Doing nothing is happiness for children and misery for old men.

Victor Hugo

Maharishi Patanjali basically known as compiler of yoga philosophy. He collected the information from all the scriptures and formed the Patanjali Yoga sutras. In Patanjali yoga sutras, he divided the yoga journey into 8 steps :

1. Yama
2. Niyama
3. Asana
4. Pranayama
5. Pratyahara
6. Dharna
7. Dhyana
8. Samadhi

In this blog, we will discuss about Yama in detail

1. Yama – When someone heard about Yama, instantly our mind pops up the image of “god of death” sitting on the big buffalo but here Patanjali is talking about restraint (One of the meaning Yama is restraint). Here, Maharishi Patanjali is talking about controlling our behaviour when we are dealing with others. Yama are further divided into 5 categories :

a) Ahimsa – Ahimsa means not harming anyone including you. Ahimsa works on three levels. It consists of not causing pain to any living being either by :

1. Manasa (mentally)- not thinking bad about others.

2. Vaca ( through speech )

3. karmana ( by your action)

In sutra 2.34, Maharishi Patanjali is talking about 81 ways in which a person can hurt anyone. For example – if you are a CEO of shoe company or fast food company. Directly you don’t want to hurt anyone but the products your company is making are causing harms to others in some cases they are becoming cause of cancer. Sometimes, people feel elated when something bad happens to the people whom they don’t like.

b ) Satya – Being truthful

Satya always comes after ahimsa. Why? Because being truthful doesn’t give you right to hurt others. We often become truthful when someone else is getting in the problem (again people whom don’t we like) and lie when we did something wrong. So, our “satyavadi” personality becomes active only when we gain something out of the situation.

Also, we lie when don’t want to face a situation or there is a fear of being judged but to hide one lie, we have to lie again. In this way, we can never come out from the situation. This habit can tarnish one’s image in the society also.

c) Asteya – Non stealing

We all are good people and don’t have habit of stealing. Usually, it is the first thing a person will teach to their children. So, how this applies in today’s world?

We do stealing unknowingly like taking credit for the achievements which belongs to others. Boss taking credit of work done by their subordinate.

Not reaching on time is also kind of stealing, when others were waiting for you, you stole their time which they will never get back. Cutting the line etc are also some example of asteya.

d) Brahmacharya – controlling over the senses

Brahmacharya was misunderstood by most of the people. Brahma means supreme consciousness, charya means to follow the footsteps, so it means one who moves towards supreme consciousness.

For householders, it means living in moderation. It will include moderation in food, sleep and sex.

e) Aparigarh – Aparigrah means non hoarding.

To know more about this beautiful concept. You can through this article on Aparigrah

Vedas are ancient Indian texts; they are the foundation of Hindu culture. Many times, we hear people talking about Vedas but our generation doesn’t know much about it. Although they seem to be written down around 1500 BCE, but they are much older than that. Earlier, they had passed it down orally through Guru – Shishya parampara, so, there is no written record present.

They are called “Apaurushya” (अपौरुष्य) means it is not created by any human being. The Vedas are therefore regarded as Shruti meaning “what is heard”. Vid means to know. Rishis are called “Mantra Drashta”. Vedas are also called “Breathe of Ishwar”

There are four Vedas :

Rig Veda –

Rig Veda is the oldest known Holy book. It is divided into 10 books called Mandalas. It has 1028 hymns and 10,600 verses. The entire Rig Veda is in form of hymns set in specific metre are called Mantra (Rik,Rig). Hence the name. Collection of these mantras called Sukta.

Suktas are found in the Samhitas of Rig Veda and Atharva Veda only.

These Suktas (Hymns) are dedicated to gods like Indra, Agni, Vishnu, Rudra, and Varuna. Rig Veda also includes the famous Gayatri Mantra. It also talks about Somras.

Upanishad – Important Upanishad of this Veda are Aitareya and Kausitaki.

Samaveda –

This Veda is the mother of Sangeeta shastra. This is veda of songs. The Sama Samhita contains mantras in the form of songs meant for worship. Samveda took several mantra from Rig Veda (Samanas).

