Transcriber’s Notes
Inconsistent punctuation has been silently corrected.
Obvious misspellings have been silently corrected, and the following corrections made to the text. Other spelling and hyphenation variations have not been modified.
Pages 30 & 31 - Headings referred to “CHAPTER”, but all other sections are simply numbered. Format of these section headings was modified to match the rest of the chapters.
Page 201 - Chapter XVIII heading “Ascertainment of the Example Or Major Proposition” added to match table of contents.
Page 353 - Chapter XXVI heading “Meeting the Siddhas” added to match table of contents.
Page 403 - Section number changed from III to II, to match table of contents.
The spelling of Sanskrit words are normalized to some extent, including correct/addition of accents where necessary. Note that the author uses á, í, ú to indicate long vowels. This notation has not been changed.
The LPP edition (1999) which has been scanned for this ebook, is of poor quality, and in some cases text was missing. Where possible, the missing/unclear text has been supplied from another edition, which has the same typographical basis (both editions are photographical reprints of the same source, or perhaps one is a copy of the other): Bharatiya Publishing House, Delhi 1978.
A third edition, Parimal Publications, Delhi 1998, which is based on an OCR scanning of the same typographical basis, has also been consulted.
The term “Gloss.” or “Glossary” probably refers to the extensive classical commentary to Yoga Vásishtha by Ananda Bodhendra Saraswati (only available in Sanskrit).
Angle brackets <...> have been used by the transcriber to indicate light editing of the text to insert missing words.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
YOGA-VÁSISHTHA-MAHÁRÁMÁYANA.
VOL. I
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROSPECTUS.
Plato advised the Athenians to betake themselves to the study of Mathematics, in order to evade the pestilence incident to the international war which was raging in Greece; so it is the intention of this publication, to exhort our countrymen to the investigation of Metaphysics, in order to escape the contagion of Politics and quasi politics, which has been spreading far and wide over this devoted land.
V. L. M.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
YOGA-VÁSISHTHA MAHÁRÁMÁYANA
OF
VÁLMÍKI
in 4 vols. in 7 pts.
(Bound in 4.)
Vol. 1
Containing
The Vairagya, Mumukshu, Prakaranas and
The Utpatti Khanda to Chapter L.
Translated from the original Sanskrit
By
VIHARI-LALA MITRA
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PREFACE.
In this age of the cultivation of universal learning and its investigation into the deep recesses of the dead languages of antiquity, when the literati of both continents are so sedulously employed in exploring the rich and almost inexhaustible mines of the ancient literature of this country, it has given an impetus to the philanthropy of our wise and benign Government to the institution of a searching enquiry into the sacred language of this land. And when the restoration of the long lost works of its venerable sages and authors through the instrumentality of the greatest bibliomaniac savants and linguists in the several Presidencies,[1] has led the literary Asiatic Societies of the East and West to the publication of the rarest and most valuable Sanskrit Manuscripts, it cannot be deemed preposterous in me to presume, to lay before the Public a work of no less merit and sanctity than any hitherto published.
The Yoga Vasishtha is the earliest work on Yoga or Speculative and Abstruse philosophy delivered by the venerable Vedic sage Vasishtha to his royal pupil Ráma; the victor of Rávana, and hero of the first Epic Rámáyana, and written in the language of Válmiki, the prime bard in pure Sanskrit, the author of that popular Epic, and Homer of India. It embodies in itself the Loci Communes or common places relating to the science of Ontology, the knowledge of Sat—Real Entity, and Asat—Unreal Non-entity; the principles of Psychology or doctrines of the Passions and Feelings; the speculations of Metaphysics in dwelling upon our cognition, volition and other faculties of the Mind (ज्ञान, ज्ञेय, ज्ञाता, इच्छा, द्वेषादि) and the tenets, of Ethics and practical morality (धर्म्म कर्म्म). Besides there are a great many precepts on Theology, and the nature of the Divinity (आत्मानात्म विवेक), and discourses on Spirituality and Theosophy (जीवात्मा परमात्मा ज्ञान); all delivered in the form of Plato’s Dialogues between the sages, and tending to the main enquiry concerning the true felicity, final beatitude or Summum bonum (परम निःश्रेयस्) of all true philosophy.
These topics have singly and jointly contributed to the structure of several separate Systems of Science and Philosophy in succeeding ages, and have formed the subjects of study both with the juvenile and senile classes of people in former and present times, and I may say, almost among all nations in all countries throughout the civilized world.
* * * * *
It is felt at present to be a matter of the highest importance by the native community at large, to repress the growing ardour of our youth in political polemics and practical tactics, that are equally pernicious to and destructive of the felicity of their temporal and future lives, by a revival of the humble instructions of their peaceful preceptors of old, and reclaiming them to the simple mode of life led by their forefathers, from the perverted course now gaining ground among them under the influence of Western refinement. Outward peace (शान्ति) with internal tranquility (चित्त प्रशान्ति) is the teaching of our Sastras, and these united with contentment (सन्तोष) and indifference to worldly pleasures (वैराग्य), were believed according to the tenets of Yoga doctrines, to form the perfect man,—a character which the Aryans have invariably preserved amidst the revolutions of ages and empires. It is the degeneracy of the rising generation, however, owing to their adoption of foreign habits and manners from an utter ignorance of their own moral code, which the publication of the present work is intended to obviate.
