands saying, "my brain is fried, I need a break". All you want to do at that time is to be a "couch-potato" for some time. In the mudha state no productive work can be achieved.

During the waking state, one usually alternates between the kshipta and the mudha states. Rajas can propel us to be attracted toward an object of the senses. However, if we are denied that object, tamas can drive us into a state of sadness or even depression.

Vikshipta (partially focused)

In our pursuits of life, material or spiritual, there are moments when the sattva guna  begins to dominate and the mind can find moments of focus and concentration. However, old habits keep pulling the mind away from sattva and back to rajas or tamas. The Vikshipta state represents this pulling away from the partial state of concentration and is brought about by the nine impediments to concentration or vikshepas (sutra 1.30) and their five companions (sutra 1.31). Literally, a mind under the influence of vikshepa is called vikshipta.

In our yoga practice, whenever we sit for meditation, we do find brief periods when the mind seems to be still and focused on the object of meditation. However, soon it gets distracted by other thoughts which is called the vikshipta state.

Ekagra (One-pointed)

This, according to Vyasa, represents what Patanjali calls Samprajnata Samadhi (sutra 1.17). In this state the mind is fully focused on the object of meditation and the object becomes fully illuminated, realized and completely known. This is the state which can diminish the kleshas (afflictions) as given in sutra 2.3, loosen the bonds of karma and brings one closer to the final state of Nirodha.  In a real yogic sense, only the perception of an object in the state of samadhi can be labeled as ‘direct perception’. Normal perception through the five senses, which is commonly called ‘direct’ is in fact incomplete, incorrect, impaired and distorted because of the imperfections of the senses themselves, of the mind and buddhi as they are dominated by the negative ego.

Niruddha (fully arrested in concentration)

Vyasa equates the Niruddha state with what Patanjali calls Asamprajnata Samadhi (sutra 1.18). In this state no new samskaras (impressions) can arise. Even though past impressions still remain, they are made ineffective and can no longer cause any afflictions. In the state of Nirodha the mind continues to provide its normal functionality. However, it is now fully under the control of the yogi and all the vrittis (fluctuations) that happen are under the control of the pure, sattvic buddhi (intellect) as opposed to being controlled by the ego. When the state of nirodha is sustained for a long time, the mind gets finally dissolved into a state of equilibrium of the gunas which leads to final liberation (Kaivalya).

The above classification of the states of the mind by Vyasa helps us analyze our own mental state and can help us make good progress in our yogic pursuits.

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Defining and Understanding Tapas

Tapas is listed as the third of the five Niyamas in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The word Tapas (तपः) means heat or fire. As a verb (from the root तप् – ‘tap’) it can also mean to cause pain or suffering or to heat something up. Some of the common translations of Tapas are asceticism, austerity, self-discipline, determination, mortification etc. This niyama implies that we are putting the body through intense heat with the purpose of purifying it. The action is similar to that of a goldsmith who puts gold through intense heat in order to make it of a purer grade. Through the practice of tapas, one can become "tough" both physically and mentally so that one can withstand hardships that one faces in life.

Vyasa defines tapas as "resisting the pairs representing duality such as heat and cold, thirst and hunger, standing and sitting etc". As one of the practices of tapas, Vyasa mentions the Chandrayana fast (described below). Practice of Tapas can include one or more of the following:

• worshipping the deities, the guru, the parents etc.
• Standing motionless for a period of time
• Sitting motionless, presumably in a meditative posture, for a period of time
• Practicing silence – either not communicating via speech or not even using physical or facial gestures.

From tapas are derived some of the commonly used words such as tapasya or tapascharya (the act of performing tapas) and tapasvin (one who practices tapas, an ascetic). Tapasya implies a self-discipline or austerity willingly observed both in restraining physical urges and in actively pursuing a higher purpose in life. Through tapas, a yogi or spiritual seeker can "burn off" or prevent accumulation of negative energies, clearing a path toward spiritual evolution.

On a practical, day-to-day basis, practicing tapas means disciplining oneself to do something on a regular basis that one is not normally comfortable with but is desirable. For example, giving up food that you may be very fond of but has been declared unhealthy by your doctor. Practicing tapas, for example, may include maintaining a regular yoga practice (which includes asana, pranayama and meditation), engaging in a charitable act on a regular basis, eating sattvic food in limited, measured quantity, observing fast periodically etc. As mentioned above, one of the fasts mentioned in the Vedic literature is called Chanrayana fast which is observed as follows:

"On the first day of the fast, which begins on the day of full moon, only one morsel of food is eaten. The number of morsels are increased on successive days (i.e. two morsels on second day, three morsels on the third day and so on). On the day of no moon (Amavasya), which is the fifteenth day, fifteen morsels of food are taken. From the next day onward the number of morsels is decreased by one everyday for fourteen days and a full fast is observed on the day of full moon."

Tapas in the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita

In the Yoga Sutras, Tapas is mentioned in two different contexts. In sutra 2.1, it is included as a part of the practice of Kriya Yoga:

तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः॥१॥

tapaHsvaadhyaayeshvarapraNidhaanaani kRuyaayogaH

Here, in this sutra, Kriya Yoga is defined as tapas (austerity), swadhyaya (self-study or study of scriptures) and Ishwara Pranidhana (surrender to Ishwara, the higher consciousness). Patanjali goes on to say that through the practice of Kriya Yoga, one can minimize the afflictions and also pave the way toward attainment of Samadhi.

