Aug 12, 2002, 12.00am IST.
NIDHESH GUPTA
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra forms the basis of all yoga that is practised today. It contains knowledge which is useful for all, whether one is an evolved yogi, a developing sadhaka or an uninitiate.
In the Astanga Yoga, the eight constituents of yoga are discussed. Of these, the first constituent talks of the five Yama. These are the restraints every human being is advised to practise in day-to-day living.
The first Yama is related to ahimsa or non-violence, not only in action, but also in thought, in speech and in every other conceivable way. The 35th yoga sutra of the Sadhana Pada says that when one practises non- violence, then, others too would give up hostilities in one’s presence.
The second Yama, satya, requires one to be truthful, sincere and honest. Truthfulness is to be practised by all, irrespective of what stage of spiritual evolution they may be at. In the 36th yoga sutra, Patanjali promises that when you practise truth, your words will have so much power that they would fructify and bear fruit.
The third Yama, asteya, says that one shall not steal. The 37th yoga sutra promises that the one who abstains from stealing, will obtain ‘sarvaratna’. The promise made by the sage is that as a man abstains from stealing, precious things would begin to come his way. The promise is not just for materially precious things; it is also for qualities of value.
The fourth Yama, brahmacharya, does not require complete abstinence, as is commonly thought. Sage Vasishta considered himself to be a brahmachari even though he had 100 children. It is only when one indulges in sexual activity for purely physical purposes that brahmacharya is compromised. In the 38th yoga sutra of the Sadhana Pada the sage talks about the labha or gain for one who practises brahmacharya.
The fifth Yama, Apari- graha, requires us to give up greed. It relates to non- covetousness. It can also be interpreted as having no extra possessions. There is thus a free flow of all that comes in and goes out. The 39th yoga sutra promises that for such a one, knowledge of the past and also of the future would be known.
Interestingly, we can draw parallels between these five Yama and The Ten Commandments believed to have been given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. The following commandments correspond to the five Yama: Thou shall not kill.
Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not commit adultery. Thou shall not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shall not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
These simple pri-nciples which are mentioned in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, as well as in the Bible, provide the foundation on whi-ch every human being can evolve through introspection. It is easy to condemn others for not practising these principles, whilst completely overlooking one’s own limitations in this respect.
The Bible narrates how when some Jews brought to Jesus a woman who had committed adultery, he said: ‘‘He that is without sin among you, let him cast stones upon her”.
One by one, all those who were gathered there left. Left alone with the woman, Jesus asked her: ‘‘Where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee?’’ She replied, ‘‘No man, my Lord’’. Jesus said: ‘‘Neither do I condemn thee: Go, and sin no more’’.
The practice of the Ten Commandments, as also of the moral injunctions set out in the five Yama are meant to be applied to oneself — they are not for purposes of passing judgment on others. These principles can be followed as guidelines for laying the foundation for one’s spiritual evolution.
SACRED SPACE
Aug 12, 2002, 12.00am IST
International Youth Day
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth.
Holy Bible
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From the earliest times the old have rubbed it into the young that they are wiser than they, and before the young had discovered what nonsense this was they were old too, and it profited them to carry on the imposture.
Somerset Maugham
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Myself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument About it and about: but evermore Came out by the same door as in I went.
Omar Khayyam
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When all the world is young, lad,/ And all the trees are green:/ And every goose a swan, lad/ And every lass a queen;/ Then hey for boot and horse, lad./ And round the world away:/ Young blood must have its course, lad./ And every dog his day.
Charles Kingsley
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Praise youth and it will prosper.
Irish Proverb
What’s to come is still unsure: In delay there lies no plenty; Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty. Youth’s a stuff will not endure. William Shakespeare
Like a kite Cut from the string Lightly the soul of my youth Has taken flight.
Ishikawa Takuboku
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