Concept of Yoga became more clear due to Patanjali Yogasutra. Patanjali is the name of great Yogi. He made the eight different group of the practice but also he gave clear definition of Yoga. In this Yoga, there are more philosophy then physical practices. It is most popular traditional Yoga in the world. Patanjal Yogsutra included Yoga for Practice, mental philosophy, philosophy of Meditation, category of meditation, Kriya yoga, and eight Sidhis. It (Patanjal Yogsutra) is divide in the four chapter (1.Samadhi Pad, 2. Sadhan Pad, 3.Vibhuti Pad, 4.Kaivalya Pad) and each chapter have it´s own importance.
Shri Patanjali was living at Kharikunwa (Banaras, India) in 400 BC. His concept of Yoga is called Patanjal Yogsutra and his concept for the Yogic practice is called Ashtanga yoga which is the part of `Yogsutra`.
Ashtanga yoga is the group of practice in eight steps. It is 1. Yam 2. Niyam 3.Asan 4.Pranayam 5.Pratyahar 6.Dharna 7.Dhyan and 8.Samadhi. These all steps are divided in to two major groups. First group is from Yam to Pranayam and Second group is from Dharna to Samadhi. First group called Bahirang Abhyas (External Practice) and Second group called Antarang Abhyas (Internal Practice). Pratyahar is the link between Bahirang and Antarang Abhyas.
One by one these all steps are related to each other. Practitioner shift very slowly and continuous from the external practice to internal practice.
These are:
1.Yama
2.Niyama
3. Asana
4. Pranayama
5. Pratyahara
6. Dharna
7. Dhyan
8. Samadhi
For the peoples, Yoga means mostly Asan, some meditation, relaxation, a bit breathing exercise. This is all what peoples do on the name of yoga. Then Yoga just convert only for the physical fitness on external level and little bit on internal level but this is not all the Yoga. we just use the Yoga for our material world. Yoga is the technique who help to come out from this material world and travel you to the point of your origin, where you become ultimate calm, peaceful and satisfied and your energy become under your control.
"We should follow completely and honestly all the rules of Yoga to get the complete result of Yoga" ...Kashinath
There are first two rules (Yam and Niyam) which comes before the Asan (Physical Practice) and through these two rules we can purify our mind and prepare itself for the next step which is Asan. Then Asan will be not work only for the physical fitness as well as also for the spiritual growth and fitness.
Yam and Niyam are help to purify the mind and help to save your energy from being lose and useless. Yam and Niyam both have five discipline.
1.Yama
I. Ahimsa-Non violence:
"Vitarka himsadayah kritkaritanumodita lobhkrodh mohapurvaka mridumadhyadhimatra dukhagyananantfhala iti pratipakshabhawana I
(34, 2 Yogsutra)
The obstructions to Yoga are killing, falsehood, etc., whether committed, caused, or approved; either through avarice, or anger, or ignorance; whether slight, middling, or great; and they result in infinite ignorance and misery. This is (the method of) thinking the contrary. (34, 2 Yogsutra)
If I tell a lie, or approve to other doing so, this equally sinful. If it is a very mild lie, still it is a lie. Every vicious thought will rebound, every thought of hatred which you may have thought, in a cave even, is stored up, and will one day come back to you with tremendous power in the form of some misery here. If you project hatred and jealousy, they will rebound on you with compound interest. No power can avert them; when once you have put them in motion, you will have to bear them. Remembering this will prevent you from doing wicked things. (Shri Swami Vivekanand, modern philosopher 19th Century, his thought based on Raja Yoga)
"Ahimsa pratisthayam tatsannidhau vairtyagah I (35, 2 Yogsutra)
Peoples establishe in non violence have no feeling of enemy.
II. Satya-Speaking truth:
Satyapratisthayam kriyafalashraytvam I (36, 2 Yogsutra)
By the establishe of truthfulness the Yogi gets the power of attaining for himself and others the fruits of work. The speaking truth should be without any impurities and in stablishment of truth, action becomes positive.(result will be useful).
