Description of Yoga

Yoga is one of the six orthodox systems of Indian philosophy. It was collated, co-ordinated, and systematised by Patañjāli in his classical work, the Yoga Sutras, which consists of 185 terse aphorisms.

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The right means are just as important as the end in view. Patañjāli enumerates these means as the eight limbs or stages of Yoga for the quest of the soul. They are:

1. Yama (universal moral commandments); 2. Niyama (self purification by discipline); 3. Āsana (posture); 4. Prāṇāyāma (rhythmic control of the breath); 5. Pratyāhāra (withdrawal and emancipation of the mind from the domination of the senses and exterior objects); 6. Dhāraṇa (concentration); 7. Dhyāna (meditation) and 8. Samādhi (a state of super-consciousness brought about by profound meditation, in which the individual aspirant (sādhaka) becomes one with the object of his meditation—Paramātmā or the Universal Spirit).

Note that the third point, the practice of āsanas, is the source of the popular image of yoga.

The eight limbs of Yoga are described in the second chapter. The first of these is yama (ethical disciplines)—the great commandments transcending creed, country, age, and time. They are: ahimsā (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (continence) and aparigraha (non-coveting).

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Niyama are the rules of conduct that apply to individual discipline, while yama are universal in their application. The five niyama listed by Patañjāli are: śaucha (purity), santoṣa (contentment), tapas (ardour or austerity), svādhyāya (study of the Self) and Iśvara praṇidhāna (dedication to the Lord).