Stepping Stones To Spirituality...

Chapter 5: Raja Yoga

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I welcome you all with my love and respects. Today's topic is Raja Yoga.

The father of Yoga is Patanjali. Firstly, let me say a few words about Patanjali. Then, we will enter into Raja Yoga.

We can call Patanjali as a scientist of spirituality. This is because, before Patanjali was born, until Patanjali wrote Yogasutra (the aphorisms of Yoga), about enlightenment, it can be said that there was no clear book on enlightenment or about getting enlightenment. Many may get shocked on hearing this. Because, even before Patanjali’s yoga, Upanishads (sacred texts of the East) and the Bhagavad Gita (litt. Song of God) had already been written.

Before Patanjali, getting enlightened had only been an accident. It would be rather only a probable event. Due to some reason, some one would get enlightened, some where at some time and then he would reveal his state of enlightenment to others. It was only so much; but the very first person who gave the ‘getting of enlightenment as a science’, was Patanjali.

Before Patanjali, the incident of enlightenment was considered only as the cumulative effect of various factors. Before Patanjali, enlightenment, was more or less like an accident. It was only considered as a state which occurred suddenly, when one was going in a certain path. It used to be considered that enlightenment was a rightful thing only to a particular race, a particular religion, or to those following certain traditions and customs.

It was only after Patanjali, for the first time, that the doors of enlightenment were thrown open to whole world at large! It was Patanjali who offered to the world the very great Truth that any one could attain enlightenment if a certain specifically prescribed path was followed.

Let’s have an idea about 'what is science?' We call only that thing as a science, which can be understood logically and very clearly from the point of view of knowledge. Two and two makes four. If we add up 'a' and 'b', a result called 'c' will be obtained.

In this manner, in a very clear fashion, if we add two numbers, what is the result we get, if we join two ends, what will happen; if we have to create something, what specific action needs to be taken are conclusively stated with facts and figures. This will happen due to this; this is the cause and this is the effect. In this way, the method which conclusively states the cause and effect is only called science.

We call that as science, which is the wisdom and knowledge of knowing that a particular effect is due to a cause, and this cause has made this effect possible. If you say science, it should contain very clear-cut formulae, very clear and unambiguous replies and the results therefore should and must be obtained.

The knowledge which clearly explains as to what will happen by joining two materials, and then what will be the consequences if two objects are joined together, is called as science. The knowledge which explains the relationship between the cause and the effect is science.

All things concerning the outer world were clearly explained and clarified. All those things you see in the outer world, whether it is the electric fan, or the bulb, or the air-conditioner, the car, all the things that you use are with the knowledge which has been clearly explained. If operated at a specific place, this light will burn. If you operate it in India, it will burn; if you operate it in another country there also it will burn. If the required causes are created, the effect will happen certainly. What are all the reasons for this fan to run, for this light to burn, if you create them, the effect will surely be there everywhere.

Whether you are a Christian, a Hindu or a Muslim, if the cause is created, the effect will happen certainly. The person who discovered the bulb is Thomas Alva Edison, a Christian. For that reason the light does not say. 'I will burn for Christians only!' If its causes are created, the effect that is the work is bound to happen. The knowledge in which the causes and effects are clearly given is only science.

We had created a clear science as far as the outer world was concerned. There was a clear science. But as far as the inner world was concerned, it was only Patanjali who, for the first time ever, created a wonderful science. Prior to Patanjali, the inner world had remained without a proper and scientific explanation. Prior to Patanjali; the spiritual world or the inner world had only remained a blind path and was not a knowledge which was clearly explained in a step by step manner.

It was only Patanjali who, for the first time, changed the attaining of enlightenment into a science. He explained it in a clear-cut manner. For the first time, he created the steps for attaining enlightenment. It was Patanjali who created in a lucid manner that whosoever one may be, belonging to any caste, creed or religion; if a man follows these paths, he can surely attain enlightenment.

Prior to Patanjali, super-human powers such as bringing to the hand any material by a mere thought of that object (in other words, teleporting), giving darshan (vision) at any place thought of, changing the body to a bigger or smaller size, anima, mahima, lahima, karima, etc, which are known as 'Ashtama siddhis' (the eight super-human powers), doing a thing as per one's own thought or will; all such things were considered only as energies or powers. Prior to Patanjali we used to think of these as wonders or siddhis. But for the first time, Patanjali changed it into an ordinary science.

