Programas de Rehabilitación Cognitiva

A U T O B I O G R A P H Y

O F

A NATHA SIDDHA YOGI



THE DIRECT PROOF O F

Y O G A – S H A S T R A

The direct proof of yoga-shastra is to be found in the actual yogic experiences of yogis. Like any science, yoga-shastra is based upon practicals and experiences, albeit, which are commonly shared by the yogis. This will be done here by narration of a sample case of an initiate. It will illustrate how the experiences of a particular yogi tally with the yoga-shastra. It is also expected to help for a better appreciation of yoga, expounded by Saint Dnyaneshwar.

Before we turn to the subject of the autobiography, we will first deal with the yogic experiences in general.

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In the chapters of this work, we will be going through the gist of yogic Abhangas of Saint Dnyaneshwar, and of some other saints, and a volume of yogic texts.

I have been fortunate to have yogic experiences. On their account, I was better able to understand the subject of yoga which was the invariable prerequisite for undertaking this work on the experiential system of yoga and the attendant philosophy.

This work invariably deals extensively with yoga subjects like: the Kundalini, the chakras, the Ida-Pingala-Sushumna and the other yoga-nadis; the yogic path, the Poorva and the Paschim Margas;

the Adhyatmic Hridaya, the Anahat-nad; the experience of the Sagun; and the Shiv-Shakti-sam-rasya etc.

The description on these matters is based mostly upon the works of Saint Dnyaneshwar, and yoga-shastra. Various opinions on this subject, along-with my understanding of it, will be placed before students of yoga for information and researchers for evaluation.

What follows hereafter may be treated as the miscellanea of yoga discipline. It is not possible to explain everything therein. The reader will have to turn to the work proper and other references to understand specific points. Many terms of Indian yoga and philosophy have been explained in the Part 1 of this work which has been published under the banner of YOGA OF GITA . The eade s a e e uested to ha e access to it, for avoiding repetition of the same matter here.

The yogic experience varies from person to person. Some have experiences of the Muladhar and the other chakras. Others may have experiences directly of the Ajnya chakra and beyond.

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In the Vihangam Marg¹ of the North Indian saints like Dadu, Kabir and others, not much importance is attached to the experience and the piercing of the lower chakras, from the Muladhar to the Vishuddha chakras.

An advanced saint like Gurudev Professor R. D. Ranade of the Nimbargi² School of yoga, who experienced even the Anahat-nad³, surprisingly expressed doubts about the existence and processes of the Kundalini. It may mean that even such saints, who proffer the Nam⁴ to the initiates, are unable to gauge their own experiences of the Light and the Vastu⁵, as it is called by them.

It is well known that one experiences the Anahat-nad only after the Kundalini pierces and goes beyond the Ajnya chakra. The Nam

1‘Vihangam Marga’ is a discipline of ‘Kundalini yoga’ in which great stress is laid upon starting from Ajnya chakra instead of the traditional method of starting from Muladhar chakra. The yoga path the Kundalini takes from Ajnya chakra onwards to the Brahma-randhra is also known as ‘Paschim Marga’ in saint Dnyaneshwar’s yoga system.

2 Nimbargi maharaj, a shepherd by vocation, was the founder of this school of yoga.

3 ‘Anahat Nad’ is the divine sound of music heard by the yogis through internal Kundalini processes. ‘Anahat’ means it is not produced due to external reverberations of any instruments of music.

4‘Nam’ is name of God which is given to an intiate for silent recantation during meditation. The Nam given by a Siddha has the power to penetrate into the deep conscience to the seat of the Atman and invoke it to appear before the yogi.

5The Nibargi school talks of realisation in terms of ‘Light’ and ‘Vastu’ which respectively mean ‘Divine Light’ seen by the yogis and the ‘Form’ of the

‘Ultimate Principle’ which appears to them in their vision while in deep meditation.

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given to an initiate has to be Sa-beej⁶ for being effective. It cannot be so, unless its giver is well established in the Anahat-nad.

Even for those who have gone through yoga process, it is very difficult to describe their experiences clearly. Being Atindriya,⁷ arising from the field of the Ritambhara Prajnya, these are beyond the common intellect for description in day-to-day language.

However, Saint Dnyaneshwar vouches that he will convey the experiences satisfactorilyⁱ, even in the colloquial tongue. Though his narration needs one who is a capable yogi for understanding his words fully, still the common men will experience pleasure out of his tongue.

The rishis have expressed their esoteric experience in the Vedas and the Shrutis. The Brahmanas and the Aranyakas try to explain the meaning of the Vedas. In later times, even as early as one millennium B.C., it had become difficult even to comprehend their mere word-to-word meaning.

Yaska, at that time, had to compose the Nirukta to interpret the Shabda (The Word of the Vedas). At still later dates, everything got very obscure. Eminent intellectual persons like Sayan, Jaimini, Patanjali, Shankar and the others had to take over the matter again.

6 ‘Sabeej Nam’ is ‘Nam’ which has the power to invoke the Atman. It can only be given by a Siddha yogi. ‘Nam’ given by someone without the power behind it is practically useless.