III. Asteya-Non stealing:
Asteyapratisthayam sarvaratnopasthanam I (37, 2 Yogsurtra)
By the establishment of the non-stealing every stones(wealth) comes to practitioner.
IV. Brahmacharya-Celebacy:
Brahmacharyapratisthayam viryalabhah I (38, 2 Yogsutra)
By the establishment of celebacy, get benefit of energy (craft/semen/energy).
V. Aparigrah-Non receiving:
Aparigrahsthairye janmakathntasanbodhah I (29,2 Yogsutra)
When non-receiving becomes stable or fixed feel meaning of birth and life.
2.Niyama
I. Shauch-Purification:
Sauchatswangjugupsa parairsansargah I (40,2 Yogsutra)
Through cleanliness arises truth of the body, non attachment with bodily feelings and non attachment with other body included non-intercourse.
II. Santosh-Satisfaction:
Santoshadnutam sukhlabhah I (42,2 Yogsutra)
Contentment (satisfaction) brings superlative (best) happiness.
III. Tap-Penance:
Kayendriyasidhirshudhikshayat tapasah I (43,2 Yogsutra)
Through penance body and mind becomes more strength full (perfect) and decrease impurities.
IV. Swadhyay-Study to itself:
Swadhyayadist devatasamprayogah I (44,2 Yogsutra)
Through self study comes the realisation of the intended deity.
(Self study is also a kind of strong mental purification, it is work also to come down ego and improve capacity of self realisation. When it establishe, we have the capacity to see the truth and we becomes pure and soft and this is the power why we can introduce with intended deity...Kashinath)
V. Ishwarpranidhan-Surrender to God:
Samadhisidhirishwarpranidhanat I (45,2 Yogsutra)
By surrendering life in God Samadhi becomes perfect.
3. Asana-Stability/Physical Postures:
Sthirsukhamasanam I (46,2 Yogsutra)
Constant and pleasent bodyposture is Asan. Any posture when we can hold longer with stability and happiness without any pain is called Asan.
Until you can get a firm seat you can not practicee the breathing and other exercises. Firmness of seat means that you do not feel the body sensation at all. In the ordinary way, you will find that as soon as you sit for a few minutes all sorts of disturbances come into the body; but when you have got beyond the idea of a concrete body, you will lose all sense of the body. You will feel neither pleasure nor pain. And when you take your body up again, it will feel so rested. It is the only perfect rest that you can give to the body. When you have succeeded in conquering the body and keeping it firm, your practice will remain firm, but while you are disturbed y the body, your nerves become disturbed, and you cannot concentrate the mind. (Shri Swami Vivekanand)
Tasminsatiswaspraswas sayorgativikshedah I (49,2 Yogsutra)
when the motion of inhalation and exhalation controlled called Pranayam.
5. Pratyahara-Controlling sensual organs:
Swavishayasamprayoge chttaswarupanukar ivendriyanam pratyaharah I
(54,2 Yogsutra)
In the absence of own subject sense organs becomes in the same form of chitta(mind, ego and intelect) is called Pratyahar. (Withdraw the sense organs from their own subject (test, sound, viewing, smell and touch/sex) and establise in real form of Chitta is Pratyahar..Kashinath)
6. Dharna-Holding the concentration at one point:
Deshbandha chitasya dharna I (1,3 Yogsutra)
To hold the chita at one place is Dharna
7. Dhyan-Continuing concentration:
Tatra pratyekatanta dhyanam I (2,3 Yogsutra)
An unbroken flow of concentration or repeatition of the concentration with equnemous mind at the same place as Dharana is Dhyan.
8. Samadhi-Meditation:
Tadevarthamatranirbhasam swarupshunyamiva samadhihi I (3,3 Yogsutra)
When there will be just the feelings of being nothing else and all kinds of faces of thoughts becomes zero(disapear) is Samadhi.
