Raja Yoga (the Yoga Sūtras with commentary) — trans. Swami Vivekananda (1896)
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
The translator’s English as printed (Swami Vivekananda). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
(4 ' ■ called freedom of the Chitta. We shall realise that all these difficulties and struggles have fallen off from us. All these vacillations of the mind, when the mind cannot be controlled, have fallen down, just as a stone rolls from the mountain top into the valley and never comes up again. The next will be that this Chitta itself will realise that it melts away into its causes whenever we so desire. Lastly we shall find that we are established in our Self, that we have been alone throughout the universe, neither body nor mind was ever connected with us, much less joined to us. They were working their own way, and we, through ignorance, joined ourselves to them. But we have been alone, omnipotent, omnipresent, ever blessed ; our own Self was so pure and perfect that we required none else. We required none else to make us happy, for we are happiness itself. We shall find that this knowledge does not depend on anything else ; throughout the universe there can be nothing that will not become elTulgent before our knowledge. This will be the last state, and the Yogi will become peaceful and calm, never to feel any more pain, never to be again deluded, never to touch misery. He knows he is ever blessed, ever perfect, almighty.
28. By the practice of the different parts of Yoga the impurities being destroyed knowledge becomes effulgent, up to discrimination.
Now comes the practical knowledge. What we have just been speaking about is much higher. It is away
YOGA APHORISMS. lyy
above our heads, but it is the ideal. It is first necessary to obtain physical and mental control. Then the reahsation will become steady in that ideal. The ideal being known, what remains is to practise the method of reaching it.
29. Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi, are the limbs of Yoga.
30. Non-killing, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-receiving, are called Yama.
A man who wants to be a perfect Yogi must give up the sex idea. The Soul has no sex ; why should it degrade itself with sex ideas ? Later on we shall understand better why these ideas must be given up. Receiving is just as bad as stealing ; receiving gifts from others. Whoever receives gifts, his mind is acted on by the mind of the giver, so that the man who receives gifts becomes degenerated. Receiving gifts destroys the independence of the mind, and makes us mere slaves. Therefore, receive nothing.
31. These, unbroken by time, place, purpose, and caste, are (universal) great vows.
These practices, non-killing, non-stealing, chastity, and non-receiving, are to be practised by every man, woman and child, by every soul, irrespective of nation, country or position.
M
32. Internal and external purification, contentment, mortification, study, and larorship of God, are the Niyamas.
External purification is keeping the body pure ; a dirty man will never be a Yogi. There must be internal purification also. That is obtained by the first-named virtues. Of course internal purity is of greater value than external, but both are necessary, and external purity, without internal, is of no good.
33. To obstruct thoughts which are inimical to
Yoga contrary thoughts will be brought.
That is the way to practise all these virtues that have been stated, by holding thoughts of an opposite character in the mind. When the idea of stealing comes, non-stealing should be thought of. When the idea of receiving gifts comes, replace it by a contrary thought.
34. The obstructions to Yoga are killing, etc., w^hether committed, caused, or approved; either through avarice, or anger, or ignorance; whether slight, middling, or great, and result in innumerable ignorances and miseries. This is (the method of) thinking the contrary.
If I tell a lie, or cause another to tell a lie, or approve of another doing so, it is equally sinful. If it is a very mild lie, still it is a lie. Every vicious thought will rebound, every thought of hatred which you may have thought, in a cave even, is stored up, and will one day
YOGA APHORISMS. lyg