YOGA : MEANING & DEFINITION

Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India.  Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science, which focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. Yoga is all about oneness, experience of oneness with the supreme. According to the great Sanskrit grammarian Maharshi Panini   the word "yoga" is derived  from the Sanskrit word "yuj," which means "to yoke" or "to unite." . It has three connotations: 

Divadiganiya: "Yuja samadhau" (यूज्  समाधौ) -Yoga is samadhi which can be achieved by restraining Citta vrttis.

Rudhadiganiya:   "Yujir yoge" (युजिर् योगे) . Yoga means to unite. It is the union of two objects, union of jeevatma and paramatma.

Churadiganiya : " Yuj samyamane" (युज् संयमने ): Yoga is to restrain or control our mind and senses to reach our ultimate goal.

  Yoga means Samadhi or Union. In many yogic traditions, this refers to the union of common attributes of Jeevatma  (Soul/Consciousness) and Paramatma (Supreme Soul/God consciousness). In the context of Patanjal Yoga tradition, the word yoga connotes only Samadhi. 

Based on the above mentioned roots, ‘Yoga’ has the following probable Etymology, Meaning and  definitions.

1.“Yujyate etad iti yogah”( युज्यते एतद् इति योगः)- Yoga is the state of citta (mind) that has attained restraint of all types of cittavrittis (mental modifications).

2. “Yujyate anena iti yogah”(युज्यते अनेना इति योगः)- Yoga is a tool through which concentration in all kinds of cittavrttis is achieved. Based on this definition, different paths of yoga (karma Yog, Bhakti Yog, Jnana Yog, Hatha Yog, Mantra Yog, Laya Yog, etc )are developed.

3.   “Yujyate tasmin iti yogah”      (युज्यते तस्मिन इति योगः)  -    Yoga is that state  where concentration in cittavrttis is developed/attained.
   

Few definitions of Yoga :

1. Patanjali Yoga Sutra :

       योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः 

       Yogah Chitta Vritti Nirodhah IISamadhi Pada 1.2II

 Yoga is restraining or controlling the mind-stuff(Chitta) from taking various forms(Vrittis). 

2. Srimad Bhagavad Gita:

                  योगस्थ: कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय | 

                 सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्यो: समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते || 2.48|| 

        Yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmaṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktva dhananjaya 

       Siddha-asiddhyoḥ samo bhutva samatvaṁ yoga uchyate

 Be steadfast in the performance of your duty, O Arjun, abandoning attachment to success and failure. Such equanimity is called Yoga. 

 The equanimity that enables us to accept all circumstances with serenity.  Effort is in our hands, not the results, we should do our duty only with dedication and diligently. The results are for the pleasure of God, and so we dedicate them to him. Now, if the results are not to our expectations, we calmly accept them as the will of God. In this way, we are able to accept success and failure, pleasure and pain, as God’s will, and when we learn to embrace both equally, we develop the equanimity and this is Yoga according to Lord Krishna. 

           बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते | 

           तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् || 2.50||

           Buddhi-yukto jahatiha ubhe sukṛita-duṣhkṛite

           Tasmad yogaya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kaushalam

 One who prudently practices the art of work without attachment can get rid of both good and bad reactions in this life itself. Therefore, strive for Yoga, which is the art of working skilfully with proper consciousness. 

 One should be engaged in yoga as equanimity, because yoga is perfectness in actions .

 तं विद्याद् दु:खसंयोगवियोगं योगसञ्ज्ञितम् |

 स निश्चयेन योक्तव्यो योगोऽनिर्विण्णचेतसा || 6.23||

 Taṁ vidyad duḥkha-sanyoga-viyogaṁ yogasaṅjnitam

 sa nishchayena yoktavyo yogo nirviṇṇa-chetasa

 That state of severance from union with misery is known as Yoga

3.Rigveda 1/18/7

 यस्मा॑दृ॒ते न सिध्य॑ति य॒ज्ञो वि॑प॒श्चित॑श्च॒न।

 स धी॒नां योग॑मिन्वति॥ 

 Yasmad ṛte na sidhyati yajno vipascitas cana 

 Sa dhinaṁ yogam invati

 No action of the wise is complete or perfect without yoga

4.Atharva Veda 10/1/31

 अष्टचक्रा नवद्वारा देवानां पूरयोध्या।
तस्यां हिरण्ययः कोशः स्वर्गो ज्योतिषावृतः।। 

 Ashtachakra navadwara devanam puraayodhya 

Tasyam hiranyayah koshah swargo jyotishavritah

 The body has been described as a holy city Ayodhya with eight chakras (centres of divine energy) and nine doors (the nine  opening  of the body). In it  the hiranyay kosha is the treasury of light, which is full of happiness/joy and light and this happiness and light can be experienced only through Yoga.

5.Yoga in Upanishads

Maitrayani Upanishad 6.25

एकत्वं प्राण मनसोः इन्द्रियाणां तथैव च |

सर्वभावपरित्यगो योग इत्यबिधियते ||

Ekatvam prana manasoh indriyanam tathaiva ca

Sarvabhavaparityago yoga ityabidhiyate

Yoga is the state in which the mana, indriya (senses)  and prana  become united ( Controlling the mind and senses and but no longer ruled by them).

Mandukyakarika

सर्वाभिलापबिगतः सर्वचिन्तासमुत्थिः |

सुप्रशान्तः सकृज्ज्ययोतिः समाधिरचलोभयः ||

Sarvabhilapabigatah sarvachintasautthih

Suprashantah sakrijjyayotih samadhirachalobhayah

Samadhi is that state of consciousness, when the mind is free from all its various forms, when all thoughts/worries remain restrained, when the mind is calm, bright and stable.

