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

Page 35

Haribhadra and Psychosynthesis
able to find out the reactions of others to his behaviour and should find out whether his conduct is conducive to their happiness and listen to their comments with discrimination and adopt himself to them accordingly, Purity is the sure sign of progress and should watch himself minutely and seo that purity is reflected in his actions. There are outward and inner signs by which one can see whither he is driving at. These are all pragmatic suggestions and are psychologically very sound too.
Haribhadra seems to be a very experienced and practical yogi too and he very well realizes that to achieve certain virtues or even purity is not enough. They must be preserved and stabilized because they can be lost in no time if not properly established and stabilized in one's nature. So he gives clues to this effect and some practical means (1) to contact sādhakas of the same category or better persons (2) to honour them and to concentrate on their virtuous behaviour (3) to think on the nature of the world etc. A man becomes what he thinks is a sound psychological truth well known since ancient times and Haribhadra recommends the same, to the sadhakas to practice at all times.
Haribhadra with equal clarity and practicality shows the means of mental pecce, the routine for the novice and mentions means to get rid of Rāga and other passions. His main emphasis is on good and befitting conduct and by that alone the sādhakas can progress. He puts emphesis on the right sort of food for it has also a great effect not only on the body alone but also on the mind. Fool must be such that it should not create any anti-effect on the body or the mind and should be conducive to pure life. He has discussed the fruits and siddhis of yogic action and sādhanā and suggests the sādhaka to remain aloof from them and to stick to the ideal of Mok sa. They must be used only for the attainment of the ideal and never otherwise. The seeds of Vāsanā or Klesas are very hard to get rid of. The well known simile of the minute molecules of a frog is very pertinent. Such molecules again spring to life as soon as it rains and similarly vāsanā seeds also revive. Only the burnt up ashes of the frog do not revive and so are the burnt up vāsanā-seeds. The sure means for such eradication of all Väsanā is complete purity.
Haribhadra wrote both these works i.e. Yoga-śataka and Yogaviņśika for the common man and keeping this purpose in view he uses Prakrit language for the medium. He has given not too high or too subtle yogic concepts deliberately for this purpose but at the same time he has given in nutshell the core of yoga in an independent style. The signs of his comparative and synthetic approach can well be seen in these booss too as