A small example. Suppose, suddenly, due to some war or on account of some natural calamity, all the radios in the world were to be destroyed. Only one radio alone manages to remain on the planet. If such a situation comes, the person who possesses that radio will become a god himself, because nobody else would be knowing about the radio. What would that man, having the radio do? He would say, 'Look here. This is a small box. It will sing nicely. Voices will come out from this. Do any of you have such a box?' Nobody else has it, except him. Then naturally, what would he become? He will become a great man in the world! People will begin worshiping him. People will say, 'there is a wonderful power with him; the small box which he is having sings by itself; it speaks sentences by itself; by itself it broadcasts many things....'

If the radio is a common and a well-known thing to every body in the world, he would not be a great man. If there is only one radio and is with one person, naturally, we will begin to worship him as a great man.

In the same manner, in the olden days, hardly only one or two would possess these siddhis. Such super-human powers were there for only one or two people. Doing things as per one's thoughts whatever be the thought, appearing in various places simultaneously at the same time, enlarging or shrinking one's own form, bringing articles to hand just by thought; such siddhis were there with only a few persons. That is why they were thought of as super-human powers. It would be thought thus.

Patanjali tabulated all those things fully and totally; explained the cause and effect of those things and changed it into a science. In the same manner as, when the radio was invented, the bulb was invented; those things came and reached the people of the entire world for them to be used. The man who invented was Thomas Alva Edison. But as soon as it was invented, it reached the entire world. Today all the people in the world are able to use it. There is no necessity for us to do what all experiments Thomas Alva Edison did. He did a thousand experiments and when he was doing it for the 1001st time only, he invented the bulb. There is no necessity for us to do the same 1000 experiments.

If we just put on the switch only once, the light will burn because he had done experiments repeatedly and has already formulated the cause and effect of various things. Thomas Alva Edison has already formulated as to what would happen if a particular thing is done, what would be the reaction for a particular action, and so on.

Thomas Alva Edison made the outer light (electric bulb) as a science and gave it to the world. Patanjali made the inner light as a science and gave it to the world. That's it.

The light given by Patanjali is Raja Yoga. The knowledge and wisdom given by Patanjali is this Raja Yoga.

For the first time, the matter of getting enlightenment, the incident of attaining enlightenment was made as an open book.

Enlightenment is only the method of expressing wholly the energies within our body, the energies of the mind and the energies of the soul. Patanjali formulated the methods of bringing it out fully and delivering it to the world as enlightenment, and also the step by step procedures for the same.

A small story:

After the second World War, in a small village in Germany, where tribal people lived, the army men left a small airplane and went away. Those tribal people did not know any thing else other than a bullock cart. So when they saw this, they could not understand what this could be actually. So, they attached two big bamboos and a bull and began to use it as a bullock cart. For three months, those tribal people used the airplane as a bullock cart itself. Three months passed by, after which a youth, quite well-read, came to that place. He saw the air-plane and said, 'this doesn't appear to me like a bullock cart. It looks like a tractor'. He too did not have an idea about an airplane, he knew only about tractors. So saying, he tried to drive it as a tractor. He drove it and showed to them and said that this was a tractor.

Rejoicing, immediately the tribals said, 'Aha, we have now got a bullock cart which runs without a bull itself!'; so saying they began to use it as a tractor.

After a few days, a retired air pilot happened to come by that village, saw that and said, 'This is neither a bullock cart nor a tractor; this is an airplane. This can be operated. With this it is possible to fly'. He not only explained but also flew in it and showed them.

See, the same vehicle serves as a bullock-cart for the tribals; a tractor for the youth who had a little knowledge about the same, and as an airplane for the pilot, the reason being the lack of knowledge of operating it. For those who do not know how to drive it, it remained as a bullock cart. For the person who knew to drive it to some extent, it remained as a tractor. For the pilot who knew how to operate it fully, it served him as an airplane.

Our body too is just like this. Our body is the airplane given to us by God. More than 90 per cent of us use it merely as a bullock cart. Most of us use our body only like a bullock cart. Only a specified few who are in the disciplines of art, science, drawing or philosophy use the body as a tractor. It is only the enlightened persons who use the plane as a plane itself.

Patanjali's Yogasutra gives the science of using the plane as a plane, in the name of Raja Yoga, in other words, to use our full potential. Only if the plane is used as a plane, its full potential energy will be exposed and utilized. If an airplane is used as a bullock cart, its full potential energy will not be released and utilized.

Raja Yoga is teaching us the method of releasing our full energy, our latent energy. Patanjali gives it to us in the name of Raja Yoga. Patanjali gives us the yoga and meditation for fully expressing the potential energy dormant within us.

