Part 3.6 - Concentration (Dharana) according to the Yoga-Upanishads

[Full title: The well-known eight subservients of Yoga in Yogopanishads (6) Concentration (Dharana)]

Dharana means the holding of the mind on a certain point.54 Ordinarily, Mind is unruly and restless, so if one try to cencentrate, it will run away. One has to bring it back and hold it on to the point where one intends to concentration. Thus, one should practise again and again. It would be the preliminary practice before concentration (dharana). Thus, concentration is purely a mental process. It is not a muscular exercise. One should not fight and wrestle with the mind violently. There can be really no concentration without attention.55 Attention is steady application of the mind. It is focussing of consciousness on some chosen object. Where there is attention, there is also concentration. Hence, attention should be cultivated gradually, it is the whole mental process in one of its aspects. The 04 Yoga-upanishads define Dharana" in brief, according to the Amrtanada-upanishad when a wiseman merges his mind, as full of desires (samkalpa), into his Atman, he is absorbed in the contemplation of the Supreme Self - that is known as Dharana. The Tejobindu-upanishad informs Dharana as the abstract state of mind; i.e. the abstract state attained by the mind, when the Trishikhi-brahmana-upanishad opines that the steady state of the mind (Niscala Citta) is dharana. The Mandala-brahmana-upanishad states that firmly implanting the mind by inhibiting it from the objects of desire encompassing it finally in the Supreme Consciousness is dharana. The Yogatattva-upanishad explains Dharana - Whatever he sees with his eyes, what ever he hears with his ears, whatever he smells with his nose, whatever taste he feels with his tongue, whatever he touches with his skin, he should conceive all those as the

157 Atman. In this manner, the yogin should perform for a space of a (yama) (three hours) everyday with effort and without laziness. The (reupon, there would arise marvellous sagacity surely, in the yogin's mind. *Varieties of Dharana:The Darshana-upanishad explains at length that for the purification of all sins an intelligent person should always retain "siva, the great Ruler who is full of wisdom and Bliss, in the pususa, the highest first principle, and the paramatman. Thereafter, merging in the respective causes and effects of the form of the Brahman and the like, one's mind should retain Ithe Avyakta, the indefinable, the non-sentient entity, the prime cause of all, in the Pranava which becomes actually, full in the Atman and withdrawing the senses along with the mind, one should unite with the Atman. Thus, the Dharana in the Atman is mentioned. The Shandilya-upanishad mentions a special kind of dharana for obtaining immunity from all diseases - Drawing in the prana from outside and infilling it in the belly, with effort, one should hold it alone with the mind, in the middle of the navel, in the tip of the nose and the big toes of the feet, either in the twilights or always. By doing so, the Yogin will be freed from all diseases and be rid of his fatigue. The of 04 Yoga-upanishads viz. the Trishikhi-brahmana-upanishad, the Darshana-upanishad, the Yogatattva-upanishad and the Shandilya-upanishad state the five kinds of dharana either briefly or elaboratelyAs the human body is made up of five elements, there is the five fold dharana. The Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether - form the five-fold group (panchaka) of the elements, and dharana of the Gods viz. Brahma, Visnu, Rudra, Isvara and Sadasiva in the five regions of the body is known as a five fold character (Panckadha). The Shandilya-upanishad mention, briefly, that (a) Stabilizing the mind in the Atman; (b) Stabilizing the Ether in the Ether of the heart (cidakasa) and (c) Stabilizing the five Brahmans (Panchamurti) viz. Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Isvara & Sadasiva, in the five elements i.e., Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. According to the Darshana-upanishad, the five-fold Dharana is as follows - (1) One should retain Brahman in the Earthy portion of the body i.e., from the sole of the foot upto the knees. (2) One should retain Visnu in the Watery portion of the body i.e. from the knees upto the end of anus.

