Ashtanga Yoga - Eight Limbs of Yoga

UPDATE: Corrected some typos, grammatical errors and added some more points in Svādhyāya

Namaste,

Dear Divine Ātman,

Guru Purnima / Poornima / Pūrṇimā is fast approaching. This year it falls on 03-Jul-2023. One this holy occasion, as a mark of gratitude to the ancient Guru paramparā, I have tried to compile my personal thoughts on the eight limbs of Yoga or eight parts of Yoga. Patanjalī Yoga is also known as Aṣṭānga Yoga meaning Yoga with eight limbs or parts. I hope this article is useful. If you find it useful, it is the grace of guru, any errors are definitely mine.

Wishing Happy Guru Pūrṇimā to all the seekers of truth. 

In the path of Yoga, the eight parts or limbs of Yoga are practiced. The practice of aṣṭānga Yoga i.e. Yoga with eight parts is not limited to the practisioners of Yoga , it benefits all spiritual aspirants. The eight parts are Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prāṇāyama, Pratyāhāra, Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi.

1. Yama: Yama means Self control / Moral disciple / Restraint. There are five Yama-s – 

a. Ahimsā: nonviolence. To not harm others in deeds, thoughts or speech. Though initially a restraint, true non-violence comes complete detachment as detached mind is not triggered by an external stimuli. Actual non-violence is in absence of thoughts or desires. Even a single thought, no mater however noble it is, is felt as violence disturbing one’s true nature which is calmness, the ocean without waves.

b. Satya: truthfulness: On a deeper level, the only truth is Ātman or Brahman or Īśvara or Paramātmā, thus adhering to truth leads one to truth.

c. Asteya: non-stealing: Non-stealing of objects and even credits of others. Non-stealing can be termed as a non-attachment too and it is in non-attachment that there is no trigger or want to steal anything from anyone. It is also practiced by adhering to truth. Only Ātman is completely detached and does not steal from māyā what does not belongs to itself meaning Ātman doe not associate with the world created by māyā.

d. Brahmacharya: Celibacy: For householders one has to restrict sensual pleasures as much as possible, especially after having kids. Preservance of semen is of upmost importance as one has to conserve energy.  For sanyāsī-s it is absolute renunciation of sensual desires to an extend that there is not even an impulse of it on Astral or mental level. Brahmacharya leads one to detach from the most beloved wife or husband whom one is strongly attached to. It leads to spiritual progress. A perfect Brahmachārya is possible only in the state of Jñāna as until the mind exists it can slip as Self-control requires will and effort. There is a limit to an effort and so until one starts experiencing divine love or peace or bliss which is stronger and deeper then sensual love, it is difficult to say that one has complete control over sensual impulse. Ātman is a true Brahmāchārī in real sense.

e. Aparigraha: non possessiveness: One should not be over ambitious and so one has to limit the possession of objects or stop being possessive about people you love like your wife, husband or children. Basically possessiveness leads to over protectiveness and it is a negative quality. It leads one away form Īśvara and so one must not be attached to anyone. On must definitely not strongly attached to anyone or any object so that when time comes to mentally detach, it should not be an impossible task. Finally one also has to be non-possessive about one’s own body too. Ātman is the only tattva that is non-possessive in true sense.

 

2. Niyama: Niyama means rules or etiquette that needs to be followed. They are five in number –

a. Sauchaː Inner and outer cleanliness: Outer cleanliness is taking bath and keeping oneself clean. Inner purification can be done by doing panchkarma of Ayurveda and Praṇāyama. Only thing that is not tainted by mind and the three guṇa-s is Ātman. Ārman is always pure (clean).

b. Santośaː Contentment: One must not be over ambitious and must be content with what one has got if one can survive. Earning money must not be the goal of life for a spiritual person. Being Self contented means to abide in Brahman / Ātmā as Self is Ātmā.

c. Tapaḥ: Discipline and meditation: Tapaḥ is equated with melting of gold. After it becomes red hot and melts, and is in liquid form, impurities can be separated from Gold and it becomes purified. Thus meditation is tapa (burning of desires and impurities of mind). Discipline is also a kind of tapa as it requires one to be highly disciplined to sit in meditation as initially, when mind is extrovert, quality of meditation is not good and one ends up stressed after meditation. Once mind calms down and is purified by constant meditation i.e. chanting a mantra or practicing neti-neti or doing Yogic Kriyā-s, one begins enjoying meditation and comes out fresh after meditation. Just like initially while learning to swim, one gets tired after swimming session is over, but once one learns to swim, one swims to relax and comes out fresh after swimming session. By constant disciplined practice of meditation, mind is purified and once which was like drinking poison is now like drinking soma, a sweet nectar. Passing through meditation is a tapaḥ or simply sitting in meditation is tapaḥ. As per Sri Ramana Maharshi Tapaḥ means to merge the mind in the source of a mantra. Thus, tapaḥ leads to Self Realisation or Ātmajñāna. 

