Part I: Yoga Introduction (solved question paper 2018)

1. Answer any Four
3x10=30
a) Define Yoga. Write an essay on the origin of Yoga ?

Yoga has been derived from the Sanskrit word "YOG" which means to unite. Thus, yoga means an effort to unite the individual with the self consciousness which we name as God.
Yoga is a science of healthy and rightful way of living yoga helps in all round development of personality, physical good health, capacity to counter environmental pollution, form immunity to harmful virus and bacteria, maintain mental, emotional and psychic balance in all odd.

Yoga has been defined variously in different scriptures and treatises on yoga. Though the definitions vary, the goal of all the definitions are one and the same, i.e., to know the Self, to unfold thedivinity within and to merge the individual self with the universal consciousness, experience the ‘Existence, Knowledge and Bliss Absolute’ and thereby to free oneself from the pains and sufferings that emerge from mundane life.
Some important definitions of yoga are given below:
1. The ‘Yog-Vasistha Ramayana’ mentions two definitions. The first one is on the ‘state’ and, that is, ‘Yoga’ is the maintenance of equilibrium between the individual soul and the universal soul (Yoga Samatavastha Jivatma Paaramatmano). The second definition is about the ‘method’ and, that is, ‘Yoga is the means for controlling the mind’ (Manah Prasamanopayah Yoga Ityavirdhiyate ).
2. The ‘Maha-Nirvan Tantra’ defines yoga as ‘Union of the individual soul with the universal soul’ (Yoga Jivatma Paramatmano Eikyam).
3. In the ‘Srimad Bhagawad Gita’ two definitions of yoga can be found. One is – a) ‘Maintenance of equanimity or balance is yoga’(Samattwam Yoga Uccyate). The other is b) ‘Yoga is skill in action’ (Yoga Karmasu Kausalam).
4. Sage Patanjali in the’ Yoga Sutra’ defines yoga as the inhibition or restraint of modifications of the mind (Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodhah).
In order to arrive at the final stage of yoga, as mentioned in the first two definitions of yoga, it is required to keep the mind in a state of equilibrium, free from all modifications where the self remains in its original pure state. The seer gets a clear vision of his/her unpolluted self. At all other states, the self mingles with the modifications. Stopping the process of modification is defined as Yoga. For that purpose, some sort of systematic, physical and mental cultures are prescribed. These systems are also called Yoga.

b) Explain briefly about ‘Panchadharana’ ?

Introduction-Description of panchadharana has been given in yoga granths with several qualities. After getting siddhi in these five dharnas, there is no work which cannot be done siddh or proved. First, stop your breath inside while concentrating on the Mooladhara Chakra in Abhyasi Prithavi Dharana in the beginning and then on the Swadhishthana Chakra in Jaliya Dharana, on the Nabhi Chakra in Aagneya Dharana, on the Heart Chakra in Wayaviya Chakra and on Kanthkoopa and Bhumadhya Chakra in Aakashiya Dharana.

Technique of mudra-

First, sit on the floor in any asana of meditation and keep your neck and waist straight and then close your eyes. Now stop your breath from both the nostrils and concentrate on the Mooladhara Chakra during the practice of Moolabandha and Jalandhara Bandha and stop your breath inside. If you are not able in stopping the breath inside, open your eyes by opening the Moolbandha and Jalandhera Bandha. Now stop breath by closing both the nostrils. It is called Prithavi Dharana Mudra.

After that, do the practice of exhaling and inhaling while concentrating on the Swathishthana Chakra, Manipura Chakra, Anahata Chakra, Vishudhda Chakra and Aagya Chakra. Thus, a chakra of Panchadharana Mudra becomes complete.

Benefits-

After getting siddhi in all these dharnas, the yogi gets supreme rank. The person can conquer over senility and death by the regular practice of this mudra. This mudra is also helpful in awakening Kundilini Power.

Precaution-

The practice of this mudra should be done in the supervision of a good yoga teacher in the beginning.
It should be done after the practice of pranayam and other mudras.

c) Write about the classification of Asana ?

Ans: Asanas are bodily postures done while standing, sitting and lying down in order to give the body and mind steadiness and poise (Sthiram and Sukham) and to bring balance in the functioning of the internal organs. In Asana the body is kept in different positions and the mind concentrated in such a way that the systems and organs of the body become strong and efficient in functioning, and finally, it improves the health of body and mind. These are some of the means to prevent disease and old age and developing or achieving physical and mental development.
Asanas are countless in number. The ancient treatises on yoga, like Goraksha Samhita, Gheranda Samhita, Dhyan-bindu Upanishad, mention that there are as many asanas as there are animals on the earth. However, out of the innumerable asanas, 84 asanas are considered to be important.

