History of Yoga Full Film English

Key Concepts:

• Yoga: Cessation of the changing modes of Chitta consciousness, leading to abiding in one's own self.
• Chitta: Consciousness, the mind-stuff.
• Patanjali: Compiler of the Yoga Sutras, systematizing yoga knowledge.
• Sankhya: Ancient Indian philosophy, the theoretical foundation of yoga, dealing with the elements of nature and the disentanglement of the self.
• Prakriti: Primal nature, the equilibrium of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.
• Purusha: Conscious entity, restful unit of consciousness.
• Sattva, Rajas, Tamas: Three fundamental elements of Prakriti: static, action, and light.
• Yama: Restraints (non-violence, truth, non-stealing, non-possession, celibacy).
• Niyama: Disciplines (cleanliness, contentment, austerity, recitation, reverence for God).
• Asana: Comfortable and steady posture.
• Pranayama: Regulation of breath.
• Pratyahar: Withdrawal of the mind from external objects.
• Dharna: Intermittent stabilization of the mind at one point.
• Dhyana: Prolonged Dharna, meditation.
• Samadhi: Purest and steady state of being.
• Hatha Yoga: Branch of yoga emphasizing physical postures and breath control.
• Tantra: A spiritual path emphasizing the power of procreation and the integration of all aspects of life.

1. Introduction: The Human Quest and Yoga's Purpose

• Humans are naturally inclined to seek outwards through sensory organs, leading to entanglement in the external world and oscillation between pleasure and pain.
• Modern scientific accomplishments have not provided lasting happiness.
• Ancient Indian sages developed yoga as a technique to keep the mind free and peaceful.
• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are presented as a compilation of answers to an inquiring mind, beginning with the aphorism "Now begins the exposition of yoga."
• Yoga is defined as the cessation of the changing modes of Chitta consciousness.
• The benefit of yoga is that the seer abides in his own self, uncovering the layers that cover the self.
• The video poses questions about the nature of yoga before and after Patanjali, its relation to religion, and its potential to conquer disease, old age, and death.

2. Patanjali: The Systematizer of Yoga

• Patanjali is believed to be from the Nag tribe and the author of Yoga Sutras, treatises on grammar, and Ayurveda.
• He eliminated impurities of the mind through grammar, speech, and ailments of the body through Ayurveda.
• An illustration in Patanjali's grammar about Madhyamika (ancient name of Chittor) being surrounded by the Greeks suggests he lived during the time of King Pushyamitra Shunga (184 to 148 BC).
• An inscription mentions Patanjali performing a Yagya for King Pushyamitra.
• The Yoga Sutras, a concise work later elaborated by Maharishi Vyasa, scientifically arranged the elements of consciousness.
• Patanjali demystified the elements of consciousness and arranged them scientifically.

3. The Unique Indian Approach to Knowledge

• Ancient Indians used internal experimentation, testing, and observation within the human body and mind to seek knowledge.
• It was believed that all that exists in the human body also exists in the universe.
• The observer becomes like a telescope and a microscope through focused, pure, and peaceful Chitta consciousness.
• Concentrating the Chitta consciousness is yoga, which has influenced many philosophies, arts, and sciences in India.
• Yoga alleviates the disease of the mind, suffering, similar to how Ayurveda cures diseases of the body.

4. The Structure of Yoga Shastra

• Yoga Shastra has four chapters.
• The first chapter is for highly evolved practitioners, detailing techniques and progressive dimensions of yogic concentrations.
• Prolonged practice of concentration with detachment leads to self-realization and Ritambhara Pragya, a wisdom beyond the intellect.
• The second chapter explains the eight limbs of yoga sequentially: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahar, Dharna, Dhyana, and Samadhi.
• Yamas are five: non-violence, truth, non-stealing, non-possession, and celibacy.
• Niyamas are also five: cleanliness, contentment, austerity, recitation, and reverence for God.
• Patanjali viewed God as a means for the cessation of the mind, not as the creator or operator of the universe.
• The theory of yoga is Sankhya, which is atheist in nature.
• Religion demands faith, but yoga is existential, experiential, and experimental.

5. The Eight Limbs of Yoga Explained

• Seekers control their daily conduct through Yama and Niyama and sit in a comfortable Asana.
• Asana involves a steady body and focused vision (tip of the nose, center of the eyebrows, or a target point).
• Practicing Asana for hours leads to stability and resting of the Chitta consciousness in the infinite.
• Pranayama involves regulating the breath, purifying the mind, and cleansing energy channels.
• Pratyahar is withdrawing the mind from external objects and taking Ahar (nourishment) from within.
• Dharna is intermittent stabilization of the mind at one point (object or thought).
• Dhyana is prolonged Dharna.
• Samadhi is the purest and steady state of being.