Tapas is again mentioned as one of the five Niyamas – shaucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (austerity), swadhyaya (self-study or study of scriptures) and Ishwara Pranidhana (surrender to Ishwara, the higher consciousness). As you will notice the last of the three niyamas are the same as those mentioned as part of Kriya Yoga.

The Bhagavad Gita speaks of two kinds of tapas, demonic and divine:

Those who practice severe tapas without following the sacred lore, with  hypocrisy and egotism, impelled by lust, and attachment; senselessly  torturing the elements in their body and also Me who dwell within the  body; know these ignorant persons to be of demonic nature. (17:5-6) 

The honoring of gods, saints, teachers, and the wise; purity, honesty,  celibacy, and nonviolence; these are said to be the tapas of the body.  Speech that is not offensive, truthful, pleasant, beneficial, used for the  reading and teaching of sacred texts is called tapas of speech. Serenity of  mind, gentleness, silence, self-restraint, and the purity of mind are called  the tapas of thought. This threefold austerity practiced by yogis with  supreme faith, without a desire for the fruit, is said to be divine tapas.  (17:14-17)

Result of Tapas

Patanjali, in sutra 2.43, tells us what can be achieved when we are fully established in Tapas:

कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात्तपसः॥४३॥

kaayendriyasiddhirashuddhikShayaattapasaH

"Perfection of the sense-organs and body are attained after destruction of impurity through austerities."

By the physical practice of tapas, for example by fasting or practicing yoga on a regular basis, we burn our excess fat and cleanse the body of toxins. By mental tapas, we can burn our old "samskaras (impressions)". By verbal tapas, for example by observing silence, we can make our speech pleasant. When we practice tapas, obviously we may go through some hardships. But with practice we learn to accept hardships and suffering with the understanding that we are doing all this to purify ourselves so we can move along the path of spiritual evolution.

The word "siddhi" in the sutra usually means attainment of supernatural powers. These are some of the powers mentioned in Chapter 3 of Yoga Sutras. So, one interpretation of the sutra could also mean that through the practice of tapas, one can attain supernatural powers like becoming minute or invisible etc. My own understanding of the sutra is that tapas can cleanse the system of all impurities thus giving us excellence in both body and the senses. 

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Santosha (संतोष) is the second of the five niyamas given in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The word santosha is derived from the Sanskrit root word ‘tush’ which means "to be satisfied, pleased, or delighted,” as well as “become quiet or calm.” We can find the meaning of tush “in any pleasurable situation – pleasure, joy, gladness, satisfaction, friendly disposition, kindness, favor, grace, amity, affection, love."

Santosha is defined as the elimination and absence of craving, being satisfied with whatever comes one’s way. When the guna sattva is dominant, a person becomes desireless (nish-kama) and contented.

Practicing Santosha

Santosha simply means that we remain ever contented with the situation we are in at any given time in our life. We are born with certain pre-determined traits and tendencies that are hard or sometimes impossible to change. For example, our physical appearance – height, body structure, looks, skin color etc are things that cannot be changed. However, many people, not contented with their appearance, go to any length to ‘look’ different. Any effort to change our natural appearance is actually cause for further discontentment, and sometimes can cause permanent damage to the body. There are examples of women who wear high heals so they can look taller and in the process damage their feet, legs and knees. We are all familiar with the example where Michael Jackson, the famous singer, got facial plastic surgery done to change his looks. The damage that he did to not only his face but to his life is all well known.

It is not just physical appearance, but many people are discontented with many of their personal faults and shortcomings. Things like social status, financial situation, rank in a company, salary etc can all be reasons for discontentment and stress. Examples of discontentment abound in all spheres of our lives. This discontentment at all levels is the main cause why most of us feel unhappy most of the time.

Being contented does not mean that we sit on our haunches and do nothing to improve our lot. In fact, when a person is genuinely contented, he would display a natural zest and enthusiasm for life. The concept of santosha is very nicely reflected in the famous  serenity prayer:

"May God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference."

This prayer implies that acceptance does not mean ‘resignation’ but to have the willpower and determination to make appropriate changes in our lives to improve our lot.

In Bhagavad Gita, there is an oft-quoted pair of shlokas which implore us to do our duty but not dwell on the possible outcome of our actions:

"Your human right is for action only, never for the resulting fruit of actions. Do not consider yourself the creator of the fruits of your activities; neither allow yourself attachment to inactivity. Remaining immersed in union, perform all actions, forsaking attachment to their fruits, being indifferent to success and failure. This mental evenness is termed ‘Yoga.’" [Bhagavad Gita V.47-48]

What causes discontentment?

