Yoga Yo ga Tattva Upanishad Upani shad Translated Translated by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any Om ! "et there be #eace in me ! "et there be #eace in my environment ! "et there be #eace in the forces that act on me ! $ % shall now describe &oga'attva (&oga'ruth for the benefit of &ogins who are freed from all sins through the hearing and the studying of it ) he supreme #urusha called *ishnu, who is the great &ogin, &ogin, the great being and the great apasvin, is seen as a lamp in the path of the truth + he randfather (-rahma having saluted the "ord of the universe (*ishnu (*ishnu and having paid Him due respects, asked Him (thus. /#ray, /#ray, e0plain to us the truth of &oga oga which includes in it the eight subservients1 2 o which Hrisikesha (the "ord of the senses or *ishnu *ishnu replied thus. /"isten % shall e0plain its truth 3ll souls are immersed in happiness and sorrow through the snare of Maya 4'5 6aivalya, the supreme seat, is the path which gives them emancipation, which rends asunder the snare of Maya, which is the destroyer of birth, old age and disease and which enables one to overcome death here are no other paths to salvation hose who go round the net of 7hastras are deluded by that knowledge 8 %t is impossible even for the 9evas to describe that indescribable state How can that which is self'shining be illuminated by the 7hastras : hat only which is without parts and stains and which is How did that which is the seat of #aramatman, is eternal and above the state of all e0isting things and is of the form of wisdom and without stains attain the state of =iva : $? 3 bubble arose in it as in water and in this (bubble arose 3hankara o it arose a ball ( of body made of the five (elements and bound by 9hatus $$ 6now that to be =iva which is associated with happiness and misery and hence is the term =iva applied to #aramatman which is pure $)'$+ hat =iva is considered to be the 6evala (alone which is freed from the stains of passion, anger, fear, delusion, greed, pride, lust, birth, birth, death, miserliness, swoon, giddiness, hunger, thirst, ambition, shame, fright, heart'burning, grief and gladness $2 7o % shall tell you the means of destroying (these sins How could =nana capable of giving Moksha arise certainly without &oga &oga : $4 3nd 3nd even &oga &oga becomes powerless in (securing Moksha when it is devoid of =nana 7o the aspirant after emancipation should practise (firmly (f irmly both &og &ogaa and =nana $5 he cycle of births and deaths comes only through =nana and perishes only through =nana =nana alone was originally %t should be known as the only means (of salvation $8'$(a hat is =nana through which one cognises (in himself the real nature of 6aivalya as the supreme seat, the stainless, the partless and of the nature of 7achchidananda without birth, e0istence and death and without motion and =nana $(b'$> @ow % shall proceed to describe des cribe &oga &oga to you. &oga &oga is divided into many kinds on account of its actions. (viA, Mantra'&oga, "aya'&oga, Hatha'&oga and Baja'&oga )? here are four states common to all these. (viA, 3rambha, hata, #arichaya and @ishpatti
)$ O -rahma, % shall describe these to you "isten attentively One should practise the Mantra along with its Matrikas (proper intonations of the sounds and others for a period of twelve years; )) hen he gradually obtains wisdom along with the 7iddhis, (such as 3nima, etc #ersons of weak intellect who are the least (a O four'faced one (-rahma, among (the duties of &ama moderate eating D and not others D forms the principal factor; and non'injury is most important in @iyama )>(b (he chief postures are four (viA, 7iddha, #adma, 7imha and -hadra +?'+$ 9uring the early stages of practice the following obstacles take place, O four'faced one, (viA, laAiness, idle talk, association with bad characters, ac
25(b'2> he proficient in &oga should abandon the food detrimental to the practice of &oga He should give up salt, mustard; things sour, hot, pungent, or bitter vegetables; asafoetida, etc, worship of fire, women, walking, bathing at sunrise, emaciation of the body by fasts, etc 9uring the early stages of practice, food of milk and ghee is ordained; also food consisting of wheat, green pulse and red rice are said to favour the progress hen he will be able to retain his breath as long as he likes 4?'4+ -y thus retaining the breath as long as he likes, 6evala 6umbhaka (cessation of breath without inspiration and e0piration is attained Fhen 6evala 6umbhaka is attained by one and thus e0piration and inspiration are dispensed with, there is nothing unattainable in the three worlds to him %n the commencement (of his practice, sweat is given out; he should wipe it off