d. Svādhyāyaː Self Study of śāstra-s, introspection, etc: Self Study of śāstra-s, studying under the guidance of a competent guru who knows the essence of six principal darśana-s is necessary to develop correct perspective about this world and in gaining clarity and right direction. Introspection leads on to know one's weaknesses so that one can work on them, control them and rise above them. Constant study of śāstra-s help one fill the mind with words and thoughts that reduce importance of the world and give importance to Īśvara. It is a discipline it itself and must be practised to progress spiritally until attaining dhyeya siddhi meaning one knows the purport of śāstra-s and also has a glimpse of samādhi, mind can be easily turned introvert and meditation is not a stressful activity by is relatively easy.

e. Īśvara Pranidhāna:  humbly surrendering to Īśvara: Mind by nature is extrovert. With the help of viveka (discrimination) and vairagya (dispassion) and with meditation, mind is turned inwards. But, what next to do? Just keep seeing thoughts in meditation is not going to be helpful. The reason for developing viveka and vairagya is to turn mind towards its source which is Īśvara or Brahman or Paramātmā. Turning mind towards Īśvara happens when one surrenders to the supreme consciousness. It is the source of mantra and thoughts and any sensations. Thus looking towards this source of everything is an important direction of sādhanā. Finally, mind is so strongly surrendered to Īśvara that it constantly sees, feels or merges into Īśvara or cosmic consciousness. This is true for both Saguṇa and Nirguṇa Brahman. Hence, total surrender leads to destruction of mind and knowing one’s true nature or having divine vision of a form of beloved Īśvara. Eventually one loses one’s individual identity when mind gets absorbed in Īśvara. Complete surrender to Īśvara leads to Ātmajñāna (Self Realisation). Knowing Īśvara is the same as knowing Self or Ātmā. Knowledge of Ātmā or Brahman is the result of total surrender to Īśvara. Little ego left in the devotee even after knowing Īśvara is a ripe ego and it does not hurt him. Such a devotee is indeed blessed and is in total control of Īśvara who can remove this ego in a blink of an eye. In case of a Jñānī or a Siddha Yogī a pseudo ego is left which is like a burnt rope which has the shape of a rope but cannot be used for tying anything. It is not harmful at all. Some saints do keep this ego of being a devotee or ego of being a Jñānī for the sake of devotees to uplift them. 

 

3. Āsana: Āsana-s are the body postures which lead to keeping body and so the mind healthy. It also makes body strong and makes it capable to sit in meditation for long hours. It is necessary for beginners as a sick body is not suited for spiritual progress. Until one begins to lose body consciousness during meditation, practicing āsana-s is important. Just focusing on āsana-s and not doing anything else does not yield anything and the purpose of practicing āsana is defeated. Practice of both āsana and Praṇāyama must lead to samādhi says Haṭha Yoga Pradipikā. Āsana is the foundation of spiritual progress. One can sit in any āsana that one is comfortable sitting in meditation for long hours. Patanjalī Yoga Sūtra-s do not specify or recommend any particular āsana. It simply advises a Yogī to sit in any āsana in which he is comfortable for long hours. Ideally, best suited āsana is the one which leads to forgetting the body and moving beyond body consciousness. 

4. Prāṇāyama: Prāṇāyama-s are set of breathing exercises that are helpful is many ways to a Yogī or a sādhaka. It helps control mind by controlling breath. Wise Yogī-s say ‘Breath control is mind control’. Later on Yogī-s control mind directly by use of will and intellect. Though both breath and heartbeat are available until the body dies, breath is easy to feel and regulate unlike heartbeat. Later on, prāṇāyama is to breath through prāṇamaya kośa or energy body. It is the breath of energy. At first energy breathing happens frpm Īḍā and Pingalā nāḍī-s, but later on it happens through suṣumṇā nāḍī. The source of prāṇa is Brahman or Paramātmā. Thus, by moving mind through the energy breath when the breath touches kuṇḍalini śakti and rises with it upto sahasrāra chakra (crown chakra) and when it gets releases out of sahasrāra into the empty space, it experiences expansion of consciousness and at times it can give the experience of being one with cosmic consciousness by the use of ātmabala or by the grace of Paramātmā. Ātmabala is Brahmabala or strength of Brahman. Thus, Prāṇāyama too leads to samādhi. The next four parts of Yogā (Pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi) are indeed steps leading to Samādhi. They are purely of internal nature. 