From the description of the Hindu mind given by Max Müller; in his History of the Ancient Literature of India (p. 18) it will appear, that the esoteric faith of the Aryan Indian is of that realistic cast as the Platonic, whose theory of ontology viewed all existence, even that of the celestial bodies, with their movements among the precepta of sense, and marked them among the unreal phantoms (मिथ्या दृष्टि) or vain mirage, (मरीचिका) as the Hindu calls them, that are interesting in appearance but useless to observe. They may be the best of all precepta, but fall very short of that perfection, which the mental eye contemplates in its meditation-yoga. The Hindu Yogi views the visible world exactly in the same light as Plato has represented it in the simile commencing the seventh book of his Republic. He compares mankind to prisoners in a cave, chained in one particular attitude, so as to behold only an ever varying multiplicity of shadows, projected through the opening of the cave upon the wall before them, by certain unseen realities behind. The philosopher alone, who by training or inspiration is enabled to turn his face from these visions, and contemplate with his mind, that can see at-once the unchangeable reality amidst these transient shadows.
The first record that we have of Vasishtha is, that he was the author of the 7th Mandala of the Rig Veda (Ashtaka v. 15-118). He is next mentioned as Purohita or joint minister with Viswámitra to king Sudása, and to have a violent contest with his rival for the (पौरोहित्य) or ministerial office (Müll. Hist. S. Lit. page 486, Web. Id. p. 38). He is said to have accompanied the army of Sudása, when that king is said to have conquered the ten invading chiefs who had crossed over the river Parushni—(Hydroates or Ravi) to his dominions (Müll. Id. p. 486). Viswámitra accompanied Sudása himself beyond Vipása,—Hyphasis or Beah and Satadru—Hisaudras-Sutlej (Max Müller, Ancient Sanscrit literature page 486). These events are recorded to have occurred prior to Vasishtha’s composition of the Mandala which passes under his name and in which they are recorded. (Müll. Id. p. 486).
The enmity and implacable hatred of the two families of Vasishthas and Viswámitras for generations, form subjects prominent throughout the Vedic antiquity, and preserved in the tradition of ages (Müll. Id. p. 486, Web. Id. p. 37). Another cause of it was that, Harischandra, King of Ayodhyá, was cursed by Vasishtha, whereupon he made Viswámitra his priest to the annoyance of Vasishtha, although the office of Bráhmana was held by him (Müller Id. page 408 Web. pp. 31-37). In the Bráhmana period we find Vasishtha forming a family title for the whole Vasishtha race still continuing as a Gotra name, and that these Vasishthas continued as hereditary Gurus and purohitas to the kings of the solar race from generation to generation under the same title. The Vasishthas were always the Brahmanas or High priests in every ceremony, which could not be held by other Bráhmanas according to the Sáta patha Bráhmana (Müll. Id. page 92); and particularly the Indra ceremony had always to be performed by a Vasishtha, because it was revealed to their ancestor the sage Vasishtha only (Web. Ind. Lit. p. 123); and as the Sátapatha Bráhmana-Taittiriya Sanhitá mentions it.
ऋषयो वा इन्द्रं प्रत्यक्षं नापश्यन् । तं वशिष्ठः प्रत्यक्षमपश्यत् । सोऽब्रवीत् ब्रह्माणं ते वक्ष्यामि । यथात्वत् पुरोहिताः प्रजाः प्रजनिष्यन्ते ।
“The Rishis do not see Indra clearly, but Vasishtha saw him. Indra said, I will tell you, O Bráhman, so that all men who are born, will have a Vasishtha for his Purohita” (Max Müll. Anc. Sans. Lit. p. 92. Web. Id. p. 123). This will show that the Sloka works, which are attributed to Vasishtha, Yájnavalkya or any other Vedic Rishi, could not be the composition of the old Rishis, but of some one of their posterity; though they might have been propounded by the eldest sages, and then put to writing by oral communication or successive tradition by a distant descendant or disciple of the primitive Rishis. Thus we see the Dráhyáyana Sutras of the Sama Veda is also called the Vasishtha Sutras, from the author’s family name of Vasishtha (Web. Id. p. 79). The ásvaláyana Grihya Sutra assigns some other works to Vasishtha, viz., the Vasishtha pragáthá, probably Vashishtha Hymni of Bopp; the Pavamánya, Kshudra sukta, Mahásukta &c. written in the vedic style. There are two other works attributed to Vasishtha, the Vasishtha Sanhitá on Astronomy (Web. Id. p. 258) and the Vasishtha Smriti on Law (Web. Id. p. 320), which from their compositions in Sanscrit slokas, could not be the language or work of the Vedic Rishi, but of some one late member of that family. Thus our work of Yoga Vasishtha has no claim or pretension to its being the composition of the Vedic sage; but as one propounded by the sage, and written by Válmiki in his modern Sanskrit. Here the question is whether Vasishtha the preceptor of Ráma, was the Vedic Vasishtha or one of his descendants, I must leave for others to determine.
Again in the later Áranyaka period we have an account of a theologian Vasishtha given in the Árshikopanishad, as holding a dialogue on the nature of átmá or soul between the sages, Viswámitra, Jamadagni, Bharadwája, Gautama and himself; when Vasishtha appealing to the opinion of Kapila obtained their assent (Weber Id. p. 162). This appears very probably to be the theological author of our yoga, and eminent above his contemporaries in his knowledge of the Kapila yoga sástra which was then current, from this sage’s having been a contemporary with king Sagara, a predecessor of Rama.
In the latest Sútra period we find a passage in the Grihya-Sútra-parisishta, about the distinctive mark of the Vasishtha Family from those of the other parishads or classes of the priesthood. It says;
दक्षिणकपर्दोवशिष्ठाः आत्रेयास्त्रिकपद्दिनः ।
आङ्गिरसः पञ्चचूडाः मुण्डाभृगवः शिखिनोऽन्ये ॥
“The Vasishthas wear a braid (lock of hair) on the right side, the Átreyas wear three braids, the Angiras have five braids, the Bhrigus are bald, and all others have a single crest,” (Müller Id. p. 53). The Karma pradípa says, “the Vasishthas exclude meat from their sacrifice; वसिष्ठोक्तविधिः कृत्स्नो द्रष्टव्यात्र निरामिषः ।” (Müller A. S. Lit. p. 54), and the colour of their dress was white (Id. p. 483). Many Vasishthas are named in different works as; वशिष्ठ चेकितायनः, वशिष्ठ आरिहणीयः, वशिष्ठ मैत्रावरणिः, वशिष्ठः राणायणः, वशिष्ठ लाठ्यायनः, वशिष्ठ द्राह्यायनः, वशिष्ठकौण्डिन्यः, वशिष्ठइन्द्रप्रमदः, वशिष्ठः आभरद्बसुः, and some others, bearing no other connection with our author, than that of their having been members of the same family (Müller’s A. S. Lit. p. 44).
