The concept of Yoga according to Yoga Upanisads

by Jeong Soo Lee | 2008 | 71,110 words

This essay studies the concept of Yoga as described in the Yoga-Upanisads: a branch of Sanskrit literature forming a subset of the global collection of Upanishads. These texts form the concluding part of the Vedas which are crucial to Indian philosophy, emphasizing knowledge and transcendence beyond the physical world. The Yoga-Upanisads however, e...

1.5. The concept of Cakra (according to Yoga)

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The notion 'cakra' can be compared with the Chinese concept of energy meridians emerge from the energy pathways in spinal chord from the front and posterior centers similar to ganglion in western neuro anatomy. In Yoga-Upanisads cakras are said to be of either 6 or 9 kinds. 785 The six. cakras, muladhara, svadhisthana, manipura, anahata, visudhi and ajna have been explained in general. The muladhara is said to be in the region above the anus, the svadhisthana in the region of the genitals, the manipura in the region of the navel, the anahata in the heart, the visudhi in the region of the throat, and the ajna in the forehead. 786 Each cakra is known to be a lotus having a number of petals. The muladhara has 4 petals, svadhisthana is of 6 petals, manipura is of 10 petals, anahata, which is in the heart has 12 spokes, visudhi is of 16 spokes, similarly ajna which is in the middle of the eyebrows is of 2 petals, and brahmarandra is of a thousand petals in number.788 .787 The six cakras, such as muladhara and the like are said to be the abode of sakti.789 The muladhara that is placed inbetween the anus and penis is the first cakra. That is said to be the seat of Siva in the form of jiva, wherein is well-placed the supreme power known as kundalini; wherefrom 785 786 Dvitiyam susumnadvaram parisubhram samarpitam ll Cf. Brahmavidya Upanisad, 76. Mandalabrahmana Upanisad, brahmana IV. 5. Cf. Yogakundalya Upanisad III. 9-11. 787 Generally, the seveth cakra is named as sahasrara. It seems unusal to call it in this Upanisads. 788 Cf. Yogacudamanya Upanisad, 4-5. 789 Varaha Upanisad, 53; Muladharadisatcakram saktisthanamudiritam l

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195 the vital air is originated, the fire arises, the bindhu arises and the nada is generated; wherefrom 'hamsa' is produced, the mind is produced. That is also pitha (seat) known as kamarupa which bestows the fruits of desire. 790 It is bright like molten gold and gleaming like a streak of lightening. It is also to be established above the fire, below the genitals, of the size of four fingers, triangular. Prana is there with its own sound. When the great union is seen, there will be no more necessity of outgoing and incoming of the vital air. 791 The second cakra named svadhisthana is dependent on that. It is like a jewel and strung with a thread. The word 'sva' indicates the prana, svadhisthana is the abode of that. It is only prana-nadi that abides in the svadhisthana. It is also known as the male organ (genitals). As a gem is woven by thread, the knot moves through susumna. 792 The cakra of the region of the navel is said to be manipura, which has the mahacakra of 12 spokes of the wheel; merit and sins reside there. Jiva moves in the circle of this cakra. So long as jiva does not attain the reality, it goes on moving. 793 There is a knot resembling the egg of a bird, above the penis, below the navel, from where 72000 nadis are produced. 795 It is thus 794 790 Cf. Yogasikha Upanisad, I. 168-171. Varaha Upanisad, V. 50-52. 791 Yogacudamanya Upanisad, 11; Tasmin drste mahayoge yatayato na vidyate l 792 Yogacudamanya Upanisad, 11-12; Svasabdena mavet prana: svadhisthanam tada srayam Il Cf. Yogasikha Upanisad, I. 172. 793 794 795 9. Svadhisthanasrayadasmanmevabhidhiyate l Tantuna manivat proto yoatra kanda: susumnaya ll Cf. Yogacudamanya Upanisad, 13. Sandilya Upanisad, I. iv. 6~7. Trisikhibrahmana Upanisad, mantrabhaga. 60-62. Cf. Yogacudamanya Upanisad, 14. Cf. Yogacudamanya Upanisad, 15. Dhyanabindu Upanisad, 43-51. Yogacudamanya Upanisad, 6-10 ,

