Part 1.2 - Niyama (observances or rules of personal hygeine)

The Niyama is the second step of Astanga yoga. Niyama means the various observances, cultivating good habits. Which lead to the development of the total personality of a man and also influence attitude towards spiritual pursuits and facilitate the spiritual progress so niyama is:- saucasantosa-tapahsvadhyayesvara pranidhanani niyamah ||27 There are five factors have been accepted as the fundamental niyamas. They are- 1) Sauca or purity 2) Samtosa or contentment 3) Tapas or austerity 4) 5) Svadhyaya or self study Isvara pranidhana or dedication to the divine Niyama Sauca Samtosa Tapas Svadhyaya Isvara pranidhana These are the commonly accepted niyamas. The last three constitute the discipline of works. It is known as kriyayoga, as the the works are performed for the cessation of works with the aim of achieving Yoga. Just as a throne is used to extract a throne from the foot, works which help in the practice of Yoga are performed in order to overcome actions opposed to Yoga. The Naradiyapurana, Kurma Purana and Visnu 27 -Yoga sutra-2/31 149

Purana also mention the same five niyamas as Yogadarsana. enumerated in i. Sauca (cleanliness):- Cleanliness which is caused by washing the the body with things like clay and water and by eating pure (medhya)food etc. is external. Internal cleanliness is brought about by the removal of mental impurities. The Sandilya, Darsana Upanisads, Naradiya and Kurma Puranas also say the same thing. Great stress has however been laid on internal purification. External purification alone has little sense. The Darsana Upanisad says "A persons who merely takes pleasure in external cleanliness, without bothering about the internal purification of knowledge is a fool, who while rejecting gold, opts for a cold of earth." 9928 According to Maharsi Patanjali by observance of this niyama a person develops dislike towards his body and ceases to have physical intercourse with others. 29 Besides above one develops the capacity for purification of the heart, Cheerfulness, concentration of mind, victory over senses and selfrealization. The term "auca" refers to the practice of maintaining purity in all areas of bodily and mental activity. "Auca" involves avoiding passions like rage, greed, delusion, pride, and jealousy in order to keep the mind pure. It also refers to the intellectual purity that can be attained through fruitful research to acquire wisdom. 28 Dar. Upa. I-22&23 29 .Pa. Yoga Sutra -II-40&41 150

ii. Samtosa (Contentment):- Contenment is the absence of desire to acquire more than the means at hand. According to Naradiya Purana the desire never comes to an end by enjoyment of the material and sense objects. The more one indulges, the more it increases and one develops a mentality of "when shall I get still more than what I already have. 9930 The Yoga Darsana says- "Observances of this niyam gives an extraordinary joy". 31 Unhappiness is the root of all problems, and it causes a variety of conscious and unconscious mental conflicts. A mind that is not in a state of contentment cannot focus or meditate. Because of this, it is always best to avoid a Samtosa, or feeling of discontentment, in order to make progress toward spiritual realization without difficulty. 32 iii. Tapasya (austerities):-Withering and emaciation of the body through observance of facts (vratas) such as candrayana etc. is called tapas: 33 The Yoga Darsana says: the tapa results in control over the body and the senses, because of elimination of impurities. 34 Following the purification of the body and sense organs through austerities, the term "tapasya" or "austerity" refers to perfection. It denotes the practice of enduring life's challenges and making adjustments to the suffering brought on by heat, cold, sun, rain, etc. In order to perform tapas, one must have siddhi, or perfection of the body and senses by a functional perfection which enables the yogi to use the body for the Propose of yoga without any kind of resistance or hindrance from it. 30 . Na. Pu. Purva. Cha-XXXIII 31 "santosadanuttamah sukhalabha" - Pa. Yoga Sutra-II-42 32 . P.y.s 2-42 33 Na, Pu. Cha-XXXIII 34 .Pa. Yoga Sutra- II-43 151

IV. Svadhyaya (Sacred study):- Sacred study means reading of religious literature and the scriptures for self education and training of the mind. It also sharpens the intellect and power of reasoning. It also means repeated muttering of some prescribed words called mantra (formula of prayer) for a given period. According to Kurmapurana- "The repeated muttering of things like Vedanta, Satarudriya or Pranava (OM) etc. is called Svadhyaya. It gives vitality and goodness. 9935 The Naradiya Purana also says the same thing, through in different words. It observes that- the Svadhyaya alone is capable of removing sins of men, even without the practice of yoga. The deities get might pleased when they are praised or adored through Svadhyaya. The Kurma Purana says that the Svadhyaya is of three types. i. When this is done by uttering words loudly which can be heard clearly (vacika). ii. When it is done not loudly, but by the more movement of lips and can be heard only by a person close by (upamsu). 111. When it is repeated only mentally, without uttering a word quiety or loudly (manasa). The last one is the best and the second is better than the first. The Yogadarsana says: Through Svadhyaya, the person gets to have a vision of his chosen deity (that particular image scon in which he conceptualizes God). 36 The practice of svdhyya, or self, entails making it a habit to set aside time each day for the study of philosophical and spiritual works that vedantasatrarudriya......svadhyayam pracaksate". Kur. Pu. Uttara- Ch. - XI 35 66 . 36 .Pa. Yoga Sutra -II-44. 152

serve as a constant reminder to the aspirant that their spiritual selves are the ones who truly exist. Svdhaya is the self-study union with the desired deity. Svdhaya's primary goal is to create a path between the seeker and the thing for which he is looking. V. Isvarapranidhana (surrender to the God)- Surrender of God is the dedication of all actions to that Supreme teacher. According to Sri Vedavyasa, the COm mentator (bhasyakara) of Maharsi Patanjali's Yogadarsana, the term means resigning of one's actions in entirely, to the care of (or give all his actions as an offering to) God- who is the ultimate Guru (Teacher) of us all. 37 The Yogadarsana says that Isvarapranidhana achieves samadhiself realization the ultimate in Yoga. These five are generally accepted as niyama³8. Isvarapranidhana consists of complete surrender to the God and the constant meditation. Isvarapranidhana can lead ultimately to Samadhi. 37 "Isvarapranidhanam tasminparamagurou sarvakarmarpanma". Ibid 38. "samadhisibdhirisvarapranidhanat". Ibid-II-45 153

Sauca (Cleanliness) Santosa (Contentment) Table-2 Tapas (austerity) Niyama Svadhyaya Isvara Pranidhana (study of self and (devotion to God) holy books) Personal Purity Preparedness for discipline to keep strong determination On the Right path of Yoga 154