The Song of Truth- An Essence of the Yogasutras of Patanjali

$21
Item Code: IHF056
Publisher: Rupa Publication Pvt. Ltd.
Author: D.V. Sridhar & Alagu Muthu
Edition: 2008
ISBN: 9788129113344
Pages: 150
Cover: Paperback
Other Details 8.5" X 5.5"
Weight 190 gm
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Book Description
From back of the book

Happiness is a state of mind- this is the central theme of Patanjali's Yogasutras which seek to enhance the life of man. A fascinating study of the mind, it can be regarded as the psychology of the East for the way it unravels the mystery of the human psyche, understands its working and enhances it.

As yoga becomes a way of life for millions of people across the globe, a holistic understanding of yoga and its true purpose becomes imperative. Patanjali's Yogasutras is the foremost work on yoga and is regarded as one of the greatest contributions of ancient Indian though to mankind in general. Harnessing ancient wisdom, the work provides a meaningful direction for bringing the body, the senses and, eventually, the mind into a harmonious state that would enable one to live in peace with oneself and with everyone everything around.

The song of Truth: An essence of the Yogasutras of Patanjali has been written in a simple and lyrical style for the yoga enthusiast who wants to be introduced to the 'thought of yoga'. The concepts are nevertheless profound, and are explained lucidly in this book. It attempts to help the understanding of the essence of the Yogasutras and can serve as a useful stepping stone for those who seek to enter and enjoy the many valuable commentaries written by the great master.

Preface

A two-year certificate course at Yogaraksanam, Chennai, initially introduced me to the Yogasutras of Patanjali. The great sage Patanjali was known as the father and architect of yoga on account of having compiled and systemized all existing knowledge of the subject and giving it a philosophical structure.

The sutras are steeped in wisdom and give a meaningful direction to life. Having studied them, one realizes how essential a basic understanding of the Yogasutras are in bringing the body, the senses and the mind under control, enabling us to live life in harmony with ourselves and all around us. The sutras are an amazing study of the mind and its working; they detail how one can use the intellect to achieve one's goals, and in the context of yoga they are, overriding everything else, a means to achieve freedom from the burdens of life.

Having understood this, as I traveled the globe meeting people from different countries practicing yoga, and observing some of the new age yoga classes around the world, I was disheartened to find that true purpose of yoga as taught in the sutras was often lost, sidelined or forgotten. As a student and an enthusiast who has come to value its teachings, it saddened me that yoga practices had more often than not been brought down to the mere physical.

With these thoughts and feelings in mind, I approached my teacher, Shri D.V. Sridhar. We felt an urgent need for an easy-to-read version of the Yogasutras of Patanjali which nonetheless defines the true purpose o yoga. We hope by such a book to create an understanding of the depth and breadth of yoga as it was intended by its founder and an appreciation of its practice. Many great masters have written valuable commentaries on the subject, but as far as I can see, they all take a high philosophical tone and need an initial depth of knowledge in order to be understood- this book perhaps would stand apart in its practical approach and serve as a stepping stone to enjoying the works of the great masters.

These verses come from the heart; they come from an understanding of the sutras as taught to me with rare lucidity by my teacher. Having understood and discovered the wisdom of the sutras, I felt a deep urge to share the knowledge of this very profound and practical teaching. The book is therefore an expression of my understanding of my teacher's lessons and comes from a strong desire to make enthusiasts of yoga all over the world who have taken to yoga in its current wave of popularity, realize how much more there is to this science than mere physical exercise. If some of these people could perhaps take to reading the sutras, then my purpose will be achieved. And so with this aim in mind, the verses have been expressed in the simplest words in a lyrical manner. However, many concepts of the sutras are deep and require reflection. To read the verse first then the teacher's lesson, and then go back to reflect on both the verse and the lesson, will probably bring about the best understanding of this work.

We have endeavoured to add value and meaning to the practice of yoga and should, by this reading, a spark be lit to kindle an understanding of the true purpose of yoga and its deep spiritual benefits, then our mission will have been accomplished and the reader hopefully will have started along the path which will lead to living in a state of poise and mental peace.

Introduction

If one were to ask five different people what yoga is, five different answers would emerge. Yoga may be seen as a physical exercise, a stress buster, a tool for increased concentration, a means to spiritual progress, or a way of reaching God. There are many more definitions. This is because yoga has served mankind over a long period of time. It has passed through many scholars and learned teachers who have experienced its benefits and have given their own interpretations. Which of these is true? Is yoga a mere physical exercise or is it a gateway leading to union with God? Both are true. Yogasutras, the treatise by the Sage Patanjali, has many facets and offers to each individual what is needed at that particular stage of his or her evolution.

