Structure of Yoga Sadhana by Swami Sivananda Ethical discipline is incumbent for success in Yoga. Ethical discipline is the practice of right conduct in life. The two moral pivots of Yoga are Yama and Niyama, which the aspirant must practise in his daily life. These correspond broadly to the ten commandments of the Bible or to the noble eightfold path of Lord Buddha. Non-injuring (Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satya), continence (Brahmacharya), non-stealing (Asteya) and non-covetousness (Aparigraha) are the component parts of Yama. Internal and external purification (Saucha), contentment (Santosha), austerity (Tapas), study of religious and philosophical books (Svadhyaya) and self-surrender to the Lord (Isvarapranidhana) come under Niyama. Practice of Yama and Niyama will eradicate all the impurities of the mind. In fact, Yama and Niyama form the corner-stones of Yoga Philosophy. Pre-eminence is given to abstention from injuring any living creature (Ahimsa) amongst all other virtues. There must be non-injuring in thought, word and deed. Non-injuring is placed first because it is the source of the following nine. The practice of universal love or brotherhood is nothing but the practice of non-injuring. He who practises non-injuring will get quick success in Yoga. The practitioner must abandon even harsh words and unkind looks. He must show goodwill and friendliness to one and all. He must respect life. He must always remember that one common Self dwells in the hearts of all beings. Truthfulness (Satya) comes next in order. Thought must agree with word, and word with action. This is truthfulness. These virtues are attainable only by the unselfish. Truth can hardly arise unless there is pure motive behind all actions. The word of a Yogi must be a blessing to others. Then comes non-stealing (Asteya). You must be satisfied with what you get by honest means. The law of Karma is inexorable. You will have to suffer for every wrong action of yours. Action and reaction are equal and opposite. Amassing wealth is really theft. The whole wealth of all the three worlds belongs to the Lord. You are only a care-taker of this wealth. You must willingly share what you have with all and spend it in charity. The third virtue is the practice of celibacy. Brahmacharya is the substratum for a life in the Atman. It is a potent weapon for waging a relentless war against the internal monsters-passion, greed, anger, miserliness, hypocrisy, etc. It contributes to perennial joy and uninterrupted, undecaying bliss. It gives tremendous energy, clear brain, gigantic will-power, bold understanding, retentive memory and good power of enquiry (Vichara-Sakti). What is wanted is deep inner life. Silence the bubbling thoughts. Keep the mind cool and calm. Open yourself to higher spiritual consciousness. Feel the Divine Presence and Divine Guidance. Fix your mind at the lotus-feet of the Lord. Become like a child. Speak to Him freely. Become absolutely candid. Do not hide your thoughts. You cannot do so because He is the Inner Ruler (Antaryami). He watches all your thoughts. Pray for mercy, light, purity, strength, peace and knowledge. You will surely get them. A Yogic student should abstain from greed. He should not receive luxurious presents from anybody. Gifts affect the mind of the receiver. These five virtues must be practised in thought, word and deed, for they are not merely restraints but change the character of the practitioner, implying inward purity and strength. Two things are necessary for attaining success in mind-control, viz., practice (Abhyasa) and dispassion (Vairagya). You must try your level best to be free from any desire for any pleasure, seen or unseen, and this dispassion can be attained through constant perception of evil in them. Dispassion is renunciation of attainment. It is aversion to sensual enjoyments herein and hereafter. The detachment or dispassion is of two kinds, the lower and the higher. Vijnana Bhikshu distinguishes the superior and the inferior types of Vairagya in the following way: “The former is a distaste for the good things of life, here or hereafter due to the experience that they cannot be acquired or preserved without trouble, while their loss causes pain and that the quest is never free from egoistic feelings. The latter, however is based on a clear perception of the difference between intelligence and the objects that appear in its light.” There are various stages in dispassion. The determination to refrain from enjoying all sorts of sensual objects is the first stage. In the second stage certain objects lose their charm for the spiritual aspirant and he attempts to destroy the attraction for others also. In the third stage the senses are controlled, but a vague longing for the sensual enjoyment remains in the mind. In the fourth the aspirant loses completely all interest whatsoever in the external objects. The final stage is a state of highest desirelessness. It is this kind of dispassion that bestows Absolute Independence on the Yogi. In this stage the Yogi renounces all kinds of psychic powers even as Omniscience, etc. It is by practice and dispassion that the passage of thought towards external objects can be checked. Mere indifference will not serve the purpose. Practice is also