6. The Origins of Yoga: Beyond Patanjali

• Traditionally, Sankhya is considered the oldest philosophy of India.
• The Mahabharata describes Sankhya and yoga as Sanatan philosophies (existing forever).
• Sage Kapil is considered the originator of Sankhya and the greatest achiever of yoga.
• A 5,000-year-old seal from the Indus Valley Civilization depicts a yogi in meditation.
• The early form of Shiva is described as Pashupati, the Lord of the Beasts.
• Professor Singh suggests the animals in the seal are Marutgans, and the human figure is Pashupati, referring to Rigveda mantras where Pashupati is named Vishwarupa.
• Scholars suggest the figure may be a mother goddess, indicating a matriarchal society.
• Evidence from Harappan graveyards suggests women had a high status in society.

7. Sankhya: The Philosophy of Yoga

• Bankim Chandra Chatterjee connects the sound of drummers of the Durga festival to Sankhya philosophy.
• Sankhya and yoga are considered one, with Sankhya as the theory and yoga as its practice.
• Sankhya means accurate knowledge and also numbers, a philosophy of the elements of nature.
• Sankhya considers two basic constituents: primal nature (Prakriti) and conscious entity (Purusha).
• Prakriti is the equilibrium of three elements: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas.
• Purusha is a restful unit of consciousness.
• Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are static, action, and light, respectively.
• Imbalance among them results in Vikriti (transformation).
• Prakriti is symbolized as a conceiver, a dancer, and often compared with the personality of a woman.
• Professor Deepi Chatopadhya suggests Sankhya, yoga, and tantra originated from matriarchal societies.

8. Yoga in the Harappa Civilization

• The mother goddess seated in a yogic Asana indicates that Sankhya and yoga were integral to Harappa.
• The Harappa people practiced Yama and Niyama, abstaining from violence for almost 2000 years.
• There is no evidence of centralized authoritarian rule, suggesting civil discipline.
• Despite being peace-loving, they had strong fortifications.
• Cleanliness was important, with bathing pools and hygienic drainage systems.
• Harappan cities were well-planned and modern.
• Some difficult Hatha Yogic Asanas are visible in Harappa terracotta figurines.
• Yama and Niyama were part of their lifestyle, and the status of women indicates Sankhya philosophy.

9. Yoga in the Vedic Period

• With the decline of Harappa, India moved to historical times with the Vedas.
• The Rigveda is dated between 2000 to 3000 BC.
• There are similarities between the Harappa and Vedic cultures.
• The Prakriti of Sankhya is the core of Indian rational thought, while the Prakriti of Rigveda is a poem full of knowledge, mysteries, and wonder.
• The seers of the Rigveda were attuned with Prakriti.
• Rigvedic society is patriarchic.
• Yagna is the act by which Purusha created the world.
• Elements of yoga are found throughout Vedic literature.
• Hiranyagarbha is considered a primal propounder of yoga.
• The Kesin Munis remind us of later Hatha Yogis.
• The word yoga appears in the Taittiriya Upanishad and the Katha Upanishad.

10. Yoga and Buddhism

• Upanishads are called Vedanta, written around the 7th century BC.
• Gautam Buddha was born in the 6th century BC.
• He left his luxurious life to search for the reality of life.
• He met yogis and ascetics but was unconvinced.
• He performed rigorous penance but later abandoned it.
• He sat in Padmasana under a people tree and attained Nirvana.
• He may have practiced Samudra (Khechari Mudra).
• He sat in one Asana for seven days, enjoying the bliss of liberation (Ananda Nougat Samadhi).
• He meditated upon Pratikya Samutpad (Vitarka Samadhi).
• He stood motionless for seven days (Trataka).
• Buddha's enlightenment preceded Patanjali by 300 years.
• Buddha said, "I saw the ancient path and traversed upon it."
• He believed the concept of the immortal soul would not eliminate suffering.
• His doctrine of Dharma proclaims, "Come and see, not to believe from before, but to believe after seeing."
• He called some fundamental questions inexplicable.
• Seeing is believing, and not believing is seeing.
• Religion with blind faith is an obstacle to spiritual evolution.
• The Buddha was compassion incarnate.
• Hindus have accepted the Buddha as an incarnation of Vishnu.
• His meditation techniques of Vipassana gave new dimensions to Pranayama.

