A little blind
boy was thrown out of his house when he was only a child. He was asked to sit
on the steps of the temple and take God’s name seriously. He did exactly as he
was told and became a saint. When there is sincerity and devotion, one can
reach great heights.
There are few
like Surdas who follow the path of Yoga sincerely. For them, Abhyasa and
Vairagya are two things like a straight road, taking them to the highest
They put in continuous efforts till the mind is fully controlled. These are the
best students.
Other second
class students are also very sincere. They follow Kriya –Yoga. The first three
Niyamas are taken separately. The Niyamas are practiced in a determined way. Tapa
is done sincerely, but not in an extreme way. It increases one’s bearing
capacity. Swadhyaya includes thinking, perception and reading. It
increases knowledge. Ishwarara
Pranidhana is Bhakti, it takes care of emotions. Emotions should be
for God. In material world nobody is anybody’s and nobody satisfies emotions.
Emotions get disturbed, happiness is followed by pain. So these students have
emotions for God and they surrender to Him totally.
Through Kriya-Yoga
one can reach Samadhi. All these constituents are equally important. Bhakta
may not be strong, so Tapa has to be done. One who does Tapa well,
may lean towards Ahankara. One surrenders success or failure to God in Ishwra
Pranidhana and does not become egoistic or depressed. He remains balanced
always.
For the third
class of students, eight steps are recommended.
Published in the Sept 2010 edition of Yoga & Total Health Magazine.
