Patanjali Yoga Sutra Ch 1, Sutra 10 (Parisamvad)

Patanjali Yoga Sutra
Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 1, Sutra 10

Abhava-Pratyaya-Alambana-Vrttir-Nidra

Dreamless Sleep is the Mental Modification Produced by the Condition of Inertia as the State of Vacuity or Negation (Of Waking And Dreaming)

Abhava : non existence

Pratyaya : the cause , notion

Alambana : support ;leaning on, dependent on

Vrtti : activities , fluctuations

Nidra : deep sleep

Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra:

“Sleep is also considered as mental activity. We are discussing the various states. It’s not just a total blank run. Awareness is there. That is why that state also has to be controlled and checked. When you say, Citta Vritti Nirodha, the stoppage of the Citta includes the stoppage of Nidra. Not that when you fall into sleep you are in Samadhi; the mind keeps busy. So in the yoga sutras, they go into details. The mind has to be controlled completely - that is the idea. Activities that create sleep, dreams, etc. are also suspected. We have to recognize that even when we are sleeping some activities still go on. We don’t lose that awareness.

Q : Doesn’t a Yogi need sleep?

A : The mind is aware. Awareness is there. You don’t switch off awareness.

Madhavdasji was a Yogi. He used to meet people, answers questions, say things. It was noticed that there were times when he suddenly stopped. He was sitting. People were around, he was trying to say something and suddenly he stopped. It was found by convention and custom that now onwards he is not going to answer any questions or even be aware of the surroundings. So all those sitting around would quietly leave and for hours this man would be sitting, not saying anything, not doing anything. Just quietly inward and they would consider that as a Yogic state.

Naturally it was unusual and during this state much clarity occurs, much understanding can occur, that is why he would encourage it. Otherwise just sitting blank is not desirable. In our usual day-to-day life we want to think, and think endlessly. Occasionally we stop but for a split second, but then again start. So all that time mind is busy and the thinking is not a very Yogic kind. It is undesirable thinking. We should be able to stop, but we can’t. Whereas a Yogi who is at a different level, talking about Samadhi, techniques, experiences, he is able to be in that state and he remains sometimes in that state.

‘Deep sleep’ should not be misunderstood with this word ‘sleep’. It is a state of consciousness, where the person has consciously withdrawn, but it is a conscious activity and it can be prolonged and during that prolonged time, the mind doesn’t run after anything at all. It just enjoys that state. It may be that the state is so interesting and worthwhile that the person remains in that state for very long time any maybe it is close to death.

Such people like Madhavdasji on his last day, he told the gathering that today I will go to my room and please don’t trouble me. You can open the room tomorrow morning or a little later. He did that. He went into the room, closed the door, didn’t bolt it. He sat and was continuously sitting till next morning. When the disciples opened the door, he was sitting but not living. They realized that he has passed away. Now that was a voluntary control. So this is all about sleep, I hope you are not sleeping.

Q : Why is it that as age advance people sleep less and less?

A : They lose control, the thinking becomes more. A younger person can control the mind and stop the mind.

Ordinarily we are at mercy of nature and sleep just comes to us. If only effort is put then we can go to a different state, a deep sleep state where we are not conscious of anything and can remain like that for hours and that is considered as a good state. In case of Yogi, if he has no other interest, he just switches off. The Yogis can consciously do this. Not that they enjoy doing it, but since they have nothing else to think and prefer rather, to think of God or to remain in a condition where there are no thoughts, but they get into that state and they remain in that state for long.

There was this young man in Maharashtra who would come near the river bank and sit, just sit, quietly. His family was a little worried that this young boy may become a Sanyasi. So they got him married early. After the marriage also, he would go and sit for long at the same place. One day they found that he was sitting but he had passed away. This thing can happen because the person had reached a state where there was no interest in external things. He just enjoyed this quietness, steadiness, possibly understanding and maintained it. So these incidents do happen."

Smt. Hansaji J. Yogendra:

“Nidra is one of the characters of Citta. A small little creature also needs sleep. Humans can definitely alter this state. When the awareness is not there, then the person gets into a sleepy state. Nidra is definitely a biological need. If a person doesn’t sleep well, quite a lot of problems can occur. If a person doesn’t sleep for 3 days, psychiatric problems start. We have to be really, really particular about sleep because this is one of the Vrittis.

Sleep can be Klista and Aklista. When you get up in the morning very fresh and fine, you feel positive – that awareness is there. Such sleep is Aklista. If the person gets up in a dull state and wants to again go back to sleep then it is Klista. We have to work to get a good sleep. We have to change these Vrittis from Klista to Aklista. A good positive sleep can relieve a lot of major problems. When you are not feeling comfortable, sleep early. Three hours of sleep before midnight (i.e. 9 p.m. onwards) and then wake up by 4, 5 or 6 a.m.

Seven to eight hours of sleep or rest is a must. We use our mind too much. So even if you get up early, don’t think. Thought is action, just rest. Do Savasana, Nishpandbhava, Dradhasana, Makrasana, but don’t think. There are various classifications in sleep - orthodox sleep, REM sleep, etc. At least 2 ½ hours of sleep is a must. The other hours could be reduced by meditation, by slow Pranayama, Asanas, relaxation techniques, music, etc. The sleep can be reduced from 8 hours to 5 hours or 4 hours depending on the purpose. Unnecessarily reducing sleep will not be right. One has to consciously experience a relaxed and peaceful state.”