Krishna mentioned in Bhagvad Geeta ” Among all the Vedas, I am Samveda”.

Upanishads – Kenopanishad and Chandokya Upanishad.

Yajurveda –

The Yajur Veda was composed one or two centuries after the Rig Veda. It is different from Samveda and Rig Veda. It is principally in prose form. Yajurveda means the Veda of the Yajus. Yajus were mantras sung during religious sacrifices. It has knowledge of “Karma Kanda”.

Yajurveda is divided into two parts; first part is Krishna Yajurveda (Black) called Taittiriya and second part is Shukla Yajurveda (white). Shukla Yajurveda is more organized than Krishna Yajurveda.

 Upanishads- The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Isha Upanishad, Taittiriya Upanishad are important Upanishad of Yajurveda.

Atharva Veda :

While other Vedas was talking about Celestial god, the Atharvaveda steps down from the Vedic altar into the soil of lived human experience.This Veda, often lovingly referred to as Praja Veda—the Veda of the people

Atharva Veda talks about

1.Healing and medicines. 2.Daily life and social harmony. 3.protection and rituals, Philosophy and ethics.

Upanishad – Mandukya and Prashna are important Upanishad of this Veda

Now let’s talk about four sections of Vedas :

Each Veda has four sections :

Samhita :

The beginning part of each Vedas is called Samhita. A Samhita is a collection of mantras, hence also referred to as the ‘Mantras’

The Samhitas are named after the Vedas they belong to. For example, the Samhita of the Rigveda is called the Rigveda Samhita or the Rig Samhita.

Brahmana :

The Brahmana constitutes the second part of the Vedas, they are mostly in prose. They are concerned with the religious rites and rituals.

The Brahmanas thus serve as the bridge between the metaphysical wisdom of the Vedas and the practical application of this wisdom in religious practices.

Rig Veda has Aitareya Brahmana and Yajurveda has Taittiriya Brahmana

The compilation of first two parts of Vedas “Samhita and Brahmanas” form Purva Mimansa, one of the Shad Darshan. They are also termed Karma Kanda

Aranyakas: 

The term Aranyaka means “belonging to the forest”. The Aranyakas are texts that were traditionally studied by those who had renounced the world and retreated into the forest for meditation and spiritual practice. These texts emphasize the more introspective aspects of the Vedic tradition, moving away from external rituals and focusing on internal, contemplative practices. these texts are often associated with the practices and insights gained in solitude, away from the distractions of society.

Upanishad :

Upanishads are the concluding part of Veda. Hence referred as “Vedanata”. There are more than 200 Upanishads but main are 108.

Shankracharya wrote commentaries on 10 Upanishads. Most of the Upanishad are in the forms of dialogues between master and a disciple.

The compilation of last two parts “Aranyakas” and “Upanishad” form Uttara Mimansa, also part of Shad darshan and it is termed as Gyan Kanda

These days most of the women are getting PCOS problem. There are many causes of this problem including poor lifestyle and stress.

What is PCOS?

PCOS is Polycystic Ovarian Sydrome. In this condition hormone gets out of balance. Normally, the ovaries generate little amount male hormones (androgens), but in this condition, they start making slightly more androgens. This creates hormonal imbalance.

How can Yoga Help?

Normal workout works on the outer level but yoga works on cellular level. It helps in reducing stress and lower down the cortisol levels, which is very important for hormonal health. Yoga can help relieve anxiety, balance hormones, improve menstrual cycles, and increases your body’s metabolism. Also, relaxation is the key to fighting PCOS.

5 Asanas that can help in PCOS:

Asana mentioned here will work on your Muladhara Chakra (Root chakra). Apart from Bhadrasana, these asanas should not be practiced during menstruation. When you practice them daily then you will get their benefits during menstruation.

1. Bhadrasana/ Badha Konasana :

1. Bhadrasana

Commonly known as Butterly pose. It is a very good asana for women. It increases the blood circulation in pelvic area. Thus, provide relief in menstruational problem .