necessary. Remembering God always is also practice. Lord Krishna says to Arjuna with reference to this practice of controlling the mind: “Abandoning without reserve all desires born of the imagination by the mind, curbing in the aggregate of the senses on every side, little by little let him gain tranquillity by means of reason controlled by steadiness; having made the mind abide in the Self, let him not think of anything. As often as the wavering and unsteady mind goeth forth, so often reining it in, let him bring it under control of the Self.” (Bhagavad Gita, Ch. VI-24, 25, 26) Mind is drawn towards external objects by the force of desire. By convincing oneself of the illusoriness of sense-objects through an investigation into their nature and by cultivating indifference to worldly objects, the mind can be restrained and brought back to the Self to abide finally. In virtue

Need for Yoga Sadhana by Swami Sivananda Why should you prolong your bondage unnecessarily? Why should you not claim your divine birthright right now? Why should you not break your bondage now? Delay means prolongation of your sufferings. You can break it at any moment. This is in your power. Do it now. Stand up. Gird up your loins. Do rigorous and vigorous Sadhana and attain freedom, which is immortality or eternal bliss. Make the lower nature the servant of the higher through discipline, Tapas, self-restraint and meditation. This is the beginning of your freedom. The divine within you is stronger than anything that is without you. Therefore be not afraid of anything. Rely on your own Inner Self, the Divinity within you. Tap the source through looking within. Without renunciation you can never be happy. Without renunciation you can never be successful in gaining the highest good i.e., Moksha. Without renunciation you can never be at your ease. Therefore renounce everything. Make happiness your own. Hold renunciation as the foremost of things. Improve yourself. Build your character. Purify the heart. Develop divine virtues. Eradicate evil traits. Conquer all that is base in you. Endeavour to attain all that is worthy and noble. Only when you have purified the heart, silenced the mind, stilled the thoughts and surging emotions, withdrawn the outgoing senses, thinned out the Vasanas, you can behold the glorious Atman during deep meditation. There are five means by which perfect tranquillity or emancipation can be attained. These form the highest happiness. They are Satsanga or association with the wise, discrimination between the real and the unreal, dispassion, enquiry of ‘Who am I?’ and meditation. These are called Heaven. These are religion. These form the highest happiness. Become a good man first. Then control the senses. Then subdue the lower mind by the higher mind. Then the divine light will descend. Only then the vessel will be able to receive and hold the divine light. Practise meditation persistently and calmly without haste. You will soon attain Samadhi or the Nirvikalpa state. Spiritual life is toilsome and laborious. It demands constant vigilance and long perseverance before substantial progress is made. You have yourself built the walls of your prison-house through ignorance. You can demolish the walls through discrimination and enquiry of “Who am I?” Sufferings purify the soul. They burn up the gross material sins and impurities. The Divinity becomes more and more manifest. They give inner spiritual strength and develop the will force, the power of endurance. Hence sufferings are blessings in disguise. Even a ray of inner light during meditation will lighten your path. It will give you a great deal of encouragement and inner strength. It will goad you to do more Sadhana. You will experience this ray of light when the meditation becomes deeper and when you rise above body-consciousness. Meditation and worship are the means of evolving your potentialities and seeking a higher level of consciousness or existence. Life is the unfolding of the latent capacities of the soul. Lead the divine life. Generate sublime divine thoughts in your mind through meditation, Japa, Kirtan and study of sacred scriptures. Bathe in the river of life everlasting. Plunge in it. Take a dip in it. Swim in it. Float in it. Rejoice. Bask the body in the physical sunlight. Bask the soul in the sunlight of the Eternal. You will have good health and everlasting life. Worship is the unfolding of the bud of the flower of the soul. Worship is life. Worship bestows life eternal. You may conquer millions of persons in battle, but you will become the greatest conqueror only if you can conquer your own lower self or mind. So long as your senses are not subdued or weakened, you will have to practise Tapas or self-restraint, Dama or Pratyahara. Sit down with a composed mind. Assert your mastery over the body and mind. Plunge deep into the chambers of the heart, and enter into the stupendous ocean of Silence. Listen to the voice which is soundless. Build your spiritual life on a sure foundation, on the rock of divine grace and strength of character. Take refuge in the Lord and His eternal law. There is no power in heaven or on earth that can bar your march now. Success in Self-realisation is certain. Failure exists not for you. There is light on your path. All is brilliant.

