Prashnottara Vahini
Original in Telugu
Q. To attain the state of escaping the cycle of birth and death, elders say that yoga is very important, isn’t it? What is that yoga of which they speak?
A. Yoga shastra declares that certain asanas (postures) have to be utilized in order to control the chitta-vrittis (mental agitations) and attain chitta-shuddhi (purity of mind); also, to attain nischalatva (quietness or calmness), to acquire jnana, and to arouse the kundalini shakti (Highest potential energy in dormant state in every individual) latent in man.
Q. It is said that yoga has certain angas (components, divisions, limbs). How many are they? Their names?
A. They are eight in all, astanga, in fact: yama (constitutes 10 sub limbs like non-violence, celibacy, non-stealing, forbearance, etc., to firmly establish internal and external disciplines for self-purification), niyama (constitutes 10 sub limbs like austerity, self-study, contentment, charity, etc., to firmly establish internal and external disciplines for self-purification), asana (method for self-purification and strengthening the body and the mind with the help of postures only after strictly practicing yama and niyama), pranayama (Breath-control), pratyahara (complete withdrawal from the objective world in all aspects), dharana (Concentration), dhyana (Meditation), and samadhi (Complete Absorption in Godhead).
Q. If mukti (Liberation) is to be attained, have all these to be practiced to perfection, or, is any one of them enough?
A. Oh, mukti can be won, if the first two, yama and niyama, are mastered. Why, the universe is maintained by just these two, yama and niyama!
Q. When we speak of yoga, do we mean only this particular yoga with the astanga, or have we many other yogas too?
A. Yoga is not just this one; there are four in all, but not many.
Q. Which are they? What are their names?
A. Their names are popularly given as mantra yoga, raja yoga, laya yoga, and hatha yoga.
Q. Which angas are significant for all these four types of yogas?
A. Innocent fellow! For all the millions of humans, the two eyes are the instruments of vision, isn’t it? So too, for all the yogas, yama and niyama are the eyes; without them, nothing can be visualized. Svatma-shuddhi (Self-purification) is essential for every yogi. And, for attaining that, yama and niyama are indispensable.
Q. Are there any sub-limbs for yama and niyama? And, how many such sub-limbs are there that distinguish them?
A. Of course. Each of them has ten such. It is only when you are well-established in all these that you are liberated.
Q. Tell me the ten, included under yama.
A. Ahimsa (Non-violence), satya (Contemplation on “the Truth”), asteya (to refrain from stealing), brahmacharya (Contemplation on “Brahman,” Celibacy), daya (Compassion), arjavam (Integrity of thought, word and deed), kshama (Patience, Forbearance), dhriti (Perseverance, Self-command), mitaharam (moderate food), shaucham (purity, within and without); all these ten are included in yama.
Q. May I know the ten, included in niyama?
A. Tapas (Penance, Austerity), santosh (Contentment), astiksabuddhi (Devotional, Religious mind), danam (Charity), ishvara pujanam (worship of the Lord within and without), vedanta vakya sravanam (systematic listening to the teachings of Vedanta through a competent preceptor with unwavering faith), lajja (Modesty), mati (ability to perceive the knowledge of the scriptures, which is heard through Guru, in a right manner), japam (Recitation or repetition of the name of the Lord or mantra), vratam (Vows) — these ten form niyama. So, My dear fellow, yama and niyama are the very foundations that keep the Mansion of mukti strong and firm. All yogis must be well established in both of these.
Q. What are the benefits of asanas?
A. They are also very helpful for atma jnanis and yogis.
Q. Do asana too have many varieties? What are those varieties?
A. Yes, they too are many. But the chief ones are Siddhasana, Baddha padmasana, Sarvangasana, Padmasana. Besides, there are asanas like Mayura, Paschimottanasana and others.
Q. What are the benefits that result from these asanas?
A. They are powerful in giving firmness to the body and enabling the mind to concentrate for a longer time in dhyana (Meditation).
Q. Swami! Now, tell me about pranayama also. How many types of pranayama are there?
A. Yes; there are many types but since in this kali-yuga (Kali-Age which is said to be the worst period due to decrease in the practice of dharma), most types are impossible in practice, only those that help dhyana have to be adopted. Of these, laghu pranayama (that which yields quick results) is suited best.
