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Darshana Upanishad
Darshana Upanishad
Darshana
Upanishad
Thirunavukkarasu Sivasubramaniam
Editor cum Publisher in
1. Yoga Pradipika
2. Classic Yoga
3. Fit Well Yoga Life
Chapter 1
Yama
The Great sage starts to explain the yoga of eight limbs: Yama,
Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and
Samadhi are the eight limbs of Yoga.
Ahimsa - Non-Violence
Sathya - Truth
Asteya - Non-stealing
Brahmacharya - Celibacy
Daya - Compassion
Arjava - Straight-forwardness
The uniformity in treating one's own son, friend, wife, enemy, and
own self in all walks of life is Arjava.
Kshama – Perseverance
Willpower
Shaucha - Cleanliness
Atman is Brahman
Tapas - Penance
Santosh - Rejoice
Astika is the faith in Sruti and Smriti. (Note: Sruti refers to things
being remembered and Smriti refers to Vedas. Sruti changes
according to the ages and Smriti is eternal).
Dhaana - Charity
Hree – Modesty
The shyness felt in doing the act that is inferior according to the
concepts of Vedas and the world is Hree or Modesty.
Ashtanga Yoga: Niyama
Vrata
Svastikasana
Placing crosswise the two soles of the feet between the knees
and thighs and keeping the body, neck, and head in a straight line
is Svastikasana.
Gomukhasana
Placing the right ankle by the side of the left buttock and likewise
left ankle by the right side is known as Gomukhasana.
Padmasana
Placing the two soles of the feet over the two thighs and holding
the two big toes with two hands from behind the body is known as
Padmasana which will destroy the fear of diseases.
Virasana
Placing left foot over the right and keeping the body erect and
even is Virasana.
Ashtanga Yoga: Asana
Simhasana
(Note: Placing the two ankles in the sides of the perineum - right
ankle on the left and left on the right, placing the hands on the
knees with fingers spread out, showing his face distinctly by
opening the mouth to the fullest extent and keeping the mind
under control by casting the sight on the tip of the nose is
Simhasana)
Bhadrasana
Placing the two ankles by the sides of the perineum and firmly
holding the sides of the feet to become motionless is Bhadrasana
which will destroy the poison and diseases.
Muktasana
Placing the right side of the perineum with the left ankle and the
left side with the right ankle is Muktasana. The genitals should be
placed over the left ankle which should be placed over the right
ankle.
Mayurasana
Placing the two palms on the ground, placing the tip of the elbows
by the sides of the navel, lifting the head and the legs upwards,
and floating in the air like a stick with the single pointed mind is
Mayurasana that destroys the sins.
Asana
Sukhasana
By mastering the postures, one can control the three worlds. After
having mastery over Asana, one should resort to Pranayama.
Chapter 4
Ashtanga Yoga: Nadis and Prana
Nadis
1.Susumna
2.Pingala
3.Ida
4.Sarasvati
5.Pusa
6.Varuna
7.Hasti-jihva
8.Yajasvini
9.Alambusa
10.Kuhu
11.Visvodara
12.Payasvini
13.Sankini
14.Gandhari
Of these, three are more important. Among the three, one is the
most important. That is Susumna known as Brahma-Nadi as
called by the learned. Susumna is attached to the
Vertebral column known as Vina-Danda that is made up of bones
and extends up to the skull.
The seat of Kundalini is two Angulas below the navel. The form of
Kundalini is made up of eight constituents. She regulates the
functions of Vayus as her allotted function. Also, she regulates the
functions of the passage of food and drinks by the encircling the
sides of the navel with her own mouth which is the aperture of
Brahman.
Nadis and Prana
Ida stands on the left of Susumna and Pingala stands on the right.
Sarasvati and Kuhu stand on the sides. Gandhari and Hasti-
jihva stand at the rear and front of Ida. Pusa and Yajasvini are at
the rear and front of Pingala.
Pingala extends up to the right nostril and Ida to the left nostril.
Yajasvini goes up to the big toe of left foot. Pusa goes up to left
eye by standing behind Pingala.
Payasvini to the right ear. Sarasvati goes to the tip of the tongue.
Hasti-jihva to the big toe of the right foot. Sankini to the end of the
left ear. Gandhari to the right eye. Visvodara is located in the knot
of the navel.
Vayus
1.Prana
2.Apana
3.Vyana
4.Samana
5.Udana
6.Naga
7.Kurma
8.Krkara
9.Deva-datta
10.Dhanjaya
These Vayus flow through all the Nadis. Of them, the first five are
important. Among these, the first two are more important. Among
these two, Prana is the most important.
