Yoga Chudamani Upanishad (yogacūḍāmaṇyupaniṣad). Chudamani is the crest jewel, the best, the most important, the essential. So this Upanishad, Yoga Chudamani Upanishad, explains, describes the most essential practices of the Yoga. The Upanishad begins with the Yoga Anga Shatkam, the six Angas of the Yoga:
āsanaṃ prāṇasaṃrodhaḥ pratyāhāraśca dhāraṇā।
dhyānaṃ samādhiretāni yogāṅgāni bhavanti ṣaṭ॥
That is the Upanishad mantra: Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. A slight deviation from the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Ashtanga Yoga. The Yamaniyamas are not included in this.
So the Shadangas of the Yoga Chudamani Upanishad are these six. And Yoga Chudamani Upanishad belongs to the Samaveda. And there are 121 mantras. And in these Shadangas, beginning with the Asana, two Asanas have been mentioned for the practice of the other five Angas or other important Angas. They are:
ekaṃ siddhāsanaṃ proktaṃ dvitīyaṃ kamalāsanam ।
ṣaṭcakraṃ ṣoḍaśādhāraṃ trilakṣyaṃ vyomapañcakam ॥
Siddhasana and Kamalasana, a beautiful name in epithet for the Padmasana. Padmasana name is well known. But Yoga Chudamani Upanishad mentions the same as the Kamalasana. Then the Upanishad describes that "Yoga Siddhaye Avasyakam Deha Tatva Jnanam". For the best benefits, for the highest benefits, and for the establishment in the Yoga, one must know Deha Tatva Jnanam, knowledge about the body. Body knowledge is essential for the Yoga Siddhi.
Then Upanishad explains the constituents of the body. And in that constituents, it increases, emphasizes the Shat Chakras. And it talks about the Muladhara Chakrani. And each Chakra, it explains. Just for example, Muladhara Chakra:
caturdalaṃ syādādhāraṃ svādhiṣṭhānaṃ ca ṣaḍdalam।।
nābhau daśadalaṃ padmaṃ hṛdaye dvādaśārakam।
ṣoḍaśāraṃ viśuddhākhyaṃ bhrūmadhye dvidalaṃ tathā।।
sahastradalasaṃkhyātaṃ brahmarandhre mahāpathi।
The way the Upanishad explains the importance of the knowledge of the body and gives us the various existence, constituents of our body. The Shat Chakras are actually present in the body. And it explains in an imagery, a symbolic manner that the Muladhara has four petals, Swadhishthana has six petals, the navel region has ten petals, the heart has twelve petals, the Vishuddhi has sixteen petals, and the center of the eyebrows, Agnya Chakra, has two petals. And the last one, the Brahma Chakra, has one thousand petals. This recognizing, presenting a lotus with various petals and different colors is a part of many of the other Upanishads and Yoga texts. It doesn't mean actually there are lotuses in the body and there are actually petals in the body. It signifies a symbolic of some physical part in the body as looked by the Yoga masters who considered the human body as the best tool, as a vehicle to attain the important dimensions of the Yoga.
And that is how the Upanishad goes further into the Nadi Maha Chakram. It explains it. The Nadi Sthanas, the various Nadis and their places and the flow of the Prana in these Nadis. The effects of the flow of Prana in these Nadis. Even the Upanishad gives various names: Ida, Pingala, Sushumna, Gandhari, Hastajuha, Yashaswini, Pusa, Alambusa, Kuhu, Shankhini. Such names have been given. And when the Prana flows in these Nadis, what are the effects? What are the activities it controls and manifests? In these Nadis, the entire body is under the influence of the flow of the Prana. And the flow of the Prana with various speeds, various intensities, various volumes, the change of speed, volume, and intensity in different Nadis at different times affects psychophysiological activities.