An Essential Condition by Swami Sivananda In the Upanishads the Atman is described as beyond the mind and speech. In another place you will find that the Atman can be known through the pure mind-the Buddhi. There are two kinds of minds-pure mind and impure mind. What we possess is impure mind. We have to remove all the gross impurities through Tapas, Yoga, Austerities and Pranayama and then acquire the four means of Viveka, Vairagya, Shad-Sampat and Mumukshutva. Then you approach a Guru and study the Upanishads, practise Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana. The Atma is beyond the reach of the mind. It is beyond the reach of the impure mind. But it can be reached. It should be reached by a man who is a Viveki, who has performed Tapascharya, who has Vairagya and Shad-Sampat, who has practised concentration and Nididhyasana. So there is no contradiction in the Upanishadic utterances, if only we can take the trouble to find out what the Rishis told us. Though Atman is beyond the reach of impure mind, it is attainable through the pure mind.

Eight Fundamentals of Raja Yoga by Swami Sivananda The eight fundamentals or accessories of Raja Yoga, as it has been described by Maharshi Patanjali, are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. These eight accessories are like the eight rungs in the ladder of Raja Yoga. They all should be practised in the order given. Through the practice of these eight accessories, the impurities of the mind are destroyed and the light of wisdom, the discriminative knowledge illumines the life of the practitioner. Then he attains Kaivalya or the Supreme Perfection. Now, Yama is the practice of Ahimsa (abstinence from injury or non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Brahmacharya (continence), Asteya (abstinence from theft or earning through illegal methods) and Aparigraha (abstinence from avariciousness or greed). The other restraints that follow have their origin in Ahimsa. Practice of Ahimsa culminates eventually in realisation of unity or oneness of life, of cosmic love and universal brotherhood and ultimately the Advaitic consciousness. The second aspect of Yama, viz., Satyam or truthfulness is the most important qualification of a Sadhaka. Truth is the symbol of God and He can be realised only through unflinching adherence to truth. The fourth aspect i.e., Asteya means complete annihilation of one’s pilfering nature. The Sadhaka has to be contented with whatever he gets through honest means. He must completely abstain himself from illegal appropriation or confistication of others’ property and other illegal ways of maintaining his livelihood. Brahmacharya, the third aspect, means purity in thought, word and deed. No Yoga or spiritual evolution is possible without the observance of rigid celibacy. The fifth and the last aspect of Yama i.e., Aparigraha means freedom from greed or covetousness. The aspirant should live on the barest necessities of life, abstaining from receiving any gift or presentation from others. He must live independently without the support of others. The second accessory of Raja Yoga viz., Niyama is the observance of the five canons: Saucha (internal and external cleanliness), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity or mortification), Svadhyaya (study of scriptures) and Isvarapranidhana (worship of God or self-surrender). The first aspect of Niyama, Saucha or purification is of two kinds: internal (mental) and external (physical). Cleanliness is next to godliness. Just as you need soap, water etc., for washing the body, so also you need Japa, Kirtan, prayer, meditation and selfless service for washing your mind. Keep the body always neat and clean and the mind always pure and healthy, free from evil thoughts, evil desires or cravings. The second aspect Santosha or contentment brings a fullness of life, happiness and peace. If there is no contentment, the mind is always restless and ruffled, and naturally the Sadhana becomes impossible. The third aspect-Tapas is austerity of the mind and the body. You should be able to bear heat and cold, physical discomfort and fatigue, as well as insult, injury, persecution and any sort of humiliation or crucifixion. You should keep your body and the senses ever pure and carefully guarded. The fourth aspect-Svadhyaya or the study of scriptures and religious books, elevates and inspires the mind. It gives you an idea of your goal and the necessary practices that are necessary for its accomplishment. Practical application of what you read that are amicable to your temperament and applicable to your mode of life, is very necessary if you wish to derive any permanent, substantial benefit out of your study. The fifth and the last aspect of Niyama-Isvarapranidhana is worship of God and ultimate self-surrender. Worship Him with a pure heart and stainless mind, surrender your ego at His feet, and annihilate the idea of doership or separateness from the Lord. You will realise the Advaitic Oneness of the Self. Asana is the third Anga of Raja Yoga. Physical fitness, a diseaseless healthy body is essential for spiritual practices. Without good health you cannot fight against the turbulent senses and the boisterous mind. Regular practice of Asanas will keep the body fit and the mind calm, and will give you abundant energy, vigour, strength and nerve-power. You will be