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196 called either Brahma-nadi or Brahma-cakra. 796 In the heart, the great cakra anahata is the pitha known as purnagiri. In the well of the throat is placed at what is known as visuddhi, where the pitha known as jalamdhara is seated. The best cakra known as ajna is situated in the middle of the two eyebrows. The great pitha known as uddyana is seated above this. 797 According Dhyanabindu Upanisad yogi should always know cakra that is full of nadis. Having known the six cakras, he should enter the region of bliss. When the cakras of nadis are purified by the control of prana as described in the rule, the vital air enters easily after opening the mouth of the susumna nadi. Then the yogin after pulling up the vital air and should keep it upwards. In this manner, one should practice control of the vital air, and then he will pervade the entire universe. Thus, one should control the vital air, bindhu, cakra and the mind. 799 Such yogis reach immortality together with one type of samadhi.800 In other words, there will be the realization of the highest state after breaking through the doorway of the susumna nadi which is all-bright and opening the entire circle of the cranium (sahasrara-cakra). Thereafter one sees that abode (the highest state).801 It 796 797 Cf. Yogasikha Upanisad, V. 16-17.21. Cf. Yogasikha Upanisad, I. 173-175. V. 5-15. 798 Dhyanabindu Upanisad, 54; Evam nadimayam cakram vijneyam yoginam sada l 799 800 801 Cf. Yogakundalya Upanisad, III. 12~13. Yogasikha Upanisad, VI. 74~75. Yogasikha Upanisad, VI. 75; Samadhinaikena samamamrtam yanti yogina: Il Yogasikha Upanisad, I. 75; Bhindanti yogina: suryam yogabhyasena vai puna: I Dvitiyam susumnadvaram parisubhram samarpitam ll Kapalasamputam pitva tata: pasyati tatpadam 1

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197 is also stated as the attainment of kaivalya by the contemplation on Narayana (Visnu) in the sahasrara-cakra. 802 It is also known as vedhaka-yoga, i.e. the yoga of piercing. According to it one should strike mahameru, by moving up the vital air, in the sharp opening (of the susumna), and having attained the four pithas (seats), pierce through the three knots. In the region of the susumna nadi between the ida, and the pingala, by having recourse to mudras and bandhas, one should push up the vital air. Contracting the two cavities (penis and anus), the air (apana) moves up quickly, owing to contact with the moon, the sun and the fire (inside), it leads to immortality. The gods take their abode in the middle of meru and because of the shaking of the meru, shake by themselves. At first, one should accomplish piercing the Brahma-granthi quickly. Breaking it, one should pierce the Visnu-granthi, after having broken it, one breaks open the Rudra-granthi and after having opened it, one cuts off the dunghill of illusion. Because of the influence of the meritorious deeds accumulated through several previous births, by the grace of the gods and the guru, and the practice of yoga, the vedhaka-yoga is accomplished by that yogin.803 In the Yogasikha Upanisad, we come across the word adhara-cakra for one of the 6 cakras. It seems to denote muladhara-cakra. The Upanisad expounds the attainment of liberation by meditating on the form of the Brahman in that 802 Yogasikha Upanisad, V: Sahastrare narayanabhavanata: kaivalyasiddhi: Cf. Yogasikha Upanisad, V. 43-45. 803 Cf. Yogatattava Upanisad, V. 61-67.

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198 cakra, which enables one to enter brahmanrandra.804 Adhara according to it is a sakti by which the world is created and dissolved. When the adhara sakti is asleep, the universe is asleep. When sakti is awakened, all the three worlds are enlightened. Thus, one who knows this adhara goes beyond darkness. By knowing that, man is free from sin. The prime cause of all created things is the adhara. All deities and the Vedas reside in the adhara. Therefore, one should resort to adhara. Some speak of that adhara as susumna and sarasvati. It is called linga as well, and by opening the door of which one is released from all worldly bonds. In the posterior part of adhara, having sustained the form (of deities) and having broken the 6 cakras one enters outer side of brahmarandra. Having controlled the right and left side it enters brahmarandra through the susumna, and hence one reaches the highest goal. If the sun and moon are steady in the posterior part of adhara, having meditated on the world of the lord, one will be one with the Brahman. By controlling the wind in the adhara, one merges in the other ethereal region, shakes the body and sees the universe alone. Due to luster that is as a cluster of lightening in the adhara-cakra, cutting off merit as well as sin, one attains liberation. 805 It is explained that the vital air is raised from adhara by constricting the the anus. anus. "Make it circumambulating three times in the svadhisthana. Enter in the manipura. Cross the anahata, and having reached the visuddhi cakra wherein two masses of flesh resemble the penis. Go to ajna cakra controlling over the 804 805 Yogasikha Upanisad, VI; Cakresu brahmadimurtidhyanena brahmarandhrapravesa. Cf. Yogasikha Upanisad VI. 22-34

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199 prana. Meditate upon brahmarandhra three times with the idea of "I am that Brahman." The yogin sees that, and becomes formless. The yogin who has become one with Brahman is para-hamsa resembling a crore of suns, by whose radiance this entire world is occupied. 99806 On the other hand, the super normal powers are said to be achieved by the concentration on various centers in the body such as crown of the head, heart and naval and the like as described in Vibhuti pada of Yoga-Sutra 8 Though Patanjali is aware of cakras in the human body, he does not insist on the concept of kundalini and its release from muladhara-cakra, which is known as the final condition of liberation in Hatha-Yoga. However, six cakras can be correlated with six autonomic plexuses of nerve, these plexuses send their nerve connections to various organs, which act both as sensory and motor nerve, and sahasrara-cakra (cerebral cortex) influences the function of vital organs through autonomic nerve connections. 808 It is thus maintained to that the cakras are energy centers, which regulate, maintain, and manage the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of our being on the physical plane.

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