Yama in P¡taµjala Yoga S£tra– An Analytical presentation

Yama in P¡taµjala Yoga S£tra– An Analytical presentation
By Gyan Shankar Sahay Director, Yogic Heritage, Lonavala

Sage Pataµjali has discussed the concept of Eight fold path of yoga, popularly known as aÀ¶¡´ga yoga, for the sake of removing the cause of suffering. He says that as a result of the practice of Eight fold Yoga with determination will result into diminishing and gradually removal of impurities and as a result of diminishing of impurities, there will be kindling of knowledge which will finally bestow discriminative power and this will be attained as result of complete removal of impurities ( PYS II / 28). Thus, before talking about Yama which is one of the eight methods for removal of  impurities, it will be more appropriate to get acquainted with the impurities mentioned directly or indirectly, by Pataµjali during the presentation of Yogas£tra. We can consider following factors to be impurities because Sage Pataµjali has clearly suggested regarding following factors for overcoming, controlling, attenuating, bringing to cessation etc. They are :

1. Mental modifications ( citta-v¤ttis) ( PYS I / 2 , 6 )
2. Hyper functioning of mind ( cittavikÀepas ) (PYS I / 29, 30)
3. Concomitants of hyper functioning of mind ( VikÀepasahabhuvas) ( PYS I / 31)
4. Purification of memory ( Sm¤ti ¿uddhi) (PYS I / 43)
5. Afflictions ( Kle¿as) ( PYS II / 2,3)
6. Suffering  (DuÅkha ) (PYS II / 15, 16)
7. Union between seer and seen principle ( draÀ¶¡ d¤¿yasaÆyoga) ( PYS II / 17, 18)
8. Ignorance ( avidy¡) ( PYS II / 24 )
9. Anti yamas ( Vitarkas) (PYS II / 34)
10. Conflicts of two opposites ( dvandva) ( PYS II / 48)
11. Covering upon light ( Prak¡¿¡vara¸a ) ( PYS II / 52)

We can identify above mentioned impurities out of which some are mentioned directly as obstructing / disturbing factors in the path of the attainment of discriminative power and some are mentioned indirectly such as covering upon light or anti Yamas or conflicts of two opposites.

Sage Pataµjali further in the same s£tra( PYS II / 28) declares that removal of impurities result into kindling of light of knowledge and this finally bestows discriminative power (VivekaKhy¡ti). Purusha / soul or ¡tm¡ realizes its own true nature and also attains the ability to discriminate between self ( conscious principle) and not self ( unconscious principle).

As said above this removal of impurities can be attained through the determined practice of Eight fold path. And Yama, the first limb in the list of eight limbs is described here.

They are :

ahiÆs¡saty¡steyabrahmacary¡parigrah¡Åyam¡Å– PYS II / 30

Yamas :

1. Ahimsa (Non Injury),
2. Satya( Truthfulness),
3. Asteya (Non-stealing),
4. Brahmacharya( Celibacy) and
5. Aparigraha( Non possessiveness).

Yamas are available in Jainism as PanchaMahavrata and in Buddhism it is available as PanchaSheela.These Yamas and Niyamas actually purify the mind or remove the impurities.

—  Generally Yamas are said to be the code of conduct for interpersonal relationships. However, this is not totally correct from a strict Yoga point of view.

—  Yamas are the group of injunctions presented in the form of Do’s and don’ts. e.g. Ahimsa, Asteya and Aparigraha are Don’ts whereas Satya and Brahmacharya are only seemingly of the nature of   Do’s whereas they are also don’ts

—  Thus all the instructions are of the  nature of don’ts. We are required to find out Do’s i.e. exactly what we are supposed to do.

—  Patanjali was aware that  we are fundamentally under the grip of anti yamas.

—  Anti Yama means opposite of Yamas , e.g. Himsa is the Anti yama of Ahimsa and Asatya is the Anti  yama of Satya and so on.

—  Yamas are required to be followed very consciously. A casual approach towards following of  theYama will not be sufficient.

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