AṢṬĀṄGAYOGA (S). Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prāṇā-
yāma, Pratyāhāra, Dhyāna, Dhāraṇā and Samādhi.
1)
Yama. That which prevents the yogīs from doing
prohibited things. Ahiṃsā, Satya, Asteya, Brahma-
carya and Aparigraha are yamas.
2)
Niyama. Actions leading to Mokṣa. They are:
(1) ŚAUCA—Cleanliness of the mind—cleaning it of
such bad qualities like jealousy. (2) TAPAS—indiffe-
rence (Samatvabhāva) to the pairs of opposites like
pleasure and pain, heat and cold etc. (3) Svādhyāya
-pursuit of the science of salvation chanting of OM.
(4) SANTOṢA—remaining happy and contented.
(5) ĪŚVARA-PRAṆIDHĀNA—surrendering all ac-
tions to God.
3)
Āsana. Postures of sitting firmly and comfortably. Of
the many āsanas the very prominent ones are: Svasti-
kāsana, Vīrāsana, Padmāsana, Siddhāsana, Vastrāsana,
Vyāghracarmāsana, Valkalāsana, Kuśāsana, Kṛṣṇāsana,
Viṣṭarāsana, Mayūrāsana and Kūrmāsana. Of these
Siddhāsana is considered to be the best of the lot. This
āsana strengthens the 72,000 nerves of the human system
and all the yogīs prefer this to any other. “Kimanyaiḥ
bahubhiḥ pīṭhaiḥ pīṭhe Siddhāsane sati” (of what use
are the others when there is Siddhāsana).
4)
Prāṇāyāma. Control of Prāṇa (Prāṇa is the life giving
breath and āyāma is the checking of it). Select an airy
place and be seated in an ordinary āsana facing north
or east after taking your early morning bath. Sit erect
with your breast slightly pushed forward and your head
slightly drawn back. Then complete one Prāṇāyāma
doing Pūraka, Kumbhaka and Recaka. The Rudrayā-
mala states thus about Prāṇāyāma.
Dakṣāṅguṣṭhena dakṣaṃ ca.
Ghrāṇaṃ saṃpīḍya mantravit
Īḍayā pūrayedvāyuṃ
Mātrā ṣoḍaśabhiḥ kramāt
Aṅguṣṭhānāmikābhyāñca
Dhṛtvā nāsādvayaṃ tataḥ
Tatastu kampayedvāyuṃ
Pūrakāṇāṃ caturgaṇaiḥ
Anāmayā tathā vāma-
Nāsāṃ dhṛtvā tu dakṣine
Dvātriṃśadbhistu mātrābhir
Vāyurecanamācaret.
Closing the right nostril by the thumb of the right
hand and inhaling air inside through the left nostril
taking 16 seconds is called Pūraka. Closing the nostrils
by the thumb and ring-finger and keeping the breath
for 64 seconds is called Kumbhaka. Closing the left
nostril well and then exhaling through the right nost-
ril taking 32 seconds is called Recaka. Pūrakas should
be done through the same nostril through which you
have done Recaka. (You must do at least ten Prāṇā-
yāmas at a time).
5)
Pratyāhāra. Withdrawing the mind from worldly
objects and sensuous pleasures.
6)
Dhyāna. Keeping your mind fixed on the tip of your
nose. Meditation.
7)
Dhāraṇa. Steadily thinking of things you should know.
Concentration.
8)
Samādhi. The union of mind with God. This is a
blissful superconscious state in which one perceives the
identity of the individualised soul and cosmic spirit.
(Yogābhyāsa).