Patanjali explains it as eight steps. Through eight wonderful words, very clearly he says, step by step, through which step, what results one could get; through which steps we can get enlightenment.

Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Prathyaahara, Dhaarana, Dhyaanam and Samadhi. With just these eight words, he explains. Just as you listen don't be afraid as to what these words could mean, not being able to understand them. I will try to explain these words. Through these eight words, as eight steps, Patanjali explains to us.

It is a big problem! Even though yoga and enlightenment have been explained to us to this extent, why many in this world do not adopt this path? The reason is nothing else, but that there is no sufficient patience to the extent of entering into it and practising it.

A small story about patience:

There were three monkeys in a forest. They find a mango fruit. We know what will happen if one monkey gets a mango. If three monkeys get a mango, one can very well guess what would happen. All the three of them begin to quarrel for the sake of that mango fruit. One of the monkeys said, 'There is a Master nearby; we can go and tell him our problem, and ask him to divide it for us'.

46 All the three monkeys agreed and went to the master. That master says, 'Look, one mango cannot be divided into three. the only way out is to dig the soil and sow it. The seed will grow into a tree. Then, there will be a lot of fruits in the tree. All of you can eat them then'.

All the three monkeys agreed and decided accordingly. They dig the earth and sow it. One monkey waters it daily. The other monkey applies some manure to it. the third monkey stands guarding it. Six months passed, but there was no sign of a plant coming up. Each monkey got suspicious about the other. They once again went to the same master. 'Master, we don't know what happened. The tree has not come up yet', cried the three of them.

The master called on all the three monkeys and enquired. First monkey said, 'Sir, I don't know what happened. But daily I am watering it without fail. I have even stopped going for a walk in the morning for the sake of watering the seed'.

The second monkey said, 'Sir, daily in the evening, I am putting the manure. I have even stopped going to the gym'.

The third monkey said, 'Sir, daily I am digging up and checking whether the mango is there or not'.

There is nothing else in this. If a seed has to sprout and grow into a tree, water and manure alone are not enough. A little bit of patience also is necessary.

To the many places I go, I see that a vast number of people assemble for the programs. After attending the program, for five days continuously and sincerely, you do the meditation. Until 5 days there is no problem. But from the sixth day, the problem starts. The inspiration given by me will run up to five days. After that if you see, there will not be patience at all. What do we do immediately?; we begin to dig and see, whether the fruit (seed) has sprouted or not.

One lady came and asked me, 'Master, you said if we do meditation we can see God. Yesterday I meditated but God did not come?' I asked her, 'How long did you do?' She replied, 'I did for twenty minutes, Master'.

You see, the mental set-up which has been created for so many years, will not break. But, what will our impatient mind do? It will think that some thing should happen in the twenty minute meditation itself. Can we get instant meditation just like instant coffee? Our mind is such, we think that some thing should happen instantly. The very speed and haste that some thing should happen instantly will spoil the whole process and the joy in it. If the monkey had not dug up and seen, perhaps the mango plant would have come up. For the amount of manure and water fed; if the incident of not digging up the soil had been there, the tree would have come up.

In the same way of curbing the sprouting and growing of the tree just by digging up the soil; due to our lack of patience and not looking inside again and again, we do stop our progress. For four days we will do meditation with all the inspiration. After that what will we do? We would think, 'These things are not suitable for me. Just like that we went there. That is all right. Leave it'. We will leave it so casually and carelessly.

If we take in our hands the one and only matter of 'sincerity', the enlightenment which Patanjali changed into a science will become a matter of Truth in our life also. If you listen with the sincerity © 2021 Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam. All Rights Reserved and conviction to change it into a matter of truth, all the eight steps which I am going to say now; you will think, 'O, this can happen in my life, I can do it in my life also'. On the other hand, even before beginning it, you may think, 'O these words are so complicated, somehow we have come in and have sat here; we cannot even go out; it's best to sit silently until it is over'. If we sit with such thoughts, even while listening, it won't be entering inside. While listening itself, you will think, 'He is speaking so well; let some punya (blessings) come to me'. You will go back only with such thoughts.

Two things to be understood here. Buddha beautifully says, 'The mind which creates the problems has also the capacity to resolve it'. For the mind which thinks 'this is hard' has also got the energy to think 'this is easy'.

Nandanar (a Tamil poet and saint) sings, 'Aiyeh, methak kadinam; umakkadimai, aiyeh methak kadinam'.

