Blue stones or Neelakkallukal 8

The most misunderstood word in the universe is perhaps the word "Yoga". Even though the word Yoga means "union" it should ideally be used only to denote the union of Jeevaathma and Paramaathma. For Yoga, control of all the senses and hence the mind is essential. When the mind is completely under control, the ultmate knowledge that Jeevaathma and Paramaathma are one and the same dawns and this is called Yoga. Because of avidya or ignorance or Maaya, Jeevathma and Parmaathma are separated ( Ignorance or Maaya is the screen between them) and when that obstacle is removed, they unite and that is yoga. As per Pathanajali yoga suthra, Yogam is the cessation of the thoughts of he mind. (yoga: chittha vrutthi norodha:) Yoga has actually nothing to do with the physical exercise.

 

When the word is added to other words like Karma, Jnaana and Bhakthi it means that through the above three paths one can remove the obstacle of Maaya and reach Paramaathma. There is a very good example to illustrate karma yoga and Bhakthi yoga. Imagine we were walking outside with some cracked rice or grains  in our hands and accidentally some of it was spilled on the ground. After a few minutes, some birds came and started eating them. What we did was not feeding the birds but it became their food.

 

Now imagine we saved some cracked rice or grains and took it outside to specifically feed the birds around that area. Now it became a karma yogam and that attitude was the result of one's positive quality "sarvabhootha daya" or kindness towards all of His creation. Also it was not a "kaamya karmam" or action expecting something in return. When one travels in this path with this kind of attitude, he will be spritually elevated to understand his position in relation to Paramaathma and will attain moksham.

 

Now in Bhakthi Yogam, the devotee feeds the birds because he sees the birds also as God . A sincere devotee sees God in everything. Both Karmayogis and Bhaktha yogis will be eventually elevated to the status of a Jnaana Yogi and then will attain moksham.

 

 

Pathanjali's yoga suthras are to guide us towards this Union with Vishnu Bhagavaan and unfortunately now it is diluted extremely to cover only the physical and material aspect of human beings. Of course there is nothing wrong in doing something for physical well-being, but the word 'exercise' would have been proper to use.

 

May Bhagavaan bless us to remove the veil of ignorance!