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1 Question: What is the definition of yoga?
Answer: Yoga can be defined according to the following three definitions. The first is: Yogashcitta vrttinirodha. That is, “The suspension of all psychic propensities is called yoga.” Those who follow this type of yoga suppress the propensities of the mind through psychic pressure, but once the psychic pressure is removed, the old propensities of the mind are revived and they resume their original state. Hence this type of yoga cannot lead to spiritual progress. The second definition is: Sarvácintáparityágo niscinta yoga ucyate. That is, “If the mind’s propensities are suspended, then all thought processes will automatically stop.” But will this lead to supreme attainment? Certainly not. The third definition is: Saḿyogo yogo ityukto jiivátmá Paramátmánah – “When the unit consciousness and the Supreme Consciousness are fused into one, that is real yoga.” This takes place when the spiritual aspirant establishes a relationship of sweet love with Parama Puruśa [Supreme Consciousness].
2 Question: What is trát́aka?
Answer: Trát́aka yoga is controlling the ocular vision. It may lead to some supernatural vision.
3 Question: What is dhruvásmrti?
Answer: The reproduction in the mind of something which was perceived before is called “memory” or smrti. When the memory becomes permanent it is called “infallible, eternal memory” or dhruvásmrti.
4 Question: What is the definition of ásanas?
Answer: Sthirasukham ásanam (Patanjali). Ásanas are calm, quiet and easy postures which are held with proper inhalation and exhalation. They exercise the nerves, tissues, glands and organs of the human body. While practising ásanas one enjoys physical comfort and mental composure.
The regular practice of ásanas keeps the body healthy and cures many diseases. Ásanas control the glands, the glands control the secretion of hormones, and the secretion of hormones controls the propensities. So ásanas help a sádhaka [spiritual aspirant] to balance the body and concentrate the mind.
5 Question: Why do we practise ásanas?
Answer: We perform ásanas for the following reasons:
6 Question: How do we name ásanas?
Answer: We name ásanas as follows:
(1) Some ásanas are similar to animal movements so they are named after those animals; for example, matsyamudrá [fish posture], garud́ásana [bird posture], etc.
(2) Some ásanas have the characteristics of animal structures, so they are also named after those animals; for example, kúrmakásana [tortoise posture], etc.
(3) Some ásanas are named by the qualities of the ásana; for example, sarváuṋgásana [shoulder stand; literally “all-limbs posture”]. The entire body is benefited by this ásana.
7 Question: How many types of ásanas are there?
Answer: There are mainly two types of ásanas: svásthyásanas and dhyánásanas. Svásthyásanas are practised primarily for physical health and secondarily for spiritual elevation. Dhyánásanas are practised primarily for concentration of mind and meditation. Dhyánásanas include padmásana [lotus posture], baddha padmásana [bound-lotus posture], siddhásana [siddha posture, the posture of a perfected one] and viirásana [hero posture].
8 Question: What is the difference between sarváuṋgásana and vipariitakaranii mudrá?
Answer: While practising sarváuṋgásana the mind is fixed at the point between the tip of the two big toes, whereas in vipariitakaranii mudrá the mind is fixed at the tip of the nose or at the navel.
9 Question: What are mudrás, bandhas and vedhas?
Answer: Mudrás are postures which exercise the nerves and muscles. Mudrá literally means “externalization of internal bháva [ideation]”. There are only a few spiritual mudrás where the internal ideation is not externalized.
The practitioner of mudrá may or may not enjoy physical comfort and mental composure. During the practice of mudrás one has to continue one’s conscious endeavour to remain in that posture, but in the case of ásanas one need not.
Bandhas are also postures of a special type which exercise the nerves only. The practitioner may or may not derive physical comfort and mental composure. In bandha also one has to continue one’s conscious endeavour to remain in the particular posture. Bandhas also influence the váyus [vital-energy currents] in the body.
Vedhas are almost the same as bandhas. Vedhas exert some influence on both the nerves and the vital airs [vital-energy currents].
10 Question: What is pratyáhára?
Answer: Pratyáhára is derived: prati – á – hr + ghaiṋ. The word áhára literally means “assimilating” or “taking something within”. As a yogic practice, pratyáhára means “withdrawal of the mind from external objectivity and goading the withdrawn mind toward Parama Puruśa”.
11 Question: What is práńáyáma?
Answer: Práńáyáma is defined as: Tasmin sati shvása prashvásayoh gativicchedah práńáyáma. That is, “Práńáyáma is the process of breath control along with the imposition of the ideation of Supreme Consciousness.” It helps the mind in concentration and meditation.
12 Question: What is the spirit of práńáyáma?
Answer: Pránán yamayati eśah práńáyámah. That is, the word práńáyáma literally means “controlling the práńáh [vital energy]”. The psycho-philosophy behind the practice of práńáyáma is that the spiritual aspirant tries to let the práńendriya [ten vital-energy currents] remain in a state of pause so that the paused unit mind will merge into the ocean of consciousness.
