Sivananda PracticeOfYoga

PRACTICE Of YOGA Swami Sivananda

Published by THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR-249 192 Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal, Himalayas, India

Price]

2006

[ 95/-

Eighth Edition: [ 2,000

Copies ]

©The Divine Life Trust Society

ISBN 81-7052-013-4

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Published by Swami Vimalananda for The Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar, and printed by him at the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press, P.O. Shivanandanagar, Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal, Himalayas, India

PUBLISHERS' NOTE The work, Practice of Yoga, is one of the earliest productions from the pen of His Holi ness Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and, perhaps, the oldest. It appeared many years back in two volu mes and has been out of print for a long time. It i s now being released agai n in a single, complete vol u me. The contents of the book wi II show that it covers varied fields and can, thus, form an excel lent introduction to the spiritual way of l i vi ng. The force and the compelling expressions of the Swamij i are a novel feature especial ly in his writi ngs which he intended to be a general directive to everyone. All his earlier writi ngs were characterised particularly by an enthusing admonition on the necessity of leading a life of the quest of the Spirit, with which the book commences. This rousing preface is usual ly followed by the phi losophy, ethics and practical i nstructions which al ways fi nd a prominent place in every one of his writings. Here is an outstanding example of a sai nt speaking from experience with a direct address to people who hunger and thirst for a permanent remedy and solace in a world of dreary expectations and hopes that offer l i ttle satisfaction. Man has to gird up his loins to do something rather than merely expect a miracle to happen i n the course of Nature's evolution. This doing is an outcome of one's wholesome being, the reconstruction of which on a sound and rational basis is the phi losophy of spiritual l i fe and the Leaching of al l adepts in Yoga. We are confident that this edition will be a source of inspiration to begi nners and remain as a general guide even to advanced seekers of Truth. -THE DIVINE Lire SOCIETY

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INTRODUCTION bonum of existence, the end and aim of human The summum life, is u ni versally accepted by all right-thinking men and women as the real isation of God-consci ousness and, as such, a c lear and comprehensive knowledge of the various ways and means to that end will not be quite unwel come. Unless the aspirants know i n unmistakable terms this exact science a s understood and practised by the sages and saints of yore, it wil l be extremely difficult if not impossible for them to attain peace, joy, bliss, i mmortality and God-consciousness.

It is my si ncere conviction that thi s book· will be of immense help to al l types of aspirants. This contains many practical lessons on Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga in a nutshell. This book will doubtless help the aspirants i n the path of Jnana to enjoy the supreme bliss of i ntense meditation. Followers of Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi will find in this book equal ly interesting and valuable lessons for the attai nment of perfect concentration and the blissfu l state Nirvi kalpa Samadhi . Again it serves as a divine l i ght to all Bhaktas to fix their minds on the effulgent glory of their lshta Devata. Students of Karma Yoga and Hatha Yoga will fi nd a wealth of i nformation and knowledge which will be of inestimable use to them. To the spiritual aspirants this book wi ll be a gift from the land of gods. If a si ngle i ndi vidual is really profited by the use of this book, my !'lincere efforts to serve Brahman (Brahma-Karma) i n expression-humanity and the world a t large-will b e more 'than amply repaid. The ulti mate import of Vec;lanta· is that the Ji va is identical with Brahman whose essential nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda. But owi ng to the force of Avidya (ignorance) the i ndividual soul identifies itself with the body and thinks that it l i ves only for the life-term of the physical body. Cooped up by the· brain, it i magines that its knowledge is only so much as can be circumscribed by the brai n. Carried away by the pleasures of the senses it whirls about i n the midst of them as though they constituted the real bliss. When it wakes up from the dream of l ower things of the body and looks upwards to the higher world of Spirit, it discovers i ts del usions Vll

and finds itself identi cal with Brahman. This discovery has to be made by each soul i n the human body in which it is functioni ng through the three mai n gates of head, heart and Muladhara. It cuts asunder the heart-knot (Hridaya-Granthi ), and real ises its all -pervading character;· it raises beyond the brain through Sah