On the other hand, Ramana Maharishi (an enlightened Master from South India) sings, 'Aiyeh, athi sulabham, aathma viddhai, aiyeh athi sulabham'.

Somebody asks Ramana Maharishi, 'Master, you say it is easy, Nandanar says it is hard, what is it?'

Ramana Maharishi says, 'the mental set-up that this is hard is only hard'. If we think about a thing as difficult or hard, we will change it as hard itself. If we have an idea about a thing as being easy, we will change it to it being easy itself'. The flow of thoughts in the mind that this is hard is only hard.

Before explaining these eight steps, a small request I shall place before you. I do not say this for you to think that, when you will follow all the eight steps, you will get enlightenment tomorrow itself, no. But to the extent possible we will adopt and follow them. In the same way as we add salt in our food; in our life, do it with sincerity saying that we will at least add the essence or juice of these eight steps. Then they will change to as a means to lead you to success. Do not think that these eight steps are only for mystics, ascetics and sanyasis (celibates). These are also for those who live life wholesomely.

Yesterday during a radio interview, a gentleman asked me, 'Master, we are under the constraints and compulsions of lack of availability of time and you are asking us to do meditation and stuff; we don't have time even to earn our livelihood'.

As a matter of fact, meditation is not a matter which is against our life. With a small example you can understand. A person who puts in hard physical labour for ten hours per day may earn a maximum of three thousand rupees. A teacher who works hard through words for the same ten hours may earn twenty thousand rupees. A manager or an administrator who works hard through his brain for the same ten hours may earn thirty thousand rupees.

Working hard is not important; to what extent the expression of the capacity to create, that is, creativity only is important. Try being a smart worker rather than just a hard-worker.

Meditation will create the creativity within you. Meditation will create a clear sharpness of intelligence within you; it will create the fineness of intellect in you. Meditation will create an in-depth clarity within you.

Meditation and spirituality are not opposing studies for life. We all have the notion that meditation and spirituality are opposed to the normal run of life. It is not at all so. Spirituality is only that method of life which expresses fully, your energy, body-wise, mind-wise and soul-wise. Raja Yoga is only the science which expresses and brings out your total energy.

Here's an incident which actually took place. I was staying in a place called Potala in Tibet. It is the place where Dalai Lamas live. It is on the border between Nepal and Tibet. The place actually begins there. Even now Lamas live there. When I had been there, to an ashram (place of stay) where the Buddhist monks live; a Lama told me, 'Master, there are many aged Lamas in this Ashram. In this ashram, lamas live very long; if you want to see any of them, you can see that person who is working in the field out there. He is an aged monk'. I could not believe because he was working in the field. As a very healthy and strong man, he was working in the field. But due to curiosity, I went up to him and asked him, 'Sir, they say that you are very aged; can you share any of your experiences with us?'

He laughed out saying, 'Did they tell you that I am an aged person? I am only a middle-aged guy. I am merely 136 years old. There are many here who are 180 and 200. You can go and see and speak with them'.

It was really surprising to me. But factually, from the medical aspect, there is certificate to prove that his age is 136. The date of birth certificate as per their own method, have documented and kept it. There is the certificate from the medical aspect. But it was surprising to see!

I asked him, 'Sir, how is this possible?' He says, 'Right from childhood, we believe that man's life is for 300 years. This was given to us as a lesson from our childhood itself. From the childhood itself, we all know this yoga and all that. As per Yoga Shastra, man's longevity is a minimum of 300 years. We are habituated to Yoga Shastra from our childhood itself. In the same way as we cook, drink coffee as soon as we get up and go to office, practising Yoga shastra, practising pranayama, meditation etc. have become a part of our daily routine activity'. Since it has become a daily activity, in the same way as you consume food for the body, they give prana (life force) energy to the body and the soul.

Among the various parts available to us, we give food only to one part, that is to the body. Many things enter into our body. Do not think only the food is going inside. Food is just one portion. Air enters inside. Water goes inside. Many things go inside. The thing that we have to give in is food only. The air goes inside by itself. We don't do any thing specially for that.

Like this, we give only those things that are required for the body; we don't give what is necessary for the consciousness, prana sareera (energy layers) and the soul (Atman). The Lama says, 'Because we keep all the three; body, mind and soul properly, a life of three hundred years is our natural state of mind'. He says it is their natural state of mind.

I will try to give as a small acquaintance, the eight steps of Yogasutra as stated by Patanjali.

There are seven chakras in our body, seven energy centers. Those who have studied Yoga would have heard of these. Mooladhara, Swadhishtana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Vishuddhi, Agna, and Sahasrara.

