YAMA , NOT THE GOD OF DEATH
Ever since , I was introduced to a very tiny volume on Raja yoga , authored by Swami Vivekananda, the legendary Indian monk , I got hooked to the ideas explained therein succinctly.
It is all about the practice of yoga codified by a sage Patanjali in the form of short aphorisms . The Sanskrit word for aphorism would be " Sutra " . The name of the codification is " Yoga Sutra ". The Yoga Sutra has eight limbs and is called " Ashtanga Yoga " or Eight limbed Yoga. Yoga today is very popular throughout the world and is thought to be those various postures which keep your body very supple and fit. But that is only a part of Yoga. In fact , yoga has a moral foundation which fascinates me. It is the first limb of yoga. In sanscrit , it is called , " Yama". Sanskrit words are polysemic, having several meanings. The god of death in Hindu Mythology is also named as " YAMA". But in the context of Yoga, it means " Self Control".
Yama consists of five observances for an aspirant . In my view these five observances are important for everyone who is interested in Higher life , irrespective of his religious following . There is something universal in the concept of Yama and nothing sectarian about it.
Ahimsa is the first observance. A-Himsa - Himsa means harming or violence. Therefore , ahimsa is non violence in thought , word and deed. Of course, it is a very high ideal. In nature , there is always some violence. But this ideal is for one who strives for a higher life. One can avoid harming others intentionally . The message is for one who likes to evolve. Mahatma Gandhi made ahimsa a creed of his life. He was followed by Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and many others. While Gandhi wanted British to quit India, he never hated them. Martin Luther King's fight against racial discrimination was a non violent one. Nelson Mandela epitomized a very long struggle against apartheid and achieved an incredible success. Later it was truth and reconciliation and not revenge. Hence ahimsa is relevant even at the social level. There are anectodes about sages who had face to face encounters with wild animals with no harm to either. I am tempted to quote a couplet of an ancient Tamil poet " Thiruvalluvar " in this context.
இன்னா செயதாரை ஓறுத்தல அவர் நாண
நன்னயம் செய்து விடல் .
Avenging one who harmed you is
Doing good to him so that
He is filled with shame.
I am also reminded of Christ's words , " But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil;but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to the other also." ( King James Bible)
Remember , abimas is non violence in thought ,word and deed. In my posts , I am highlighting thé importance of thoughts . You know in criminal law , for any crime they see the guilty mind " mens rea " or the motive. A person who plans a crime is as much guilty as the one who executes it.
Non injury in words is a part of ahimsa. Hurtful words are akin to darts which wound the heart of the hearers. Words are very powerful . Harsh words play havoc to one who speaks as well as one who hears . Surely they create toxins in you affecting your health . Hence we have to exercise utmost caution while communicating with others.
The concept of Ahimsa has several facets to it and hence my fascination for it. I shall continue this subject in my subsequent posts.
Sayee Jayaraman
28/01/2015
Ever since , I was introduced to a very tiny volume on Raja yoga , authored by Swami Vivekananda, the legendary Indian monk , I got hooked to the ideas explained therein succinctly.
It is all about the practice of yoga codified by a sage Patanjali in the form of short aphorisms . The Sanskrit word for aphorism would be " Sutra " . The name of the codification is " Yoga Sutra ". The Yoga Sutra has eight limbs and is called " Ashtanga Yoga " or Eight limbed Yoga. Yoga today is very popular throughout the world and is thought to be those various postures which keep your body very supple and fit. But that is only a part of Yoga. In fact , yoga has a moral foundation which fascinates me. It is the first limb of yoga. In sanscrit , it is called , " Yama". Sanskrit words are polysemic, having several meanings. The god of death in Hindu Mythology is also named as " YAMA". But in the context of Yoga, it means " Self Control".
Yama consists of five observances for an aspirant . In my view these five observances are important for everyone who is interested in Higher life , irrespective of his religious following . There is something universal in the concept of Yama and nothing sectarian about it.
Ahimsa is the first observance. A-Himsa - Himsa means harming or violence. Therefore , ahimsa is non violence in thought , word and deed. Of course, it is a very high ideal. In nature , there is always some violence. But this ideal is for one who strives for a higher life. One can avoid harming others intentionally . The message is for one who likes to evolve. Mahatma Gandhi made ahimsa a creed of his life. He was followed by Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and many others. While Gandhi wanted British to quit India, he never hated them. Martin Luther King's fight against racial discrimination was a non violent one. Nelson Mandela epitomized a very long struggle against apartheid and achieved an incredible success. Later it was truth and reconciliation and not revenge. Hence ahimsa is relevant even at the social level. There are anectodes about sages who had face to face encounters with wild animals with no harm to either. I am tempted to quote a couplet of an ancient Tamil poet " Thiruvalluvar " in this context.
இன்னா செயதாரை ஓறுத்தல அவர் நாண
நன்னயம் செய்து விடல் .
Avenging one who harmed you is
Doing good to him so that
He is filled with shame.
I am also reminded of Christ's words , " But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil;but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to the other also." ( King James Bible)
Remember , abimas is non violence in thought ,word and deed. In my posts , I am highlighting thé importance of thoughts . You know in criminal law , for any crime they see the guilty mind " mens rea " or the motive. A person who plans a crime is as much guilty as the one who executes it.
Non injury in words is a part of ahimsa. Hurtful words are akin to darts which wound the heart of the hearers. Words are very powerful . Harsh words play havoc to one who speaks as well as one who hears . Surely they create toxins in you affecting your health . Hence we have to exercise utmost caution while communicating with others.
The concept of Ahimsa has several facets to it and hence my fascination for it. I shall continue this subject in my subsequent posts.
Sayee Jayaraman
28/01/2015
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