THE SCIENCE OF YOGA THE TOPMOST YOGA SYSTEM. The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system In B.G. 6.46. Krishna says, Tapasvi bhyo ‘dhiko yogi Jnanibhyo

THE SCIENCE OF YOGA

THE TOPMOST

YOGA SYSTEM

The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system

In B.G. 6.46. Krishna says,

Tapasvi bhyo ‘dhiko yogi

Jnanibhyo ‘pi mata dhika

Karmabhyas ca ‘dhiko yogi

Tasmad yogi bhavarjuna

Austere person

Knowledgeable person

A working person

Yoga – What it Is Not !


• It is not mere physical exercise for shapely body, good health & long life

• Emaciated Renunciate in meditation

• Man with some extra-ordinary mystic powers


Yoga – What it Actually Is ?

• “Union” in love between the individual consciousness & Supreme consciousness I.e. between Soul & God• Yogi is a person whose life & activities are oriented towards re-establishing his relationship with God


Different Types of Human Beings

Human Beings

Law AbidersLaw Breakers

Karmis

JnanisDhyanis

Bhaktas

Sakama Niskama


Law Breakers

• Hard working

materialists

• Sophisticated animals conditioned to the bodily concept of life

• Don’t believe in soul, rebirth, God & Spiritual world

• Don’t discriminate between sinful & pious activities eg Charvak (sweet for ear) philosophy

B.G. 3.27 prakrateh Kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah ahankarah vimudhatma Kartaham iti manyate

B.G. 9.21 Moghasa mogha karmano mogha jnana vicetasah rakshasim asurim caiva prakritim mohinim sritah


• Make futile attempts at being controller &

Enjoyer ……… Eg. Sand Castles

Law Breakers …..contd

Jesus Said, “Don’t built your castles on sand built them on hard rock”

Krishna Said, “Keep focus on the soul, whatever you do for the soul is eternal


Law Abiders

Sakama Karmis

• Perform pious activities with a fruitive intent

Kama – material desires

• Don’t know that both good and bad karma are binding

• In the madness, forget the goal of life. eg. Indra as a pig

• It is meant for gradual elevation & not an end in itself

• Mostly worship demigods, with material desires.

sakama- with material desires

The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga systemDifferent Types of

Yoga• According to Bhagavad-Gita there are four types of Yoga:

- Karma Yoga, - Jnana Yoga, - Astanga Yoga &- Bhakti Yoga.

“All other yoga's are subsets of these four yoga's”

• These are not different paths but are different rungs of the same ladder.

Karma

Jnana

Dhyana

Bhakti


Niskama Karma Yoga

B.G. 3.30 Mayi sarvani karmani sannyasyadhyatma cetasahNirasir nirmamo bhutva yudhyasva vigata jvarah

O Arjuna, •surrendering all your works unto me with full knowledge of Me,•Without desires of profit,•With no claims to proprietorship &•Free from lethargy,……… fight


• Process of performing work without selfish desire for personal gain

• Art of working without entaglement

B.G…. “Karmanyevadhikaraste……..”

Niskama Karma Yoga …..contd


Jnana Yoga

• Impersonal, TranscendentalistEg. Frog in the well

• Elevation process to spiritual consciousness through the cultivation of philosophical knowledge

• Troublesome path

• Promoted to bhakti-yoga only through association of devotees

eg. Four kumaras & Sukhdev Gosvami


Astanga Yoga• Mechanical meditative process meant to control the mind & senses to focus one’s concentration on the supreme

Ashta – Eight anga - limbsYama, niyam, asana , pranayam, Pratyahara, Dharana, dhyana & Samadhi


Astanga Yoga

• Strict rules and regulations which are impractical in Kali-Yuga

• Dangers of falling in the trap of siddhis eg. Saubhari muni

• Arjuna rejects Astanga Yoga “Cancalam hi manah Krsna….”

• Perfection of Astanga Yoga is to focus on the paramatma within our heart.


Three levels in understanding God

1 – Brahmajyoti – Jnana Yoga

2 – Paramatma realization – Astanga Yoga

3 – Personal form of the Lord – Bhakti Yoga

Eg. Seeing a mountain from various distances


Bhakti Yoga• Yoga for selfless, ecstatic love for God through transcendental devotional service to the Lord

• Easiest means to derive our dormant, inherent constitutional position

• Includes three terms – servitor, served & service

Bhakti YogaThe Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga

system

Nine processes of Devotional service

“Culmination of all yogas”

1. Sravanam (Hearing)

2. Kirtanam (chanting)

3. Smaranam (remembering)

4. Pada-sevanam (serving the lotus feet)

5. archanam(worship)

6. Vandanam (Offering Prayers)

7. Dasyam (servant)8. Sakhyam(friendship)

9. Atma-nivedanam (surrendering)

• The most powerful of the nine process of bhakti is the Hearing & Chanting of the Lord’s holy name


Bhakti Yoga …..contd

Lord Krishna Says in B.G. 3.30

Yoginam api sarvesamMad-gatenantaratmana

Sradhhavan bhajate yo mamSa me yuktatamo matah

Translation: “Of all the yogis , the one with

great faith who always abides in Me, thinks

of Me within himself, and renders

transcendental loving service to Me is the

most intimately united with Me in yoga and

is the highest of all. That is My opinion.


Methods of attaining Bhakti YogaGradual Method

STEP 0 : Astanga Yoga + Loving devotional service to the lord (Bhakti Yoga)

STEP 3 : Renouncing fruits + Knowledge + Control of mind & Senses by eight fold path + Meditation on Paramatma(Supersoul in the heart (Astanga Yoga)

STEP 2 : Renouncing fruits + Speculative Knowledge about Brahman + Austerity (Jnana Yoga)

STEP 1 : Renouncing the fruits of ones labor (Karma Yoga/Niskama Karma)

STEP 0 : Fruitive worker performing rituals(Karma Kanda)


Direct Method• Devotional service in Krishna consciousness is the Direct Method

• Two Stages involved : - Vaidhi Bhakti- Raganuga bhakti

• The direct method is like taking an elevator for going up, instead of walking up all the steps.

Documents

THE SCIENCE OF YOGA THE TOPMOST YOGA SYSTEM. The Science of Yoga - Topmost Yoga system In B.G. 6.46. Krishna says, Tapasvi bhyo ‘dhiko yogi Jnanibhyo