5. Pratyāhāra / Variāgya: Pratyāhāra is also know as vairāgya or dispassion in society. Generating dispassion in society reduces importance of worldly objects, people and issues in the mind. Thus, mind does not strongly hold on to them. This results into natural concentration in chanting of a mantra or practice neti-neti which in turn results in detachment. A completely detached mind is fit for meditation. Meditation becomes effortless and so a sādhaka naturally progresses spiritually. An absolute vairāgī is none but Ātmā / Ātman. It is the only tattva that is completely detached without a trace of ego. Pratyāhara is given high importance in all forms of spiritual practices be it Karma, Bhakti, Yoga or Jñāna. Pratyāhara is the strongest of all sādhana-s (tools) for spiritual progress. It results into dhāraṇa.

Though Pratyāhāra is internal, it is conditioning of mind or a state of mind. The last three Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi are more direct then earlier five. I have added Pratyāhāra as a part of intrinsic limb as at times when mind is disturbed in sādhanā, one has to remind oneself of what one is supposed to do right now. One may ask - Who Am I? or can this mental images or impulses give me Self Realisation? Can this mind give me what I want i.e. Self Realisation? Where is Īśvara? What is the source of mind? etc. This Self Enquiry also results into vairāgya. Infact, a highly purified mind can dive deep within through these questions.

6. Dhāraṇā: Dhāraṇā is concentration. It is retention of chanting of mantra for long period of time. Mind free of distractions, both internal and external, is considered fit to do mantra sādhanā. In case of activating Kuṇḍalini, mind is involved through the process until the Kuṇḍalini Śakti smoothly and gently touches sahasrāra chakra and moves beyond it. Later on, one has to retain the state of expanded consciousness which happens with practice. However, in case of a mantra chanting, mind calms down and has nothing to hold on to. It cannot stay without holding onto either thought or any one of the five bodies or energy. So, it tries to revolt. It is here that mind shows power and strives to creates scenes from the past or creates fantasy. This results into breaking of concentration and so the chanting of mantra is sidelined. With constant practice concentration is achieved as mind gets habituated of staying calm and moving towards its source of power which is Ātmā or Brahman or Paramātmā or Īśvara. In case of Kuṇḍalini Yoga, after certain kriya-s involving activating chakra-s cleansing nāḍī-s and activating kuṇḍalini, one is supposed to stay calm without doing anything. It is in this period that mind will try to associate itself with anything. Some Yogī-s start chanting a mantra which is generally OM and then just let go and be aware of whatever is going around. Some simply stay as a witness without reacting to anything. In either case, it is staying in silence that is important. Prolonged concentration results into Dhyāna.

7. Dhyāna: Dhyāna happens when mind gets absorbed in the mantra. There is no body consciousness and then chanting happens by itself. It is one step prior to Samādhi.

8. Samādhiː Merging in cosmic consciousness is samādhi. When mind is absorbed in mantra, nothing except mantra is heard. This results into automatic silencing of mantra and mind merges in the source of mantra which is Brahman. This is the state of Samādhi, the final and the ultimate non-dual state beyond which consciousness cannot go. Constant and repeated staying in samādhi results into permanent abiding in Self without any effort to meditate as a result of destruction of mind. It becomes the natural state. This state is known as Sahaja Samādhi or jīvana mukti and such a Yogī is known as Jīvan Mukta, a jīva free while still living in the physical body. Once the Prārabhdha is exhausted, one attains Videha mukti meaning liberation without body. Individual consciousness permanently merges into cosmic consciousness like drop merging in ocean. There is no going back from this state and there is no rebirth either. One is now cosmic consciousness. Whether one is Jñānī with body or without body the experience is the same and the state is the same. It is just that the body drops which one is not attached to. 

Source: Patanjalī Yoga Sūtra-s: P.Y.Su. 2.29 – 3.3. Interested readers can study 2.26-3.11. It describes that the last three parts or limbs are more direct then earlier five as they involve the process of meditation (Refer P.Y.Su. 3.7).