Kathopanishad 2/3/10-11

 यदा पञ्चावतिष्ठन्ते ज्ञानानि मनसा सह ।
बुद्धिश्च न विचेष्टते तामाहुः परमां गतिम्  ॥ १० ॥ 

 तां योगमिति मन्यन्ते स्थिरामिन्द्रियधारणाम् ।
अप्रमत्तस्तदा भवति योगो हि प्रभवाप्ययौ ॥ ११ ॥

 Yada pancavatiṣṭhante jnanani manasa saha |
Buddhisca na viceṣṭate tamahuḥ paramaṃ gatim || 10 || 

Taṃ yogamiti manyante sthiramindriyadharaṇam |
Apramattastada bhavati yogo hi prabhavapyayau || 11 ||

 When the five organs of perception become still, together with the mind, and the intellect ceases to be active: that is called the supreme state.   This firm holding back of the senses is what is known as Yoga.  Then one should become vigilant.

Yogshikhopanishad

यो पान प्रानयोरेक्यं स्तरजो रेतसौस्तता |

सूर्य चन्द्रमसुर्योगाद जीवात्म परमात्मनो ||

एवं तु द्वन्द्व जालस्य संयोगों योग उच्यते ||

According to Yogasikhopanishad - To combine  Apana  with Prana , kundalini with Atmatattva , Soorya svar (pingala)  with Chandra svar (ida  ) and Paramatma with Atma is yoga

कथितं तु तव प्रीत्या ह्येतदभ्यासलक्षणम् ।

मन्त्रो लयो हठो राजयोगोऽन्तर्भूमिकाः क्रमात् ॥१२९॥

एक एव चतुर्धाऽयं महायोगोऽभिधीयते । 

हकारेण बहिर्याति सकारेण विशेत्पुनः ॥ १३०॥

Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga these are the four roles. All four together form one Chaturvida Yoga which is called Mahayoga.

Swetaswatara upanishad

 पृथिव्यप्तेजोऽनिलखे समुत्थिते पञ्चात्मके योगगुणे प्रवृत्ते।
न तस्य रोगो न जरा न मृत्युः प्राप्तस्य योगाग्निमयं शरीरम्‌॥ 

Na tasya rogo na jara na mṛtyuḥ praptasya yogagnimayaṁ sariram || 

  When the  body of a Yogi is made of the fire of Yoga, and he will not be touched by disease, old age or death. 

 लघुत्वमारोग्यमलोलुपत्वं वर्णप्रसादं स्वरसौष्ठवं च।
गन्धः शुभो मूत्रपुरीषमल्पं योगप्रवृत्तिं प्रथमां वदन्ति॥ 

 It is said that the first signs of entering Yoga are lightness of body, health, thirstlessness of mind, clearness of complexion, a beautiful voice, an agreeable odour and scantiness excretions .

Kaivalyopanishad -   Shraddhabhaktidhyanayogadeva hi- Knowing the Atma by shraddha-bhakti-dhyan is called yoga.

Garbhopanishad - Yoga is the greatest medicine to be free from the bondage of birth and death- Yadi yonyah pramuchye’ham tatsamkhyam yogamabhyase.

Nirvana Upanishad- Yogena Sadananda Swaroopa darshanam 

6.Yajnavalkya smriti

 संयोगो योग इत्युक्तो जीवात्मपरमत्मनोः  ॥ १.४४॥ 

Union between jivatma and paramatma is Yoga. To know Atma and Paramatma as

they truly are, is called yoga

7.Yoga Vasishtha

संसारोत्तरेणे युक्तिर्योग शब्देन कथ्यते  

Samsarottarena yuktiryoga shabdena kathyate

According to Yoga Vasishtha Yoga is the only way to cross the worldly ocean which is full of pain and misery.

 मनः प्रशमनोपायो योग इत्यभिधीयते 

 Manah prashamanopayah yoga ityabhidhiyate (yoga vasishtha, Mahopanishad)

Yoga is a skilful trick to clam down our mind.

8. Agnipurana 

Atmamanasapratyaksha vishista ya manogatih. Tasya

brahmani samyogo yoga ityabhidhiyate. (379/25)

Yoga is a distinctive state of the mind. When the mind is able to know itself and the Atma in its true form then the mind attains Samyoga  with Brahma. The term Samyoga here means that Samaroopata (similar qualities  between both Brahma and mind). This state of Samaroopta or the state similar qualities in the mind is called as yoga. 

9.  Skandapurana The union between Atma and Paramatma is described as the yoga of highest order. It directly means that Samadhi is yoga where complete cessation of Vrttis is possible.
 
 

10.Samkhyadarshana - Pumprakrtyorviyoge’pi yoga ityabhidhiyate- Yoga is the process of clearly separating Prakrti and Purusha i.e. causing their Viyoga and establishing the Purusha in its  ture form( Svaroopa).

11. Shiva Samhita :  Union of Shiva and Shakti .

12. Maharshi Vyasa, the  commentator of Yoga Sutra, defines. yoga as Samadhi: 'Yogah Samadhih 

13.   Maharshi Charaka - The withdrawal of indriyas (senses) and vishayas (object of the senses)  is called yoga. 

14.Swami Kuvalyananda-    Yoga has a complete message for humanity. It has a message for the human body, it has a message for the human mind and,  it has a message for the human soul.

Misconceptions About Yoga:

Common myths/misconceptions about yoga are :

i. Yoga is not meant for the ordinary person, the house holder but only for selected few.

ii. Yoga is associated with miracles and supernatural powers.

iii. Yoga is equated with mysticism, black magic or various types of mortification.

iv. Yoga is a system of therapy which can cure all diseases.

v. yoga is just set of exercise or physical activities.

These misconceptions indicate that many people are not aware of Yoga as a whole concept.