Gven after that, owing to the retaining of the breath, the person practising it gets phlegm hen by an increased practice of 9harana, sweat arises 42 3s a frog moves by leaps, so the &ogin sitting in the #adma posture moves on the earth Fith a (further increased practice, he is able to rise from the ground 44 He, while seated in #adma posture, levitates here arises to him the power to perform e0traordinary feats 45 He does (or should not disclose to others his feats of great powers (in the path 3ny pain small or great, does not affect the &ogin 48 hen e0cretions and sleep are diminished; tears, rheum in the eye, salivary flow, sweat and bad smell in the mouth do not arise in him 4'5? Fith a still further practice, he ac(a "et him practise 6evala 6umbhaka once a day 9rawing away completely the organs from the objects of sense during cessation of breath is called #ratyahara 5>(b Fhatever he sees with his eyes, let him consider as 3tman 8? Fhatever he hears with his ears, let him consider as 3tman Fhatever he smells with his nose, let him consider as 3tman 8$ Fhatever he tastes with his tongue, let him consider as 3tman Fhatever the &ogin touches with his skin, let him consider as 3tman 8) he &ogin should thus unwearied gratify his organs of sense for a period of one &ama every day with great effort 8+'82 hen various wonderful powers are attained by the &ogin, such as clairvoyance, clair' audience, ability to transport himself to great distances within a moment, great power of speech, ability to take any form, ability to become invisible and the transmutation of iron into
gold when the former is smeared over with his e0cretion 84'85 hat &ogin who is constantly practising &oga attains the power to levitate hen should the wise &ogin think that these powers are great obstacles to the attainment of &oga and so he should never take delight in them he king of &ogins should not e0ercise his powers before any person whatsoever 88 He should live in the world as a fool, an idiot, or a deaf man, in order to keep his powers concealed 8'8> His disciples would, without doubt, re? he region of 3pas is said to e0tend fr om the knees to the anus 3pas is semi'lunar in shape and white in colour and has J*a for its -ija (seed letter Carrying up the breath with the letter J*a along the regions of 3pas, he should contemplate on the od @arayana having four arms and a crowned head, as being of the colour of pure crystal, as dressed in orange clothes and as decayless; and practising 9harana there for a period of two hours, he is freed from all sins hen there is no fear for him from water and he does not meet his death in water >$ Irom the anus to the heart is said to be the region of 3gni 3gni is triangular in shape, of red colour and has the letter JBa for its (-ija seed >)'>+(a Baising the breath made resplendent through the letter JBa along the region of fire, he should contemplate on Budra, who has three eyes, who grants all wishes, who is of the colour of the midday sun, who is daubed all over with holy ashes and who is of a pleased countenance >+(b'>2(a #ractising 9harana there for a period of two hours, he is not burnt by fire even though his body enters the fire'pit >2(b'>5 Irom the heart to the middle of the eyebrows is said to the region of *ayu *ayu is he0angular in shape, black in colour and shines with the letter K&a Carrying the breath along the region of *ayu, he should contemplate on %shvara, the Omniscient, as possessing faces on all sides; and practising 9harana there for two hours, he enters *ayu and then 3kasa >8'>(a he &ogin does not meet his death through the fear of *ayu Irom the centre of the eyebrows to the top of the head is said to be the region of 3kasa, is circular in the shape, smoky in colour and shining with letter JHa >(b'$?$(a Baising the breath along the region of 3kasa, he should contemplate on 7adashiva in the following manner, as producing happiness, as of the shape of -indu, as the great 9eva, as having the shape of 3kasa, as shining like pure crystal, as wearing the rising
