Haribhadras Yoga Works and Psychosynthesis

SR No.: 001262
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S A Desai
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1983
Total Pages: 106
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Yoga
File Size: 7 MB

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Haribhadra and Psvchosynthesis
opportunity to express his integral approach in the field of yoga. He was proud to be a Jain and still he was above Jainism, he had left Brahmanisn but still held on to the best in the Vedic tradition. That is why he mentions Yogādhyayana in the first verse of Yogaśataka and suggests unequivocally that it is necessary to study all systems of yoga and to take the best out of them and synthesize them. These are the first signs of his attempts to synthesize in general.
Haribhadra recounts two forms of yoga: (1) Niścaya yoga and (2) Vyavhāra yoga. The former is the higher yoga or the yoga proper in which Samyag Jñana etc. make Moksa possible for the sādhaka. The other is the yoga of spiritual conduct by which the sādhaka attains all the qualities required for the former. In this wise the latter is the operational part of yoga. The sādhaka has to make efforts in accordance with his capacity, and march towards the goal of Mokşa. Haribhadra advises the sadhaka to take recourse to yoga-conduct according to Adhikāra or his firmness for yoga, There are generally four categories of sādhakas (1) Apunarbandhaka (2) Samyagdřşti (3) Deśavirati (4) Sarvavirati. As these categories are to to be discussed in more detail in the next lecture, suffice it to mention here that in religious practice and specially yogic practice it was considered absolutely necessary to make yoga-effort according to one's qualification or the fitness for such actions. It is a considered opinion of all yoga-systems of India that one should see one's worthiness for yoga practice and should never try beyond one's fitness. Every sādhaka must start from the stage where he is and should strive only according to one's capacity, otherwise undue practice would do more harm than good. The question arises as to how can one's fitness for yoga or his stage for yoga be determined ? A novice in the field of yoga cannot discriminate himself as to where he stands and what is his qualification for which stage of yoga. He has yet to grow into such higher discrimination. The answer provided by all the systems of yoga is that he should approach on appropriate Guru. It is dangerous to tread the path of yoga without the help of a spiritual Guru. It is argued and argued with fair and sound logic that when a teacher is required in the field of worldly knowledge, much more indispensible he is in the field of yoga.
Equally important is the daily routine prescribed for the Sadhaka. Apparantly the daily routine of the sādbakas of different categories may seem alike but it differs in its content because of the quality and subte of inner action of each one of them.30 Daily practice has a very important place in yogic sādhanā and it has to be carried out without any lethargy on the part of the sadhaka. It strengthens good habits, disciplines the mind, gives rythms to life, bestows harmony in physical and mental actions and