Brief about Yoga
Yoga having two steps.
The first stage
called “Hatayoga” and the higher stages known as “Rajayoga”.
The ‘Hatayoga’ very well explained in the
text called ‘Hatayoga pradeepika’ written by Swami Swathmarama.
This text
narrated in simple words which can easily grasp to anyone and accepted by all
the ancient sages of India.
The stages of hatayoga like ‘yoga asanas’
and ‘pranayama’ etc. are getting universally accepted by this period.
Yoga explained by Swami Kuvalayananda as
follows..
“Yoga has a complete message for the
humanity,
It has a message for the human body,
It has a message for the human mind,
It has a message for the human soul.”
Yoga is the Science of Man; a philosophy of
Life; a code of Conduct; and an Art of Living.
It represents a total approach
to life and the entire range of its problems,physical,mental,moral,and
spiritual.
It is for this reason that Yoga is capable of bringing about a
complete transformation of man and sublimate him from the animal existence to
the sublime heights of divinity.
May be, some day Yoga would succeed in making
the world a better place to live in where a number of other methods
failed. (Justice H.L.Anand)
The
text Hatayoga pradeepika may be written between AD 1350 – 1550.
In
ancient India yoga were in practice even decades before.
According to Max Muller,Yoga was practicing in India about 6000 years ago.
The yoga science first taught to Parvathi
Devi by Lord Paramasiva. Hatayoga is the way to Raja yoga,says Swami
Swatmarama.
The other ancient practitioners were ‘Matsyendra,Gorakshan etc who
all blessed swami swatmarama to learn this science and wrote
‘hatayogapradeepika’.
The sorrows affecting the humanity is
generally due to three reasons like Physical and Mental; External factors and
animals; and the third category spiritual.
For the complete fulfillment of yoga one
should practice with complete dedication and sincerity.
Then only we can attain
the benefits of Yoga.
Hatayogi should not affected by any kind of
physical and mental stress from the surroundings.
The yogi should live in a place where calm
and quit,without any windows,the entry door should be very small,the floor
should be pasted with cow dung,the floor should be leveled and equal,should be protected from insects and reptiles.
And should have a hall and a well near by.
When some one learn yoga,he should know
only about yoga he should don't even think about any other matters.
It is said
for the complete involvement in the science and hence achieve the ‘Liberation’.
The Yoga fails when over eating,Hard and stressful work,excess talk,unsafe contacts,wavering mind etc will lead to the
failure of Yoga.
To the achievement of Yoga; one should have
Enthusiasm,Courage,Adventurous,knowledge about the principles and philosophy,complete dedication and should stay away from the contact from the
surroundings.
Thank you for Reading and Sharing.
DR.T.L.XAVIER B.A.M.S
(blogs for interested layman in simple language)