Swami Ramswarup Ji Yogacharya
Where it is a matter of great joy that 21st June, 2016 has been celebrated as International Yog Day, there, it is also a matter of great concern that due to lack of Vedas’ knowledge, mostly a distorted and false image of Yog, asan, prannayaam etc., is being portrayed before the world because our eternal and ancient vedic culture does not imbibe the concept of performance of Yog Philosophy while laughing or dancing on music tunes or while exercising etc. Some of the sadhus have been seen in the T.V. lying on the water on asan and others inside the water too. This act has neither been mentioned in Vedas/AshtangYog Philosophy nor has been described by ancient/present Rishi-Munis; not being the motto of practisingAshtangYog philosophy.
All Vedas like Yajurved mantra 7/4 preach that in AshtangYog philosophy, simply the practice of Yam, Niyam, Asan (not in water or in air etc.), Prannayaam, Pratyahaar, Dharnna, Dhyan and Samadhi is required wherein above quoted acts have not been described.
So, on the International day of Yoga, undoubtedly the need of traditional study of Vedas, wherein AshtangYog Philosophy is preached by God, is emphasized amongst those who teach the Yog Philosophy.
Although it is true that on the Yog day, the entire world has been familiarized to the word Yog yet the presentation of a distorted and untrue shape of the eternal, everlasting and unchangeable AshtangYog Philosophy mentioned in Vedas amounts to causing its insult.
Infact, true form of the AshtangYog Philosophy, as quoted above, which also includes the true meaning of the word Yog etc., has not been put forth before the public on this important International Yog Day. So, today it is difficult to claim as to who knows the eternal, true meaning of the word- Yog briefed in Vedas and PatanjalYogDarshan.
Vedas and AshtangYog Philosophy which are inseparable from each other, donot belong to India alone, but based on the true history written by Rishi Valmikiji and Vyasmuniji in their epics, it is very well understood that the same have been the culture of entire world as well. In this connection, it shall also not be out of place to mention that proof thereof exists in the fact that the world libraries are adorned with four Vedas wherein AshtangYog Philosophy is mentioned, as the most ancient and authentic holy books of the universe. But as India so the whole world, due to one or the other reason, have forgotten the priceless Vedas and AshtangYog Philosophy at present, which are the source of several benefits like uniting all human-beings together, maintaining peace, ill-free, addiction-free long life, making bright future etc. Such divine qualities were maintained by the ancient public during the time when Vedas/AshtangYog Philosophy was in vogue, say all the ancient Rishis in their Vedic literature.
Therefore, nobody can even think about adopting any alternative to Vedas or AshtangYog Philosophy for the above said matters. We must also remember that according to Vedas the main aim of practising the Vedic AshtangYog Philosophy is to realise God and nothing else. However, its practice incidently provides the devotee with healthy body and mind. The ostentatious and glamourous way of performing asan, prannayaam etc., does not come under the tradition of Vedic AshtangYog Philosophy because Vedas preach that Vedic spiritual AshtangYog path is the subject matter of deep, serious thought.
In view of the above, if we have failed to produce the eternal, unchallengeable and unchangeable form of AshtangYog Philosophy which was adopted by our ancient and present Rishi-Munis and public, who pracitised the same in secluded places, caves etc., in calm and peaceful atmosphere on the banks of river and got the best result thereof then atleast some of the fundamentals thereof should have sure been maintained in the present scenario to avoid to produce its distorted form. The pious qualities attained by practisingAshtang Yog Philosophy, have only been mentioned by learned and experienced Rishi-Munis in their ancient Vedic granths like six shastras, eleven upnishads, Mahabharat epic, Valmiki Ramayan, Shatpath Brahmin Granth etc. The said dignitaries have mentioned the Yog Philosophy with full respect and utmost faith. The said respect to the said Philosophy has vanished in thin air. Yog Shastra sutra 1/14 emphasis that AshtangYog Philosophy must be practised regularly for a long time that is till death with utmost faith and respect. On the contrary, its form is being produced while laughing, dancing on modern music etc., where the matter of faith and respect has been oversighted mainly due to lack of Vedas’ and Shastras knowledge.
The famous Yogis of present times like Yogi Aurobindo Ghosh and Rishi DayanandSaraswatiji have given the eternal, immortal explanation of Vedic AshtangYog, worship and popularized its concept amongst public and while carrying forward the tradition of ancient, great dignitaries like Guru Vasishth, Patanjali Rishi, Kapil Muni, Yagyavalkya Rishi, Shring Rishi, Vishwamitraji, Narad etc., in reality they dedicated their entire lives in service of Vedas and AshtangYog philosophy. And now what a fruitful result of their efforts and sacrifice is being seen that atleastYog Philosophy has been popularized at world level today.
The method of prayer/ dua /prarthna/ ardaas in all sects and the method of meditating with closed eyes also shows the tradition of Vedas and eternal Yog philosophy.
Yagyavalkya Rishi, the learned of Vedas has clearly put forth the fact of eternal and immortal tradition along with truth enshrined in Rigved mantra 10/181/1,2 that-
“HirannyagarbhahaYogasyaVakta”
Meaning- According to Yajurved mantra 13/4, meaning of Hirannyagarbhaha is- “JyotiVaiHirannyaha” i.e., God is the form of divine light. Hence, Yagyavalkya Rishi says that the preacher of the Yog is God, who is the form of divine light. It clearly shows that the ancient Rishis, the present self-proclaimed Yog Gurus and other humans are not the preachers of Yog Philosophy. Actually, at present the sun of Vedas has almost set down due to the spreading of falsehood against Vedas and Yog Philosophy amongst the public.
As a result, very few know the true, eternal form of Vedic AshtangYog Philosophy. It is an astonishing matter that mostly the so-called Yog Gurus/teachers have kept themselves away from the study of the Vedas but due to their selfishness they have stolen a fraction of knowledge of Yog Philosophy and produce its distorted concept amongst the public which is not beneficial but harmful.
God preaches in Vedas like Yajurved mantra 7/4 and based on it Rishi-Munis preach in Shastras like Yog Shastra sutra 1/2 that Samadhi that is realization of God is called Yog where five senses (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin) stop taking worldly knowledge. Then where remains the scope of laughing, cracking jokes, dancing on music, lying on water etc. Patanjali Rishi has quoted the said fact in his above sutra stating-
“Yogahachittavrittinirodhaha”
Now India as well as the world should know the real vedic (and not self-made) meaning of word Yog as Samadhi/realization of divine pleasure/ realization of God and not asan, prannayaam etc.., as clarified above. Therefore, we must be assured that nobody should produce the self-made and distorted form of word Yog. In Vedas and Shastras, the word Yog guru has also been not seen instead Rishi-Muni, Yogi and other divine words are seen. This eternal and immortal Yog Philosophy cannot be made professional. It is only learnt from a learned acharya of Vedas and AshtangYog Philosophy and is practiced with respect, faith and in profound manner as quoted above in Yog Shastra sutra 1/14.
So, on the International Yog day where the divine Vedic word Yog echoed, it is really a praise-worthy step but on the other hand, as quoted above the true form of Yog Philosophy and the word Yog has not been produced before the public and hence the ingratitude.
If, at this beautiful day, had the real form of Yog Philosophy been produced then really God and souls of ancient and present Rishi-Munis would have been pleased. Otherwise, distorted form is infact always unbearable.
(The author presently lives at Ved Mandir, Tika Lehsar Yol Bazar, Yol Camp, Distt. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh)
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