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Concept of Asana' Is it an 'Abhyasa' or an 'Anasthana’? 323
‘samadhi' (HI) (PYS-III/1-3). In the same manner, it seems that the ‘anuşthana' (not the abhyasa') of asana', leads to the manifestation of 'prānayama' which by itself, in its turn, leads to 'dharana' and so on. Of course, the element of 'pratyahāra' is present in each and every of the other 'angas' without which it is doubtful if any 'anuşthana' of them is at all possible.
The above line of interpretation and thinking seem to receive experimental support from the work of Dr. Trigant Burrow as quoted by Late Swami Kuvalayananda and Dr. S. L. Vinekar in their book “Yogic Therapy'2 Moreover, remarks made by Swami Kuvalayananda based on his personal experience and observations of other Yoga-sādhakas 3 seem to substantiate this line of thinking based on a re-interpretation of the Yoga-sutras.
From the above discussions, it may be concluded that proper re-interpretations of PYS can help us to understand the importance and significance of 'asana' as a yogānga' by differentiating betweet 'abhyasa' and 'anuşthana' and to switch over from the former to the latter in the practical application of this knowledge.
1. deśabandbaścittasya dbāranā' (III/1).
(देशबन्धश्चित्तस्यधारणा) tatra pratyayaikatānată dhyānam' (III/2). (az gaitarar 5917)
'tadevārthamātranirbhāsam svarupaśunyamiva samadhih' (III/3). 2. Yogic Therapy : Its Basic Principles and Methods by Swami Kuva.
layananda and Dr. S. L, Vinekar : Ministry of Health, Govt. of
India, Ney Delhi, 1963, pp. 74-77. 3. ASANAS by Swami Kuvalayananda, Popular Prakashan, Bombay
1931; p. 132.
आसमस्थ तम 377Hvel तब हो सके 3779aza utot
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