Q. Laghu pranayama? How is it beneficial?
A. Like metals purified over fire in the crucible, the slag of karma is removed by the fire of pranayama and the chitta (Mind) is purified. So, the benefit of doing laghu pranayama are kaya-shuddhi (purification of the body) and mano-shuddhi (purification of the mind). This pranayama is of two types: the one with mantra and the other without it. The one with mantra bhava is the most sacred. It can burn away all kinds of sins and helps in attaining atma-shuddhi (Self-purification). The one without mantra can at best help in physical well-being.
Q. Swami! How are we to practice it?
A. Two seconds long purakam (inhaling), four seconds long rechakam (exhaling), eight seconds long kumbhakam (holding the breath). In this series, pranayama has to be practiced carefully for three months. Later, the duration of purakam, rechakam and kumbhakam can be doubled and carefully practiced for three months. He who steadily practices pranayama in this manner for continuous six months will be able to control the agitations of all his indriyas (senses). If this three-fold path of pranayama is practiced without any bhava (faith and feelings), at best it can help in gaining sthala-deha shuddhi (purification of the gross body). If the same is practiced with bhava, it can help in gaining control over chitta-vrittis (agitations and modifications of the mind). Some niyamas (Disciplines or Observances) have to be strictly followed in this practice of three-fold path of pranayama. The main essential niyamas to be observed are: shuddhaharam (purity of food, food earned through pure means), brahmacharya (Celibacy), ekantavasam (living in solitude) and mitabhakshanam (practicing moderation in speech).
Q. Swami! What is pratyahara and how many types of pratyahara are there?
A. Three types: sakara, nirakara and atma bhavana. Of these, atma bhavana is the best. Saguna-atvarupa dhyanam (Meditating on the embodied form of God with attributes) is sakara. Meditating on the distinctive Divine qualities like karuna (compassion), satya (Truth), shanti (Peace), etc. (i.e., formless aspect of God) is nirakara. Realizing the parabrahman, who is satyam (Absolute Existence), jnanam (Pure Consciousness) and anantam (Infinite Bliss), as the very atma (Self) is atma bhavana.
Q. And, dharana? Swami! What is meant by that? How many types of dharana are there?
A. My dear boy, dharana is only one type. Just like the way the earth “steadfastly holds” (this is the meaning of the word “dharana”) a mountain and makes it immovable, when a wise man steadily holds on to the thoughts of brahman or establish his chosen form of God steadily in his mind, it is what is called as dharana.
Q. What is dhyana? How many types of dhyana are there?
A. No, no. This also is one and only one. Whether of the Formful or the Formless, i.e., sakara or nirakara, if it is one-pointed, devoid of deviations, it is entitled to be called dhyana.
Q. What does samadhi mean?
A. Samadhi means setting aside all the vrittis (agitations, changes or dispositions) and fixing of the mind steadily on the paramatma (Absolute or Supreme Being). So, svasvarupa sthiti (the state of being in one’s true Reality or Supreme Reality) is called samadhi. Samadhi means being free from all dualities. When the wind is not blowing, the flame shines steadily without flickering. Similarly, samadhi means attaining nischala chittam (mind being in absolute steadiness).
Q. Swami! What is nischala chittam and how will it behave? Make it clearer, please, by some examples.
A. My dear fellow, when you have to thread a needle, i.e., putting the thread into the “eye of the needle”, the tip of the thread has to be kept united by making all the strands into one, and at the same time, the hand holding the needle has to remain very steady. Is it not? So too, to reach out the “eye” called “Grace of God,” which is subtler than the subtlest, it is highly essential that the mind, which is compared to the hands, has to be steady and all the indriyas (senses), which are compared to the thread, too have to be kept united and single-pointed on the same process.