Its supine variation will be also beneficial for PCOS or menstrual related issues.

To know more about it, please refer my post on Baddha Konasana.

2. Malasana :

It is deep squat posture. Mala means garland and sometimes used for referring “impurity” (as in elimination).

It strengthens the pelvic floor, tones female reproductive organs, provides relief from menstrual discomfort cramps. Also relaxes the mind which helps in balancing hormones.

3. Setubandh Asana:

Setu means bridge, bandh is lock and asana means posture. The final position resembles with Bridge. Hence, the name. Also called as Bridge Posture.

Excellent for lower back problems. The lower abdominal toning and the pelvic stability stimulate the urogenital organs of the body. It helps in treating the discomforts of menopause and painful menstruation by toning the uterus. Provide relief in thyroid condition as well. As this is a mild inversion pose and blood circulation increases in the brain. So, reduces stress, anxiety and calms the mind.

4. Bhujangasana :

Also called Cobra Pose. Already popular among people with spine issues but this simple asana is loaded with benefits.

While doing this asana, the blood circulation increases around pelvic area, your ovaries and uterus get benefitted from it. Hence, your PCOS and PCOD symptoms get decreased.

5. Shavasana :

In today’s world, we don’t know how to relax. In this asana, we consciously relax every part of our body. Energy blockage in that part also gets released in the process and we feel much lighter. It reduces stress hormones, improves sleep quality, balances the entire body.

Apart from these asanas, few Pranayama will also help in PCOS which we will discuss later.

Hope this post will help you and encourage you to add this asanas in your daily workout session.

I am practicing Yoga asanas for a long time. The main difference is that earlier, I was not doing it on regular basis and without awareness of what exactly yoga means. Before joining The Yoga Institute, I didn’t know much about the spiritual side of yoga. Although I have tried to understand the Patanjali Yoga Sutra by myself, but my efforts was not successful.

By getting a deeper understanding of Yoga, I became more attracted to it. It made me understand that we all belong to the very rich heritage of India. We are Indians but we don’t know much about our own culture. During this course, I got a brief introduction of Samkhya, Upanishads and Bhagvad Geeta. Samkhya is one of our six astika darshan. Honestly, before this course I was not even aware of darshan. The Yoga that I have been practicing for a long time is also part of Indian Shad Darshana.

During this one year duration. I learned to reflect on my actions. Yoga is all about awareness. We are not even aware of our feelings. Most of the time, we blame others for our own mistakes. I learned to own my mistakes. Thanks to Omprakash sir, who is truly our mentor. I understand how to apply the concept of Yama and Niyama in life, which I am still learning.

Understanding Yamas (Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha) and Niyamas (Shaucha, Santosh, Tapa, Swadhyay and Ishwarpranidhan) on a deeper level can change your perspective towards life.

During this one year, I got the chance to stay at the institute which was an amazing experience. I met my Gurus in person and the vibes of the institute was wonderful. We were lucky to meet Hansa ma everyday in person, which was our bonus. Her experience and point of view towards life help us to think clearly and made good choices while taking important decisions. We all question sometimes why we follow all moral code of conduct in today’s world? She gracefully helps us to understand that we are doing this for ourselves, not for others. This will make our own life easier.

We learned from Hansa ma how to follow dharma (duty). She told us that our first duty is towards ourselves. It is not about becoming selfish but taking care of yourself while you are performing your duties towards others.

Another learning for me was staying away from my home, especially my son. We all get an opportunity to be independent.

I met so many beautiful people during this journey both online and offline. Not only, I learn from seniors, but I get inspiration from my juniors as well. Our student group is very helpful and cooperative. I would love to say thank you to each and every person from my student group. You guys rock.

Maybe you are wondering in this yoga blog, why am I not talking about my growth in asanas? Because yoga is not all about asanas, it is more about knowing yourself. Still, I would like to share that I progressed well in asanas area as well. I not only gained strength and flexibility, but get a lot of insights about asana and pranayama, Thanks to Dharmesh sir and team for sharing in- depth knowledge.