As with all other afflictions in life, lack of contentment is also a result of our ego which hides our true identity and makes us wear a mask all the time. We become so attached to this mask that we no longer can recognize who we truly are. This lack of understanding of our true nature is the main cause of all our suffering, the so-called stresses and strains of daily life. The ego leads us to have strong cravings for things that we don’t have and strong dislike or hatred for things that we dislike. In Mahabharata there is a famous shloke which refers to this craving:

या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः

     यॊ ऽसौ पराणान्तिकॊ रॊगस तां तृष्णां तयजतः सुखम

 yā dustyajā durmatibhir yā na jīryati jīryataḥ

     yo ‘sau prāṇāntiko rogas tāṃ tṛṣṇāṃ tyajataḥ sukham

"Craving is something that is hard to give up for those of corrupted thoughts, even as they decay into old age. A wise man who abandons such craving is filled with pleasure from all sides."

The main message in all our scriptures is that in order to attain happiness in life, we need to learn to be contented with our present situation and not hanker after objects in order to satisfy our ever-growing material needs.

Being established in Santosha

Patanjali, in yoga sutra 2.42, tells us the supreme benefit of being fully established in the value of Santosha:

संतोषादनुत्तमसुखलाभः॥४२॥

 saMtoshaadanuttamasukhalaabhaH

"As the result of contentment, one gains supreme happiness." (Yoga Sutra 2.42)

This sutra clearly states that in order to attain happiness in all situations in life, one needs to follow the niyama of Santosha and become fully established in it. This level of unalloyed, object-less pleasure may be termed ‘spiritual pleasure’ as it finally brings us close to our true nature.

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After discussing the five Yamas over the last several posts, let us now shift our attention to the five Niyamas – shaucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (austerity), svadhyaya (study of scriptures) and Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to Ishvara, the supreme, perfect being). In today’s post I will be focusing on the first of five niyamas, Shaucha (शौच), as given by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras.

The word shaucha is derived from the Sanskrit root word ‘shuch’ which means to cleanse or purify. Shaucha thus means cleanliness or purity.

When we talk of cleanliness, it implies both external and internal purity.

External Shaucha

External cleanliness includes not just the physical body but also the environment around us. For keeping the body clean, we need to take a shower everyday, cleaning the body with soap and water. Further, we need to wear clean, washed clothes. In order to keep our food clean, we need to wash all the food items before cooking them. It is important to keep our surroundings, both at home and the place of work, clean and free of clutter. You are most likely aware of the ancient saying "cleanliness is next to godliness".

Hatha Yoga Pradipika prescribes six cleansing techniques (shat-karmas) – neti (nasal cleansing), basti (like an enema), dhauti (alimentary canal cleansing), trataka (eyes), kapalabhati (breathing technique for purifying the nervous system), and nauli (abdominal churning). Practicing these techniques keeps the body clean and healthy inside out.

Internal Shaucha

Internal cleansing implies keeping the mind full of clean, positive and pure thoughts. We should keep the entire mind-field sattvik  and free of all types of negative emotions like anger, lust, greed, jealousy, hatred etc. Patanjali, in sutra 1.33 gives a very nice recipe for keeping the mind clean:

"By cultivating an attitude of friendship toward those who are happy, compassion toward those in distress, joy toward those who are virtuous, and equanimity toward those who are non-virtuous, lucidity arises in the mind" – Sutra 1.33, translation by Edwin Bryant.

This sutra can be used as a powerful guide to our behavior and attitude in life both at work and home. Following these guidelines can indeed make us free of the negative emotions listed above and make the mind calm and peaceful.

In addition to what is given in sutra 1.33, Patanjali gives several other options that can be used to purify the mind:

• By exhalation and retention of the breath (sutra 1.34)
• By focusing on a sense object (sutra 1.35)
• By focusing on the ever blissful light within (sutra 1.36)
• By focusing on a great soul who is free from attachments (sutra 1.37)
• By concentration on a sleep experience (sutra 1.38)
• By focusing on an object of your own choice (sutra 1.39)

Being established in Shaucha

What happens when one is fully established in the value of shaucha? Patanjali provides the answer in two sutras. sutra 2.40 tells us what happens as a result of physical purity whereas sutra 2.41 talks about the impact of developing mental purity:

शौचात् स्वाङ्गजुगुप्सा परैरसंसर्गः॥४०॥

shouchaat svaa~ggajugupsaa parairasaMsargaH

"By purification arises disgust for one’s own body and for contact with other bodies". – (Sutra 2.40, Translation by Swami Satchidananda)

This seems like a strange outcome of being fully established in ‘shaucha’. On the one hand we are trying to purify our mind by getting rid of all negative emotions. And now, Patanjali suggests that we will develop a feeling of ‘disgust’ toward our own body and the body of others! A feeling of disgust certainly sounds like one of these negative emotions that we are trying to get rid of. Moreover, we are always told that the human body is a temple of God. So, why would we develop a sense of disgust for the temple of God?

On some more reflection, I think what Patanjali is trying to emphasize is the fact that we should not be identified with the physical body as it is inherently an unclean system. Beauty, as they say, is only skin deep. Underneath the skin there is all kind of unclean stuff – sweat, urine, feces, mucus and various other discharges which are obnoxious. Obviously when we become aware of the disgusting nature of our own body, there will be no motivation to make contact with someone else’s body. 

Whereas sutra 2.40 talks about the outcome of physical purity, sutra 2.41 goes into the impact of being established in mental purity.