Without dilating any longer with further accounts relating to the sage Vasishtha of which many more might be gathered from various sastras, I shall add in the conclusion the following notice which is taken of this work by Professor Monier Williams in his work on Indian Wisdom p. 370.
“There is,” says he, “a remarkable work called Vasishtha Rámáyana or Yoga Vásishtha or Vasishtha Mahárámáyana in the form of an exhortation, with illustrative narratives addressed by Vasishtha to his pupil the youthful Ráma, on the best means of attaining true happiness, and considered to have been composed as an appendage to the Rámáyana by Válmiki himself. There is another work of the same nature called the Adhyátma Rámáyana which is attributed to Vyása, and treat of the moral and theological subjects connected with the life and acts of that great hero of Indian history. Many other works are extant in the vernacular dialects having the same theme for their subject which it is needless to notice in this place.”
Vasishtha, known as the wisest of sages, like Solomon the wisest of men, and Aurelius the wisest of emperors, puts forth in the first part and in the mouth of Ráma the great question of the vanity of the world, which is shown synthetically to a great length from the state of all living existences, the instinct, inclinations, and passions of men, the nature of their aims and objects, with some discussions about destiny, necessity, activity and the state of the soul and spirit. The second part embraces various directions for the union of the individual with the universal Abstract Existence—the Supreme Spirit—the subjective and the objective truth—and the common topics of all speculative philosophy.
Thus says Milton; “The end of learning is to know God.”
So the Persian adage, “Akhiral ilm buad ilmi Khodá.”
Such also the Sanskrit, “Sávidyá tan matir yayá.”
And the sruti says, “Yad jnátwá náparan jnánam.”
i. e. “It is that which being known, there is nothing else required to be known.”
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Dr. Rajendra Lala Mitra in Bengal, Benares and Orissa; Dr. Buhler in Guzrat; Dr. Kielhorn in the Central Provinces; Dr. Burnell and other Collectors of Sanskrit manuscripts in the Presidencies of Bombay, Madras and Oudh, whose notices and catalogues have highly contributed to bring the hidden treasures of the literature of this country to light.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
PROLEGOMENA.
PROL. PAGE. 1. The Yoga Philosophy ” 1
2. The Om Tat Sat ” 34
VAIRÁGYA KHANDA.
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION. Page
SECTION I.
Divine Adoration 1
SECTION II.
Narrative of Sutíkshna 1
SECTION III.
Anecdote of Kárunya 2
SECTION IV.
Story of Suruchi 3
SECTION V.
Account of Arishtanemi 3
SECTION VI.
History of Ráma 6
CHAPTER II.
Reason of writing the Rámáyana 8
SECTION I
Persons entitled to its Perusal 8
SECTION II.
Brahmá’s Behest 9
SECTION III.
Inquiry of Bharadwája 10
CHAPTER III.
Válmíki’s Admonition 12
SECTION I.
On True Knowledge 12
SECTION II.
Early History of Ráma 13
SECTION III.
Ráma’s Pilgrimage 15
CHAPTER IV.
Ráma’s Return from Pilgrimage 17
CHAPTER V.
Of Ráma’s Self-Dejection and its Cause 19
CHAPTER VI.
Advent of Viswámitra to the Royal Court 21
SECTION II.
Address of King-Dasaratha 24
CHAPTER VII.
Viswámitra’s Request for Ráma 26
CHAPTER VIII.
Dasaratha’s Reply to Viswámitra 29
CHAPTER IX.
Viswámitra’s Wrath and his Enraged Speech 33
CHAPTER X.
Melancholy of Ráma 36
CHAPTER XI.
Consolation of Ráma 41
CHAPTER XII.
Ráma’s Reply 45
CHAPTER XIII.
Vituperation of Riches 48
CHAPTER XIV.
Depreciation of Human Life 50
CHAPTER XV.
Obloquy of Egoism 53
CHAPTER XVI.
The Ungovernableness of the Mind 56
CHAPTER XVII.
On Cupidity 59
CHAPTER XVIII.
Obloquy of the Body 64
CHAPTER XIX.
Blemishes of Boyhood 70
CHAPTER XX.
Vituperation of Youth 73
CHAPTER XXI.
Vituperation of Women 77
CHAPTER XXII.
Obloquy of Old Age 81
CHAPTER XXIII.
Vicissitudes of Times 85
CHAPTER XXIV.
Ravages of Time 90
CHAPTER XXV.
Sports of Death 91
CHAPTER XXVI.
The Acts of Destiny 95
CHAPTER XXVII.
Vanity of the World 100
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Mutability of the World 105
CHAPTER XXIX.
Unreliableness of Worldly Things 109
CHAPTER XXX.
Self-Disparagement 112
CHAPTER XXXI.
Queries of Ráma 115
CHAPTER XXXII.
Praises of Ráma’s Speech 118
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Association of Aerial and Earthly Beings 121
BOOK II.
MUMUKSHU KHANDA.
CHAPTER I. PAGE
Liberation of Sukadeva 127
CHAPTER II.
Speech of Viswámitra 132
CHAPTER III.
