Dvisahasri of Tembesvami (Summary and Study)
by Upadhyay Mihirkumar Sudhirbhai | 2012 | 54,976 words
This page relates ‘Incorporation of Yoga in the Dvisahasri’ of the study of the Dvisahasri by Tembesvami:—a Sanskrit epic poem (mahakavya) narrating the legend and activities of Lord Dattatreya, including details on his divine sports and incarnations. Also known as Datta, he is considered one of the Holy Masters in the Natha cult imparting spiritual knowledge and adequate practice to the aspirant.
Incorporation of Yoga in the Dvisāhasrī
H. H. Ṭembesvāmī’s mastery over the Yogic practices laid down by Patañjali is so lucid, perfect and comprehensive that a reader easily gets the clear vision of the Yogic step of meditation (the fifth stage). The breath-control brings the mind in control and consequently the mind becomes free from the worldly functions. The mind enjoys the state of detachment (rather free from passions) and then it is fixed in to the object of meditation the self (draṣṭā).[1]
The same is explained under 04/031cd-33ab while citing the example of a learner learning concentration from an arrow-maker (īṣukāra) by way of detachment and practising the control over his breath and the seating posture, experiences the Trance.[2]
Under 04/ 45 Lord Dattātreya[3] elaborates the eightfold path of Yoga to Sahasrārjuna, he quotes:
yamaniyamāsanapraṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayo'ṣṭāṅgāni (Yogasūtra 02/29).
Under 04/50 the term pīṭhavit occurs and it means āsanavit an expert in practicing postures. Normally the term āsanam is famous, yet the word pīṭham is employed here. This shows his acquaintance with the Haṭhyoga also.[4]
Under 04/51 while discussing the method of breath control, he recommends that that the inhalation (pūraka) of the breath should be practiced with a definite number of recitation of the formula which is recited four times more during the controlling period (kumbhaka), while it is half less or doubled than the number of inhalation in the exhalation (recaka). This means that the ratio of the breath-control (prāṇāyāma) is 1:4:2.
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
jitaśvāsāsaneneśe vairāgyābhyāsabaddhahṛt ||4/31kaḍa||
saṃyuktaṃ vāsanāṃ muktvā sattvavṛddhayautyanindhanam|
nirvāṇaṃ vetyato nāntar-bahiḥsthaṃ munirātmadṛk||4/32||
yatheṣvitātmeṣukṛnno vedenaṃ yāntamagrataḥ||4/33aba||
[4]:
Cf. caturaśītipīṭheṣu siddhameva sadābhyaset| (haṭhayogapradīpikā 1/39)