सत्त्वशुद्धिसौमनस्यैकाग्र्येन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शनयोग्यत्वानि च॥४१॥

sattvashuddhisoumanasyaikaagriyendriyajayaatmadarshanayogyatvaani

"Moreover, one gains purity of sattva, cheerfulness of mind, one-pointedness, mastery over the senses, and fitness for Self-realization." (Sutra 2.41, Translation by Swami Satchidananda)

This sutra represents a nice chronological sequence to build the qualities mentioned by Patanjali. From mental shuddhi (cleanliness) the mind becomes sattvica (purified), from a pure mind, saumanasya (cheerfulness) arises, this leads to ekagraya (one-pointedness), this leads to indriya-jaya (sense control). Sense control help control the rajas and tamas of the mind, enhancing sattva of the mind. A highly sattvic mind helps the yogi to get a ‘darshan’ (direct vision) of his own true nature, the self or the atman.

I would love to receive your feedback. Please let  us know how you practice the niyama of Shaucha.

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Defining Aparigraha

The word ‘aparigraha’ (अपरिग्रहः) is derived from the root word ‘grah’ which means to hold or grab something. Adding the prefix ‘pari’ alters the meaning only slightly to mean ‘hold onto something’. Adding the second prefix ‘a’ negates the meaning of the word and thus ‘aparigraha’ is variously translated as ‘non-hoarding’ or ‘non-possessiveness’, non-indulgence’ or ‘non-greed’ etc. This is the fifth of the five Yamas that we have been talking about so far.

Understanding Aparigraha

So, why is hoarding not recommended by Patanjali? Someone might say, "I have all the money and I can buy whatever and as much as I want; moreover, I have a big enough house where I can store everything that I own." Well, first of all, there is a lot of time, effort, energy and money involved in acquiring all the possessions. Once we have the possessions, we develop a sense of attachment to them. Once we are attached, we develop a sense of fear – fear of loss, for the items that we possess. In order to protect our possessions, we start worrying about buying insurance against them. We install security alarm systems around the house. Eventually, all these attachments and fears make our life quite unhappy, even miserable, despite all the valuable possessions.

I would like to relate a story about a tennis buddy who had just bought a Mercedes car. I was living in New Jersey at the time and was a member of a tennis club where I used to play about 3 to 4 times a week in the morning 6-7:30 AM. This friend was one of my regular tennis playing partners. After he bought his new car, he would park the car in the last spot in the parking lot to avoid someone hitting or scratching his car. In the winter months, this would mean walking more than a hundred yards in extreme cold temperatures and sometimes through as much as a foot of snow on the ground. Everyone else, of course, would vie to park the car closest to the entrance gate to avoid having to walk in the cold. But this guy was "happy" torturing his own body in the cold weather while protecting his newly acquired prized possession. Well, guess what? About a month after he bought the car, we noticed that he hadn’t shown up for a tennis game in more than a week. When he did come back, we found out that he had met with an accident in which his car was totaled. He was so devastated with the loss that he didn’t even want to come for tennis any more!

But, you might say, I do need some material possession to live and survive in this life. Yes, indeed, that is true. That is where we need to learn how to distinguish between "wants" and "needs". There are items that are required for our living needs – basic necessities like a car, home, clothing, groceries and the rest. What is important is that we avoid the temptation to buy something that we "want" because we saw an attractive TV ad for that item recently. Or, we buy some item in large quantity just because it was on "sale" and we could afford it.

Does this mean that we shouldn’t buy a Mercedes car even if we can afford it? I would say that there is no harm in owning an expensive or luxury car or home as long we do not develop a sense of attachment toward that item. If I own everything with a sense of ‘detachment’ then I would not feel ‘devastated’ even if my multi-million dollar home were burnt to ashes in a fire, or my Mercedes gets totaled in an auto accident. Obviously, this attitude needs a level of spiritual maturity that enables us to treat every gain or loss as just another "passing shower"!

Our ancient texts talk of two principles – in Sanskrit they are called ‘shreyas’ and ‘preyas’ which are mentioned in the yoga scriptures. ‘Shreyas’ is something that is preferred (something useful or beneficial) and ‘preyas’ is that which is pleasurable (but may, in fact, be harmful). There is a nice verse in the Kathopanishad (1.2.2) which talks of these two:

श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतः

तौ सम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः ।

श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसो वृणीते

प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्षेमाद्वृणीते ॥ ॥ कठोपनिषद् – 1.2.2 ॥

This can be translated as follows – "We are presented with two options – preferable and pleasurable. A wise person knows how to distinguish between the two. He picks the preferable over the pleasurable. The unwise man, who is concerned with the growth and protection of material objects, selects the pleasurable."

For example, in the old days (before the days of sugar-coated capsules), a medicine for treating fever was almost always bitter in taste and thus highly undesirable. However, the result of taking that medicine, that of reducing the fever, was generally most agreeable. Similarly, we are always attracted to food that tastes good but is ultimately damaging for our health. Acquiring possessions  through ‘dharmic’ (righteous) means and using them so we can lead a ‘dharmic’ life is ‘shreyas’; the opposite is ‘preyas’ and thus undesirable.