On the Repeated Creations of the World 135
CHAPTER IV.
Praise Of Acts and Exertions 139
CHAPTER V.
Necessity of Activity 142
CHAPTER VI.
Refutation of Fatalism 145
CHAPTER VII.
On the Necessity of Activity 150
CHAPTER VIII.
Invalidation of Destiny 154
CHAPTER IX.
Investigation of Acts 157
CHAPTER X.
Descension of Knowledge 161
CHAPTER XI.
On the qualifications of the Inquirer and Lecturer 166
CHAPTER XII.
Greatness of True Knowledge 173
CHAPTER XIII.
On Peace and Tranquility of mind 176
CHAPTER XIV.
On the Ascertainment of an argument 184
CHAPTER XV.
On Contentment 189
CHAPTER XVI.
On Good Conduct 191
CHAPTER XVII.
On the Contents of the Work 195
CHAPTER XVIII.
Ascertainment of the Example or Major Proposition 201
CHAPTER XIX.
Ascertainment of True Evidence 208
CHAPTER XX.
On Good Conduct 212
BOOK III.
UTPATTI KHANDA.
EVOLUTION OF THE WORLD.
CHAPTER I.
CAUSES OF BONDAGE TO IT.
SECTION I. Page
Exordium 215
SECTION II.
Worldly Bondage 216
SECTION III.
Phases of The Spirit 216
SECTION IV.
Nature of Bondage 218
CHAPTER II.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRST CAUSE.
SECTION I.
Narrative of the Air-born and Aeriform Bráhman 223
SECTION II.
State of the Soul 224
CHAPTER III.
Causes of Bondage in the Body 229
CHAPTER IV.
SECTION I.
Description of the Night-Fall 234
SECTION II.
Nature of the Mind 237
SECTION III.
Kaivalya or Mental Abstraction 239
CHAPTER V.
On the Original Cause 243
CHAPTER VI.
Admonition for attempt of Liberation 246
CHAPTER VII.
Recognition of the Nihility of the Phenomenal World 249
CHAPTER VIII.
Nature of good Sástras 255
CHAPTER IX.
On the Supreme cause of All 257
CHAPTER X.
Description of the Chaotic State 266
CHAPTER XI.
Spiritual View of Creation 273
CHAPTER XII.
The Idealistic Theo-Cosmogony of Vedánta 277
CHAPTER XIII.
On the Production of the Self-Born 281
CHAPTER XIV.
Establishment of Brahma 288
CHAPTER XV.
Story of the Temple and its Prince 299
CHAPTER XVI.
Joy and Grief of the Princess 303
CHAPTER XVII.
Story of the Doubtful Realm or Reverie of Lílá 309
SECTION I.
Description of the Court House and the Cortes 313
CHAPTER XVIII.
Exposure of the Errors of this World 315
CHAPTER XIX.
Story of a Former Vasishtha and his Wife 319
CHAPTER XX.
SECTION I
The Moral of the Tale of Lílá 322
SECTION II.
State of The Human Soul after Death 325
CHAPTER XXI.
Guide to Peace 328
CHAPTER XXII.
Practice of Wisdom or Wisdom in Practice 336
SECTION I.
Abandonment of Desires 336
SECTION II.
On the Practice of Yoga 338
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Aerial Journey of Spiritual Bodies 340
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Aerial Journey (continued) 342
SECTION II.
Description of the Heavens 343
CHAPTER XXV.
Description of the Earth 349
CHAPTER XXVI.
Meeting the Siddhas 353
CHAPTER XXVII.
Past lives of Lílá 359
CHAPTER XXVIII.
SECTION I.
Exposition of Lílá’s Vision 365
SECTION II.
Description of the Mountainous Habitation 366
CHAPTER XXIX.
Account of the Previous Life of Lílá 372
CHAPTER XXX.
Description of the Mundane Egg 378
CHAPTER XXXI.
SECTION I.
Alighting of the Ladies on Earth 382
SECTION II.
Sight of a Battle Array in Earth and Air 383
CHAPTER XXXII.
Onset of the War 386
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Commingled Fighting 389
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Description of the Battle 392
CHAPTER XXXV.
Description of the Battlefield 398
CHAPTER XXXVI.
SECTION I. Collision of Equal Arms and Armigerents 401
SECTION II.
Catalogue of the Forces 403
CHAPTER XXXVII.
Catalogue of the Forces (continued) 408
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Cessation of the War 414
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Description of The Battle Field Infested
by
Nocturnal Fiends 420
CHAPTER XL.
Reflections on Human Life and Mind 423
CHAPTER XLI.
Discrimination of Error 431
CHAPTER XLII.
Philosophy of Dreaming 438
CHAPTER XLIII.
Burning of the City 442
CHAPTER XLIV.
Spiritual Interpretation of the Vision 448
CHAPTER XLV.
Theism consisting in True Knowledge 454
CHAPTER XLVI.
Onslaught of Vidūratha 457
CHAPTER XLVII.
Encounter of Sindhu and Vidūratha 461
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Description of Daivástras or Supernatural Weapons 465
CHAPTER XLIX.
Description of other kinds of Weapons 473
CHAPTER L.
Death of Vidūratha 477
Conclusion 482
Genealogy 485
THE YOGA PHILOSOPHY.
The Yoga or contemplative philosophy of the Hindus, is rich, exuberant, grand and sublime, in as much as it comprehends within its ample sphere and deep recesses of meditation, all that is of the greatest value, best interest and highest importance to mankind, as physical, moral, intellectual and spiritual beings—a knowledge of the cosmos—of the physical and intellectual worlds.
