Yog Is The Union Underlying All Existence

Time of India

a day ago

For countless ages, rishis have shared their profound experiences of
higher planes of existence
, elaborating on philosophies of
yog
for humanity's benefit. Yet, with time, these teachings were buried and forgotten. It is in such times of collective forgetfulness that a revival becomes necessary.
Sage Patanjali
's compilation of Vedic aphorisms into a structured, succinct text was one such renaissance, crafted for the welfare of spiritual aspirants. His work was not an invention but a reorganisation of scattered wisdom into an accessible form. Expounded by Sage Kapila,
Sankhya philosophy
originated as a discourse delivered to his mother, Devahuti. This exchange is unique - a son guiding his mother towards liberation.
The origins of yog, however, precede even Sankhya. They are said to lie in Hiranyagarbha, the golden womb from which the universe itself emerges. Just as a child is conceived in the union of sperm and ovum, creation stems from the alliance of
Ishwar
and Prakriti. Sankhya philosophy elucidates this process: from Prakriti arise ahankara, maha tattva, the panchtanmatra, and the panchbhuta. Through a divine engineering process, subtle elements multiply, transforming into the tangible world we perceive.
Prakriti, the master designer, orchestrates this flawless process. When anomalies occur, the fault lies not with Prakriti but with external factors like genetic defects or the mother's stress. Similarly, the universe's vastness, teeming with life and matter, arises from prakriti's transformation. From subatomic particles to galaxies, everything originates from this cosmic interplay. All forms return to their subtle states when destruction occurs, and the cycle begins anew. This creation, dissolution, and recreation are a continuous stream, a beginningless flow.
The lineage of knowledge, too, flows unbroken. Krishn speaks of passing wisdom to Surya, who transmitted it to Manu, ensuring the continuity of yogic knowledge. But who was the original teacher? It was Ishwar, the first expounder of yog, initiating a lineage that has endured through the ages. Sankhya, Vedanta, and Yog are deeply interconnected.
The tangible world comprises the five objects of senses - sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. These derive from the panchtanmatra, the subtle elements. From these emerge the panchbhuta, the five gross elements - earth, water, fire, air, and space. Our bodies, too, are formed from these elements, housing cognitive and motor senses to interact with the world. Yet the body, though a marvel of prakriti, is inert. The
antahkaran
- the mind, intellect, chitta, and ego - animates it.
Each unit of the antahkaran plays a role. The mind generates thoughts, intellect decides, chitt stores memories, and ego asserts individuality. However, when the ego dissolves and the sense of 'i' and 'mine' vanishes, true freedom from maya is attained. Prakriti operates through three gunas - sattva, rajas, and tamas. These qualities shape everything, from the body to the mind. This interplay of gunas sustains the cycle of creation and dissolution.
Yog, in essence, is the union underlying all existence. It is the alliance of Prakriti and Ishwar, the synthesis of the tangible and intangible, merging of individual self with the universal consciousness.
Authored by: Anandmurti Gurumaa
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