able to do intense Sadhana without physical discomfort. Padmasana, Siddhasana and Sukhasana are prescribed for meditation. For all-round physical and internal development, Sirshasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Paschimottanasana, Ardha-Matsyendrasana, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Salabhasana, Trikonasana, Padahastasana, Halasana and Mayurasana are the important ones. Bandhas and Mudras are auxiliaries to Asanas. The fourth Anga or accessory-Pranayama is regulation and control of breath. Literally it means the process by which you can know the secret of Prana and its control. The mind can be made to transcend ordinary experience and exist on a plane higher than that of reason known as superconscious state of concentration and also beyond the limit of concentration. The Yogi comes face to face with facts which ordinary consciousness cannot comprehend. This is achieved by proper training and manipulation of the subtle forces of the body so as to cause them to give, as it were, an upward push to the mind into the higher planes. When the mind is so raised into the superconscious state of perception, it begins to act from there and experiences higher facts and higher knowledge. Such is the ultimate object of Pranayama which is achieved through the control of the vibratory Prana. That which moves through the nerves of the physical body is gross Prana. That which moves in subtle tubes of Yoga Nadis of the astral body is subtle Prana or psychic Prana. Breath is an external effect or manifestation of the gross Prana. There is intimate connection with the gross Prana and the subtle Prana. The control of the external breath leads to the control of the gross and subtle Prana of the body and mind. Hence Pranayama-exercises are practised. When the Prana and the mind are controlled, then all the mental modifications cease to arise. Then you become the master of your mind and body. Then dawn the intuitive knowledge of the Self, and you realise your essential nature-the supreme Reality. The important Pranayamas practised are: Sukha Purvaka

Raja Yoga Sadhana by Swami Sivananda The earliest Seers who realised the Truth have explained the cosmic process as the work of Maya, the inscrutable power of the Supreme Spirit. By the mysterious operation of this veiling power, the undivided Absolute Blissful One is made to reflect Itself in an infinite multiplicity of names and forms. As described in verse 6, Chap. IV of the Gita, Maya brings about this phenomenal existence with its duality and diversity. Each centre of consciousness thus involved from the Infinite has therefore to transcend Maya to realise its essential identity with the Supreme Being. Now Maya is the eternal negation as distinguished from the Ultimate Reality that shines as the Eternal ‘I am’, the Eternal ‘SAT’. Maya is used to denote the sum-total of the forces of negativity. Nescience, oscillation, delusion, attachment, egoism, disharmony and discord, sensuality are some of the prominent forms in which it finds expression upon the human plane. Yoga then concerns itself in enabling the individuals to effectively deal with and overcome the above factors that keep him pinned down to the phenomenal existence. A state of knowledge through a constant discrimination between the real and the unreal, combined with a ceaseless assertion of an identification with the ideas of omniscience and perfection, a state of unshakable equilibrium and one-pointedness, non-attachment to everything mundane coupled with an intense unabated attachment to some particular aspect of the divine, a complete self-effacement and active selflessness, constitute, therefore, the major means of obtaining a victory over Maya. A determined development along any one or more of these lines broadly go to form the paths of knowledge, occult meditation, devotion or divine love and selfless action. The process of Yoga embodies an ascent into purity, into that absolute perfection, which is the original state of man. It implies therefore the removal of the enveloping impurities, the stilling of the discordant vibratory tempo of the lower Kosas and the establishment of a state of perfect balance and harmony. Now all the above-mentioned factors that bind down the Jiva may be seen to be operating upon a larger scale through humanity as a whole. The present age is enmeshed in ignorance, characterised by restlessness, a blind clinging to earthly existence; perverted individualism and voluptuous abandonment to pleasures of the flesh and violence, strife and discord in all walks of life. Modern age is the machine age. As such, it is power-ridden. Discovery of newer ways of generating power, exploiting fresh aspects of known forces, inventing machine to make machine is the present craze under man’s control but man himself does not have his senses and mind under his control. This has resulted in the misuse and abuse of the fruits of civilisation and science, ecause all power corrupts. The adoption of the Yogic way of life is the release from and the guarantee against such abuse of power and the resultant disaster. Training in Yoga brings to man several supernormal powers that no machine can ever generate. Yet the discipline laid down on the path ensures against their abuse. All methods of Yoga have ethical training and moral perfection as their basis. The eradication