Yoga has been lauded by many ancient and prominent texts. In Sivasamhita, Lord Siva declares that he has studied and researched many philosophies and books, but none can match yoga for its completeness and comprehensiveness. Visnupurana, a sacred text says that there is no better way than yoga to get rid of ignorance. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krisna considers a yogi (practitioner of yoga) to be superior to an ascetic and encourages the reader to strive to be a yogi. These are just a few of the many positive references to yoga in the ancient texts.

The art of yoga is as old as the Indian civilization. Many schools of thought, popular for a period of time, have slowly waned. As new thoughts emerged, these were made irrelevant and consigned to history. However, the onslaught of new cultures imposed by invaders and conquerors could not diminish the prominence of yoga. It is still popular and its popularity is growing day by day. This is because yoga combines philosophy and practice, and blends them beautifully.

It is a blessing to be born a human being endowed with superior mental capabilities- a powerful mind that can unravel great mysteries and use the available resources to one's advantage. Mankind has been using this intelligece to conquer nature and to make life comfortable and enjoyable. Yoga starts with the premise that there is a greater purpose to life than being merely comfortable. There is a far more important mission, a goal worth understanding, seeking and reaching.

Yoga helps us to investigate the real purpose of life and to strive towards that. This enquiry and journey needs the support, or at least non-interference, from many sources. Sage Patanjali in his Yogasutras has given a complete package taking into consideration all possible parameters that are involved in this journey.

Yoga has two streams: one, a strong foundation of philosophy and the other, the practice. First the philosophy: The true Me, identified by different names- soul, spirit, etc- is provided with various physical attributes, including the mind, the sense organs, the physical attributes, including the mind, the sense organs, the physical body and the exterior world. These are provided so that the 'spirit' can interact with the world. It should mature and evolve as a result of this experience. But the mind, the gateway to the outside world, gets coloured. As a result, it gets pulled in different directions, ultimately losing its way. The directionless journey continues unhindered. The purpose of yoga is to understand and stop this drifting.

The other stream is the eight-limbed practice known as Astanga Yoga. It starts with relationships, personal habits, focus on the body, working with life force, and includes all the factors that contribute to this journey. Sage Patanjali has prescribed the practice so as to reinforce and implement yogic knowledge as a way of life.

These two streams run parallel and sometimes merge to become one.

Yoga has been a part of life in India for many centuries. Sage Patanjali has codified this in his treatise Yogasutras. Yogasutras is considered to be the first and foremost book on yoga. It is called Raja Yoga, the king of all yoga practices. It is written in a special format known as 'sutra', which is a highly evolved form of writing- precise, concise and not easily comprehensible. We have tried to make the explanations simple and easy to understand.

About the author

D.V. Sridhar, a post graduate in engineering, had a very successful career in the corporate world. Inspired by the ancient wisdom of yoga through his teacher, he left his profession to devote his full time and energy to yoga. He was trained in the lineage of Shri T.Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, Chennai; he served there for a period of twelve years as a teacher, senior consultant and finally director of yoga studies. He has traveled extensively to different parts of the world, conducting seminars and workshops to train teachers. He is the founder director of Yogaraksanam, a yoga school which he started in Chennai in 2002.

Alagu Muthu, having comleted a two-year certificate course at Yogaraksanam, Chennai, has been teaching yoga to children for the past three years. A deep and lifelong interest in the study of Vedanta and later the Yogasutras brought about the idea of this book. She hopes to spread the message of yoga and its values, especially to children, in the hope of helping them grow into focused and balanced human beings. She has worked for the visually handicapped for the past twenty five years and is currently the president of the national association for the Blind, Tamil Nadu state branch.

Contents

Prefaceix
Introduction xi
Invocation to sage Patanjali xv
The story of Patanjali, the author of the Yogasutras xvii
Chapter I:Samadhi Pada
The thought of Yoga 3
Chapter II:Sadhana Pada
The practice of Yoga 31
Chapter III:Vibhuti Pada
The Power of Yoga 61
Chapter IV:Kaivalya Pada
The Goal of Yoga: Freedom 87
The Yogasutras in Sanskrit with English Transliteration 105
Acknowledgements 137
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