THE YOGA OF PATANJALI : ASHTANGA YOGA

THE YOGA OF PATANJALI : ASHTANGA YOGA

The yoga of Patanjali is described in his treatise called YOGA SUTRA [YS].

Its purpose is clearly stated from its very beginning [1,2]:  citta vritti nirodhah, “the inhibition of the modifications of the mind”. The normal states of consciousness are the product of  avidya (ignorance) which generates the sense of asmita (duality or separatedness) and abnivesha (the will to live).

The continuous flux of thoughts and mental images induced by such a mindset is termed “the modifications of the mind”.

They perpetuate ignorance and the captivity of purusha in the world of prakriti’s manifestations. In order that liberation may be attained, this consciousness must be extinguished and replaced by a different state of consciousness in which the experience of senses and mind produced by prakriti is replaced by extra-sensory and extra-rational experience.

Therefore the control of the mental states as required in yoga has a dual focus:

Both, the external illusion [the false identification of purusha with the psycho-mental fluctuations] and the internal source of illusion have to be conquered and destroyed. The yoga technique  shows the practical way in which the entire human potential, both physical and psycho-mental is brought under control [‘yoked’] in order to attain the liberation of purusha. The ultimate goal of yoga, therefore, is a  SPIRITUAL one.