The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 1 (of 4)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 1 (of 4)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
Along with or prior to Pátanjali comes the Yoga Sástra of Yogi
Yájnavalkya, the leading authority of the Sátapatha Bráhmana, who is
also regarded as a main originator of the yoga doctrine in his later
writings. (Ibid. p. 237). Yájnavalkya speaks of his obtaining the Yoga
Sástra from the sun, ज्ञेयञ्चारण्यकमहं यदादित्यादबाप्तबान । योगशास्त्रञ्च मत् प्रोक्तं ज्ञेयं योगमभीप्सता ॥
“He who wishes to attain yoga must know the Áranyaka which I have
received from the sun, and the Yoga sástra which I have taught.”
X. RISE OF THE HERETICAL YOGAS.
[Sidenote: The Buddhist and Jain Yogas.]
Beside the Orthodox yoga systems of the Upanishads, we have the
Heterodox Yoga Sastras of the Buddhists and Jains completely concordant
with those of Yájnavalkya in the Brihad áranyaka and Atharvan
Upanishads, (Weber’s Id. p. 285).
[Sidenote: The concordance with the Vedantic.]
The points of coincidence of the vedánta yoga with those of Buddhism
and Jainism, consist in as much as both of them inculcate the doctrine
of the interminable metempsychosis of the human soul, as a consequence
of bodily acts, previous to its state of final absorption or utter
annihilation, according to the difference in their respective views. Or
to explain it more clearly they say that, “The state of humanity in its
present, past and future lives, is the necessary result of its own acts
“Karma” in previous births.”
[Sidenote: The weal or woe of mankind.]
That misery or happiness in this life is the unavoidable sequence of
conduct in former states of existence, and that our present actions
will determine our states to come; that is, their weal or woe depending
solely on the merit or demerit of acts. It is, therefore, one’s
cessation from action by confining himself to holy meditation, that
secures to him his final absorption in the supreme according to the
one; and by his nescience of himself that ensures his utter extinction
according to the other.
[Sidenote: The Puránic yoga.]
In the Puránic period we get ample accounts of _yoga_ and _yogis_. The
Kurma purana gives a string of names of yoga teachers. The practice of
_yoga_ is frequently alluded to in the Vana parva of Mahábhárata. The
observances of yoga are detailed at considerable length and strenuously
enjoined in the Udyoga parva of the said epic. Besides in modern times
we have accounts of yogis in the Sakuntala of Kálidása (VII. 175) and
in the Mádhava Málati of Bhava-bhúti (act V.). The Rámayana gives an
account of a Súdra yogi, and the Bhágavatgítá treats also of yoga as
necessary to be practiced (chap. VI. V. 13).
[Sidenote: The Tántrika yoga.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account