of vices, the development of certain virtues forms the first step in the ladder of Yoga. Disciplining of your nature and the formation of a steady and pure character through a set of right habits and regular daily observances is the next step. This is Yama-Niyama in Raja Yoga. The acquiring of Sadhana-Chatushtaya by the neophyte on the path of knowledge and the insistence upon Sraddha, Sadachara and self-consecration, desirelessness, sacrifice for the devotee and the Karma Yogi respectively have as their aim the development of character and ethical perfection. Thus the ringing in of a new world order of love and sacrifice, of cooperation and brotherhood and the realisation of the ideals of universal perfection can be effected by a willing unreserved allegiance to even the initial stages of Yoga. Upon this firm foundation of a well-established and virtuous moral character is built the further structure of Yoga. The inherent restlessness of the mind constitutes the greatest problem to the follower of Yoga. By its very nature, mind is ever outgoing. Also it is always unsteady. The resolute turning away from earthly attachment, the determined effacement of the ego, deliberate stoppage of all inharmonious mental processes and the constant dwelling upon a single idea, all these methods require a firm control of the mind and the conscious direction of its powers towards the desired end. The greatest external manifestation of the mental impulses is physical action. Actions when repeated crystallise into habits. In course of time, habits through indulgence get incorporated as definite traits in the individual’s personality. The plan of Yoga Science, in obtaining mastery over the mind proceeds step by step most systematically, regulating and controlling first the grosser and then the subtler manifestation. Yama overcomes all vice and implants virtue. It weakens out all evil traits and implants godly qualities. Niyama regulates the habits and aims at giving the Sadhaka mastery over his behaviour. Instead of being a slave to habits the aspirant now controls his conduct and develops certain habits by determined will. Next the inherent urge to activity is checked through Asanology. By a practice of a system of steady postures, the tendency to unrestrained and aimless movements is curbed and overcome. Character developed, ennobling traits acquired, old habits overcome and replaced by new ones, activity regulated and checked, now the vagaries of the mind are next restrained by a control of its counterpart, namely the breath. This stage is Pranayama. Though thoughts are checked, the mind yet continues to agitate in the form of desires and cravings. Thus fifth limb of Yoga is the withdrawal of all the centripetal senseward movements of the desire element in the mind, turning away from the external world and withdrawing the senses from the objects. Pratyahara paves the way for the sixth rung in the Yogic ladder, Dharana

Manasic Puja by Swami Sivananda Manasic Puja or mental worship is more powerful than external Puja of the Murti with flowers, etc. Arjuna thought that Bhima was not doing any kind of worship. He was proud of his external worship to Lord Siva. He offered Bael leaves. But Bhima offered to Lord Siva mentally the Bael leaves of all the Bael of the whole world. He was doing Manasic Puja of Lord Siva. The attendants of Lord Siva were not able to remove the Bael leaves offered by Bhima from the head of Siva. Arjuna once saw a large band of people carrying baskets of Bael leaves. He thought within himself that these leaves must be those offered by him to the Lord and questioned them thus: “Brothers, wherefrom do you carry these Bael leaves.” They replied: “O Arjuna, these leaves are offered to our Lord by Bhima through his Manasic Puja.” Arjuna was struck with wonder. He came to know that Manasic Puja was more powerful than the external worship and that Bhima was better devotee than himself. He who has done Puja with flowers and other articles of worship for some time can do mental worship. In mental Puja the devotee offers mentally all offerings to the Lord. This is advanced form of worship. Manasic Puja can be done by advanced students. Beginners should certainly do worship with flowers, sandal paste, incense, etc. You will have more concentration when you do Manasic Puja. Mentally enthrone the Lord in Simhasan seat with diamonds, pearls, emeralds, etc. Offer Him a seat. Apply sandal paste to His forehead and body. Offer Arghyam, Madhuparka, and various sorts of flowers, clothes, etc. Burn incense, Wave lights. Burn camphor. Offer various kinds of fruits, sweetmeats, and Maha Naivedyam. Offer to the Lord the fruits of the whole world. Do not be miserly even in Manasic Puja. In Manasic Puja one man offered only one stale plantain fruit and a handful of gram. A miserable miser! Even in Manasic Puja he cannot be very generous and liberal. This world abounds with such deplorable misers. In the end mentally repeat: “kayena vacha mansendriyairva, buddhyatmanava prakriteh svabhavat karomi yadyat sakalam parasmai narayanayeti samarpayami.”-Whatever action I do by the body, by speech, by the mind, by the senses, by the intellect or by my own nature, I offer all of them to the Supreme Lord Narayana.” Also say “OM Tat Sat Brahmarpanamastu.” This will purify your heart and remove the taint of expectation of reward.