THE GOAL OF YOGA

All other activities are restrained and the mind is kept steady in Siva. This
is succinctly called Yoga. It is of five types : Mantrayoga, Sparsayoga,Bhavayoga, Abhavayoga and Mahayoga which is greater than everything.
The concentration of the mind without disturbances, on the expressed meaning
of the mantra along with the practice of the mantra is mantrayoga.Coupled with Pranayama the same is called sparsayoga. Without the contact of Mantra, it is Bhavayoga.

Wherein the universe with all its parts is meditated upon it is called Abhavayoga since in that the existent object is not seen. Wherein the nature of Siva is contemplated without any conditioning or restricting factor, the concentration of the mind on Siva is called Mahayoga. In this Yoga only he is authorised whose mind is detached from the perceived and Veda-ordained objects of pleasure.The mind is detached only on perceiving the defects in the objects and in the
attributes of the lord, perpetually.

In brief the Yoga is of eight or six ancillaries. The eight ancillaries are
Yama, Niyama, Asana Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi as
mentioned by the wise.

The six Angas are in brief Asana, Pranasamrodha, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana
and Samadhi.

The definitions of all these separately have been mentioned in Sivasastra and
other Saivite scriptures, especially Kamika etc. They are mentioned in
Yogasastras and Puranas also. Yama is the observance of restraints such as
non-violence, non-stealing, abstention from sexual intercourse and non-
acceptance of monetary gifts.

The five constitute the subdivisions of Yama.

Niyama is the positive curb or restraint with the following fire subdivisions-
purity, contentment, penance, japa and attentiveness.

Asana is the Yogic pose and is of eight types such as Svastika, Padma,
Ardhendu, Vira, Yoga, Prasadhita, Paryanka and Yathesta.

Prana is the vital breath in the body. Ayama is checking. Hence Pranayama
means checking or restraining the breath. It is of three forms-Recaka, Puraka
and Kumbhaka.
One of the nostrils is pressed with the finger and the air from the belly is
let out through the other. This is Recaka (Exhaling).
Then through the other nostril the external air is inhaled and the body is
filled up like the bellows. It is Puraka (Inhaling).
He does not breathe out the internal or breathe in the external air. He
remains steady like the filled-up jar. It is called Kumbhaka (Retention).
The three, Recaka etc. shall not be done hurriedly or slowly. The practiser of
Yoga shall adopt them gradually with restraint.
The practice of Recaka shall begin with the purification of the veins and
conclude with its voluntary exit as mentioned in the Yoganusasana.
Pranayama is one of the four varieties in view of the time-units, Kanyaka etc.
Kanyaka is without Udghata (strokes). Its duration is twelve Matras. Madhyama
has two strokes, its duration is twentyfour Mantras.
Uttama has three strokes and its duration is thirty-six Matras. Uttara is the
Pranayama that causes perspiration and trembling of the body.
The yogin has experiences-the thrill of bliss, horripilation and shedding of
tears. He may prattle. There may be vertigo and senselessness.
Matra is the unit of time required for the snapping of the fingers after
moving them round the knees neither speedily nor slowly.
The duration of Pranayama shall be increased in accordance with the Matras and
strokes. The veins shall be necessarily purified.
The Pranayama is again twofold : Agarbha and Sagarbha. Restraining the breath
without mediation and Japa in called Agarbha Pranayama. If they too are
included it is called Sagarbha.
The Sagarbha Pranayama is hundred times more efficacious than the Agarbha.
Yogins practise Sagarbha Pranayama.
The vital breaths of the body can be conquered through the mastery over Prana.
The vital breaths are Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana, Naga, Kurma, Krkara,
Devadatta and Dhananjaya. That which causes the movement is called Prana.
Apana is the vital air that takes the food lower down. Vyana is diffused
through the limbs and it develops them.
Udana is the vital air that affects the vulnerable points in the body among
the limbs. The vital air that spreads equally is called Samana.
The vital air Naga is for the activity of belching. Kurma is for the activity
of closing the eyes; the vital air Krkara is the activity of sneezing and the
vital air Devadatta is the activity of yawning.
Dhananjaya is the vital air that circulates through the body. It does not
leave off even the dead body. Gradually practised, Pranayama is very
efficacious.
It burns off all defects. It preserves the body of practisers. When the
Prana is mastered the symptoms are manifest.
Urine, phlegm and faeces are reduced in quantity. Ability to eat much and to
breathe slowly, lightness of the body, ability to walk fast, enthusiasm,
clearness of voice and tone, destruction of ailments, strength, brilliance,
comeliness of features, courage, intelligence, youthfulness, firmness and all
round pleasure these are the symptoms. All forms of austerities, expiations,
sacrifices, charitable gifts, holy rites do not merit even a sixteenth part of
the benefit of Pranayama.
The total withdrawal of the sense-organs operating in their respective objects
is called Pratyahara. The sense-organs are the mind etc. They are capable of
according heaven and hell. When restrained they yield heaven, when let loose
they are hellish. Hence the intelligent man who seeks happiness shall have
recourse to perfect knowledge and detachment, and lift up his soul through his
own soul after carefully restraining the horses of his sense-organs.
In brief, what is called Dharana is the fixation of the mind in a spot. The
spot is Siva alone and nothing else. The Dharana shall take place when the
mind is established in the spot for a stipulated duration and when it does not
swerve from the target. The initial stability of the mind is generated
through Dharana. Hence one shall endow the mind with fortitude by the
practice of Dharana.
The root `Dhyai' means to contemplate. Frequent contemplation of Siva with an
unconfounded mind is called Dhyna. It is a series of visions in the exclusion
of other visions. Eschewing everything else, Siva, the cause of
auspiciousness, the great lord of the gods, shall be mediated upon. Thus
concludes the Atharvaveda. Similarly the great goddess Siva shall be
meditated upon. In the Vedas Siva and Siva are mentioned as pervading all
living beings. In the Smrtis and Sastras they are mentioned as present
everywhere and awakened always. They are omniscient. They shall always be
meditated upon in different forms. There are two benefits accruing from
meditation, and first one being freedom from other visions and the second one
the acquisition of Siddhis, Anima etc.
The knower of Yoga shall practise Yoga with the knowledge of four things-the
meditator, the meditation, the object of meditation and the benefit of
meditation.
The meditator shall be a man who is endowed with knowledge and detachment, who
is faithful, patient, who is free from ego and who is always enthusiastic.
A person who is tired of Japa shall begin meditation. A person who is tired
of meditation shall begin Japa. A person who practises Japa and Dhyana
acquires Yoga quickly.
Dharana extends upto the twelve-petalled lotus of the heat. Dhyana is the
fixation of the Dharana in the twelve-petalled lotus. When Dhyana extends to
the twelve-petalled lotus it is called Samadhi.
Samadhi is the final state of Yoga. Through Samadhi, the lustre of intellect
begins to function.
In Samadhi, the vision is steady like the calm ocean, the form vanishes but
the vision persists.
Fixing the mind in the object of meditation he shall see it steadily. The
Yogin thus like the fire extinghuished is absorbed in Samadhi.
He nether hears nor smells nor prattles nor sees nor feels the touch. The
mind does not think.
Nor does he identify with anything external. Nor is it bound like the
inanimate log of wood. A person whose Atman has thus merged into Siva is
called Samadhistha.
Just as the lamp in a windless spot never flickers so also is the Yogin who is
Samadhistha, An intelligent man shall not swerve. He shall be steady.
All his obstacles and hindrances perish gradually if the Yogin practises the
excellent Yoga.