158 (3) One should retain Mahesana in the Firy portion of the body i.e. from the anus up to the heart. (4) One should retain Isvara in the Airy portion of the body i.e. from the heart up to the middle of the brows. (5) One should retain Sadasiva in the Etherial portion of the body i.e. from the middle of the eyeblow up to the head. On the other hand, it mentions that the outside Ether should be retained in the ehterial space in the middle of the body; the outside Air, in the vital air or prana, and Fire in the fire of the abdomen; water in the varients of water belonging to the body and Earth in the Earthy portion of the body. And one should pronounce the Mantras Ha-Ya-Ra-Va-La in its order. This kind of Dharana is said to be the Supreme and expiatory of all sins. This type of five-fold Dharana is elaborately described in the Trishikhi-brahmana-upanishad At first it is mentioned that the steady abstraction of the mind, assisted by Yama and other Yogangas in the five elements is dharana, which is the cause of crossing the ocean of wordly existence. (1) Earth - From the knee down to the sole of the foot is the seat of the Earth. The Earth - goddess, yellow, quadrangular in shape and with the bolt of Indra as her emblem should be reflected upon for five Ghatikas (two hours) after filling the concerned seat with vital air. - (2) Water From the knee upto the hip is said to be the seat of water. Having filled the concerned seat with the vital air, the water of the shape of the crescent, white and with silver as her emblem should be reflected upon for ten Nadikas (four & house). (3) Fire - From the middle of the body down to the hip is said to be the seat of Fire. After holding the vital air in Kumbhaka, there should be reflected upon a red flaming fire, for fifteen Ghatikas (six hours). - (4) Air From the navel upward to the nose is the seat of the Air. Holding the vital air in Kumbhaka therein, the strong element Air, of the colar of smoke and the shape of a sacrificial altar,should be reflected upon there for twenty Ghatikas (eight hours).

159 (5) Ether From the nose upto the cavern of the Brahman is the seat of the Ether. One should holding the vital air in kumbhaka in the concerned seat, with great effort. There is the Ether of the colour and brightness off wellplanded collyrium. Similarly, the Yogatattva-upanishad describes - (1) Earth From the foot on to the knee is the region of Earth. Earth is quadrilateral, yellow in colour and of the character of the syllable 'Lam'. Having forced in the vital air in the region of Prthivi, along with the Lakara or 'Lam', meditating on the four-faced Brahma with the four arms and of the colour of gold, the Yogin should hold the vital air for five Ghatikas (two hours). Fruit He will attain the conquest of Prthivi From the Prthivi-Yoga, there will be no death for the yogin. (2) Water From the knee on to the anus is the region of Water. It is crescentic and is of white colour of the character of the syllable 'Vam'. Forcing the vital air along with Vakara through the region of Water, calling to mind the God Narayana with four arms, wearing the crown of the bright white colour of crystal, the Acyuta with the silk robe, the yogin should hold the vital air for five Ghatikas. Fruit: He is rid of all sins. Thenceforward there is no fear for him from water and he will not find a watery grave. : (3) Fire From the anus on to the heart, there is the region of Fire. It is triangular, red in colour and takes its origin from Rephaksara or the syllable 'Ram." Forcing the vital air radiant with the syllable 'Ram' into the region of Fire, calling to mind God Rudra, with three eyes, the bestower of boons, shining like the young orb of the sun, with his body entirely besmeared with ashes and full of grace, the yogin should hold the vital air for five Ghatikas. Fruit He is not searched by fire. Even if he should enter a pit full of fire, his body will not be affected. (4) Air From the heart onto the middle of the eye-brows, there is the region of the Air. It is Satkona (figure with six-corner angles formed by placing two isosceles triangles, one above the other, with their bases parallel to each other and their