crescent of moon on his head, as having five faces, ten hands and three eyes, as being of a pleased countenance, as armed with all weapons, as adorned with all ornaments, as having Ema (the goddess in one'half of his body, as ready to grant favours and as the cause of all the causes $?$(b -y practising 9harana in the region of 3kasa, he obtains certainly the power of levitating in the 3kasa (ether $?) Fherever he stays, he enjoys supreme bliss he proficient in &oga should practise these five 9haranas $?+ hen his body becomes strong and he does not know death hat great'minded man does not die even during the deluge of -rahma $?2'$?4 hen he should practise 9harana for a period of si0 hatikas () hours, )2 minutes Bestraining the breath in (the region of 3kasa and contemplating on the deity who grants his wishes D this is said to be 7aguna 9hyana capable of giving (the 7iddhis 3nima, etc One who is engaged in @irguna 9hyana attains the stage of 7amadhi $?5 Fithin twelve days at least, he attains the stage of 7amadhi Bestraining his breath, the wise one becomes an emancipated person $?8 7amadhi is that state in which the =ivatman (lower self and the #aramatman (higher 7elf are differenceless (or of e(a He will become absorbed in #arabrahman and does not re(b'$$? 7ometimes he becomes a 9eva and lives honoured in 7varga; or he becomes a man or an &aksha through his will He can also take the form of a lion, tiger, elephant, or horse through his own will $$$ he &ogin becoming the great "ord can live as long as he likes here is difference only in the modes of procedure but the result is the same $$)'$$4(a #lace the left heel pressed on the 3nus, stretch the right leg and hold it firmly with both hands #lace the head on the breast and inhale the air slowly Bestrain the breath as long as you can and then slowly breathe out 3fter practising it with the left foot, practise it with the right #lace the foot that was stretched before on the thigh his is Maha'-andha and should be practised on both sides $$4(b'$$8(a he &ogin sitting in Maha'-andha and having inhaled the air with intent mind, should stop the course of *ayu (inside by means of the throat Mudra and occupying the two sides (of the throat with speed his is called Mahavedha and is fre(a Contracting the muscles of the neck and placing the head with a firm will on the breast, this is called the =alandhara (-andha; and is a lion to the elephant of death $$>(b'$)?(a hat -andha by which #rana flies through 7usumna is called Eddiyana -andha by the &ogins $)?(b'$)$(a #ressing the heal firmly against the anus, contracting the anus and drawing up the 3pana, this is said to be &oni'-andha $)$(b'$))(a hrough Mula'-andha, #rana and 3pana as well as nada and -indu are united and gives success in &oga; there is no doubt about this $))(b'$)2(a he one practising in a reversed manner (or on both sides which destroys all diseases, the gastric fire is increased herefore a practitioner should collect a large
He should increase this period gradually every day Frinkles and greyness of hair will disappear within three months $)5 He who practises only for a period of a &ama (twenty'four minutes every day con'$+$(a hen he obtains the Baja'&oga and certainly he does not meet with obstacles Fhen a &ogin fulfils his action by Baja'&oga, then he certainly obtains discrimination and indifference to objects *ishnu, the great &ogin, the grand one of great austerities and the most e0cellent #urusha is seen as a lamp in the path of truth $+$(b'$+2(a hat breast from which one suckled before (in his previous birth he now presses (in love and obtains pleasure He enjoys the same genital organ from which he was born before 7he who was once his mother will now be wife and she who is now wife is (or will be verily mother He who is now father will be again son and he who is now son will be again father hus are the egos of this world wandering in the womb of birth and death like a bucket in the wheel of a well and enjoying the worlds $+2(b'$+5(a here are the three worlds, three *edas, three 7andhyas (morning, noon and evening, three 7varas (sounds, three 3gnis and unas, and all these are placed in the three letters (OM He who understands that which is indestructible and is the meaning of the three (OM D by him are all these worlds strung his is the ruth, the supreme seat $+5(b'$+(a 3s the smell in the flower, as the ghee in the milk, as the oil in the gingelly seed and as the gold in the (a -y the letter J3, the lotus becomes e0panded; by the letter JE, it becomes split (or opened -y the letter JM, it obtains @ada; and the 3rdha'Matra (half'metre is silence $+>(b'$2?(a he person engaged in &oga obtains the supreme seat, which is like a pure crystal, which is without parts and which destroys all sins $2?(b'$2$ 3s a tortoise draws its hands and head within itself, so drawing in air thus and e0pelling it through the nine holes of the body, he breathes upwards and forwards $2) "ike a lamp in an air'tight jar which is motionless, so that which is seen motionless through the process of &oga in the heart and which is free from turmoil, after having been drawn from the nine holes, is said to be 3tman alone1
Om ! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any Om ! "et there be #eace in me ! "et there be #eace in my environment ! "et there be #eace in the forces that act on me ! Here ends the &ogatattva Epanishad belonging to the 6rishna'&ajur'*eda