Prana always presents in the middle of the neck, nose, navel, and
heart.
The second five Vayus starting from Naga are present in skin,
bones and the like.
Nadis and Prana
The moon always travels through Ida. Likewise the sun through
Pingala.
The yogi, having faith in his own Atman, should not resort to
pilgrimage waters nor Gods made of wood and the like.
Nadis and Prana
The Thirtha flowing from the washed feet of great men who are in
pursuit of the true knowledge and attainment of yoga, it is the
Thirtha for the purification of the contaminated mind of the
ignorant. (Note: It means that only the grace of Guru purifies).
Shiva is firmly established in the body. The fools seek Shiva in the
woods, stones, sacrifices, chanting, charity, and sacred waters. It
is like the person who serves food licks his elbow after throwing
off the ball of food. (Giving up Shiva who stands inside and
seeking him externally).
The yogis look for Shiva inside and not in images that have been
created for ignorant people to conceive the Supreme Being.
Nadis and Prana
Inhaling the Prana through the left nostril and keeping it in the
belly visualizing the fire in the middle of the body, he should
meditate on the seed of fire ("Ram") with Bindu and Nada. Then
he should exhale the Prana through the right nostril. Again he
should inhale through the right nostril and meditate on the seed of
the fire. Then he should exhale the Prana through the left nostril.
He should practice this six times at three junctions of the day for
three to four days (uniformly for each day).
He should Inhale through the left nostril visualizing the form of the
letter "A" for the duration of sixteen Matras.
Thereupon he should retain the Prana in the belly for the duration
of sixty-four Matras visualizing the form of the letter "U" and
muttering the Pranava mentally.
Pranayama purifies the mind. When the mind is purified, the inner
radiance becomes visible to his own eyes. Prana along with mind
takes its abode in Atman. His body will rise up. The little
knowledge gained has the capacity to release him from bondage.
Benefits of Pranayama
Drawing the Prana from outside, filling up in the belly during the
morning and evening twilight or at noon, and holding Prana at the
tip of the nose, in the navel, and at the big toes of the feet, a yogi
will live for hundred years without diseases.
He who drinks the air inhaling through the tongue will get
immunity over diseases, thirst, and tiredness.
He who holds the Prana at the root of the tongue will drink the
nectar of immortality with the help of tongue.
He who holds the Prana at the middle of the navel after inhaling
through the left nostril and right nostril will be free from all
diseases.
For him who holds in the Prana in the navel after inhaling through
the tongue and drinking the nectar during the twilight of the
morning as well as evening and noon for one full month, the
diseases arising out of the imbalances of Vata (air) and Pitta (bile)
will perish.
If the Prana is held in the eyes after inhaling through the nostrils,
all diseases pertaining to eyes will be destroyed. Likewise the
ears and head too.
Pranayama
Shanmukhi Mudra
Mastery in Pranayama
Then he should press the perineum with his right and left ankles.
He should press with his ankles the joints under the knees
meditating upon Lord Shiva, Lord Vinayaka, and Goddess
Sarasvati.
Pranayama
Having drawn up the Prana through the tip of the stalk of the
genital along with Pranava and Sperm and confine it in the middle
of Muladhara. By this, the fire kindled by the Vayu will be brought
to Kundalini. Again there is the union of Prana, Fire, and Kundalini
in Susumna. He who practises like this will have mastery over
Prana.
For him who has gained mastery, piles, anal fistula, and other
diseases will vanish. All sins whether they are small or big will go.
Then the mind will become clear. Subsequently, the experience of
Brahman, detachment becomes possible. By detachment, the
worldly experience is taken as a tool to attain alone-ness. After
knowing the supreme God, he will be released from the bondage.
They who have the real knowledge view the world as the form of
knowledge. Others view the world as the form of wealth.
All the actions until death, whether pure or impure, are attributed
to Brahman. This is Pratyahara.
Having the mind well under control, having the idea of Atman
inside the body, he should confine the Atman in the indescribable
non-dual Brahman. This the actual Pratyahara as known by those
well versed in Vedanta.
He should mutter the mantra as "Ha", "Ya", "Ra", "Va", and "La"
respectively. It is the supreme Dharana that gets rid of all the sins.
For the person of a great soul who has resorted to the practices of
this nature, the knowledge of Vedanta manifests gradually without
a doubt.
Samadhi
The great sage Dattatreya said thus to Sage Sankriti who looks
upon his own Atman alone without any fear.
Om Tat Sat!
Classic Yoga
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Commentator Thirunavukkarasu Sivasubramaniam
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