It is rich in the almost exhaustless treasure of works existing on the subject in the sacred and vernacular languages of the country both of ancient and modern times. It is exuberant in the profusion of erudition and prolixity of ingenuity displayed in the Yoga philosophy of Patanjali, commensurate with the extraordinary calibre of the author in his commentary of the Mahábháshya on Pánini (Müller’s A. S. Lit. p. 235). Its grandeur is exhibited in the abstract and abstruse reflections and investigations of philosophers in the intellectual and spiritual worlds as far as human penetration has been able to reach. And its sublimity is manifested in its aspiring disquisition into the nature of the human and divine souls, which it aims to unite with the one self-same and all pervading spirit.
It has employed the minds of gods, sages, and saints, and even those of heroes and monarchs, to the exaltation of their natures above the rest of mankind, and elevation of their dignities to the rank of gods, as nothing less than a godly nature can approach and approximate that of the All-perfect Divinity. So says Plato in his Phaedras; “To contemplate these things is the privilege of the gods, and to do so is also the aspiration of the immortal soul of man generally; though only in a few cases is such aspiration realized.”
The principal gods Brahmá and Siva are represented as Yogis, the chief sages Vyása, Válmiki, Vasishtha and Yájnavalkya were propounders of Yoga systems; the saints one and all were adepts in Yoga; the heroes Ráma and Krishna were initiated in it, and the kings Dasaratha and Janaka and their fellow prince Buddha were both practitioners and preceptors of Yoga. Mohammed held his nightly communions with God and his angels, and Jesus often went over the hills—there to pray and contemplate. Socrates had his demon to communicate with, and in fact every man has his genius with whom he communes on all matters. All this is Yoga, and so is all knowledge derived by intuition, inspiration and revelation, said to be the result of Yoga.
II. SCIENCES CONNECTED WITH YOGA
The yoga philosophy, while it treats of a variety of subjects, is necessarily a congeries of many sciences in itself. It is the Hindu form of metaphysical argument for the existence of the ‘One Eternal’—the Platonic “Reality.” It is ontology in as much as it teaches a priori the being of God. It is psychology in its treatment of the doctrine of feelings and passions, and it is morality in teaching us to keep them under control as brutal propensities, for the sake of securing our final emancipation and ultimate restoration into the spirit of spirits. Thus it partakes of the nature of many sciences in treating of the particular subject of divinity.
The Yoga in its widest sense of the application of the mind to any subject is both practical, called kriyá Yoga, as also theoretical, known as Jnána Yoga; and includes in itself the two processes of synthesis and analysis alike, in its combination (Yoga) of things together, and discrimination (Viveka) of one from the other, in its inquiry into the nature of things (Vastuvichára), and investigation of their abstract essence called Satyánusandhánná. It uses both the a priori (púrvavat) and a posteriori (paravat) arguments to prove the existence of the world from its Maker and the vice versa, as indicated in the two aphorisms of induction and deduction Yatová imani and Janmadyasya yatah &c. It views both subjectively and objectively the one self in many and the many in one unto which all is to return, by the two mysterious formulas of So ham and tat twam &c.
It is the reunion of detached souls with the Supreme that is the chief object of the Yoga philosophy to effect by the aforesaid processes and other means, which we propose fully to elucidate in the following pages; and there is no soul we think so very reprobate, that will feel disinclined to take a deep interest in them, in order to effect its reunion with the main source of its being and the only fountain of all blessings. On the contrary we are led to believe from the revival of the yoga-cult with the spiritualists and theosophists of the present day under the teachings of Madame Blavatsky and the lectures of Col. Olcott, that the Indian public are beginning to appreciate the efficacy of Yoga meditation, and its practice gaining ground among the pious and educated men in this country.
Notwithstanding the various significations of Yoga and the different lights in which it is viewed by several schools, as we shall see afterwards, it is most commonly understood in the sense of the esoteric faith of the Hindus, and the occult adoration of God by spiritual meditation. This is considered on all hands as the only means of one’s ultimate liberation from the general doom of birth and death and the miseries of this world, and the surest way towards the final absorption of one’s-self in the Supreme,—the highest state of perfection and the Summum bonum of the Hindu. The subject of Yoga Vasishtha is no other than the effecting of that union of the human with the Divine Soul, amidst all the trials and tribulations of life.
III. THE YOGA OF ENGLISH WRITERS.
The yoga considered merely as a mode or system of meditation is variously described by European authors, as we shall see below.
Monier Williams says “According to Patanjali—the founder of the system, the word yoga is interpreted to mean the act of “fixing or concentration of the mind in abstract meditation”. Its aim is to teach the means by which the human soul may attain complete union with the Supreme Soul, and of effecting the complete fusion of the individual with the universal spirit even in the body”, Indian Wisdom p. 102.
Weber speaking of the yoga of the Atharvan Upanishads says; “It is the absorption in átman, the stages of this absorption and the external means of attaining it.” Again says he; “The yoga in the sense of union with the Supreme Being, is absorption therein by means of meditation. It occurs first in the latter Upanishads, especially the tenth book of the Taittiríya and the Katha Upanishads, where the very doctrine is itself enunciated”, Hist. Ind Lit p. 153-171.
Müllins in his prize essay on Vedanta says, the Sankhya yoga is the union of the body and mind, p. 183. In its Vedantic view, it is the joining of the individual with the Supreme Spirit by holy communion of the one with the other through intermediate grades, whereby the limited soul may be led to approach its unlimited fountain and lose itself in the same.
IV. YOGA-CHARACTERISTIC OF THE HINDUS.
Max Müller characterises the Hindu as naturally disposed to Yoga or a contemplative turn of his mind for his final beatitude in the next life, amidst all his cares, concerns and callings in this world, which he looks upon with indifference as the transient shadows of passing clouds, that serve but to dim for a moment but never shut out from his view the full blaze of his luminous futurity. This description is so exactly graphic of the Hindu mind, that we can not with-hold giving it entire as a mirror of the Hindu mind to our readers on account of the scarcity of the work in this country.
