A Study Of Core Concepts Of Pataniali's Yoga Sutra

Just like the birds chirping in the trees,all of us want happiness,always.But happiness seems to be delusive,even to the most rich,famous and powerful people.Looking around,we see monks happy;and monarchs converting into monks.Monks tell us that sustainable happiness comes after peace of mind,which itself depends on contentment.We need to find a way of monks which targets sustainable happiness,contentment and peace;the way that today's man can adopt and practice within the limited time and energy he has.Yoga can be that way;it is proven by science and experienced around the world.Amongst all yogic traditions,Patanjali Yoga Sutra is equally revered.It is not something philosophical alone,to be studied;It is a practical path..Where other philosophies are like map-they tell directions,Yoga Sutra is like a vehicle-it carries you there.Moreover,it is not bulky and contains only 195 sutras,something needed by today's man.Patanjali Yoga Sutra is studied and analyzed from three perspectives-Philosophical concepts,Psychological concepts and Practice concepts.Maharishi Patanjali starts with Samadhi Pada,and describes the path of Abhayas(practice of Samadhi)and Vairagya(non-attachment).It is for yogis of very high level of practice,knowledge and caliber,those who carry the experience of Samadhi from their previous lives.Maharishi Patanjali calls them 'Bhavpratyaya and Prakriti-laya yogis.'Next,Maharishi Patanjali describes Kriya Yoga,the yoga of action.It contains Tapa(asceticism),Swadhyaya(studying/exploring the self)and IsvaraPranidhana(devotion to the Almighty).This part is described for the ones who have some spiritual progress in their account,those who already have yogic virtues.Finally,Maharishi Patanjali describes yoga for the layman,describing all the things involved in enlightenment.He describes Ashtanga Yoga(eight limbed yoga)with all it's parts and sub-parts.He guides you from where you stand and leads you through to enlightenment,a state of being always happy without reason,always content and always at peace.He makes you Jivan-mukta(liberated-being).