Yogashikha Upanishad (critical study)
by Sujatarani Giri | 2015 | 72,044 words
This page relates ‘Synonyms of “Samadhi”’ of the English study on the Yogashikha Upanishad—a key text from the Krishna Yajurveda, focusing on the pinnacle of Yogic meditation. This essay presents Yoga as a crucial component of ancient Indian philosophy and spirituality and underscores its historical roots in Vedic literature—particularly the Upanishads and Vedant. The chapters of this study are devoted to the faculties of the mind and internal body mechanisms such as Chakras as well as the awakening of Kundalini.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 5.2 - Synonyms of “Samādhi”
According to the Haṭhayoga Pradipikā the following terms are all synonyms of samādhi i..e convey the same sense as the word samādhi.
- rājayoga,
- unmanī,
- manomanī
- amaratva
- laya,
- jatra,
- śūnyāśim
- parama-pāda
- amanaska,
- advaita,
- nirālamba,
- nirañjana
- jīvamukta
- sahajā
- turyā.[1]
From the list of synonyms of samādhi it should be evident that samādhistha yogī is non other than a jīvanmukta yogī has been extensively described in various ancient scriptures. The Yogaśikhoponiṣad has this to say, “all and sundry get conquered by the body, but the yogis conquer the body. In that case how can the fruit in the form of pleasure and pain affect them? The yogī conquers everything the senses the mind the intellect and desires, anger etc. There is no such thing as an obstacle for him. The yogī gradually and methodically destroys everything the five elements (ether, air, fire, water and earth) with the yogic fire. He also burns his body consisting of seven dhātus (essential ingredients) viz. juice, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow and semen.
Even the God can not fix a gaze on him as his body is all powerful and he is free from all divisions and bondage. He is also the possessor of various powers. His body is no different from the their itself. If anything, it is seven purer the Ether. He can see even the finer than the minutest and grosser than the grosset and animate as well as inanimate. The yogī is the very desire incarnate. He is independent, age less and deathless. He sports in all three worlds according to this sweet will and whenever he so desires. The yogī, possessing power beyond imagination assumes various forms and he, who has conquered all his senses, also destroys them at will.
Through his power of Yoga, he does not have to face death. In fact through his power of Haṭhayoga, he is already like a dead person. And so where is the question of death for one who is already so dead. What for all others is death, is life for the yogī and what the ignorant persons consider to be life is actually death for a yogī.
Nothing remains to be done by him, nor is he stuck by all that has already been done. This jivanmukta yogī is ever clean and totally free from all blemish.”[2]
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
śarīreṇa jitāḥ————-sarbadoṣāvivarjitaḥ, Yogaśikha-upaniṣad-I-38 to 47.