13 Question: How many types of práńáyáma are there?
Answer: There are two main types of práńáyáma: hat́ha yaogika práńáyáma and Yudhiśt́hira práńáyáma. When práńáyáma is done without fixing the mind on a particular point of concentration, and without imbibing Cosmic ideation, it is called hat́ha yaogika práńáyáma. But when práńáyáma is performed with the mind fixed at a particular point along with Cosmic ideation, it is called Yudhiśt́hira práńáyáma. [The eldest Pandava, Yudhisthira, was the first person to popularize práńáyáma according to this method.]
14 Question: What is the meaning of recaka?
Answer: Recaka means “emptying”. When one exhales completely and keeps the breath out during the process of breathing, it is called recaka.
15 Question: What are the differences among recaka, púraka, and kumbhaka?
Answer: At the time of práńáyáma, when one exhales the breath completely, it is called recaka; when one inhales completely, it is called púraka; and when one retains air inside the body, it is called kumbhaka.
16 Question: What is dhárańá?
Answer: Dhárańá is defined as: Deshabandhashcittasya dhárańá. Dhárańá literally means “locating the mind firmly in an area or region of the body”. This involves concentrating upon the respective controlling points of the fundamental factors located within the human body. That is, the mind is to be fixed on specific cakras [plexi] and engaged in Cosmic ideation.
17 Question: What is shodhana?
Answer: The word shodhana literally means “refinement” or “purification”. In spiritual meditation shodhana is concentration on the cakras. It is a part of Ananda Marga sádhaná which is not included in aśt́áḿga yoga [the eight-fold path of yoga].
18 Question: What is dhyána?
Answer: Patanjali defined dhyána as: Tatra pratyatyaekatánatá dhyánam – “Dhyána means ‘the unbroken flow of mind towards the supreme goal’.” So dhyána is meditation on the Supreme Entity so that there is an incessant upward movement of the mind towards Parama Puruśa.
19 Question: What is the macro-pineal plexus? What is its utility in the course of spiritual practices?
Answer: The inner side of the pineal plexus is called the macro-pineal plexus. In spiritual practices it has immense importance because it is at this plexus, the Guru cakra, that dhyána is practised.
20 Question: Is the outer side of the macro-pineal plexus within the corporal structure or without the corporal structure?
Answer: The outer side of the macro-pineal plexus is outside the corporal structure; that is, it is outside the body.
21 Question: What is samádhi?
Answer: Samádhi is the merger of the unit consciousness in Cosmic Consciousness. It is not a particular lesson; it is the result of all the above spiritual practices.
22 Question: What is diikśá?
Answer: Diikśá is defined as:
Diipa jiṋánaḿ yato dadyát kuryát pápakśayam tatah;
Tasmátdiikśeti sá proktá sarvatantrasya sammatá.
“Diikśá is the process of initiation. It brings about spiritual illumination and burns up accumulated saḿskáras [mental reactive momenta].”
23 Question: What is Vaedikii diikśá?
Answer: When someone is initiated with only a prayer mantra [words or sounds repeated orally] without the shuddhis [visualizations for the systematic withdrawal of the mind], it is called Vaedikii diikśá. Vaedikii diikśá is not a spiritual cult or practical process. Its primary goal is to request Parama Puruśa to show the path of spiritual progress.
24 Question: What is Tántrikii diikśá?
Answer: When someone is initiated into the Tantric cult elaborately with all shuddhis, it is called Tántrikii diikśá. Tántrikii diikśá is a practical spiritual cult. Iśt́a mantra [a personal mantra repeated in meditation] and Iśt́a cakra [the cakra of meditation] are prescribed. The role of the guru is very important because the guru gives blessings to the spiritual aspirant. The goal is to become one with Parama Puruśa.
25 Question: What is oṋḿkára?
Answer: Oṋḿkára is the combined acoustic sound of the entire process of creation, preservation and destruction.
26 Question: What is the starting-point of oṋḿkára?
Answer: The divine sound oṋḿkára starts from the starting-point of creation (Shambhúliuṋga).
27 Question: What is the difference between the attributional and the non-attributional stances?
Answer: Bhúmávyápte mahati ahaḿcittayorprańáshe saguńásthitih savikalpasamádhih vá [“When the aham and the citta merge into the Macrocosmic Mahat, the merger is called saguńásthiti or savikalpa samádhi”].
Átmani mahadprańáshe nirguńásthitih nirvikalpasamádhi vá [“When the mahat merges into the Átman, it is called nirguńásthiti (state of objectlessness) or nirvikalpa samádhi (the trance of indeterminate absorption, or total suspension, of the mind)”].
28 Question: Should a monk or hermit take intoxicating liquor?
Answer: No, because it increases the production of semen from lymph, and consequently the brain will not get sufficient lymph as food to practise sádhaná properly. Intoxicating liquor will affect the semen and lymph, which in turn will affect all the other glands. The entire nervous system will get agitated, and as a result mental concentration will be lost and sádhaná will be impaired.