From the time culture this subcontinent ‘Bharat’ existed, yoga has been the part of life. References are there in Vedas, Ramayana and in the form of Bhagavad-Gita in Mahabharata and many other texts to show that yoga has been part of life here. Bringing this science in the form of a separate treatise is the task undertaken by Sage Patanjali. This text of Yoga sutras is one of the extraordinary gifts of Sage Patanjali to mankind which will not only be the highest respected information but also the guide for future mankind as something to shape everyone’s life. He is a scientist par excellence because he has written about the inner science of mind in such scientific way. Several factors show his scientific accuracy in this work. A material science can be tested in the laboratory and this yogic science can be tested in the inner lab. In lab we need concentration and in inner study we need meditation. What we call as experiment outside is called as experience in the inner world. The sooner the world proceeds to take greater cognisance of experience than experiment the world will start respecting eastern sciences like yoga. Unfortunately even yogis are focussing more in experiment than experience! When a scientist speaks about his science he leaves nothing in the form of ambiguity. Same way Patanjali in his yoga sutras clearly defines every concept he uses taking away the mystic element. even the word like Iswara he clarifies in his next sutra. Another glaring feature is, for a scientist there is nothing like good or bad, right or wrong and in the same way sage Patanjali though defines yoga as consciously calming the wandering or active mind, he has nothing against the wandering mind. One can see his attempt is to indicate that the mind needs to go out for managing in this world. But we also need to have the training and confidence to bring back from the bondage of material world whenever we want. Wandering is the very nature of the mind like to burn is the nature of the fire, and because of which we are able to transact in the world. But by calming the mind we are resting in our natural state. The wandering he calls as vrutti and cessation of this vrutti state is yoga. From this we can get the message that when we say atman or Brahman we do not want to reject jagat or the matter.
He further indicates that we should not fight with the mind. The more we fight with it the more the mind becomes agitated. We are the mind and if we are fighting, we are fighting with us only and in this fight we can never be the winners. The so called victory we perceive is only temporary and cosmetic. It is necessary that we establish in that state. This is brought about eloquently in many sutras.
Sage Patanjali though gives us the methods such as Ashtanga yoga and kriya yoga to practice in order to go to that experience of cessation of vruttis of mind, he really meant that this is not something to do for an hour of the day or so but it has to become our nature, and we need to become that! That is indicated in the sutras wherein he says when you are established in truth (not just telling) or when you are established in non violence (not just practicing for an hour nonviolence) etc. then the real transformation takes place. Thus for sage Patanjali yoga is not limited to doing but it has to become our nature, it is not workout but it is work-in!!
To be relaxed is our nature, to be healthy is our nature and more than anything to be blissful is our nature as much as truth and non violence are also our nature. It looks very simple but when we start sincerely practicing then we will know the difficulties involved. The disturbances appear to be difficult not because they are difficult but we are so habituated and nurtured disturbances for such long time which even percolated from many previous lives that it requires a ‘conscious disciplined practice’ ( Abhyasa) of letting go (Vairagya) of our inflexibility at all levels,
These yoga suras are divided into four chapters. The first chapter gives us the levels of silence of mind called Samadhi chapter. The second chapter gives the details of practice in the form of sadhana chapter. Third chapter gives the map of how the cause at subtle level manifests in the form of effect in the material plane or from subtle to gross level in the form of Vibhuti chapter and finally the goal of life is given in the form of Kaivalya chapter.
These four chapters roughly depict the journey of life as envisaged in the scriptures such as dharma (Samadhi) ardha(Sadhana) kama(Vibhuta) and Moksha( Kaivalya).
A very beautiful analogy he brings about by calling wandering of mind as vrutti. In Sanskrit vrutti is similar to circle or vruttam. Circle cannot exist without centre. But centre itself is dimensionless or not available for any senses motionless expressionless and since it has no dimension it is also deathless! The moment you give dimension to it is no more centre. In the same way Brahman or Atman is also not available for senses but that is the root and everything depends on it. We are Brahman but when we are playing several roles in the world we operate on concentric circles. When we are the boss in office we operate in one circle; as son in front of father, another circle, husband to wife is another and so on. We will be efficient and peaceful in all these transactions if we know how to withdraw from one role before we enter into other role. Swami Vivekananda explains it with a very unique analogy. He said don’t be a photographic place be a mirror meaning when an object is taken away from in front, a photographic plate does not leave the image of the object. As a result there will be super imposition of several pictures and in turn creates confusions. On the other hand, he recommends one to be like mirror meaning that mirror reflects clearly the object in front and the moment the object goes away from in front of the mirror and another object comes it reflect another without even traces of the previous object. Our perception has this confusion but mirror has none. Thus practice and establish in yoga removes all confusions in the worldly transactions.
This is the only science which will give us method to consciously practice this inner control. All other sciences are giving us training externally. Therefore in the present fast life style every one, young or old, boss or subordinate, student or teacher, child or adult everyone requires yoga.