So far, these chakras have remained only as a belief. But, recently in Russia, a medical technique called Kirlian photography has got popular. In the same way as we detect a fracture in the bones through X-rays; if we take a Kirlian photograph, we can find out the diseases which are going to affect our body.

They say that the skin of our body is continuously emitting a fine light. By means of taking a Kirlian photograph of our body, we can find out the disease which is going to set in, in our body. This is a great achievement in the field of medicine. By this method, the likely onset of diseases like TB, cancer etc. can be assessed six months in advance.

In the Russian medical field, this Kirlian photography method has done a great revolution. Even now, in countries like Russia and Germany, Kirlian photography is very popular. Psoriasis that is going to come can be found out six months before its actual onset.

This Kirlian photography has got the power to find out the likely onset of diseases six months earlier. It is similar to the X-ray. It is an invention still deeper and more effective than X-ray.

Through this Kirlian photography, the scientists have proved the existence of these seven chakras.

Scientists have proved that when a person is in a blissful state of mind, the chakra enlarging to the size of a cart-wheel and when a person is in a sorrowful state of mind the chakra shrinking to the size of a small button.

Our scientists are proving that when we are immersed in meditation and hence are in a blissful state, the chakra expanding to the size of a cart-wheel, and the same chakra shrinking to the size of a small button when we are in a sorrowful state of mind. The science of making these seven chakras function is only Raja Yoga.

First step is Yama. Yama means a disciplined living. There are five things in Yama. They are Ahimsa, Brahmacharya, Sathya, Aparigraha and Astheya. That is living a life of purity. Generally, all of us have an idea that living a pure life, discipline and such things are all olden-day things. One may ask, 'nowadays, who is ready to listen to all these things, Master?' If you see, all of us think that discipline; dharma (righteousness) and purity are all outdated matters. But today, scientists of psychology say, 'by means of prayers and by living a pure life, we do not know whether God will save you or not, but your prayers and purity do save you and this can be proved by us'.

There is a beautiful book, 'How to stop worrying and start living' written by Dale Carnegie, a great psychologist. He says, 'I do not know whether Jesus will save you or not by prayers, but by way of prayers you can save yourself'. The pure living brings out the energy latent within us. It enables the prana energy within us to function fully. It helps to keep our body and mind pleasant and stable. That is why our ancestors have formulated and prescribed to us the basic purity and basic good conducts.

The second one is Niyama. Niyama also is in a similar way, purity. What we have to follow in our daily life; taking bath daily, wearing neat and tidy dresses etc. We may think, 'How can things like taking bath daily and wearing neat dresses etc. can become steps for spirituality?' If our body is not kept clean, it is not possible for us to keep our mind clean. Body and the mind are not two separate things as we think.

One small example. Can you be angry while lying relaxed? It is not possible. If you have to be angry, you have to bite your teeth, get up and sit; you must make your body stiff; then only it would be possible. If you are very relaxed, you cannot become angry. There is a very close relationship between the state in which the body is and the state of mind. This is because the body and mind are not two separate independent matters. If you remain for two days without taking a bath, you yourself will have a conscious feeling of restlessness. During some travel, if you have not taken bath for two days, your mind also will be uneasy. You yourself can feel that. Again, this is because the body and mind have a close relationship. Showcha means keeping ourselves and the things around us neat and tidy. All these will come under the second step, Niyama.

Third step is Asana. Asana means keeping the body at ease, sturdy and strong and well protected. Do not think that Asana refers to only those things done by bending and twisting the body from morning to evening. As far as I am concerned, if some thing is to be said about Asana, I would say that if you remain without watching television unduly, then that itself is an asana. You may ask how. Observe keenly; after watching television up to 2 in the night, even after that you watch cricket. Your eyes would be begging, 'O Sir, It is not possible for me. Please give me some rest'. The eyes just close by themselves. They ask for sleep. But what do you do? You continue to sit and see and are determined to see and watch accordingly.

Not only that. With the tongue burning, eating food stuff which is pungent and spicy. The thing oposed to Asana is only doing things which result in being harmful for the body. Asana cannot be reduced to bending the body this way and that way alone. Keeping the body in the proper fitness can also be referred to asana; remaining without unduly harming the body, without torturing the body. All of us keep saying again and again outwardly, 'I love my body' and will be thinking so; but really we do not love our body; we actually deceive our body.