Then the Upanishad explains beautifully the Pancha Pranas: Prana, Apana, Udana, Samana, and Vyana. And then it explains the Pancha Upapranas: Naga, Kurma, Krikara, Dhananjaya, and the Devadatta. These various combinations with various directions of flows. That is how the entire human body, the psychophysiological constituent of the body, the emotions, Manah, Buddhi, Ahankara, Chittaha, Raga, Dveshas (likes and dislikes), the physical activities, the Pancha Gnanendriyas, the Pancha Karmendriyas, and all the activities are all monitored, in fact, directed and fueled by the flow of Prana in these various Nadis and the Chakras. And the Upanishad emphasizes there is a need to understand, so that there can be a balance and alignment brought in for the practices of Pratyahara, Dharana, and Dhyana. That is the importance of the Pranayama. Then Upanishad talks about the important dimension of the Ajapa Gayatri Anusandhanam.
etatsaṃkhyānvitaṃ maṃtraṃ jīvo japati sarvadā॥
ajapā nāma gāyatrī yogināṃ mokṣadā sadā।
asyāḥ saṃkalpamātreṇa sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate ॥
anayā sadṛśī vidyā anayā sadṛśo japaḥ।
anayā sadṛśaṃ jñānaṃ na bhūtaṃ na bhaviṣyati ॥
kuṇḍalinyā samudbhūtā gāyatrī prāṇadhāriṇī।
prāṇavidyā mahāvidyā yastāṃ vetti sa vedavit।।
Ajapa Gayatri Anusandhanam is the continuous awareness of the Omkara while the flow of the Prana. This flow of the Prana harmonizing with the chanting and the sound of Pranava is an important dimension of the Ajapa Gayatri practice. That is how the Upanishad explains beautiful mantras on the dimensions. Then the Yoga Chudamani Upanishad also talks about the Bandhatrayam i.e. Bandhatraya, and the well-known Kechari, Vajroli, Mahamudra. Then also the Jalandhara Bandha, Udhyana Bandha, and the Mulabandha. Then this Bandhatraya plus these three Mudras: Mulabandha, Udhyana Bandha, and the Jalandhara Bandha. Combinations of Kechari, Vajroli, and the Mahamudra.
Then the practice of the Pranayama. Then the practice of the Omkara. Aligning all these practices leads to the Yoga Siddhi. This is how the Upanishad goes into raptures in explaining the practices of the Khechari Mudra. How the Khechari should be practiced? What is its effect? How Vajroli should be practiced? What is its effect? And what are the timings it has to be practiced? Then the practice of the Mahamudra it talks. Then the most important is the Pranava Japa.
padmāsanaṃ samāruhya samakāyaśirodharaḥ।
nāsāgradṛṣṭirekānte japedoṃkāramavyayam॥
The Upanishad talks about how Omkara Japa, Pranava Japa, should be practiced. It says one should sit in Padmasanam and align the body Samaha with samakāyaśirodharaḥ. The body has to be aligned with an erect spine and the neck. And then Padma in Padmasanam. Then nāsāgradṛṣṭi. The Drishti should be at the tip of the nose. Then the japedoṃkāramavyayam. Then the Omkara Japa has to be practiced. A very beautiful essential mantra. A practical instruction on how to practice the Omkara Mantra and the Pranava Mantra it is. Then the Pranava Mantra Pratekam Arthaha:
akāro jāgrati netre vartate sarvajantuṣu। ukāraḥ kaṇṭhataḥ svapne makāro hyadi suptitaḥ।।
The Akara, Ukara, Makara. And the rising from the mouth level, Hridaya, the chest level, and the abdominal level. This is how the Upanishad beautifully explains Akara, Ukara, and Makara. And this experience, again, the Upanishad explains beautifully. The Akara is the Jagratavastaha; Ukaraha is the Swapna Avastaha; And the Makara is the Sushupti Avastaha. And the practice and the chanting and the awareness of the chanting is to be like a "tailadhārāmivācchinnaṃ dīrghaghaṇṭāninādavat." That means it should be practiced unbroken, continuous, like the flow of the oil, and "dīrghaghaṇṭāninādavat," the long sound, reverberating sound of a bell.
bhūrbhuvaḥ svarime lokāḥ somasūryāgnidevatāḥ ।
yasya mātrāsu tiṣṭhanti tatparaṃ jyotiromiti ॥
The Upanishad also explains how Akara, Ukara, Makara are connected with the Gayatri Mantra:
oṃ bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ tatsaviturvareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt ||
The Upanishad links the both Bhur Bhuvah Saramthi Lokaaha: Bhulokaaha Sahalokaaha And Bhur Lokaaha And Akara, Ukara, Makara, How they are connected to that. Then the Upanishad also talks about the Pranayama Lakshanam. Then The importance of the Pranayama How it is to be practiced:
baddhapadmāsano yogī prāṇaṃ candreṇa pūrayet।
thārayedvā yathāśaktyā bhūyaḥ sūryeṇa recayet।।
Nadi Shuddhi - Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama. This description of Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama how Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama should be practiced. Yoga Chudamani Upanishad Emphasizes and instructs the Yoga Sadhaka that the Sadhaka should sit in Padmasana "baddhapadmāsano yogī prāṇaṃ candreṇa pūrayet।". You begin the Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama while inhaling through the left nostril and exhale with the right nostril - "amṛtodadhisaṃkāśaṃ gokṣīradhavalopamam।". Then that inhalation through the left nostril And exhalation through the right nostril. Again inhale through the right nostril and exhale with the left nostril.
