Yoga is one of the ShadDarshana’s. Darshanas are also called veda upangas. These are 6 in number so it is called ShadDarshanas(Shad=6). List of Darshanas

1. Nyaya (Analysis)
2. Vasisheshika
3. Sankhya(Count)
4. Yoga
5. Mimasa(Enquiry) or Purva mimasa
6. Vedenta or Uttara Mimasa

Yoga is Sanskrit word derived from “YUJ” meaning Joining. Yoga joins Atma with Paramatma, individual with cosmos, it is unification of atma and paramatma.

According to Bhagavat gita : “Yoga Karmasu Kusalam” – A Skill in action

Patanjali: Yoga chitta ritti Nirodha – Yoga stops of oscillations of the mind

Simplest way: It is a way of life.

All human beings are born with bliss, but we are not realizing it by focussing on materialistic life. Yoga makes you to realize the bliss full life.

This bliss can be achieved either through Karma Yoga(Path of Action), Gnana Yoga(Path Knowledge), Bhakti(Path of Emotion),

Major traditional books available on Yoga are

• 1. Patanjali Yoga Sutras
• 2. Hata Yoga Pradipika
• 3. Shiva Samhita
• 4. Gherendra Samhita

Brief introduction on above books

Patanjali Yoga Sutras:

It consists of 4 padas or divisions, Samadhi pada, Sadhana Pada, Vibhuti Pada, Kaivalya pada. 4 Padas consists of 196 Sutras or aphroims. This is the oldest scripture available on yoga.

Patanjali emphasis 8 limbs or 8 step yoga, Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranyam, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.

Yoga originated before Patanjali Yoga Sutrasa, but Patanjali is the sage who consolidated the entire Yoga into one book. Yoga details available in Bhagavatgita, Rigveda, Yajurveda, samaveda and Atharvana veda. But Patanjali sage consolidated all the information together in single text.

This sutra talks about 8 limbs of Yoga called Astanga Yoga, the eights limbs of Yoga are a) Yama b) Niyama c)Asana d) Pranayama e)Pratyahara f) Dharana g) Dhyna h) Samadhi

1. Yama: Satya, Ahmisa, Asteya, Aparigraha, Bhramacharya
   Satya – Practice of truth, honest practice and teaching
   Ahmisa - Sensitivity to all living things
   Asteya - Earning by own, Getting money by working,
   don’t take materials which is not belong to you
   Aparigraha - Non possessiveness, grasping
   Brahamacharya - abstinence, particularly in the case of sexual activity. It also means that we don’t use this energy(given) in any way
2. Niyama
   Shaucha - Self-Purification
   Santosha - Contentment
   Tapas - Self-Discipline
   Svadhyaya - Self-Study
   Ishvara Pranidhana - Self-Surrender
   
3. Asana
   Discipline of the body, rules and postures to keep it disease-free and for preserving vital energy. Correct postures are a physical aid to meditation
4. Pranayama
   control of breath. Beneficial to health, steadies the body and is highly conducive to the concentration of the mind.
5. Pratyahara
   withdrawal of senses from their external objects. The last three levels are called internal aids to Yoga (antaranga sadhana)
6. Dharana
   concentration of the Chitta upon a physical object, such as a flame of a lamp, the midpoint of the eyebrows, or the image of a deity.
7. Dhayana
   steadfast meditation. Undisturbed flow of thought around the object of meditation (pratyayaikatanata). The act of meditation and object of meditation remain distinct and separate.
8. Samadhi
   oneness with the object of meditation. There is no distinction between act of meditation and the object of meditation

WHY YOGA