We use our body beyond its limits. In other words, we exploit our body. Just because we have got the body, we exploit it as per our thoughts and suiting our comfort and happiness. It is wrong to exploit the body beyond limits for the sake of our pleasures and comforts. Remaining without exploiting is referred to asana. That is, remaining always pleasant and comfortable is asana; keeping the body pleasant and comfortable always. For the sake of our own desires, our own comforts, beyond limits we should not destroy our body. We should not torture our body. This only is Asana.

Next one is Pranayama, controlling the prana. When we say controlling the prana, one important thing needs to be understood. All of us do not breathe fully and completely. Look at your flow of breathing. It will happen only to half the extent. Breathing will not happen fully. The reason is that your mind does not remain within your body. If you will see, the mind will always be roaming about somewhere, making its own trip. If you are in the house in the morning, you will be thinking about the office. If you are in the office, you will be thinking about going to the temple in the evening. In the evening when you go to the temple, you will be thinking about when to get back home. If you are here, then it means that your mind is not here. We can say that one at least, clearly.

When your body is there in a particular place, your mind does not remain at that place. The reason is that we have become habituated this way. Going on imagining things one after the other continuously. If your mind is not in your body, breathing will not be a long one. This is because the mind and the breath are very closely interconnected. If you are very angry, you can see that your breathing will be quick and fast. You can see in your life itself that if the feelings become intense and fast, the breathing also will be quick and fast, whatever the type of feelings be. There is very close relationship between breath and the mind.

If you look at the teeth of the elephant, it will be the same material; if it is outside it will be the tusk and that which is inside is its tooth. 'The tooth that is protruding outside is the tusk and the tusk that is inside is its tooth'. In our body also it is similar in that the breath which is flowing inside is the mind; the mind which runs outside is the breath. Mind and the breath are very closely connected.

If your mind remains in your body, under your control, an elongated breathing will happen. A long breath will pave way for a long life. But, generally if you see, the mind is not within the body, it will be somewhere else, thinking about some thing or the other. When there is shallow thinking, shallow breathing will begin to happen. If the breathing is shallow, the thinking will be shallow. If the thinking is shallow, the breathing will be shallow. When the flow of thoughts is just superficial, the breathing will also be superficial. If we keep our mind under our control, the breathing will be deep and clear.

Next one is Prathyahara (contemplation). It is a wonderful step. Keeping our mind concentrated and focused at one place without continuous running and scattering it in many places. Prathyahara is focusing the mind on only one reason. When that focusing the mind on only one reason happens, a boundless mental energy will get released. If God has given you 100 per cent of energy, all those 100 per cent energy is spent on unnecessary flow of thoughts only. It is not spent on any particular thought being put in the form of action.

There are two things. One is Icchaa Shakthi (power to desire), the other is Kriya Shakthi (power to create). Our entire energy is spent on creating the desires only and not at all being spent on satisfying or fulfilling the desires. Because, in the time that is available to you, during your entire day, the mind is continuously wandering, either this or that or something else. Since it is running behind various things one after the other, there is no patience to the extent of thinking about any one particular thought and expressing it as energy to create and give a stable form to that thought.

Our mind simply goes on jumping from place to place. When we are sitting here, we will be thinking as to what would have happened in the house, and when we have gone home, we would think, 'Oh! We could have remained sitting there itself and listened'. After arriving at the house what thought would come is, 'I could have remained and listened to the discourse; what am I doing here'. There is a continuous fight or dilemma going on, that is all.

The mind will be wandering here and there continuously. Because it is always wandering, nothing is used or done stably and firmly. There are two things, power to desire and power to create; Icchaa Shakthi and Kriya Shakthi. In our 100 parts of energy, more than 80 parts are being spent on mere creation of desires and nothing is spent at all on Kriya Shakthi, the power to create. This alone is our main and big problem.

When we practice the Prathyahara, when we decrease the desires, the required energy comes to us to fulfill and satisfy the desires. When the flow of thoughts gets reduced, the energy to make the desires into reality will come to us. What happens to our energy is that it will be utilized to satisfy and complete the desires that come. Suppose that ten thoughts come to you, viz. I have to build a house, buy a car, buy a bungalow, deposit money in the bank, have an air-conditioner; like this if ten thoughts come, to which thought you will utilize the mere hundred rupees available with you? You cannot use it for any thing at all. But on the other hand, if the thought is just one or two, we will utilize all the available energy to fulfill that thought or desire.

