Samyama - Internal Limbs of Yoga YS III - 7

Yoga Sutra III - 7 -TRAYAM ANTARANGAM PURVEBHYAH - These three [dharana, dhyana and samadhi] are more internal that the preceding five limbs.


Swami Satchidananda tell us "In Ashtanga Yoga, dharana, dhyana and samadhi are the more antaranga, or inner practices. Even to practice yama and niyama, you need the outside world. How will you practice non-injury if there is nothing outside to injure? How to deal with the outside world is taught through yama and niyama. Even your body is an outside world for you, so in asana you do something with your body; in pranayama you do something with your prana; in pratyahara you do so mething with your senses. But dharana, dhyana and samadhi are totally inward. They are on the mental level. That is what Patanjali means by saying these three are more inner than the preceding five."

From "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood we are told that the first five limbs of yoga are only a training ground for the aspirant in preparation of samyama (concentration, meditation and absorption). "The mind and senses have to be purified by the cultivation of ethical virtues and the whole organism has to be strenghtened in order that it may be able to undergo the tremendous experiences that await it. " We are further informed that this is just the beginning and even in samyama perfection is just the beginning. "For whenever we are inclined to feel proud of some tiny indication of spiritual growth in ourselves, we shall do well to remember Brahmananda's amazing and sobering words : 'Spiritual life begins after samadhi.' "

See related posts:

• The Eight Limbs of Yoga - YS II - 28, 29
• Yama - Abstinence YS II - 30
• Niyama - The Observances - YS II - 32
• Asana - Posture YS II - 46
• Pranayama - Breath Control YS II - 49
• Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the Senses YS II - 54
• Dharana - Concentration YS III - 1
• Dhyana - Meditation YS III - 2
• Samadhi - Contemplation YS III - 3
• Samyama - Last Three Limbs of Yoga YS III - 4

Anabighatah - Undisturbed YS II - 48

Yoga Sutra II- 48 - TATO DVANDVANABHIGHATAH - Thereafter, one is undisturbed by the dualities.

[This sutra is still addressing asana, the third limb of yoga]

Swami Satchidananda --"If you make the posture firm and comfortable, then you are not affected by the dualities. Neither heat or cold, praise nor censure, profit nor loss will affect you. You are neutral. Whether someone blesses or curses you, praises or pulls you down, whether you gain or lose a million dollars--you will be neutral. Just by posture alone you can rise above the dualities, because the mind is under your control. Even if it wants to cry it will ask your permission first. 'There is something to cry over. Can I cry?' 'Yes. Otherwise, people will think you are crazy. Come on, cry a little.' Just to be with the world, sometimes we must cry when other people are crying, but still we can be in control. Sometimes we must show anger. But these emotions should only come out for our use, with our permission."

The following statement comes from "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood on this sutra:

"Such complete mastery of the body does not, of course, come through posture alone. It arises from a state of absorption in the consciousness of God. Patanjali goes on to describe the further practices which are necessary in order to reach this state."

See related posts:

• Still Posture - Still Mind YS II - 47
• Asana - Posture YS II - 46
• The Eight Limbs of Yoga - YS II - 28, 29

Still Posture - Still Mind YS II - 47

Yoga Sutra II- 47 - PRAYATNA SAITHILYANANTA SAMAPATTIGHYAM - By lessening the natural tendency for restlessness and by meditating on the infinite, posture is mastered.

Swami Satchidananda says "If the body is still, it is easy to make the mind still." He said one of his teachers would say,"You need not repeat any prayers or even do japa. Just sit quietly for three hours in a row with no movement whatsoever, without even winking, then everything will be accomplished easily." Swami Satchidananda said that if we could sit that long, we could control our mind automatically. "Through the body we can put a brake on the mind." We are told that this an accomplishment of asana or the benefit of asana siddhi. (From the Wikipedia - Siddhi (Sanskrit:सिद्धिः; siddhiḥ) is a Sanskrit word that literally means "perfection", "accomplishment", "attainment", or "success".[1] It is also used as a term for spiritual power (or psychic ability). The term is used in that sense in Hinduism and Tantric Buddhism)

Other illustrations of siddhis that can control the mind are given as follows:

• Bhojana, (eating) siddhi - Restriction to eating just a certain amount of food a day at a certain time.
• Sthala siddhi- Limiting your movement by taking a vow (like not moving out of state, or your apartment for a year.