Index
Preface
The Human Body and the Indriyas
The Fourteen Lokas
The Four Ashramas
Moksham and Karma
Vidya and Bhakti
Obstacles to Moksham
The Pancha Kosas
Yogam and Moksham
Jnanam and Yogam
Brahmavidya and Women
Ashramas and Varnas
The Shastras and Sannyasa
Mantra and Japa
Tapas
Astanga Yoga (The Eightfold Path of Yoga)
Astanga Yoga (The Eightfold Path of Yoga)
Original in Telugu
Q. To attain the state of escaping the cycle of birth and death, elders say that yoga is very important, isn’t it? What is that yoga of which they speak?
A. Yoga shastra declares that certain asanas (postures) have to be utilized in order to control the chitta-vrittis (mental agitations) and attain chitta-shuddhi (purity of mind); also, to attain nischalatva (quietness or calmness), to acquire jnana, and to arouse the kundalini shakti (Highest potential energy in dormant state in every individual) latent in man.
Q. It is said that yoga has certain angas (components, divisions, limbs). How many are they? Their names?
A. They are eight in all, astanga, in fact: yama (constitutes 10 sub limbs like non-violence, celibacy, non-stealing, forbearance, etc., to firmly establish internal and external disciplines for self-purification), niyama (constitutes 10 sub limbs like austerity, self-study, contentment, charity, etc., to firmly establish internal and external disciplines for self-purification), asana (method for self-purification and strengthening the body and the mind with the help of postures only after strictly practicing yama and niyama), pranayama (Breath-control), pratyahara (complete withdrawal from the objective world in all aspects), dharana (Concentration), dhyana (Meditation), and samadhi (Complete Absorption in Godhead).
Q. If mukti (Liberation) is to be attained, have all these to be practiced to perfection, or, is any one of them enough?
A. Oh, mukti can be won, if the first two, yama and niyama, are mastered. Why, the universe is maintained by just these two, yama and niyama!
Q. When we speak of yoga, do we mean only this particular yoga with the astanga, or have we many other yogas too?
A. Yoga is not just this one; there are four in all, but not many.
Q. Which are they? What are their names?
A. Their names are popularly given as mantra yoga, raja yoga, laya yoga, and hatha yoga.
Q. Which angas are significant for all these four types of yogas?
A. Innocent fellow! For all the millions of humans, the two eyes are the instruments of vision, isn’t it? So too, for all the yogas, yama and niyama are the eyes; without them, nothing can be visualized. Svatma-shuddhi (Self-purification) is essential for every yogi. And, for attaining that, yama and niyama are indispensable.
Q. Are there any sub-limbs for yama and niyama? And, how many such sub-limbs are there that distinguish them?
A. Of course. Each of them has ten such. It is only when you are well-established in all these that you are liberated.
Q. Tell me the ten, included under yama.
A. Ahimsa (Non-violence), satya (Contemplation on “the Truth”), asteya (to refrain from stealing), brahmacharya (Contemplation on “Brahman,” Celibacy), daya (Compassion), arjavam (Integrity of thought, word and deed), kshama (Patience, Forbearance), dhriti (Perseverance, Self-command), mitaharam (moderate food), shaucham (purity, within and without); all these ten are included in yama.
Q. May I know the ten, included in niyama?
A. Tapas (Penance, Austerity), santosh (Contentment), astiksabuddhi (Devotional, Religious mind), danam (Charity), ishvara pujanam (worship of the Lord within and without), vedanta vakya sravanam (systematic listening to the teachings of Vedanta through a competent preceptor with unwavering faith), lajja (Modesty), mati (ability to perceive the knowledge of the scriptures, which is heard through Guru, in a right manner), japam (Recitation or repetition of the name of the Lord or mantra), vratam (Vows) — these ten form niyama. So, My dear fellow, yama and niyama are the very foundations that keep the Mansion of mukti strong and firm. All yogis must be well established in both of these.
Q. What are the benefits of asanas?
A. They are also very helpful for atma jnanis and yogis.
Q. Do asana too have many varieties? What are those varieties?
A. Yes, they too are many. But the chief ones are Siddhasana, Baddha padmasana, Sarvangasana, Padmasana. Besides, there are asanas like Mayura, Paschimottanasana and others.
Q. What are the benefits that result from these asanas?
A. They are powerful in giving firmness to the body and enabling the mind to concentrate for a longer time in dhyana (Meditation).
