YOGA ASANAS

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Item Code: IDF819
Author: Swami Sivananda
Publisher: THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
Language: English
Edition: 2004
ISBN: 8170520088
Pages: 164 (B & W Illus: 52)
Cover: Paperback
Other Details 8.5" X 5.5"
Weight 220 gm
Fully insured
Fully insured
Shipped to 153 countries
Shipped to 153 countries
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
More than 1M+ customers worldwide
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
23 years in business
23 years in business
Book Description

About the Author

 

Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Saga Appayya Diskhita and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind.

His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a Health Journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission.

It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practiced intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, Saint, Sage and Jivanmukta.

In 1932 he started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organized. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 he undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 he convened a 'World Parliament Reliogions'. He is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read his works is to drink at the fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 he entered Mahasamadhi.

 

Introduction

I bow with folded hands, crores of times, to Brahman, the destroyer of all fears, miseries and tribulations of those who betake themselves to Him, which though absolutely un- born (Aja) appears by the power of His greatness to pass into birth, which appears as if in motion, though always at rest (Achala), and which, though one, (Ekam-eva-advitiyam Brahma) appears as many to those whose inner vision is dimmed by the perception of an endless variety of illusory appearances.

I salute Thee, first Lord Siva (Adinatha), who taught to Parvati the Hatha- Vidya that is a step to the attainment of the most excellent Raja Yoga.

Goraksha and Matsyendra knew well the Hatha- Vidya. Yogi Swatmarama learnt it from them by their favour. To those who wander about in the darkness of this science or branch of Yoga unable to obtain any knowledge of Hatha Yoga, the most merciful Swatmarama Yogi offers the light of Hatha- Vidya.

The goal of life is Self-realisation. All systems of Indian philosophy have one goal in view, the liberation of the soul through perfection.

Every man wants happiness. He shuns pain. No one teaches anyone to seek happiness. It is the innate, inherent Svabhava (nature) of everyone to seek happiness. Ananda is embodiment of one's own nature.

Gratification of desires cannot bring in real peace of mind though the nerves are tickled for a second. Just as ghee when poured over the fire aggravates the fire, so also enjoyment intensifies a desire and makes the mind all the more restless. How can you expect real, lasting happiness from objects that are conditioned in time, space and causa- tion and so are Vinasi (perishable) and Anitya (impermanent)?

The happiness that you get from sensual objects is fleeting and transitory. For a philosopher it is no happiness at all. It is like scratching the skin when you get itching. Sensual happiness is attended with severe exertion, sin, fear, pain, worry and several evils.

Amidst the din and boisterous bustle of worldly activities there come moments of tranquillity and peace when the mind, for the time being, however short it may be, soars above the filthy worldly things and reflects on the higher problems of life-viz., "Who am I? Whence? Where? Whither? Why of Universe?" etc. The sincere en- quirer becomes serious and extends his reflections. He begins to search and understand the truth. Discrimination dawns on him. He takes to the study of Atma-Jnana books, reflects, meditates, purifies his mind and eventually attains the highest knowledge of the Self. But the man whose mind is saturated with worldly Vasanas and cravings is quite heedless and is irresistibly carried away by the two currents of Raga-Dvesha and .tossed about helplessly in the tumul- tous Samsaric stream of birth and death with its con- comitant evils.

The spiritual path is thorny, precipitous and neverthe- less has been trodden by man of strong determination, un- daunted spirit and indomitable. energy. When once you make up your mind to tread the path, everything will become smooth and easy. You will have descent of Grace from the Lord. The whole spiritual world will back you up. The path will directly take you to realms of Infinite- Bliss, Supreme Peace, Eternal Sunshine-realms where three kinds of Tapa, cares, worries, anxieties and fear, which torment the soul here dare not enter, where all distinctions of caste, creed and colour vanish altogether in the one embrace of Divine Love and where desires and cravings find their full satiety. Just as one and the same coat will not suit Mr. John, Mr. Das or Mr. Pantulu, so also one path will not suit all people. There are four paths to suit people of four kinds of temperament. They all lead to the same goal, the attainment of ultimate Reality. Roads are different but the destination is the same. The four paths that are inculcated for the achieve- ment of this ultimate Truth from the different stand-points of the man of action, the man of devotion, the mystic man and the philosopher or the man of reason, are respectively termed Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

The four paths are not antagonistic to one another, but, on the other hand, they are complementary. They only indi- cate that the different methods of the Hindu religion are in harmony with each other. Religion must educate and develop the whole man, his heart, intellect (head) and hand. Then only will he reach perfection. One-sided development is not commendable. Karma Yoga removes Mala, purifies the mind and develops the hand. Bhakti Yoga destroys Vikshepa and develops the heart. Raja Yoga steadies the mind and makes it one-pointed. Jnana Yoga removes the veil of ignorance (Avarana), develops will and reason and brings in knowledge of the Self. Therefore one should prac- tise the four Yogas. You can have Jnana Yoga as the centre and the other Yogas as auxiliaries to get rapid progress in the spiritual path.

