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SUBSIDIARY FORMS OF VEDIC YOGA
Swami Vishnu Ramtirth in his book "Devatma Shakti" has mentioned 4 lakh forms of yoga based on the calculation that 12 zodiacs or months multiplied by 7 days in a week makes 84 which multiplied by 1000 rays of the sun and then by 100 roles of each will be 84 lakhs. Another basis is 84 lakh variety of life forms and each life form has its own form of yoga. The various interpretations of yoga have been in vogue since vedic and upnishadic period. Following are the prevalent subsidiary forms of vedic yoga based principally on Patanjali Yoga Sutra but with articulation of by a particular yoga system.
Hatha Yoga:
The word 'Hatha' is combination of 'Ha' which represents 'Sun' and 'Tha' represent 'Moon'. The theory of Hatha yoga is that Sun and Moon are found in every aspect of existence. In subtle human body these are manifest in two channel 'Ida' and 'Pingala' along which perceptions travel from sultle centre (chakra) at the base of spinal chord, passing through other subtle centres near heart, throat, centre of eyebrows and finally the centre at the summit of head. In gross body lunar (moon) corresponds to respiratory cool and solar (sun) to digestive warm called 'Prana' and 'Apana".
Hatha yoga follows the eight sequential steps prescribed by Patanjali but with forced weird and odd techniques. In Hatha yoga 84 Asanas and various Mudras (Postures and Gestures) are practised. Patanjali did not mention these in Yoga Sutra. The first step 'Yama' through not discarded is generally ignored. The second step 'Niyama' which simply means internal and external purity and cleanliness i.e. of mind and body and also of ambient physical and social environment has been overwhelmingly transformed into weird practices in Hatha Yoga. For example internal cleaning of body by thrusting a long cloth in stomach through mouth, the practice is called 'Nauti". Another practice is 'Neti' which is sucking water from one nostril and pouering out by another nostril. Bathing with earth etc. and hymns are also prescribed. The practice of various 'Bandhas' (muscular contractions) and 'Mudras (Gestures) particularly of some of the gestures is tortuous and vulgar. In Kechri mudra (Moving in the Void Gesture), ferenum of the tongue is cut to elongate it to touch the forchead. In Vajroli Mudra. (Thunder bolt gesture) semen while actual intercourse is withheld, sucked and drawn upward. These are unnatural and irritating and may be even harmful. Kundalini awakening and tantras are also practiced in Hatha yoga.
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