The
word "YOGA" reminds us about "YOGI", a person
who is practicing austerity in Himalayan caves for years together.
This is basically due to lack of requisite knowledge about "Science
of Yoga " in its true sense. This leads to wrong notions
like one must sacrifice normal life and go to Himalayas or Giri
for such practices. This further strengthens the belief in the
masses that this science is beyond their reach keeping themselves
miles away from it. However of late Institutions and Organizations
propagating yoga by adapting yogasan and Pranayam practices have
by and large changed the attitude of the masses towards this science.
Yoga is viewed paradoxically both, as too easy and therefore very
casual without potential, or too difficult and complex and therefore
hard to practice. Many persons call themselves as expert by knowing
a few Asanas. All this perceptions are misleading, and one need
to overcome the extremities of these thoughts. It is also necessary
to study and understand basics of Yoga "as is" before
opining.
Understanding
fundamentals of yoga followed by practice as essential need in
daily life gives realization that "Yoga is a resourceful
way of living life with happiness and prosperity." But for
this experience one needs to understand the spirit of word happiness
and prosperity, along with basics of happiness/joy and unhappiness/sorrow.
It
is a mere illusion that we find happiness in this world only when
our materialistic desires are fulfilled. The unfulfilled desires
make us to experience sorrow. Reflect on the following example:
It
is a joyous experience for a hungry person to have a delicious
Meal with variety of dishes. But eating same meal can be painful
to a person who has already satisfied his hunger or to a person
although hungry has diet restrictions due to disease. Thus materialistic
desire of food not only can give pleasure but can also lead to
pain. Fulfilling such desires for so called pleasures do not increase
level of satisfaction but on the contrary increase lust towards
such desires. There is no end to this cycle of desires and unfulfilled
desire leads to pain. Sanskrit verse highlights the above fact,
The meaning of the same is given below.
A person who has nothing expects one, a person who has one expects
ten, a person who has ten expects hundred, a person who has hundred
expects thousands and a person who has thousands expects million.
A millionaire expects a kingdom. A king expects to be Brahma (Creator
of Universe), Brahma expects to be Vishnu (Governor of Universe)
and Vishnu expects to be Shiva (Ultimate Master of Universe also
the Destroyer of Universe)
Every one expects to add something more to what is already with
him. This fulfillment of expectations has limitations. Beyond
a limit no additional expectation can be fulfilled. Unfulfillment
of this additional expectation leads to sorrow. Thought that gaining
something more can give happiness/joy leads to unhappiness/sorrow
when no gain is made. But acceptance that there is no happiness/joy
in gaining something more will rule out the possibility of being
unhappy/sorrow in future, I.e. UNFULFILLEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS
LEAD TO SORROW. If there are no expectations there can be no unfulfilled
expectation and therefore no sorrow. With this philosophical thinking
we can understand the meaning of Lord Krishna's verse in Bhagawat
Gita
"KARMANYEWADHIKARASTE
MA FALESHU KADACCHANA"
If
one does his duty without expectation in this materialistic world,
happiness and sorrow or loss or gain will not affect him. In spite
of paradox of duels while relishing materialistic things, he will
be in state of equilibrium. This equilibrium is a light house
showing way towards realistic happiness. To lead life in such
a balanced state is YOGA. This has further been explicitly said
in following verse in Bhagawat Geeta
"SAMATWAM
YOG UCCHATE"