About Parisamvad

On every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz holds Parisamvad  sessions - Free interactive sessions that are open to all. These session begin at 7:20 am and end around 7:45 am. 

The Friday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.

All are welcome to attend.


Want to learn more about The Yoga Institute? Click Here

Householder Yoga (WHY Convention 2012)

Click on picture to enlarge or read the text version given alongside

  ‘Householder Yoga’ is not a brand of yoga, unlike many popular brands that exist today in the ‘yoga market.’ It is simply a term to describe a simplified form of yoga for the common man and woman. Many people believe that the spiritual aspect of yoga is for Sanyasis (Ascetics) who have left their homes to attain enlightenment. However, there is a place, in the middle of the commercial capital of India – Mumbai, where yoga and its spiritual aspects are taught to householders.

The seed of this was sown 94 years ago, when Shri Yogendraji founded The Yoga Institute in 1918 after receiving practical firsthand training from the last apostle of Yoga – Paramhamsa Madhavadasji.

Even when he went to learn from his Guru, Yogendraji made it clear that he intended to live a householder’s life when he said, “I am anxious to learn from you and am prepared for everything, but I can neither lose interest in the society nor break ties with the world – the whole kaleidoscope of life around me. I am deeply interested in spirituality not to seek an escape from life but to live it more fully.”

At the time, many ill-informed people had extreme prejudice towards yoga. Scientific minds also considered its study as non-essential and unsuitable for householders and its practice by a woman was inconceivable.

In 1918, Yogendraji worked very hard to systematically revive Hatha Yoga by propagating it not just as a philosophy but as a positive science of potent educational, therapeutic, moral, intellectual and spiritual values to humanity. He simplified Hatha Yoga techniques and brought about a great transformation in the outlook towards yoga. Staying true to his word, he married and lived a householder’s life. His wife Smt. Sitadevi joined him in spreading the knowledge of yoga for the first time among women. Their son, Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra and his wife Smt. Hansaji are now continuing their legacy at The Yoga Institute, Santacruz.

Today, a popular belief has arisen that yoga means perfection in Asanas where one can perform different stunts and attain some miraculous gains. So, one may ask, “Why simplify Hatha Yoga techniques? Can we not do the same postures as the Hatha Yogis?”

Hansaji explains, “There are many varieties of yoga mentioned in scriptures. But Maharshi Patanjali used the essence of yoga from them all and gave a systematic path and made guidelines for us. He has defined an Asana as a posture where one can remain steady and comfortable and a person should put in enough effort to sustain it for a long time.

However, at the Institute, we found that there were many varieties of Hatha Yoga Asanas which were harmful if done by a common man. For example, a Hatha Yogi may stand on one leg, with his hands up for many hours or days. If a normal man tried this, he would lose his physical ability because his body is deficient and his nerves are restless. The hands would go numb, the leg would get swollen. Hatha Yogis live a secluded life and have no other responsibilities. They can afford to experiment with their bodies, whereas a householder has many responsibilities, anxieties and worries. So the path of a Hatha Yogi and that of a householder has to be different.

A householder does not require the extreme stretch of Hatha Yoga practices. Backward bending followed by forward bending till one can even touch the toes is enough for maintaining health, instead of doing a complete Cakrasana.

A householder has the chance to learn from the varied experiences he has in life, making his progress faster - he can be happier, healthier, do right Karma, can be accepting, productive and also good for the society. Patanjali emphasizes on control of the mind which is done on the intellectual as well as emotional level. The Bhavas (Attitude Training) is a unique concept taught at the Institute that help in gaining this control.

The main message we want to propagate is that the householder should inculcate yoga in day to day life, similar to how villagers squat when milking a cow and bend forward when cutting crops.

In fact, looking back into the past, traditional yoga was originally for the householder. Krsna went to Sandipani Ashram, Ram went to Vashistha Ashram. Students used to go and live in the Guru’s house where the Guru was a householder with wife and children. They learnt to apply the teachings to their everyday life.”

It is this very spiritual aspect of yoga, that hardly anyone is aware about inspite of all the hype about yoga, that The Yoga Institute has been silently working to propagate. On 25^th and 26^th December 2012, we celebrate 94 years of this kind of selfless service towards humanity.

As Dr. Jayadeva says, “This is a small institute. No central government, no state government, no municipal grants, no large donations from anywhere. It is carrying on for 94 years on its own strength. We don’t have Sadhus and Sanyasis. Here there are no restrictions. Yoga can be practiced by all but there should be a very good amount of self control and discipline. Try and understand concepts involved and use them in a simple way. Patanjali has made it very clear; those who are sincerely interested to follow yoga – to stop the Citta, should take up yoga.”

All are welcome to explore the world of classical yoga at the World Householders' Yoga Convention - 25th, 26th December 2012, at The Yoga Institute Santacruz.

Article by Ankita Shah, published in the August 2012 edition of Yoga & Total Health Magazine

www.theyogainstitute.org