11. Yoga and Jainism

• Emperor Ashok engraved Buddha's teachings on rocks.
• He embraced the policy of compassion and non-violence.
• He got caves carved for the Ajivikas.
• Emperor Chandragupta, grandfather of Ashok, followed Sanatana Hindu Dharma but later embraced Jainism.
• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are neutral for all religions and sects but show the influence of Jainism and Buddhism.
• The Yama and the Niyama are influenced by Jainism, while meditation and Samadhi have the imprints of Buddhism.
• The Jain tradition is older than the Buddhist.
• Rishabhdev, the first Tirthankar, is mentioned in the Vedas.
• Rishabhdev is also known as Adinath, the first yogi.
• The word Nath occurs with the names of many Tirthankaras and is also used by Hatha Yogis.
• Tirthankaras are called Jinn because of their victory over the senses.
• Parvat Asana or Kayotsarga is also the original Tadasana.
• Jain Tirthankaras are shown in the standing posture, Tadasana.
• Bahubali, the son of Rishabhdev, remained standing in Tadasana for a long time.
• Patanjali called Yama Mahavrat, the supreme self-discipline, influenced by Jainism.

12. Yoga in the Mahabharata and Bhagavad-Gita

• "Non-violence is the supreme Dharma" is found in the Mahabharata.
• "There is no knowledge like Sankhya and no power like yoga" is also found in the Mahabharata.
• The Bhagavad-Gita revolutionized yoga, using it as a tool to tackle the harsh realities of life.
• Yoga is considered essential even to win a war.
• The Gita is an inspirational poem, with each chapter concluding with the word yoga.
• All the 25 elements of Sankhya philosophy and the eight limbs of yoga are expounded in its eighteen chapters.

13. Developments in the Classical Age

• The first five centuries A.D. are known as the classic age in Indian history.
• Yogi Vyasa wrote a commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, known as Vyasa Bhashya.
• Buddhism attained its height, with the Mahayana school incorporating yoga and meditation techniques.
• Shadow yoga of Buddhism consists of six steps.
• Tantra was introduced into Buddhist philosophy by Asang and Nagarjun.
• Nagarjun, the promulgator of Sunyawad, was also the master of alchemy.
• He explored the secret of longevity by rejuvenating the body with alchemy.
• Yoga set a goal of keeping the human body free from the rust of old age and making it strong as a diamond-like Vajra.
• Vajrayana philosophy of Buddhism begins with the text Guhya Samaj Tantra.
• Acharya Buddha Ghosh wrote a treatise on the meditation technique of Mahayana.

14. Meditation and the Caves

• Monks lived in caves for performing rituals and meditation.
• They sought to conquer their natural animal instincts to attain higher human values.
• These caves were the lighthouses of Indian society.
• India has never attacked in revenge due to a natural aversion towards violence instilled by ancestors.

15. Tantra and Meditation Techniques

• The Vigyan Bhairava, written in the 8th century, describes 112 ways of meditation.
• Many of its Dharnas are free from any religion, belief, or sect.
• Concentrating on the tip of a mountain or a barren desert helps focus on nothingness.
• When the mind is devoid of an object, the modifications of Chitta consciousness change into nothingness.
• There is joy in touch, sight, smell, taste, and music.
• The yogi in a trance of singing can immerse himself in blissfulness.
• In love, the state of ecstasy is considered equal to the bliss of Brahma.
• Meditating upon this blissfulness, the Chitta of the practitioner gets intensely concentrated.
• This meditation technique is explained at length in tantra.
• The literal meaning of the word tantra is expanse.
• Tantra is inspired by the power of procreation of a female, not its carnal pleasures.
• The importance of sexuality is emphasized in tantra because it is related to our birth.
• Yog stands against death, and birth always defeats death.

16. Art and Meditation

• Craftsmen used to meditate upon the deity first and then transform their experiences into their work of art.
• Art has a dual purpose: a test of meditation for the craftsman and the potential for the art to permeate the viewer's heart.
• Patanjali says unless you become divine yourself, you cannot truly worship divinity.
• Divinity in the human body can be brought about by the practice of Dharna.
• This process of tantra is called Nyas.
• Indian humanism elevates a human being to the level of a deity.
• Western humanism has become devoid of spirituality and ended up with materialism.
• Yog helped develop humanism with spiritualism.
• The experiences of meditation are beyond the senses.
• To be immersed in meditation, one has to transcend the intellect.
• A Shaiva yogi unveiled the three-dimensional reality of creation, existence, and destruction on a rock.

17. Conclusion: The Essence of Yoga

• The video concludes with a reflection on the profound impact of yoga on Indian culture and its potential for spiritual growth.
• It emphasizes the importance of transcending the intellect and experiencing the pure, infinite state of being.
• The journey through the history of yoga reveals its evolution from ancient practices to a sophisticated system for self-realization.