In this post devi talks about yoga and the ways to meditate and you can also the subtle hint of her humor where she tells about the yoga and the mantra sakthi.
Himalaya said:--"O Mahes'vari! Now tell me the Yoga with all its Angas (limbs) giving the knowledge of the Supreme Consciousness so that, I may realise my Self, when I practise according to those instructions."
S'ri Devi said:The Yoga does not exist in the Heavens; nor does it exist on earth or in the neither regions (Patala). Those who are skilled in the Yogas say that the realisation of the identity between the Jivatma and the Paramatma is "Yoga." O Sinless One! The enemies to this Yoga are six; and they are last, anger, greed, ignorance, vanity and jealousy. The Yogis attain the Yoga when they become able to destroy these six enemies by practising the accompaniments to Yoga. Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi, these are the eight limbs of Yoga.
Yama includes Ahimsa (non-injuring; non- killing); truthfulness; Asteyam (non-stealing by mind or deed) Brahmacharya (continence); Daya (mercy to all beings); Uprightness; forgiveness, steadiness; eating frugally, restrictedly and cleanliness (external and internal). These are ten in number. Niyama includes also ten qualities:--(1) Tapasya (austerities and penances); (2) contentment; (3) Astikya (faith in the God and the Vedas, Devas, Dharma and Adharma) (4) Charity (in good causes); worship of God; hearing the Siddhantas (established sayings) of the Yedas; Hri or modesty (not to do any irreligious or blameable acts); S'raddha (faith to go do good works that are sanctioned); (9) Japam (uttering silently the mantrams, Gayatris or sayings of Puranas) and (10) Homam (offering oblations daily to the Sacred Fire). There are five kinds of Asanas (Postures) that are commendable: Padmasan, Svastikasan, Bhadrasan, Vajrasan and Virasan.
Above I have given the desciption of what devi has spelt out.let us go a little further to let the readers know about the asanas which are very important and which will help towards the process of meditation.
Padmasan consists in crossing the legs and placing the fact on the opposite thighs (the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh) and catching by the right hand brought round the back, the toes of the right foot and catching by the left hand brought round the back the toes of the left foot; sitting then straight and with ease. This is recommended by the Yogis (and by this one can raise oneself in the air).Place the soles of the feet completely under the thighs, keep the body straight, and sit at ease. This is called the Svastikasan.Bhadrasan consists in placing well the two heels on the two sides of the two nerves of the thighs, and then sitting at ease.Vajrasan (diamond seat) consists in placing the feet on the two thighs respectively and placing the fingers below the thighs with the hands also there, and then sitting at ease.
Taking in the breath by the the left nostril so long as we count "Om" sixteen, retaining it in the Susumna so long as we count "Om" sixty-four times and then exhaling it slowly by the the right nostril as long as we count "Om" thirty-two times. This is called one Pranayama by those versed in the Yogas. Thus one should go on again and again with his Pranayama. At the very beginning, try with the number twelve, i. e., as we count "Om" twelve times and then increase the number gradually. to sixteen and so on.
Now comes Pratyahara. The senses travel spontaneously towards their objects, as if they are without anyone to check. To curb them perforce and to make them turn backwards from those objects is called "Pratyahara," To hold the Prana Vayu on toes, heels, knees, thighs, sacrum genital organs, navel, heart, neck, throat, the soft palate, nose, between the eyebrows, and on the top of the head, at these twelve places respectively is called the "Dharana." Concentrate the mind on the consciousness inside and then meditate the Ista Devata within the Jivatma. This is the Dhyana. Samadhi is identifying always the Jivatma and Paramatma.Thus the sages say,(Samadhi is of two kinds (1) Samprajnata, or Savikalpak and (2) Nirvikalpak. When the ideas
the Knower, Knowledge and the thing Known, remain separate in the copsciousness and yet the mind feels the one Akhanda Sachchidananda Brahma and his heart remains, there, that is called Samprajnata Samadhi; and when those three vanish away and the one Brahma remains, it is called Asamprajnata Samdhi.Thes are the eight limbs described by devi .
the Knower, Knowledge and the thing Known, remain separate in the copsciousness and yet the mind feels the one Akhanda Sachchidananda Brahma and his heart remains, there, that is called Samprajnata Samadhi; and when those three vanish away and the one Brahma remains, it is called Asamprajnata Samdhi.Thes are the eight limbs described by devi .
Now hear from Me the Dharana Yoga. To fix thoroughly one's heart on the Supremely Lustrous Force of Mine, pervading all the quarters, countries, and all time leads soon to the union of the Jiva and the Brahma.Ok. when one does cleanse himself of the impurities of heart then devi gives an alternative as well.
" If one does not quickly do this, owing to impurities of heart, then the Yogi ought to adopt what is called the "Avayava Yoga." O Chief of Mountains! The Sadhaka should fix his heart on my gentle hands, feet and other limbs one by one and try to conquer each of these places. Thereby his heart would be purified. Then he should fix that purified heart on My Whole Body.
The practiser must practise with Japam and Homam the Mantram till his mind be not dissolved in Me, My Consciousness. By the practise of meditating on the Mantra, the thing to be known (Brahma) is transformed into knowledge. Know this as certain, that the Mantra is futile without Yoga and the Yoga is futile without the Mantra. The Mantra and the Yoga are the two infalliable means to realise Brahma. As the jar in a dark room is visible by a lamp, so this Jivatma, surrounded by Maya is visible by means of Mantra to the Paramatma (the Highest Self). O Best of Mountains! Thus I have described to you the Yogas with their Angas (limbs). You should receive instructions about them from the mouth of a Gura; else millions of S'astras will never be able to give you a true realisation of the meanings of the yogas."
" If one does not quickly do this, owing to impurities of heart, then the Yogi ought to adopt what is called the "Avayava Yoga." O Chief of Mountains! The Sadhaka should fix his heart on my gentle hands, feet and other limbs one by one and try to conquer each of these places. Thereby his heart would be purified. Then he should fix that purified heart on My Whole Body.
The practiser must practise with Japam and Homam the Mantram till his mind be not dissolved in Me, My Consciousness. By the practise of meditating on the Mantra, the thing to be known (Brahma) is transformed into knowledge. Know this as certain, that the Mantra is futile without Yoga and the Yoga is futile without the Mantra. The Mantra and the Yoga are the two infalliable means to realise Brahma. As the jar in a dark room is visible by a lamp, so this Jivatma, surrounded by Maya is visible by means of Mantra to the Paramatma (the Highest Self). O Best of Mountains! Thus I have described to you the Yogas with their Angas (limbs). You should receive instructions about them from the mouth of a Gura; else millions of S'astras will never be able to give you a true realisation of the meanings of the yogas."
Dear readers,do understand that these words of the godess cannot be discussed with anyone but your own guru,and to attain salvation or to lead a perfect life practice yoga and the mantra and this is done only with the help of a guru without which these sastras are meaningless.Learn and taste the essence of life.......