“The Hindu” says he “enters the world as a stranger; all his thoughts are directed to another world, he takes no part even where he is driven to act, and even when he sacrifices his life, it is but to be delivered from it.” Again “They shut their eyes to this world of outward seeming activity, to open them full on the world of thought and rest. Their life was a yearning for eternity; their activity was a struggle to return to that divine essence from which this life seemed to have severed them. Believing as they did in a really existing and eternal Being to ontos-onton they could not believe in the existence of this passing world.”
“If the one existed, the other could only seem to exist; if they lived in the one they could not live in the other. Their existence on earth was to them a problem, their eternal life a certainty. The highest object of their religion was to restore that bond by which their own self (átman) was linked to the eternal self (paramátman); to recover that unity which had been clouded and obscured by the magical illusions of reality, by the so-called Máyá of creation.”
“It scarcely entered their mind to doubt or to affirm the immortality of the soul (pretya-bháva). Not only their religion and literature, but their very language reminded them daily of that relation between the real and seeming world.” (Hist A. S. Lit. p. 18). In the view of Max Müller as quoted above, the Hindu mind would seem to be of that realistic cast as the Platonic, whose theory of Ontology viewed all existence as mere phantoms and precepta of sense, and very short of that perfection, which the mind realizes in its meditation or Yoga reveries.
The Hindu Yogi views the visible world exactly in the same light as we have said before, that Plato has represented it in the simile commencing the seventh book of his Republic. “He compares mankind to prisoners in a cave, chained in one particular attitude, so as to behold only an ever-varying multiplicity of shadows, projected through the opening of the cave upon the wall before them, by some unseen realities behind. The philosopher alone, who by training or inspiration, is enabled to turn his face from these visions, and contemplate with his mind, that can at once see the unchangeable reality amidst these transient shadows”, Baine on Realism pp. 6 and 7.
V. VARIOUS SIGNIFICATIONS OF YOGA.
The Váchaspati lexicon gives us about fifty different meanings of the word Yoga, according to the several branches of art or science to which it appertains, and the multifarious affairs of life in which the word is used either singly or in composition with others. We shall give some of them below, in order to prevent our mistaking any one of these senses for the special signification which the term is made to bear in our system of Yoga meditation.
The word Yoga from the root “jung” (Lat.) Jungere means the joining of any two things or numbers together. Amara Kosha gives five different meanings of it as, संयोगे मेलने ध्याने धारने उपायेच; the other Koshas give five others, viz., भैषज्ये देह स्थैर्ये कर्म्मकौशले विश्वासघातकेच ।
1. In Arithmetic it is अङ्क योग or addition, and योग बिभाग is addition and subtraction. 2. In Astronomy the conjunction of planets and stars ग्रहनक्षत्रादि संयोगः 3. In Grammar it is the joining of letters and words सन्धिः समासः । 4. In Nyáya it means the power of the parts taken together अबयब शक्तिः, तर्क दीपिका । 5. In Mímánsa it is defined to be the force conveyed by the united members of a sentence.
In contemplative philosophy it means; 1. According to Pátanjali,—the suppression of mental functions चित्तवृत्ति निरोधः । 2. The Buddhists mean by it—the abstraction of the mind from all objects. सर्ब्बबिषयेभ्यः चित्तनिबृत्ति निरोधः । 3. The Vedanta meaning of it is—जीबात्मा परमात्मनोरैक्यं the union of the human soul with the Supreme spirit. 4. Its meaning in the Yoga system is nearly the same, i. e., the joining of the vital spirit with the soul; संयोगं योगमित्याहुर्ज्जीबमात्मनोरिति । 5. Every process of meditation is called also as Yoga. योगाङ्ग योग उच्यते ।
Others again use it in senses adapted to their own views and subjects; such as the Vaiseshika philosophy uses it to mean, the fixing of the attention to only one subject by abstracting it from all others आत्मनो व्यावृत्त मनसः संयोगो योग उच्यते । 2. The Rámánuja sect define it as the seeking of one’s particular Deity स्वस्व देवतानु सन्धानमिति रामानुजाः ।
In this sense all sectarian cults are accounted as so many kinds of Yogas by their respective votaries. 3. According to some Buddhists it is the seeking of one’s object of desire अप्राप्तस्यार्थस्य प्राप्तये पर्यानुयोगः । 4. And with others, it is a search after every desirable object. 5. In Rhetoric it means the union of lovers कामुक कामिनी सम्मेलनं ।
In Medicine it means the compounding of drugs under which head there are many works that are at first sight mistaken for Yoga philosophy. Again there are many compound words with Yoga which mean only “a treatise” on those subjects, such as, works on wisdom, on Acts, on Faith &c., are called ज्ञान योग, क्रिया योग, भक्त्ति योग इत्यादि । .
Moreover the words Yoga and Viyoga are used to express the two processes of synthesis and analysis both in the abstract and practical sciences for the combination and disjoining of ideas and things.
VI. THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF YOGA.
The constituent parts and progressive steps of Yoga, are composed of a series of bodily, mental and spiritual practices, the proper exercise of which conduces to the making of a perfect man, as a moral, intellectual and spiritual being, to be united to his Maker in the present and future worlds. These are called the eight stages of Yoga (अष्टाङ्ग योग), of which some are external (बहिरङ्ग) and others internal (अन्तरङ्गानि). The external ones are:
1st. Yama (यम); Forbearance or restraint of passions, feelings &c., including the best moral rules in all religions.
2nd. Niyama (नियम ); Particular rules and vows for the observance of the Yogi.
3rd. Asana (आसन); sedate position of the body to help deep meditation.
4th. Pránáyáma (प्राणायाम); Suppression and suspension of breath.