Q. Swami! Now, tell me about pranayama also. How many types of pranayama are there?
A. Yes; there are many types but since in this kali-yuga (Kali-Age which is said to be the worst period due to decrease in the practice of dharma), most types are impossible in practice, only those that help dhyana have to be adopted. Of these, laghu pranayama (that which yields quick results) is suited best.
Q. Laghu pranayama? How is it beneficial?
A. Like metals purified over fire in the crucible, the slag of karma is removed by the fire of pranayama and the chitta (Mind) is purified. So, the benefit of doing laghu pranayama are kaya-shuddhi (purification of the body) and mano-shuddhi (purification of the mind). This pranayama is of two types: the one with mantra and the other without it. The one with mantra bhava is the most sacred. It can burn away all kinds of sins and helps in attaining atma-shuddhi (Self-purification). The one without mantra can at best help in physical well-being.
Q. Swami! How are we to practice it?
A. Two seconds long purakam (inhaling), four seconds long rechakam (exhaling), eight seconds long kumbhakam (holding the breath). In this series, pranayama has to be practiced carefully for three months. Later, the duration of purakam, rechakam and kumbhakam can be doubled and carefully practiced for three months. He who steadily practices pranayama in this manner for continuous six months will be able to control the agitations of all his indriyas (senses). If this three-fold path of pranayama is practiced without any bhava (faith and feelings), at best it can help in gaining sthala-deha shuddhi (purification of the gross body). If the same is practiced with bhava, it can help in gaining control over chitta-vrittis (agitations and modifications of the mind). Some niyamas (Disciplines or Observances) have to be strictly followed in this practice of three-fold path of pranayama. The main essential niyamas to be observed are: shuddhaharam (purity of food, food earned through pure means), brahmacharya (Celibacy), ekantavasam (living in solitude) and mitabhakshanam (practicing moderation in speech).
Q. Swami! What is pratyahara and how many types of pratyahara are there?
A. Three types: sakara, nirakara and atma bhavana. Of these, atma bhavana is the best. Saguna-atvarupa dhyanam (Meditating on the embodied form of God with attributes) is sakara. Meditating on the distinctive Divine qualities like karuna (compassion), satya (Truth), shanti (Peace), etc. (i.e., formless aspect of God) is nirakara. Realizing the parabrahman, who is satyam (Absolute Existence), jnanam (Pure Consciousness) and anantam (Infinite Bliss), as the very atma (Self) is atma bhavana.
Q. And, dharana? Swami! What is meant by that? How many types of dharana are there?
A. My dear boy, dharana is only one type. Just like the way the earth “steadfastly holds” (this is the meaning of the word “dharana”) a mountain and makes it immovable, when a wise man steadily holds on to the thoughts of brahman or establish his chosen form of God steadily in his mind, it is what is called as dharana.
Q. What is dhyana? How many types of dhyana are there?
A. No, no. This also is one and only one. Whether of the Formful or the Formless, i.e., sakara or nirakara, if it is one-pointed, devoid of deviations, it is entitled to be called dhyana.
Q. What does samadhi mean?
A. Samadhi means setting aside all the vrittis (agitations, changes or dispositions) and fixing of the mind steadily on the paramatma (Absolute or Supreme Being). So, svasvarupa sthiti (the state of being in one’s true Reality or Supreme Reality) is called samadhi. Samadhi means being free from all dualities. When the wind is not blowing, the flame shines steadily without flickering. Similarly, samadhi means attaining nischala chittam (mind being in absolute steadiness).
Q. Swami! What is nischala chittam and how will it behave? Make it clearer, please, by some examples.
A. My dear fellow, when you have to thread a needle, i.e., putting the thread into the “eye of the needle”, the tip of the thread has to be kept united by making all the strands into one, and at the same time, the hand holding the needle has to remain very steady. Is it not? So too, to reach out the “eye” called “Grace of God,” which is subtler than the subtlest, it is highly essential that the mind, which is compared to the hands, has to be steady and all the indriyas (senses), which are compared to the thread, too have to be kept united and single-pointed on the same process.