Essentially, then, Aparigraha, implies that we possess only what helps us meet our basic needs in life. Anything that we possess over and above  our basic needs is a result of greed and is a potential source of unhappiness. Some classical commentators on the yoga sutras take it to mean that one reject claims of "I" or "mine" over material objects, including the physical body, any items received as gift or even presented through sense experiences. When one is given to greed and indulgence, he is naturally precluding himself from spiritual growth and self-realization.

Practicing Aparigraha

When a person is fully established in the yama of Aparigraha, he is free from fear, hate, disappointment, attachment, anxiety and pain.

In Sutra 2.39, Patanjali provides us the fruits of being established in Aparigraha:

अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथंतासंबोधः॥३९॥

aparigrahasthairye janmakathaMtaasaMbodhaH

"When stabilized in aparigraha, one obtains full knowledge of past, present and future lives".  The word "katham" means "how" and when the suffix "taa" is added, it means "how-ness". Literally, the sutra can be translated as, "Being established in Aparigraha, one attains realization of how-ness (how and why) of different incarnations"

It should be noted that the desire to know one’s past and future are not a matter if idle curiosity. The main purpose is to realize that all that we identify with (physical body, mind, intellect, material possessions etc) are perishable and impermanent. Thus, it is futile to get attached to non-permanent entities. With this realization, one develops higher states of non-attachment which helps in gaining self-realization.

I must admit that I don’t fully understand the implication of this sutra. It is not clear to me how knowledge of past and future is obtained through aparigraha. It is somewhat easier to understand how when the mind is cleansed of the samskaras through the practice of non-greed or non-attachment, one can get a view of the past. However, unless we believe that the future is nothing but a reflection of the past, I don’t understand how aparigraha can bring about knowledge of the future.

I would love to receive your feedback.

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Brahmacharya is perhaps one of the more difficult of the yamas to understand as well as to discuss and explain. In a very traditional sense, brahmacharya means strict sexual control or total celibacy. In India, when a person takes a vow to never get married, he is referred to as a "brahmachari".

The well-known rishi Yajnavalkya says, "Brahmacharya is abstaining from all kinds of Maithuna or sexual enjoyment for ever, in all places and in all conditions, physically, mentally and verbally. "

The word is composed of two words, "brahma" and "charya". Brahma literally means the supreme consciousness and "charya" means to "live in" or "get established in". In this sense Brahmacharya would mean "to get fully established in the divine consciousness". That seems like an immensely difficult goal to achieve since that is the ultimate goal of all yoga practices. So, it is generally believed that Patanjali meant to use this term in its more practical understanding of "total abstinence" or celibacy.

Vyasa, in his commentary states that brahmacharya is controlling the "guptendriya" (the secret sense organ). Subsequent commentators have taken this to mean that one needs to control all the five senses as they can lead to sexual desires and finally controlling the sexual desire.

Ancient sages have defined these eight forms of sexual indulgence: Darshan or looking at women with passionate resolve, Sparshan or touching them, Keli or play, Kirtan or praising the qualities of the other sex, Guhya-Bhashan or talking in private, Sankalpa or determination, Adhyavasaya or nearing the other sex with the desire for gratification and Kriyanivritti or the actual sexual act.  Brahmacharya means to abstain from these eight sexual indulgences.

The above interpretation of brahmacharya is applicable for those yogis who have taken the vow of sanyasa (renunciation) and have given up attachment to worldly objects. Even they find it extremely hard to follow strictly the guidelines for brahmacharya. Since such strict definition is not applicable for a householder, most commentators have suggested a more practical meaning of brahmacharya – that of moderation in all sensual enjoyments through the five senses.

As with all the other yamas and niyamas, Patanjali does not provide a definition of Brahmacharya. However, in sutra 2.38 he tells us the benefits of brhmacharya:

ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां वीर्यलाभः॥३८॥
brahmacharyapratiShThaayaaM vIryalaabhaH

"By one established in continence, vigor is gained." (Sutra 2.38)

There are several well-known stories in our history and mythology which talk about supernormal powers that a practitioner of brahmacharya could attain. One such story relates to Bhishma in Mahabharata (from Wikepedia):

Bhishma means He of the terrible oath, referring to his vow of life-long celibacy. Originally named Devavratha, he became known as Bhishma after he took thebhishana pratigya (‘terrible oath’) — the vow of life-long celibacy and of service to whoever sat on the throne of his father (the throne of Hastinapur). He took this oath so that his father, Shantanu could marry a fisherwoman Satyavati — Satyvati’s father had refused to give his daughter’s hand to Shantanu on the grounds that his daughter’s children would never be rulers as Shantanu already had a son(Devratha). This made Shantanu despondent and upon discovering the reason for his father’s despondency, Devavratha sought out the girl’s father and promised him that he would never stake a claim to the throne, implying that the child born to Shantanu and Satyavati would become the ruler after Shantanu. At this, Satyavati’s father retorted that even if Devavratha gave up his claim to the throne, his (Devavratha’s) children would still claim the throne. Devavratha then took the terrible vow of life-long celibacy, thus sacrificing his ‘crown-prince’ title and denying himself the pleasures of conjugal love. This gave him immediate recognition among the gods and his father granted him the boon of Sweccha Mrityu(control over his own death — he could choose the time of his death, but he was not immortal, which would have been an even severe curse and suffering).