I feel blessed that I get the chance to gain knowledge from teacher like Promil ma’am and Sangeeta ma’am, whom I consider more like my Guru. Those Patanjali Yoga sutra and TOM classes changed my way of thinking. Promil ma’am made Patanjali Yoga sutras so easy and interesting that now it has become an integral part of my life.

Honestly, earlier I was not sure about becoming a yoga instructor but during my course, I learned about my potential to pass on my knowledge to others as a teacher. This path changed my life in a good way. I would love to introduce others to this path as well. Maybe one day we will understand yoga is not all about asanas and by following this way we can connect with ourselves.

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जना: सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन ।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥ ७.१६ ॥

In this shloka, Shri Krishna is mentioning about 4 types of Bhakht:

Arta (आर्त भक्त) –

These Bhaktas remember lord at the time of distress. First they try to seek other options, when nothing works out they come to the lord for the help. Then they realise that only lord can help them in overcoming their problems. Like Draupadi, first she asked for help from everyone but when no one came forward she completely surrendered to Lord Krishna and then Lord Krishna helped her.

Artharthi – (अर्थार्थी) –

Arth means money or wealth in Hindi. These kind of devotees start their spiritual journey with the expectation of wealth or any other materialistic desire from the God. They have deep desire of wealth and they want god to fulfil their desire. Like these days, we all do prayers which sounds like transaction. If god will help me, then I will visit the temple etc etc.

Jigyasu (जिज्ञासु) –

These kind of devotees are curious by nature. Basically, we all human beings are curious. In fact, scientists have keen desire to gain knowledge and know things but they are not considered as devotees. These kind of devotees have desire to know about their real identity. ( real Swaroop ) like Lord Krishna’s cousin Uddhav, he was the param bhakt of bhagwan Krishna. By his name Uddhav Geeta is famous.

Gyani (ज्ञानी) –

These are real bhakts of Lord. Their faith or Shraddha in almighty do not change with the time and situation. Even during problems they know something good will come out of it. They never complaint and always surrender every karmas to god with devotion. These are Krishna’s favourite.

Now, take a pause and reflect on your thoughts to understand which type of devotee you consider yourself?

It is mentioned by name “Bhadrasana” in ancient texts like Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Bhadra means auspicious or gracious. Thus, also known as Gracious pose.

It is mentioned in Hatha Yoga pradipika as the one of the meditative posture. There Swami Svatmaram (author of Hatha Yoga Pradipika) mentioned it as “destroyer of all disease”.

“भद्रासनं भवेदेतत्सर्व-वयाधि-विनाशनम |”

Bhadrasana is a simple practice with multiple benefits.

1, Stretches the inner thighs.

2. Increase the blood circulation in pelvic area. Thus provide relief in menstrual discomfort and menopause symptom.

3. Nice practice for pregnant women.

4. Release the stiffness and tightness from lower body which will prepare you for other asanas.

5. Calms the mind and helps to go inwards.

Aparigraha is such a beautiful concept in yoga philosophy. It comes under “Yama” first limb of Patanjali’s astanga yoga. In simple terms, it means to stop hoarding anything. It can be huge heap of clothes or gadgets which are unused from a long time or simply stop purchasing things which are not required. On the lighter note, I feel Maharishi Patanjali was not a huge fan of any kind of “sale”. If you connect this concept with astrology they term these things as “Shani”. Now the real question is :

Why our ancestors repeatedly talk about this concept of not hoarding in several forms?

Yoga philosophy believes we spend lots of energy while maintaining unused things. It also takes space and attracts insects. Sometimes, people store things due to some emotional attachment. These attachments are not always healthy. If anyone can let these things go, he will also get some empty space in their mind. May be that’s why astrology connected it with Saturn. Many people believe that it slows down the process.

If you are stuck with old memories, you will not able to allow the fresh energy in your life. Good memories bring nostalgia and bad one brings negative emotions. We should keep only experience with any incident. Rest is redundant. Let it go…