Arun Jandial
International Day of Yoga, or commonly referred to as Yoga Day, is celebrated annually on 21st June since its inception in 2015. It aims to raise awareness world wide of the many benefits of practicing Yoga. The logo approved for the Day provides useful information about what Yoga stands for. Folding of both hands symbolises Yoga, the union which reflects the union of individual consciousness with that of universal consciousness, a perfect harmony between mind and body, man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well being. Maharishi Patanjali, the ‘Father of Yoga’ compiled 195 Yoga Sutras that became the foundation of Yoga. An International Day of Yoga was declared unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly when the draft text received broad support from 177 states. The significance of the day lies in promoting global health, harmony and peace through celebrations – practice of Yoga, meditation, spreading awareness about Yoga and adopting it in one’s lifestyle by discussing its benefits.
Maharishi Patanjali in the second aphorism defines Yoga as cessation of mind. (Yoga chitta vritti nirodha 1:2) Swami Prabhavananda describes Yoga as control of thought-waves in the mind. It is the restrain of the mind-stuff, the cessation of movements in the consciousness. Yoga Vasishth describes yoga as a skilful methodological trick to calm down the mind. Bhagavan Krishna in Gita 2:50 describes yoga as skill in action (Yogah Karmsu Kaushlam) and also as evenness of mind – the Yoga of equanimity (Smatvm yog uchyate). It is the union of individual psyche with the transcendental self. According to Shri Aurbindo – Yoga is a systematic methodology for all round personality development i.e. physical, mental, social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual components of men and all life is yoga.
The meaning of Yoga in Kundalini Yoga is the union of the mental current (ida) and the pranic current (pingla) in the third eye (ajna chakra) or at the base chakra (muladhar chakra). This merges duality in us by connecting body and mind and guides to the awakening of spiritual consciousness. Meditation in Jainism aims at realizing the self, attain salvation and take the soul to complete freedom. Buddhist meditation techniques aim to develop mindfulness, concentration, supramundane powers, tranquillity and insight.
According to Swami Vishnudevananda yoga is a perfect practical system of self-culture. It aims at the harmonious development of the body, mind and the soul. It is the turning away of the senses from the objective universe and the concentration of the mind within. Yoga is eternal life in the spirit. Heart is the gateway to this inner path.
Yoga symbolizes the important features of Indian view of life. The Vedantins, Buddhists, Jains, Saktas have accepted the principles of Yoga as the model for living. Yoga is a practical science for liberating the human self from ignorance and suffering. The practitioner must have insight into his nature so that he may discriminate between the real self and the empirical self. Certain physical and mental practices do help in making necessary adjustments in the internal personality rather than altering the structure of external environment. In order to maintain physical and mental harmony the physical and mental energies must be conserved to the maximum. Through the practice of Ashtang Yoga of Patanjali the highest dimension of human existence can be realised.
According to Swami Vivekananda, “Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest the divinity within by controlling nature, external and internal. Do it either by work or worship, or mental discipline or philosophy – by one or more, or all of them and be free. The ultimate goal of all mankind, the aim and end of all religions, is but one – reunion with God. While the aim is one, the method of attaining may vary with different temperaments of men. Both the goal and methods employed for reaching it are called Yog, a word derived from the same Sanskrit root as the English “Yoke”, meaning to join us to our reality, God. There are various methods of union but the chief ones are Karam Yog, Bhakti Yog, Jnana Yog and Raj Yoga.
Every man must develop according to his own nature. Human personality can be classified into four categories – emotional, active, intuitive and volitional. Bhakti Yoga is for those who are emotionally and devotionally inclined whereas Jnana Yog is for those who are intuitive by nature. Yama (Restraints-Dont’s) and Niyama (Observances-Dos) signify Karam Yog in daily actions and duties. The stopping of Vrittis is achieved by Vairagya (detachment) and abhyas (Practice of Yoga). In Karam Yoga the Practicant realises his divinity through work and duty whereas in Bhakti Yoga it is through devotion to and love of a personal God. In Raja Yoga divinity is realised through control of mind and in Jnana Yoga through knowledge.
Raj Yoga is the old system or science followed by the great rishis and saints to help them in realisation of Self or God. According to Ram Chandra, founder-President Ram Chandra Mission, “Raj Yoga was prevalent in India long before the time of Ramayana. It was first introduced by a great rishi who lived seventy-two generations prior to Raja Dashrath of Surya Vamsh (Sun Dynasty). He devoted much of his time pondering a good deal to find out a real method of achieving freedom by which problems of life could be easily solved. After pondering long over the subject, the great sage at last discovered the method which ultimately developed into what is known as Raja Yoga.” It is being practised thorough the world to regulate mind and transform life by evolution of consciousness. It transforms intellect into wisdom, intuitive knowledge develops and ego gets refined. All the complexities and impurities are removed. One becomes free of all conditioning, judgements, concepts, belief systems, identifications with body and mind and the habit pattern of mind of cravings and aversions is changed and one becomes the master of the mind. He no longer remains slaves of wishes which bars ones spiritual advancement. Being pure and simple, he becomes identical with nature and ultimately merges with the supreme consciousness. Though he performs all his worldly duties efficiently but the sense of doership is no more there and he works as an instrument of divine. He becomes a Jeevan-mukt, living-dead, Videh like Raja Janak and is liberated once for all free from all sufferings, established in Self, the birthless, deathless spirit.
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