A more recent story relates to the vow of celibacy taken by Mahatma Gandhi. In his autobiography "My experiments with Truth", Gandhi talks about brahmacharya at length. Here are a few quotes from Gandhi on brahmacharya:

"Brahmacharya, like all other observances, must be observed in thought, word and deed. … the foolish man, who appears to control his body, but is nursing evil thoughts in his mind, makes a vain effort….Mere control of animal passion has been equated with observing brahmacharya. I feel, that this conception is incomplete and wrong. Brahmacharya means control of all the organs of sense. He who attempts to control only one organ, and allows all the others free play, is bound to find his effort futile…Brahmacharya will come easy to anyone who controls his palate. "

[from Wikepedia] "In the 1940s, in his mid-seventies, he brought his grandniece Manubehn to sleep naked in his bed as part of a spiritual experiment in which Gandhi could test himself as a "brahmachari." Two other women also sometimes shared his bed. Gandhi discussed his experiment with friends and relations, and the experiment ceased in 1947."

Vyasa further adds that one who, having been established in brahmacharya, becomes a siddha (an adept), can effectively transfer his supreme knowledge to his disciples. That means he can become a most effective teacher for the disciples.

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In today’s discussion, I will be talking about the third of the five yamas – asteya (non-stealing).

Defining Asteya

The word Asteya (अस्तेय) is derived from the Sanskrit root word "steyn" which means ‘to steal’ to ‘to rob’. The word for a thief is "steynaH". "Steyam" is the word for theft. By adding the prefix "a" it becomes ‘asteya’ which means "to not steal or rob".

Understanding Asteya

Vyasa defines "steya" or "theft" as "taking things from others while not following the guidelines provided in the scriptures. There are scriptures called "Dharma Shastras" which define codes of conduct that contain guidelines for behavior in all situations in life. Viewing someone else’s possession such as property or wealth as "mine" and taking possession of it forcefully, deceitfully, unjustly or illegally is stealing. They also preclude acceptance of gifts. "Asteya" or non-stealing is the opposite value which negates these behaviors and actions.

Tendency to steal comes when we desire to acquire things belonging to others. The more we desire things the more the mind will be compelled to act on the desire to steal.

Practicing Asteya

Practice of asteya is very closely linked with some of the other yamas and niyamas – for example ‘aparigraha’ (non-hoarding) or ‘santosha’ (contentment). Greed and attachment to the objects of the senses ("raaga") cause the temptation to steal.

On the surface, asteya seems to be a fairly straightforward concept to understand and follow. However, when we look a little more deeply, we will find that many times we "steal" in ways that we are not even aware of.

Some common examples of stealing are:

• Taking bribe
• Charging more money than set/just price
• Using work property for personal use (for example using work telephone for personal phone calls).
• Spending time on the internet at work for non-work related activities
• Stealing someone else’s job by making false claims on your resume or during the interview
• Being late for an appointment – you are stealing someone else’s time and happiness
• Trying to dominate a conversation and not allowing others to express their opinion in a meeting or conversation
• Cheating at exams

I am sure you can add many more examples from your own experiences.

The esoteric principle behind asteya has to do with a kind of pride or arrogance. The ancient teachings on this say that to think of yourself as really important is to steal your soul from God. That means that we’re not surrendering ourselves to the larger view that we’re this one consciousness (purusha). Once we identify ourselves with the elements of prakriti (mind-body complex) , then we are becoming self-absorbed and are going to steal, either symbolically or literally.

According to Patanjali, all the negative emotions arise due to our "avidya" (ignorance – sutra 2.2). Avidya implies confusion between what is real and what is unreal or going after short-term gains which could ultimately lead to suffering etc. It is due to this avidya that we crave for things which are beyond our means and thus develop a tendency to steal. Once we realize that we are truly "complete" and don’t really lack anything in life, we will have overcome the tendency to steal.

In Sutra 2. 37, Patanjali states that "when we are firmly established in the principle of asteya (non-stealing), we are presented with all jewels and treasures".

When I read this sutra the first question that comes to my mind is "if the yogi is firmly established in asteya, he is already completely desireless". That means the yogi doesn’t crave for material objects. Why does Patanjali then state that he will be offered all jewels which the yogi has no need or use for. So, my feeling is that Patanjali is not referring to physical gems or material treasures but treasures of a spiritual kind. These may include company of good people, blessings of saints and sages and spiritual upliftment.

I would like to hear your thoughts on what Patanjali might have implied in sutra 2.37 as stated above.

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Let us continue our discussion of the five yamas. In the last article I talked about Ahimsa (non-violence). In this post, I would like to discuss the yama of Satya (truthfulness).

Defining Satya

Sage Vyasa defines Satya as "speech and mind conforming to reality as seen, inferred or heard". In this statement, "seen, inferred or heard" correspond to the three modes of right knowledge (pramana) as given in sutra 1.7. "Seen" corresponds to "pratyaksha" and thus includes information received through all the five senses – touch, smell, taste, sight and hearing. "Inferred" corresponds to "anumana" which is a combination of current perception through any of the five senses with previously stored information.  "heard" corresponds to the "agamas" or "scriptural testimony" or testimony from a highly trustworthy source.

