________________
468
THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE.
Therefore, the control of prâna should be the natural and unfailing duty of all spiritually-minded persons of wisdom."
To put it in terms which are easily comprehensible to the modern mind, the object of Yoga is to remove the impurities of sin that have entered into the constitution of the soul, and have thrown it into the condition of negativity. The pursuit of Yoga enables the soul to develop its will, which speedily consumes and destroys. the accumulated deposits of sin. When this is done, the soul rises up like a balloon freed from its moorings, and enters Nirvana. Prândyâma enables the soul to develop its will, and is, for that reason, a necessary part of Yoga. But it is useful only up to a certain stage, for otherwise it will itself constitute a distraction to the concentration of mind on the Self. Besides, will is also developed by other means, independently of prânáyâma, as for instance, by knowledge ; hence, those who can develop their wills by other means need not concern themselves. with the regulation of breath.
After prânâyâ ma comes pratyâhûra, which means gathering towards," that is, checking the outgoing energy of the mind, and freeing it from the thraldom of the senses. Next comes dhârand, that is, the holding of the mind on a certain point, to the exclusion of all others, e.g., the fixing of attention on the heart. Dhyana is the next step in Yoga, and means contemplation of the Self, so that when the mind is freed from the thraldom of the senses, and does not wander outwards, it can be easily employed in the contemplation of the Atman. This will naturally lead up to Samadhi, the state in which the soul enjoys its own
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org