The word 'Yoga' means union between Jivatma and Paramatma (individual soul and Supreme Soul). The science that teaches the way of acquiring this occult knowledge is called Yoga Sastra. Hatha Yoga concerns with the physical body and control of breath. Raja Yoga deals with the mind. Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga are necessary counterparts of each other. No one can become a perfect Yogi without a knowledge of the practices of both. Raja Yoga begins where properly practised Hatha Yoga ends.

Hatha is considered to be a compound word formed of two syllables 'Ha' and 'tha': 'Ha' means the moon (Ida Nadi) and 'tha' means the sun (Pingala). These correspond to the breaths, which flow through the left and right nostrils. Hatha Yoga teaches the way to unite the sun and the moon, the Prana and Apana through the regulation of breath.

Hatha Yoga is conducive to health and longevity. Its practice regulates the action of heart, lungs and brain. It promotes digestion and circulation of blood. Kidneys, liver and all other internal viscera work efficiently. It removes all sorts of diseases.

This book 'YOGA ASANAS' deals with 90 poses of the body with important Bandhas and Mudras and system of Pranayamas, prescribed by the Yoga Sastras. Pranayama goes hand in hand with Asanas. The first two accessories of Yoga are Yama and Niyama. Asana is the third Anga of Ashtanga Yoga, while Pranayama is the fourth Anga. The wise Rishis of yore had formulated these as aids to spiritual culture and preservation of a high standard of health, vigour and vitality.

 

CONTENTS

 

    Pages
  Publishers' Note v
  Devi Stotra vii
  Guru Stotra vii
  Para Puja viii
  A Universal Prayer ix
  Introduction x
  Good-Vision (Swami Karunandanda) xvii
  Flexibility (Swami Karunandanda) xxi
SECTION ONE

 

SURYA NAMASKARA

 

  Surya Namaskara 3
  Prayer to the Sun 5
SECTION TWO

 

ASANAS FOR DHYANA

 

General Instructions 7
1 Padmasana 8
2 Siddhasana 10
3 Svastikasana 12
4 Sukhasana 12
SECTION THREE

 

MUKHYA ASANAS

 

5 Sirshasana 14
6 Sarvangasana 17
7 Halasana 20
8 Matsyasana 21
9 Paschimottanasana 23
10 Mayurasana 24
11 Ardhamatsyendrasana 27
12 Salabhasana 28
13 Bhujangasana 30
14 Dhanurasana 31
15 Gomukhasana 33
16 Vajrasana 34
17 Garudasana 37
18 Urdhva Padmasana 38
19 Padangushthasana 39
20 Trikonasana 40
21 Baddha Padmasana 41
22 Padahastasana 43
23 Matsyendrasana 45
24 Chakrasana 47
25 Savasana 48
SECTION FOUR

 

MISCELLANEOUS ASANAS

 

26 Janusirshasana 50
27 Tolangulasana 51
28 Garbhasana 51
29 Sasangasana 52
30 Simhasana 52
31 Kukkutasana 53
32 Gorakshasana 53
33 Kandapidanasana 53
34 Sankatasana 54
35 Yogasana 54
36 Utkatasana 55
37 Jeshthikasana 55
38 Adhvasana 56
39 Urdhvapadasana 56
40 Ushtrasana 56
41 Makarasana 56
42 Bhadrasana 56
43 Vrischikasana 56
44 Yoga Nidrasana 57
45 Ardhapadasana 57
46 Kokilasana 57
47 Karnapidasana 57
48 Vatayanasana 58
49 Paryankasana 58
50 Mritasana 58
Special Instructions 59
Yogic Recipe 72
SECTION FIVE

 

IMPORTANT MUDRAS AND BANDHAS

 

1 Maha Mudra 75
2 Yoga Mudra 76
3 Khechari Mudra 76
4 Vajroli Mudra 77
5 Viparitakarani Mudra 77
6 Sakti Chalana Mudra 78
7 Maha Vedha 78
8 Maha Bandha 79
9 Mula Bandha 79
10 Jalandhara Bandha 80
11 Uddiyana Bandha 80
12 Yoni Mudra 81
SECTION SIX

 

SCIENCE OF PRANAYAMA

 

Exercise No. 1 82
Exercise No. 2 83
1 Kapalabhati 83
2 Suryabheda 84
3 Ujjayi 85
4 Sitkari 85
5 Sitali 86
6 Bhastrika 86
7 Bhramari 88
8 Murcha 89
9 Plavini 89
10 Kevala Kumbhaka 89
Benefits of Pranayama 90
Hints on Pranayama 91
YOGA ADDENDA
Kundalini 95
Ida, Pingala, Sushumna and  
Shat-Chakras 95
Abhyasa-Krama and Dinacharya 96
Important Hints 98
Yoga Asanas 100
Glossary 110

 

Sample Pages



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