Classification of Asanas

Based on their effects, asanas are classified into three major
groups. These are-

a) Meditative Asanas (Dhyanasanas): Examples - Padmasana, Swastikasana, Siddhasana, Vajrasana, etc.

b) Cultural or Corrective Asanas (Swasthasanas): Examples - Vajrasana, Sarvangasana, Dhanurasana, Tadasana, Trikonasana, etc.

c) Relaxative Asanas (Vishranti Asanas): Examples - Sarvasana, Makarasana, etc.

Asanas can be performed in different positions like standing, sitting, sleeping, etc.

Principles for Practising Asana

   While practicing asana, one is to keep in mind that asanas are meant for conservation of energy, not for its wastage. Hence, importance is given on relaxation, not on stress and strain on the muscles and nerves.
   All asanas are to be done in slow motion with rhythm and not in a hurry with jerks or in swiftness.
   One’s mind must be kept concentrated on the parts of the body which are involved in the asana.

Effects of Asanas:

Practice of Asana -
(1) Brings stability and poise to the body and the mind;
(2) Removes stiffness of the joints and increases flexibility ;
(3) Removes poisonous elements accumulated in the bone- joints, muscles and ligaments;
(4) Massages the roots of the nerves, supplies fresh blood and makes them active and alert;
(5) Regularises the functions of the endocrine glands;
(6) Increases lung capacity;
(7) Makes the heart, arteries and the vasso-motor centres healthy and improves their blood circulation;
(8) Strengthens the organs of the digestive system and the excretory system;
(9) Strengthens the muscles and removes unnecessary fat from the body;
(10) Increases general efficiency of the body and the mind;
(11) Increases power of tolerance of the physique as well as the
mind.

2. Write short note on (any three) 3x10=30

a) Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of devotion to God in some form or the other. A Bhakta Yogi surrenders completely to God, the Almighty. Love is the core element of Bhakti Yoga.
Nine kinds of Bhakti or devotion are mentioned in ‘Narada Bhakti Sutra’, ‘Srimad Bhagawata’ etc. These are- Sravana (Listening to chantings in praise of the Deity), Kirtana (Singing religious songs), Smarana (Remembering the Deity), Pada-Sevana (serving at the feet of the Deity), Archana (worshipping), Bandana (Praising), Dasya
(acting like a slave), Sakhya (treating the Deity as friend) and Atma-Nivedana (Self-surrendering). Taking any kind of Bhakti, the Bhakta (devotee) starts his journey. Bhakti gradually becomes ripe and in the ripe stage it transforms into divine Love and the devotee merges fully in the ocean of Love. A heart filled with divine Love cannot give shelter to malice towards others; everything become pure and the devotee visualises God in every object. In the Bible, it is said “ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

b) Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga is that yoga where the sense organs and the mind are withdrawn from the external objects, they are confined to the inside of the mind, the mind is controlled and calmed down and with the help of concentration and meditation proceeds towards super-conscious state where self-realisation is attained, the individual Self merges with the Universal Consciousness.
   In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, the eightfold path is called ashtanga, which literally means “eight limbs”. These eight steps basically act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; they direct attention toward one’s health; and they help us to acknowledge the spiritual aspects of our nature. In brief the eight limbs, or steps to yoga, are as follows: 1) Yama 2) Niyama 3) Asanas 4) Pranayama 5) Pratyahara 6) Dharana 7) Dhyana 8) Samadhi
   Raja Yoga is the royal path of yoga. As a king maintains control over his kingdom from his capital, so also, in Raja Yoga, the Yogi maintains control over the kingdom of his mind through psychological control. The basic principle of Raja Yoga is that our vision of Divine Self is obscured by the fluctuations of the mind (chitta). If the mind is stilled and purified, the Self shines forth automatically. Raja Yoga is also called classical yoga.
   Treatises on yoga, like Yoga Tattva Upanishad, Yoga Sikha Upanishad and Siva Samhita, mention about four kinds of yoga- Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga. George Feuerstein, a German Indologist specialising on Yoga, mentions six kinds of yoga. They are Raja Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Karma Yoga and Mantra Yoga. He mentions about Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo as another kind of yoga. Ernest Wood, the European yogi, mentions about seven Indian systems, viz. (1) Raja Yoga of Patanjali, (2) Buddhi and Karma Yoga of Sri Krishna, (3) Jnana Yoga of Adi Sankaracharya, (4) Hatha Yoga, (5) Laya Yoga, (6) Bhakti Yoga and (7) Mantra Yoga, and three non-Indian systems, viz. (1) Persian Sufi Yoga, (2) Eight Noble Paths of the Buddha and (3) Zen Yoga of China and Japan.
   In due course of time, with the change of man’s life-style, various styles of yoga have evolved through the practices of the masters of yoga, which are nothing but variations of Hatha Yoga with different names.

c) Hatha Yoga

Hatha in Sanskrit literally means ‘stubborn’. So Hatha Yoga practice means the stubborn practice of yoga, without the interference of the five senses and the mind. Generally, people think of Hatha Yoga only as asana practice. But it is the austere practice of asana, pranayama, dharana, and dhyana to achieve the sublime state of samadhi. In samadhi the yogi becomes free from the illusion of form, time, and space. Asana is just one of the six practices in this path.