5th. Pratyáhára (प्रत्याहार), Restraint or control of senses and organs.
Among the internal practices are reckoned the following; viz.;
6th. Dhyána (ध्यान); Inward contemplation and meditation.
7th. Dháraná (धारणा); Steadiness of the mind in study.
8th. Samádhi (समाधि), Trance, the last stage of Yoga.
These again comprise some other acts under each of them, such as;
I. Yama (समयम) Restraint includes five acts under it;
1st. Ahimsá (अहिंसा); Universal innocence or hurting no animal creature.
2nd. Asteyam (अस्तेयं); Avoidance of theft or stealth.
3rd. Satyam (सत्यं); Observance of truth.
4th. Brahmacharyam (ब्रह्मचर्यं); consisting in purity and chastity.
5th. Aparigraha (अपरिग्रह); Disinterestedness.
II. Niyama (नियम पञ्चधा); Moral rules consisting of five-fold acts. Viz.;
1st. Saucham (शौचं); Personal cleanliness.
2nd. Santosha (सन्तोषः); contentment.
3rd. Tapas (तपस्); Devotion including self denial and self mortification.
4th. Sádhyáya (साध्याय); knowledge of all nature.
5th. Pranidhána (ईश्वर प्रनिधानं); Adoration of God.
III. Asana (आसन); Different modes of postures, tranquil posture (पद्मासन) &c.
IV. Pránáyáma (प्राणायामः); Rules of Respiration, three sorts, viz.;
1st. Rechaka (रेचकं); Expiration or Exhalation.
2nd. Púraka (पूरकं); Inspiration or Inhalation.
3rd. Kumbhaka (कुम्भकं अष्टधा); Suppression of breathing, eight ways.
V. Pratyáhára (प्रत्याहारः इन्द्रिय निग्रहः) Restraining the senses from their gratifications in many ways.
VI. Dhyána (ध्यान चित्तनिरोधः); Abstract contemplation, apart from the testimonies of:—
1. Pratyaxa (प्रत्यक्ष); Perceptions.
2. Pramána (प्रमाणं); Apprehensions.
3. Anumána (अनुमान); Inference.
4. Sabda (शब्दः); Verbal testimony.
VII. Dháraná (धारणा); Retentiveness.
VIII. Samádhi (समाधि); Absorption in meditation, in two ways; 1. Savikalpa (सबिकल्पः); With retention of self volition. 2. Nirvikalpa (निर्बिकल्पः); With loss of volition.
The Upáyas (उपायाः); Or the means spoken of before are;
1. Uposhana (उपोषणं); Abstinence. 2. Mitásana (मिताशनं); Temperance. 3. Ásrama (आश्रमः); Sheltered abodes. 4. Visráma (बिश्रामः) Rest and repose from labor. 5. Avarodha (अबरोधः); Self confinement in closets. 6. Asanam (अशनं); Subsistence on light food.
Beside these there are many vices called Apáyas or dóshas (अपायादोषाः) which are obstacles to meditation, and which we omit on account of their prolixity.
VII. NATURE OF THE SOUL.
Now as the end and aim of Yoga is the emancipation of the Soul, it is necessary to give some account of the nature of the soul (átmatatwa) as far as it was known to the sages of India, and formed the primary subject of inquiry with the wise men of every country according to the sayings; “Gnothe seauton,”
“Nosce teipsum,” “Know thyself”, “Khodra bedan,” and Arabic “Taalam Nafsaka,” आत्मानु सन्धीयताम् &c.
“The word Atman,” says Max Müller, “which in the Veda occurs as often as “twan,” meant life, particularly animal life” (Vide Rig Veda I. 63, 8.) Atmá in the sense of self occurs also in the Rig Veda (I. 162. 20), in the passage मात्वा-तपत् प्रिय आत्मापियन्तं. It is also found to be used in the higher sense of soul in the verse सूर्य्यो आत्मा जगतस्तष्टूषश्च “The sun is the soul of all that moves and rests (R. I. 115. 1). The highest soul is called paramátman (परमात्मा) of which all other souls partake, from which all reality in this created world emanates, and into which every thing will return.”
Atman originally meant air as the Greek atmos, Gothic ahma, Zend tmánam, Sanscrit त्मानं and आत्मानं, Cuniform adam, Persian dam, whence we derive Sans. अहं Hindi हम् Uria and Prakrit अमू and Bengali आमि, मुइ &c. The Greek and Latin ego and German ich are all derived from the same source. The Romance je and Hindi ji are corruptions of Sanskrit जीब meaning life and spirit. Again the Páli अत्ता and the Prakrit आप्पा is from the Sanscrit आत्मा, which is आप् in Hindi, आपन in Bengali and अप्पन in Uria &c. The Persian “man” is evidently the Sátman by elision of the initial syllable.
These meanings of átman = the self and ego form the basis of the knowledge of the Divine soul both of the Hindu as of any other people, who from the consciousness of their own selves rise to that of the Supreme. Thus says Max Müller on the subject, “A Hindu speaking of himself आत्मन् spoke also, though unconsciously of the soul of the universe परमात्मन्, and to know himself, was to him to know both his own self and the Universal soul, or to know himself in the Divine self.”
We give below the different lights in which the Divine soul was viewed by the different schools of Hindu philosophy, and adopted accordingly in their respective modes of Yoga meditation. The Upanishads called it Brahma of eternal and infinite wisdom नित्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं ब्रह्म ।
The Vedantists;—A Being full of intelligence and blissfulness सच्चिदानन्द स्वरूपं ।
The Sánkaras;—A continued consciousness of one self. सनित्योपलब्धि स्वरूपोऽहमात्मा । The doctrine of Descartes and Malebranche.
