Summary: योगमाला
Yoga makes life healthy, beautiful, long and steady and builds strength of body, mind and spirit. The United Nations declared 21 June as World Yoga Day. The opening verse advises a wise person to practise yoga regularly, as far as he can, for peace of mind, happiness and freedom from disease.
आसन is the first limb of हठयोग, so it is taught first. An आसन should give steadiness (स्थैर्यम्), health (आरोग्यम्) and lightness of the body (अङ्गलाघवम्).
पद्मासनम्: right foot on the left thigh and left foot on the right thigh, hands holding the big toes from behind, chin on the chest, eyes on the tip of the nose — it destroys disease. धनुरासनम्: hold the big toes with the hands and pull them up to the ears like drawing a bow.
पश्चिमतानम्: stretch both legs straight on the ground like sticks, hold the toes with both hands and rest the forehead on the knees. मत्स्येन्द्रासनम्, taught by Matsyanatha: one foot at the root of the opposite thigh, the other foot placed outside the knee, and the body twisted. शवासनम्: lie flat on the back like a corpse — it removes tiredness and rests the mind.
Six things destroy yoga: overeating, over-exertion, too much talk, rigid insistence on rules, too much mixing with crowds, and greed/restlessness. The पठत बोधत box salutes Patanjali, who purified the mind by yoga, speech by grammar and the body by medicine, and praises the eight-limbed bow and daily सूर्यनमस्कार.
Key points to remember
- Source: हठयोगप्रदीपिका by स्वात्मारामयोगी (15th century)
- 21 June = विश्वयोगदिवसः (declared by the UN)
- Yoga for समाधानम्, सौख्यम्, नीरोगत्वम् — practise यथाशक्ति निरन्तरम्
- आसनम् = first limb of हठयोग; gives स्थैर्यम्, आरोग्यम्, अङ्गलाघवम्
- पद्मासनम् — व्याधिविनाशकारि (destroys disease)
- धनुरासनम् — pulling the toes to the ears like a bow
- पश्चिमतानम् — forehead on the knees, legs stretched
- मत्स्येन्द्रासनम् — spinal twist taught by Matsyanatha
- शवासनम् — श्रमहरम्, चित्तविश्रान्तिकारकम्
- Six destroyers of yoga: अत्याहारः, प्रयासः, प्रजल्पः, नियमाग्रहः, जनसङ्गः, लौल्यम्