Hatha Yoga originates from Raja Yoga. It is the simpler version (without Yamas and Niyamas) of Raja Yoga. In simple words, you can say all the yoga poses and pranayama exercises can be classified as Hatha Yoga. So if you practice any yoga asanas or pranayama exercises you are practicing Hatha.

It is interesting to know that some teachers explain Hatha as Ha (sun) + Tha (moon) yoga, because of the fact that Hatha Yoga helps to purify our solar (Pingla) and lunar (Ida) channels.

The word ‘ha’ means Sun, ‘tha’ means Moon. Hatha means to balance the Sun and Moon energies in you.

Hatha yoga is the science of harmonizing Pingala and Ida; or the solar and lunar energies within us so as to prod our higher consciousness to life. It is the science of activating the third, central nadi- Sushumna - which is the path to enlightenment.

Hatha also means being adamant, making an effort.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says, “Hatha yoga is stretching your boundaries a little bit. We define our boundaries and stay there. Hatha yoga says, okay stretch a little bit. Extend your boundary, little by little.”

Hatha yoga begins with exertion. Your body may say, “That’s it, I can do no more.” Or your mind may groan, “Yoga? Oh no not again!” But you stay determined. You just do it. Every time you raise the bar just a tad, step out of your comfort zone a little further.

Tools in Practice

Asanas – to gain control over the body
Pranayama – to gain control over the breath
Mudra – to manipulate and stimulate pranas (subtle energies)
Bandhas – to stimulate chakras (energy centers)
Kriyas – to purify internal organs
Mantras – to control the mind

Six Principles of Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the six-limb yoga (Shatanga Yoga). These six limbs are:

Asana – steady comfortable state of body and mind
Pranayama – expansion of capacity to retain prana
Pratyahara – withdrawal from the sensory input
Dharana – bringing the mind to one single point
Dhyana – observing the self
Samadhi – becoming free from Maya

So the first two limbs of Raja Yoga; Yamas & Niyamas are excluded in Hatha Yoga.

d) Jnana Yoga

Jnana Yoga is the yoga of enquiry into the Self. The fundamental tenet of Jnana Yoga is that the ocean of knowledge is lying within, and not outside. The outside world, i.e., the material world around us, is an illusion. The Ultimate Truth is Brahma (Supreme Consciousness or Paramatman) and Jiva or Atman is the embodiment of the Param Brahma. If one knows the Self, he knows everything. So, the proponents of Jnana Yoga emphasise upon the realisation of the Self. The tools of Jnana Yoga for realisation of the Self are –
a) Viveka (conscience), b) Vairagya (non-attachment), c) Sat-Sampatti (six properties or virtues) and d) longing for Mumukshatva (liberation).
The six properties (Sat-Sampattis) are : 1) Sam (Calming down of the mind), 2) Dam (Self-control), 3) Uparati (Sacrifice of greed), 4) Titiksha (Patience), 5) Sraddha (Respect and Devotion) and 6) Samadhana (One-pointedness of mind on God).
The methods of Jnana Yoga are – first Listening/Studying
(Sravana/Adhyana), then thinking and analysing (Manan/Vislekhan)
and at last diving deep into it and realising the truth (Anudhyasan).

e) Meditation

f) Importance of chanting prayer

3. Answer any two 5x2=10

a)What is 'Sat Chakra'? Name the Chakras and locate its positions.

According to yogic philosophy, chakras (pronounced “chuhk-ruhs” and often translated as “circle” or “wheel”) refer to centralized locations where subtle energy channels, known as nadis, converge.

Many yoga systems consider there to be seven main chakras. They are said to run along the length of the spine, from the pelvic floor to the crown of the head.

There is no shortage of information on this topic, as it is becoming more and more mainstream. Many yoga teachers theme their classes around these energy centers. Anodea Judith, a renowned teacher of the chakra system, wrote a popular book called Chakra Balancing that you may have seen sitting on an end table at your favorite yoga studio. You can even find chakra-themed clothing, jewelry, fragrances, and beauty products.

Understanding more about these energy centers can inspire us to understand ourselves on a deeper, more multidimensional level. So let’s take a closer look at them.

1. Muladhara (the Root Chakra)

Muladhara (literally, “root support”) is located at the base of the spine. It is often depicted as a red four-petaled lotus, and it’s connected to the earth element.

Muladhara governs what are considered the four primal urges: food, sleep, sex, and self-preservation. Its energetic function is to help us maintain a sense of groundedness and inner stability.

Root chakra affirmation: “I am connected to the earth. I am strong and I am stable.”