The Materialists—convert the soul to all material forms देहमात्रमिति प्रकृत्यः ।
The Lokáyatas—take the body with intelligence to be the soul; चैतन्यबिशिष्टः देहमात्मां ।
The Chárvákas—call the organs and sensations as soul; इन्द्रियान्येबात्मेति ।
Do. Another sect—take the cognitive faculties as such; चेतनान्यात्मेत्यपरे चार्ब्बाकाः ।
Do. Others—Understand the mind as soul मनो एबात्मेत्यन्ये ।
Do. Others—call the vital breath as soul प्राण एबात्मा ।
Do. Others—understand the son as soul पुत्र एबात्मा ।
The Digambaras—say, the complete human body is the soul देहपरिमानमात्मा ।
The Mádhyamikas—take the vacuum for their soul शून्यमेबात्मेति ।
The Yogácháris—understand the soul to be a transient flash of knowledge in the spirit in meditation. क्षणं विज्ञाणं ।
The Sautrántas—call it a short inferior knowledge. ज्ञानाकारानुमेय क्षणिक बाह्यार्थः ।
The Vaibháshikas—take it to be a momentary perception क्षणिक बाह्यार्थमिति वैभाषिकाः ।
The Jainas—take their preceptor to be their soul अध्यापक आत्मा इति जैनाः ।
The Logicians—A bodiless active and passive agency देहाद्यतिरिक्त्त संसारी कर्त्ता भोक्त्तेति ।
The Naiyáyikas—understand the spirit to be self manifest प्रकाश्य इति नैयायिकाः ।
The Sánkhyas,—call the spirit to be passive, not active भोक्त्तेब नकर्त्तेति सांख्या ।
The Yogis—call Him a separate omnipotent Being अस्ति तद्ब्यतिरिक्त ईश्वरः सर्ब्बज्ञः सर्ब्बशक्तिरिति ।
The Saivas,—designate the spirit as knowledge itself अनुक्षेत्रज्ञादि पद बेदनीय इति शैबाः ।
The Mayávádis,—style Brahma as the soul ब्रह्मैबात्मेति मायाबादिनः ।
The Vaiseshikas,—acknowledge two souls—the Vital and Supreme जीबात्मा परमात्मा च प्रत्यक्ष एब ।
The Nyayá says—because the soul is immortal there is a future state आत्म नित्यत्वे प्रेत्यभाबसिद्धः ।
And thus there are many other theories about the nature of the soul.
The Atmávádis—spiritualists, consider the existence of the body as unnecessary to the existence of the soul.
VIII. FINAL EMANCIPATION OR BEATITUDE.
The object of Yoga, as already said, being the emancipation of the soul from the miseries of the world, and its attainment to a state of highest felicity, it is to be seen what this state of felicity is, which it is the concern of every man to know, and which the Yogi takes so much pains to acquire. The Vedantic Yogi, as it is well known, aims at nothing less than in his absorption in the Supreme Spirit and loosing himself in infinite bliss. But it is not so with others, who are averse to loose the sense of their personal identity, and look forward to a state of self existence either in this life or next, in which they shall be perfectly happy. The Yogis of India have various states of this bliss which they aim at according to the faith to which they belong, as we shall show below.
The Vedantic Yogi has two states of bliss in view; viz.; the one inferior which is attained in this life by means of knowledge तत्रामरः जीबन्मुक्ति लक्षणं तत्वज्ञानान्तरमेव, and the other superior, obtainable after many births of gradual advancement to perfection परं निःश्रेयसं क्रमेण भबति ।
The Chárvákas say, that it is either independence or death that is bliss. स्वातन्त्र्यं मृत्युर्ब्बा मोक्षः ।
The Mádhyamikas say; it is extinction of self that is called liberation आत्मोच्छेदो मोक्षः ।
The Vijnáni philosophers—have it to be clear and elevated understanding निर्मलज्ञानोदयः ।
The Arhatas have it in deliverance from all veil and covering आबरण बिमुक्तिर्मुक्तिः ।
The Máyávádis say, that it is removal of the error of one’s separate existence as a particle of the Supreme spirit ब्रह्मांशिकजीबस्य मिथ्याज्ञान निबृत्तिः ।
The Rámánujas called it to be the knowledge of Vásudeva as cause of all, बासुदेब ज्ञानं ।
The Mádhyamikas have it for the perfect bliss enjoyed by Vishnu बिष्णोरानन्दं ।
The Ballabhis expect it in sporting with Krishna in heaven कृष्णेण सह गोलके लीलानुभाबः ।
The Pásupatas and Máheswaras place it in the possession of all dignity परमैश्वर्य्यं ।
The Kápálikas place it in the fond embraces of Hara and Durga हरपार्ब्बत्यालिङ्गनं ।
The Pratyabhijnánis call it to be the perfection of the soul. पूर्णात्मालाभः ।
The Raseswara Vádis have it in the health of body produced by mercury पारदेन देहस्थैर्य्यं ।
The Vaisesikas seek it in the extinction of all kinds of pain दुःखः निबृत्तिरिति कणादादयः ।
The Mimánsakas view their happiness in heavenly bliss स्वर्गादि सुख भोगः ।
The Sarvajnas say that, it is the continued feeling of highest felicity नित्य निरतिशय सुखबोधः ।
The Pánini philologers find it in the powers of speech ब्रह्म रूपाया बाण्या दर्शनं ।
The Sánkhyas find it in the union of force with matter प्रकृतौ पुरुषस्याबस्थानं ।
The Udásína Atheists have it as consisting in the ignoring of self identity अहंङ्कर निबृत्तिः ।
The Pátanjalas view it in the unconnected unity of the soul पुरुषस्य निर्लेप कैबल्यं ।
The Persian Sufis call it ázádigi or unattachment of the soul to any worldly object.
IX. ORIGIN OF YOGA IN THE VEDAS.
[Sidenote: Not in the Vedic Period.]