When Icchaa Shakthi reduces, then Kriya Shakthi increases. Prathyahara will help us to live our life blissfully. Because, as the desires reduce, the actions will increase. When the flow of thoughts reduces, the energy to do work will increases. Prathyahara is a method to make the mind become steady and focused.

The next step is Dharana (concentration). Dharana and Prathyahara are quite deep matters. Prathyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi can be explained in English by four words. They are respectively, contemplation, concentration, meditation and enlightenment. Generally, in our flow of thoughts, there will be no relationship or connections between one thought and the other.

Sigmund Freud, a psychoanalyst, says very beautifully that our flows of thoughts do not have any logical relationships. For example, you will see a dog on the street. As soon as you see the dog, you will remember the dog you saw when you were young. You will recollect the various dogs about which you had felt afraid. The next thought may arise that you remember the teacher under whom you had studied. Then you will remember the house where that teacher lived, in which part of the town he lived; there will absolutely not be any correlation. Is there any direct relationship between the dog you saw and the teacher under whom you studied when you were young? It is a different matter that both have shouted at you!

There is no direct connection at all. But our mind will be continuously doing some linking. There will not be any logical connection at all. If you write the flow of thoughts as it is on a paper, you will know that there is a lunatic asylum going on inside. There will not be any relationship at all. This is the way in which our mind functions normally. As you see a dog, remembering the dog you saw in your younger days; then remembering the childhood teacher, then remembering the house in which the teacher lived; it will be going on like this. There will not be any logical connection. This is the first thing.

The next one is, that if we focus our mind and think in a particular specific path, our mind will begin to come to some order in the same way as changing a wild forest river into a small rivulet with well-defined banks on either side. We call that as contemplation, thinking about a single project. If a wild forest river is converted into a small river with well-defined terms, it will give multifarious benefits. First thing the bad effects resulting from the forest wild river will disappear. Destruction being caused to the towns due to the floods will not be there.

Second thing is that we can generate electricity. We can use it for irrigation purposes. It will give many benefits. Our mind also is like the wild forest river without bounds. If it is brought to an order, if it comes within contemplation, some specific project can be executed successfully. Any job taken on hand can be completed fully and successfully.

The next is meditation, Dhyanam. Concentration is just thinking about only one object. If we think of contemplation as controlled traffic, concentration is all about just only one vehicle. Thinking about only one thing or object, focusing our mind on one thing is called meditation.

The next one is Samadhi. This is not thinking about one object. This is becoming that object itself. Sama + Adhi = Samadhi. Whichever object we are concentrating on, becoming that object itself is called Samadhi. Tasting sugar is Dhyanam; becoming sugar itself is Samadhi.

Let us see about these eight steps briefly:

The first two steps are: Yama and Niyama, maintaining the body in a clean manner.

The second two steps are: Asana and Pranayama, keeping our body in a pleasant and sweet manner and doing our breathing in a deep and clear manner for all the twenty four hours.

Next, Prathyahara and Dharana, living in the present moment. Keeping the mind at one place as it is without allowing it to wander here and there.

The last two, Dhyana and Samadhi, focusing our mental energy on a given specific object.

Let me repeat, keeping the body neat and clean; keeping the mind sweet and pleasant; enabling the breathing process to go on in the proper manner; focusing our mind on a single specific object.

It is enough if these four rules are fully understood. The essence of Raja Yoga will be useful for us in our life. By means of Raja Yoga what all we can get, their essences we can get in our life.

If the essence of the entire thing has to be given, the only one thing is; wherever you are, at all times and at all places, live in the present moment. Normally what all of us do? Worrying about the past or craving about the future. Most of our time is spent only on these two things. Our mental energy is being spent only in the past and in the future. A very nice quotation, 'past is over. You cannot do any thing about it. But you can spoil your beautiful present by worrying about the future'.

If you see our life itself, it is just being spent by worrying about the past and craving about the future only.

The basic key of Raja Yoga is, 'Forget the past. Do not worry about the future. Begin to live in the present'.

Immediately we all will ask, 'Master, if we don't plan about the future how do we carry on our lives?'

Two phrases we have to understand. Chronological planning and Psychological worrying. Chronological planning is calculating and keeping what is to be done tomorrow. There is nothing wrong in it. For example, calculating now after this discourse is over, to get into the car and go home. It is not wrong. But, worrying whether I will meet with an accident, whether I will reach home safely, what will happen to me; all these are unnecessary.

There is nothing wrong at all in chronological planning. Psychological worrying is wrong. If you see, compared to our chronological planning, psychological worrying actually is more.

