________________
THE POWER OF YOGA AND RENUNCIATION
Swami Poonyananda Giri
In this World Yoga Convention, you have listened to many noble thoughts about yoga. In our vedic literature, so many types of yoga have been described. First of all there was discussion on karma yoga for the common people, something of which you have heard in the previous lecture. About karma yoga, Lord Sri Krishna says in the Gita, "Knowest thou karma (right action), akarma (non-action) and also vikarma (wrong action), because the wheel of karma rotates very fast. Gahana Karmanogati. In the end the Lord says that karma is also a type of yoga. The simplest meaning of yoga is relationship, linkage. Linking with whom? With our aim, with our destination, which is not different from ourselves. But because we do not know our destination, because of the veil of ignorance, we consider ourself as a form different from Him. Leaving the false concept of this different form, and attaining the true essence, is known as yoga. The means to attain yoga can be karma; it can be right knowledge, jnana; it can also be love and devotion, bhakti.
In addition to these three, Maharishi Patanjali has made available three more means, for the benediction of humanity. Yogena chittasya padena vacha malam shareerasya vaidyakena, Yoga karottam pravar muneenam Paatanjali pranjaliranatostu.
cha
He created the Yoga Shastra so that by yoga we can purify our consciousness (chitta), Yogena chittasya. You may have seen many times that somebody is very pure in his chitta, but his purified chitta does not find a proper expression to benefit others. The reason is that his speech (vani) is not pure. Yogena chittasya padena vacha. During the process of purification of consciousness, you undergo many experiences. To convey those experiences to others, you need the medium of speech. So for denoting this purification of consciousness and speech,
30
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