Understanding Satya

As defined above, truthful speech must conform to the knowledge as received from the three sources of "pramana" without any negative influence from the ego or the lower mind. That means no personal judgment should be superimposed on the information being conveyed.

A quick example may help illustrate this point. Let us say I am sitting in a room facing a window talking to a friend whose back is to the window. We hear footsteps outside and my friend asks "who was that?". Through the window I had seen John walk by. Instead of simply saying that it was John, I superimpose my own judgment by adding "Oh! It was that wonderful John who is always ready to help others". This, according to the above definition of satya, would be considered untruth as the information presented was not a true replication of what was perceived through the senses.

Truth must convey reality as is or exactly as perceived through the senses. Even if the information presented is pulled from memory, it must reflect exactly what was in the memory, not superimposing any personal judgment.

Speech should not be deceptive, confused, equivocal, barren of a meaning, or hurtful. We all know how politicians make false promises in order to gain vote. Sometimes people use difficult words or words from a foreign language in order to impress the listener. Such statements are also deceptive and fall in the category of untruth. I picked up the following example from the internet – instead of saying, "People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others’ homes”, consider this, “Individuals who perforce are constrained to be domiciled in vitreous structures of patent frangibility should on no account employ petrous formations as projectiles"!

Here is an urban legend that conveys how pain is caused by telling untruth:

The basic story is that a family dog came trotting in into the yard carrying the neighbors’ dead rabbit in its mouth. The owners panic because they don’t want to have a bad relationship with the neighbors. They wash it, blow dry it and sneak over to the neighbor’s yard to put it back in the cage.

The neighbors are horrified when they discover the dead rabbit, not because it is dead, but because it died the day before and they had buried it.

The words that we speak can have a profound impact on the listener. It is therefore important that we choose our words carefully and express our thoughts truthfully. A person who always speaks the truth gains tremendous respect and is considered trustworthy. On the other hand, people shun a habitual liar. Not only that, hurtful words can leave mental and emotional scars that last a lifetime.  The famous story of the "boy who cried wolf" is a grim reminder of how telling lies can have detrimental impact both on the speaker as well as the listener.  Our scriptures also mention that we should avoid unpleasant truth or pleasant untruth.

A speaker of truth has a pure and clean consciousness with no feelings of remorse or guilt. A person who habitually lies always carries a heavy burden of guilt in his mind.

Practicing  Satya

As I mentioned in a previous post, Patanjali does not provide a definition of any of the yamas or niyamas. He, however, tells us what one can expect to achieve when fully established in a particular yama. For Satya, he provides the following statement:

सत्यप्रतिष्ठायां क्रियाफलाश्रयत्वम्॥३६॥

satyapratiShThaayaaM kriyaaphalaashrayatvam

"When Truthfulness Is Achieved The Words (Of The Yogin) Acquire The Power Of Making Them Fruitful."

I can’t say that I fully understand the meaning or the significance of this statement by Patanjali. One interpretation is that when a person is fully immersed in the value of Satya, both through speech and mind, his actions and fruits of action are both under his control. For example the person can shower blessings on someone that will bring about positive results for the other person.

Our scriptures are full of the virtues of Satya. A famous Buddhist statement is "satyam vada, dharmam chara" which means "always speak the truth and follow the path of dharma or righteousness". By violating the yama of Satya, we create stress for ourselves. As stated above, we can develop feelings of guilt or shame by telling a lie which ultimately leads to stress in the mind.

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In a previous post I introduced the concept of the eight limbs of yoga (ashtanga yoga) as given in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. With this post today, I will start discussion of the individual components of the eight limbs. We’ll start by talking about the first of the five Yamas – ahimsa (non-violence).

Defining Ahimsa

The word Ahimsa is a composite of "himsa" with the prefix "a". In Sanskrit, the prefix "a" usually signifies the absence or negation of the term that follows the prefix. The word "himsa" means violence or causing injury or harm. So, "ahimsa" means non-violence or non-injury. It is interesting to note that Patanjali does not provide a definition for any of the terms that are used for the yamas and the niyamas. I believe he must have felt that the students, due to their long training with the teacher, must already be familiar with the basic definition of these terms. What he has provided in the sutras is what one can expect to achieve when fully committed to a yama or a niyama. The sutra (chapter 2, sutra 35) related to ahimsa is:

अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्सन्निधौ वैरत्यागः॥३५॥

ahiMsaapratiShThaayaaM tatsannidhou vairatyaagaH (sutra 2.35)

"In the presence of one firmly established in non-violence, all hostilities cease".

What this sutra is telling us that if we can develop a deep sense of non-violence, then even those with a violent nature will  desist from harming us.