160 apexes pointing one upwards and the other downwards) is of black colour and manifested in the syllable 'Yam." Forcing the vital air through the aerial region along with the radiant syllable 'Yam', the Yogin should meditate on the all knowing Isvara, facing all directions, as having his stand there and hold the vital air for five Ghatikas. Fruit He will move through ethereal space like air. For the yogin, there will be neither death nor fear from the aerial element. (5) Ether From the middle of the eye-brows onto the crest of head, there is the region of Akasa. It is of the circle shape and is smoky. It is manifest bright as Hakara. Forcing the vital air into the region of Ether alongwith the syllable Ham, the yogin should meditate on the Great God Samkara of the form of the Bindu of the form of Ether, the Sadasiva of the colour of clear crystal and holding the crescent on his head with five faces, with a pleasing feature, with ten arms and five seats of three eyes, equipped with all weapons and decked with all jewels, with one half of his body shared by Uma, bestorving boons and the prime cause of all causes. Fruit By holding the vital air in Ether, threre will surely accrue for the yogin the power of moving through ethereal space. Wherever he might remain, he derives immense Bliss. Thus, the accomplished Yogin should perform the five dharanas. Thence he will acquire a strong frame. There is no death for him. The yogin of might intellect is in no way harmed, even should Brahma meet with dissolution. * Results (Accomplishments): The Yogacudamani-upanishad mentions that with twice six pratyaharas is generated auspicious dharana. And twelve dharanas are said to be constitute Dhyana by those wellversed in Yoga. According to the Shandilya-upanishad by dharana: (1) at the tip of the nose, there is attained the conquest of vital air. (2) in the middle of the navel, there is the destruction of all disease. (3) at the big-toes of the feet, lightness of the body results. According to the Yogatattva-upanishad, if one performs dharana as holding in the Atman whatever results from the functioning of his organs of perception, there would arise

161 mavellous sagacity surely in the yogin's mind. Cluiraudience, clairvoyance, transportation across vast distance in a short time, yogic vocal powers, yogic power of transforming one's self into any form desired, yogic method of making oneself indivisible and the power of transmuting iron and other baser metals into gold by smearing with the yogin's urine and excreta - there will be acquired by the yogin. Secondly, by intermittent practice for a sufficient time, there will be generated, in him, the power of moving through Akasa or ethereal space. Rules: These yogic powers should be considered as obstacles to the attainment of the Great Siddhis of Yoga. Hence, the Yogin should follow some rules :- (1) The man of intelligence should not reveal in them. (2) The yogiraja should not demonstrate his sagacity to any one whatever; (3) He should acquit himself with the world in the same manner as an ignorant man or a fool or a deaf man for keeping his powers as a secret. (4) Disciples intent on carrying out their own purposes, make all sorts of requests, without doubt. (5) The yogin who is distracted by attempting to comply with them all, will become oblivious to his own, practice of Yoga. (6) The ascetic, giving up all concern with wordly things should be intent on achieving his aim of Yoga. Without forgetting his Guru's precept, he should practise every time. Conclusion : Summing up, Dharana is the concentration on a particular point, it is either any limbs of the body or a symbol like pranava etc. Seeing the first four definitions of dharana, we find that the aim of practicing dharana is mainly the concentration on the Supreme Self. While describing the five-fold dharana, the Trishikhi-brahmana-upanishad mentions the form of the Goddess of five elements whereas the Yogatattva-upanishad narrates the form of the God viz. Brahma, Narayana, Rudra, Isvara and Sadasiva; presenting the results and great achievements, too. A higher conception is reached in the Mandala-brahmana-upanishad where dharana consists in establishing the mind in the supreme spirit i.e. Brahman by first turning it away

162 from the objects of sensual pleasure. Similarly, in the Trishikhi-brahmana-upanishad and in the Darshana-upanishad, dharana consists in retaining the external five elements in the five elements within the body, i.e. the external fire in the fire within the body and so on with Eather, Air, Water and Earth. This is of course a crude conception of dharana. In the Tejobindu-upanishad, the highest kind of dharana consists in seeing and finally retaining the Brahman within the mind.