7 Extra sensory perception

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Due to the passage of time and the linguistic metamorphoses, it is still very difficult to understand what the rishis say, in their words.

This has given rise to numerous interpretations of the Vedic and the scriptural content. We have already seen while reviewing the various doctrines (ref Part 1), how the Acharyas differ in their interpretations.

Such difficulties are always experienced even in respect of the day-to-day languages of the olden times, apart from the olden scripts.

Even if the scripts are unravelled and the words are understood, the content defies understanding in the real context of the then prevailing social and other context.

In the case of the language of the Dnyaneshwari, similar problems are encountered, more so owing to its mystic content. It is well-nigh impossible for a non-initiate to comprehend its true esoteric content.

We have already noted that the yogic experiences are Surrealistic by their nature. They are undecipherable to one without similar insight. The modern Surrealistic art needs an interpreter, even when the content is far from esoteric. No wonder, the Ritambhara Prajnya is absolutely necessary to understand the Dnyaneshwari and the other yogic works.

Again there is a variety of the yogic experiences. They are not same for every yoga initiate. Hence even the proper students of yoga-shastra find it difficult to comprehend them.

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References For Yoga initiates

A list of important books in English for yoga initiates is given here.⁸ Other important Marathi and Hindi language books are listed in the end note.ⁱⁱ Many books, including those listed here, have a special place in my life as a yogic practitioner. They have provided invaluable insight, so necessary for one on the path.

Mukt-anand, in ^‘Chit-shakti-vilas^’, cites how he got a yoga textbook by chance, when he needed guidance. I have experienced such coincidences on so many occasions that I wonder if they could be termed as mere coincidences, or something else. I am inclined to think that my yogic destiny guided me to these books of immense use to me in my yoga practice, and in the writing of this work.

Even I got brand-new editions of some old treatises on yoga-shastra, when I wanted them, and they were out of print and

8 Pandit Gopi Krishna: Kundalini - path to Higher Consciousness;

The Awakening of Kundalini;

Higher Consciousness (The Evolutionary Thrust of Kundalini) B.S.Goel : Third Eye and Kundalini

Mahendranath Gupta (M):The Gospel of Sri Ramkrishna Shri J.Krishnamurti: Krishnamurti’s Notebook

Swami Mukt-Ananda: Secret of The Siddhas; Where Are You Going; Chid Shakti Vilas

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unavailable. The books earlier listed and the others⁹ more important to me are some of these instances.

I got almost all the reference books in a like manner. I make here a special mention of books on the Shakti-pat and the Laya-yoga, in this context.

These books have been beneficial and of immense guidance to me on my path, from the initiate to the Siddha, if I may say so. They helped me gauge and understand the yogic experiences, which sprang upon me most unexpectedly.

They also served the most important purpose of preparing me in writing this treatise on yoga-shastra. As I used to purchase all these books, I did not have to go in the search of even the rarest books to the libraries or elsewhere.

Sir John Woodroffe’s “The Serpent Power” is one such book. The book on the Nad-yoga by Swami Shiv-anand is another instance.

When I started experiencing the Anahat-nad, lo and behold! This book was in my hands at the right moment.

Gopinath Kaviraj’s books on the Kundalini-yoga, Vishnu-tirth's Devatm-shakti, Shankar’s Yoga-taravali and Saundarya-Lahari are further such instances.

I read many books that thus came my way on: the Gita and the Dnyaneshwari, the Amrit-anubhav; the Patanjal yoga; the Vedas and the Upanishadas; the Nath Siddha traditions and yoga practice;

Shankar’ Vedantic commentaries and smaller works, etc.

Sir John Woodroffe: The Serpent Power, Sakti and Sakta, Reflections on the Tantras-Principles Of Tantra (2 Parts).

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Somehow, I had an unfailing insight into which books I need for my study. Owing to what the books have taught me, I call them as my gurus, in a sense. They all, and my own yogic experiences, were instrumental in penning this work.

I mention here one very special book, on the life and biography of saint Gajanan maharaj Gupte. It was penned down at his instance as a guide to the initiates. He has recommended a few more books to the initiates.¹⁰

His book contained much experiential matter, which helped me a lot in analysing my yogic experiences against the proper yardstick.

The only edition of this rare book was published a few months after I was born in the year 1944. Incidentally, I got to read it after more six decades.

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Analytical Approach To

My Experiences

When all of a sudden, I started getting yogic experiences, they confused me at first. I was not formally initiated to the Kundalini yoga discipline. Its experiences turned out to be beyond my wildest imagination.

The grace of Saint Dnyaneshwar, the books and the guidance of a few experienced and knowledgeable persons from that field helped me on my way to understand the phenomenon.

I am putting forth such of the special incidents, with their analysis from the viewpoint of yoga-shastra, for the benefit of the novice. It will also contain some important aspects of the Kundalini yoga, gleaned from the other yogi’s experiences.

I am presenting a slew of all this matter as The Autobiography of Swami Yogeshwar-anand Tirth Saraswati, for the sake of anonymity.

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