Here is a story from the Indian lore that is commonly retold to illustrate this point . In the late 18th century, Lord Swaminarayana, then known with his original name of Neelakantha, was roaming from place to place in search of spiritual fulfillment. He was not only fully established in the value of non-violence but was also fearless. One evening, as an 11-year old boy, when he reached a village, the villagers asked him to go inside a house for the night as a man-eating lion was known to visit the village each evening in search of human flesh. The boy refused to go inside as he always stayed outside under a tree to spend the night. He then sat under a tree in meditation for the night. At night the lion visited the place as usual but instead of harming Neelakantha, he sat next to his feet until the boy opened his eyes in the morning. The villagers were totally taken aback when they found out that the lion had behaved like a domesticated dog at the feet of the young saint. Realizing that they were in the company of a true saint, they prostrated at his feet in reverence. Neelakantha later became known as Swaminarayana, the founder of the trust by the same name which now has a huge following in India and  in many other countries.

Understanding Ahimsa

Vyasa, in his commentary on this sutra writes that "Ahimsa is the absence of any tendency to hurt or injure any living being, in any manner, at all times". Vyasa adds that all the other yamas and niyamas are rooted in this single yama of ahimsa. We continue to refine all the other yamas and niyamas in order to finally get totally established in the value of ahimsa.

We can injure others through our physical actions, speech or even thought. All violent actions have their origin in the lower mind which is dominated by the ego. Violence caused through speech is the most damaging and long-lasting. Most people can summon feelings of hurt caused to them in their past as they continue to carry the scars of verbal injury for a very long time. It is the ego which gives rise to negative tendencies like anger, hatred, jealousy, selfishness etc. A person who has these negative emotions is most likely to cause injury to others. In personal relationships, one can cause injury through emotional violence – harsh or abusive language, angry outbursts, emotional judgment, sarcasm, skillful manipulations – to name a few of the hurtful actions.

In sutra 2.34, Patanjali states that injury can be caused not just through direct action, but also can be done through another agent (hiring someone to kill for you!) or by simply giving your approval for a violent action.

The value of ahimsa needs to be applied not only to others but also to oneself. We know that we can cause injury to ourselves in many different ways. For example we hurt ourselves all the time through over-eating or eating the wrong kind of food. Another example related to the practice of yoga is when we allow our ego to dictate the performance of an asana and injuring ourselves in the process. We also can hurt ourselves through self destructive behavior caused by feelings of guilt or fear etc.

Another common form of violence that is mentioned in yogic texts is the killing of animals to obtain human food. Because ahimsa is a strong value mentioned in many texts, including the yoga sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, most people believe "vegetarianism" to be an automatic corollary of the yama of ahimsa.  Of course, if you live in a climate where it is not possible to grow any vegetation (North Pole, for example) you may be left with no alternative except to eat the meat of an animal. Similarly if you live in a coastal area, then catching and selling fish may be the only means of earning a livelihood. I have also come across people whose health rapidly deteriorates if they go fully vegetarian and they need to eat meat for medical reasons. The injunction of ahimsa is not strictly applicable in these situations.

Ahimsa is not only a common theme in many of the yoga related texts but is a strong component of the Buddhist, Jain and many other faiths and philosophies. Despite its being such an influential value in various cultures, most spiritual authors believe that there may be situations in life when violence in some form or another becomes inevitable. The war of Mahabharata which was fought between Pandavas and Kauravas and in which scores of people were killed, is cited as an example of such a situation. Bhagavad Gita, which is one of the chapters in Mahabharata, is a dialog between Lord Krishna and Arjuna of the Pandavas wherein Krishna provides a convincing argument to Arjuna as to why he should fight the Kauravas in order to uproot evil from the society. In order to determine whether a situation demands such a drastic action one needs a pure and crystal-clear intellect which can make decisions without any influence from the ego.

In our day-to-day life, sometimes it becomes a challenge to determine whether or not a certain action of ours will hurt the other person or not. According to the yoga sutras, a regular practice of yoga can help sharpen the intellect to a point where it becomes easier to identify situations where some form of violence may become necessary and also to determine whether we are inadvertently hurting someone through our action or speech etc. Practicing ahimsa also leads one to develop universal compassion for all living creatures.

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We concluded the last 12-day pranamaya/meditation intensive on Sept 18. We had 20 participants for this session, the maximum number that the studio can accommodate. It is truly heartening to see that there is growing awareness among yoga practitioners that pranayama and meditation are very integral to the practice of yoga. Most people practice yoga purely for physical benefits. However, since yoga has the potential to impact us at various levels including physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and beyond, when we limit the practice to physical only, we miss out on all the other benefits that yoga has to offer. I have been offering these pranayama/meditation intensives to emphasize the value and benefits of these components of yoga.

The feedback from all the participants in the program has been very positive and encouraging. Even though waking up early enough to start the class at 6 AM was a challenge for most of them, they all seem to have adjusted to it within  a couple of days. Here is a sampling of some of the comments from the participants:

"Wonderful!! I learned so much about the history and philosophy of Hatha yoga in 12 days …"

"I felt the energy level was high after doing Yoga and Pranayama… "

"… Subhash…you are a kind and passionate teacher and I hope to know you for many years…"

You can read all the comments on my website here.

As many of you are aware, I offer two kinds of morning programs – the 21-day yoga challenge and the pranayama/meditation intensive. Please let me know if you would like to participate in a future similar program.

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