For that matter, for chronologically planning, a lot of energy is not be required. But when we worry psychologically, the whole mind becomes very tired. If we plan chronologically and proceed as per that plan, there will not be any problem at all. We don't stop with chronological planning alone; we also worry psychologically and create a problem and only then we get satisfied! The beauty in worrying is that of creating such problems which are not actually there and beginning to fight with that problem imagining it to be there.

One man said, 'Sir, I am going to buy a buffalo'. Another man said 'I am going to buy land'. The first man said, 'Is it so? Then I am going to tie my buffalo in your land only'. The second fellow retorted, 'How can you tie your buffalo in my land? How dare you do that'. The other man said, 'Do what you want. Let us see'. Both of them begin fighting.

Neither buffalo nor land has been bought; no buffalo has come nor has land come. But the quarrel has promptly come. Creating a matter which is non-existing and starting to find out solutions for that. If we see in our lives, most of the time, we create a thing which is not actually there and we spend time in finding the solution for that.

An incident which actually happened:

A lady, about 30 to 35 years old, had come to our Ashram to see me. The moment she came she started crying out loud. I told her, 'Don't worry, tell us what the problem is, after that you may cry. First tell'.

She said, 'Master, whatever I say, my son does not listen. He does not obey me at all. If it goes on like this, it appears that he will marry of his own accord. I don't know what will happen to me'.

In India, a son is similar to a good amount-fetching cow, which can be sold at a good price in the market. There will not be any dowry at all if he himself marries, is it not?, what will happen There will not be any dowry. That lady had only that anxiety. She was crying and crying.

I said, 'All right madam, let us examine what the problem is; bring your son; after that let me tell you the solution'.

That lady said, 'No master, he need not be brought; I have carried him with me', so saying she put down the boy she was carrying and he was a boy of four!

This really happened. The boy's age is four only; and sees what that lady's anxiety is. 'If he himself marries of his own accord, what will I do, master?', that lady was crying really serious. But what is the age of her son? A mere four year old bo..

We are all laughing on hearing this. We too have done in a similar fashion at various times. Know it well; we too act like-wise at different times, at different places! We may not do so in the matter of a son, but we are doing it only for different matters. When the anxiety comes beyond limits, thoughts about the life become unclear. When we think about the future beyond limits, we forget the present.

In case that boy gets married too, this lady may get worries only after that. But, because she has started thinking right now, there is worry even before her son's marriage which is still far away! She has lost her peace of mind even well before her son's marriage.

Later I asked that lady, 'What madam, can't you think a little bit? The boy's age is just four only. How can you say now it self that he will marry of his own accord and all things that. Why is it like this madam?'

'No master, you do not know. Vilaiyum payir mulaiyileye theriyum' (in Tamil, the quality of the crop will be known when it sprouts itself), is it not Master? From what he is now, we can find out his mind, is it not master?' She has kept with her, her own logic to justify herself.

If we look into our lives, we support and nurture our worries and sufferings by some reason or the other. We do not at all worry as to whether it is true or not. That is why, it is enough if you

© 2021 Sri Nithyananda Paramashivam. All Rights Reserved understand these two things viz. chronological planning and psychological worrying. There is nothing wrong in planning about the future in our life. But worrying about it will ruin your life.

When you are worrying, it is not possible for you to do the planning. When you are planning, you cannot worry. We only have to decide whether we have to plan or we have to worry.

The essence of this entire Yogam can be given in these three lines; ‘keep the body clean, always perform the breathing lengthily, keep your mind in the present’.

Cleanliness of the body, purity of the breath and keeping the mind in the present time all these put together is the royal path to change your life to a blissful one!

As compared to other Yogas, this Yoga has a special significance. It is named Raja Yoga. The reason is that this is capable of giving the benefit instantly. This is a thing which has been proved similar to science. In the same way as in science, it is true that if you open out the shop there will be benefit, for this science also, it has as its base the truth that if you open up the shop there will be benefit. Other Yogas have belief as their basis. But Raja Yoga has science as its basis. It has proof as its basis.

Therefore, by following and adopting Raja Yoga in your life, the basic rules of Raja Yoga, I have not as yet told any thing difficult. Raja Yoga, as a matter of fact, is a deep one, a difficult one. I have given only some of the principles, which are its essence. By adopting at least the essence of this Raja Yoga in our life, we can take our life to an elevated state, a blissful state.

Let the essence of Raja Yoga create joy and bliss in your life and take you to eternal bliss, to attain the state of eternal bliss and to become eternal bliss itself.

Nithya ananda.

Thank you.