Swami Satchidananda informs us that we might have experienced taking a vow to do something and then being immediately tested on it. Examples are given like if we decide not to leave a place and someone immediately afterwards offers us a free ticket somewhere else. Of we decide to go on a fast and someone brings us something delicious. Once we decide on taking a vow, the tests tend to come immediately.

A reference to Hindu philosophy (South Indian Saivism) is made about sixty-three Saiva Siddhanta saints by the name of Nayanars.
The Nayanars "realized the truth by taking just one vow and sticking to it, even at the cost of their lives." Swami Satchidananda tells a story of a king who made a vow of seeing holy ash on any forehead of a person that he would treat them as Lord Siva himself and would give him anything he asked. An enemy king heard of the vow and took advantage the situation by smearing ash on his forehead, disguised as a philosophy teacher. He ended up killing the king who made the vow. He died saying the Lord's name, with his last breath having a vision of God. He stuck to his word. Swami Satchidananda ends the commentary with "The idea behind taking one vow and sticking to it is that we become masters of our minds." He also uses Hindu marriages as an example of the same principle. The mate is accepted as whatever they are and looked at as the a gift from the Lord.

So the analogies given in this commentary can be viewed as an asana in the context that one becomes steady in a vow, takes a seat so to speak and does not waver. The asana is the firm, comfortable posture that helps to still the mind.

See related posts:

• Asana - Posture YS II - 46
• The Eight Limbs of Yoga - YS II - 28, 29
• Yoga As a Tool

Asana - Posture YS II - 46

Yoga Sutra II-46- STHIRA SUKHAM ASANAM - Asana is a steady, comfortable position.

Swami Satchidananda starts his commentary with "Asana means the posture that brings comfort and steadiness. Any pose that brings this comfort and steadiness is an asana. If you can achieve one pose, that is enough. It may sound easy, but in how many poses are we really comfortable and steady?" He tells us that as soon as we sit in a position we get uncomfortable being continually being reminded of different parts of their bodies. "Unless the body is perfectly healthy and free from all toxins and tensions, a comfortable pose is not easily obtained. Physical and mental toxins create stiffness and tension. Anything that makes us stiff can also break us. Only if we are supple will we never break."

Swami Satchidananda shares a story of a weed and a big tree. The bottom line was that when the rainy season came bringing heavy rain, the big strong tree got swept away since it was big, stiff and could be supple like the weed. It is pointed out that we need the strength of steel, but with flexibility. "The body must be so supple it can bend any way you want it to. Such a body will always be healthy and tension-free. The moment we sit down for meditation in such a body, we'll forget it."

In order for us to attain such a meditative pose was the reason that Hatha Yoga was created. It was realized that the pain, stiffness, bile, gas, etc. was created by toxins that came from eating the wrong foods at the wrong times in wrong quantities. The questions of the proper foods, amounts and times lead to the Yogic diet which did not include meat, fish, eggs, stimulants and excessive use of spices.

Swami Satchidananda informs us that the squeezing of the body in different directions was to get rid of toxins that were already inside the body. Some positions are mentioned and if they were not enough, other deeper postures were developed to deal with the toxins. "When the spine was stiff and didn't want to move, they employed postures that bent it forward, backward, sideward and upside down. Although Hatha Yoga is several thousands of years old, it never becomes outdated." The truths are always current, like gold always staying the same.

The Eight Limbs of Yoga - YS II - 28, 29

Yoga Sutra II- 28 - YOGANGANUSTHANAD ASUDDHI KSAYE JNANADIPTIR A VIVEKAKHYATEH - By the practice of the limbs of Yoga, the impurities dwindle away and there dawns the light of wisdom, leading to discriminative discernment.

Swami Satchidananda states that from this point on, Patanjali gives different ideas about Yoga practice as it is divided into eight stages or limbs. This is why the sutras are referred to as Ashtanga Yoga or eight limbs. Patanjali is now covering the information already given, but in a more practical way as to remove the impurities of the mind.

Yoga Sutra II- 29 - YAMA NIYAMASANA PRANAYAMA PRATYAHARA DHARANA DHYANA SAMADHAYO STAV ANGANI - Yama = abstinence; niyama = observance; asana - posture; pranayama = breath control; pratyahara = withdrawal of the senses; dharana = meditation; samadhayh = contemplation, absorption or superconscious state; ashta = eight' angani = limbs or part

The eight limbs of Yoga are:
1. yama (abstinence)
2. niyama (observance)
3. asana (posture)
4. pranayama (breath control)
5. pratyahara ( sense withdrawal)
6. dharana ( concentration)
7. dhyana ( meditation)
8. samadhi (contemplation, absorption or superconscious state)