prāṇaṃ cediḍayā pibenniyamitaṃ bhūyo'nyathā recayetpītvā piṅgalayā samīraṇamatho baddhavā tyajedvāmayā।
Inhale through the left nostril, exhale through the right nostril. Again, inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. This is the Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama, Nadi Shodhanam. And while explaining this, it doesn't specify any specific timing or length of it. It says that "Yatha Shaktihi," as much as possible. So, it depends on the sadhaka's ability and capability of how much time they can inhale and exhale, the length and speed of exhalation and inhalation. Exhalation is left to the individual practitioner but emphasizes that it should be slower and slower, without giving any specific timing and matraha.
But further, the Upanishad explains if a timing has to be followed, what should be the timing to be followed. It explains that, though it leaves it to the "Yatha Shakti," that "Yatha Shaktihi" also is specified.:
recakaḥ pūrakaścaiva kumbhakaḥ praṇavātmakaḥ।
prāṇāyāmo bhavedevaṃ mātrādvādaśasaṃyutaḥ॥
mātrādvādaśasaṃyuktau divākaraniśākarau।
doṣajālamabadhrantau jñātavyau yogibhiḥ sadā।।
pūrakaṃ dvādaśaṃ kuryātkumbhakaṃ ṣoḍaśaṃ bhavet।
recakaṃ daśa coṃkāraḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ sa ucyate॥
Dvadasamatra inhalation; then shodhashamatra kumbhakam; Dashamatra rechakam. If you have to put it into seconds that is 12 seconds of puraka, 16 seconds of kumbhakam, then 10 seconds of rechakam.
pūrakaṃ dvādaśaṃ kuryātkumbhakaṃ ṣoḍaśaṃ bhavet।
recakaṃ daśa coṃkāraḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ sa ucyate॥
his is also interpreted as a normal chanting of Omkara chanted for 12 times during inhalation. Then hold the breath while chanting Omkara in a normal speed for 16 times of chanting Omkara. Then exhale while chanting the Omkara 10 times. So, the chanting of Omkara, how much time we take, that also is left out to the individual. So, the mantra is interpreted as Matraha but also is interpreted or to be understood while inhalation, chanting of 12 Omkaras or how much time a person takes to chant Omkara in his own way of chanting. That much time for the puraka and 16 times of chanting Omkara, how much time he takes is the kumbhakaha, and rechakaha for the 10 times.
Now, it is not necessarily exactly to follow this 12, 16, and 10, but a ratio can be brought out from this, a convenient ratio, and a sadhaka can practice it suitable to his own or her own way of capacity because Yatha Shakti should not be forgotten. This is how the Yoga Chudamani Upanishad explains the importance of Omkara chanting and combining it with the inhalations and exhalations of the Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama. Then the Upanishad beautifully describes Prana Abhyasaha, the lakshanas, the benefits, or the effects and the results of the Pranayama and the Nadi Shuddhi benefits. Very beautifully, it explains.
prāṇāyāmena yuktena sarvarogakṣayo bhavet।
prāṇāyāmaviyuktebhyaḥ sarvarogasamudbhavaḥ॥
If pranayama is done properly, all diseases will be eliminated, and if pranayama is done in a wrong way, it generates all diseases. So, a proper, correct practice of pranayama cures diseases, and a wrong practice of pranayama becomes a cause for the generation of diseases. One should be very careful. A beautiful caution was given by the Yoga Chudamani Upanishad in practicing pranayama.
yuktaṃyuktaṃ tyajedvāyu yuktaṃyuktaṃ prapūrayet ।
yuktaṃyuktaṃ prabadhnīyādevaṃ siddhimavāpnuyāt ॥
The Upanishad beautifully explains that to be suitable, Yuktam, it is. Depending upon the ability and the capacity of the sadhaka. So though the Upanishad gives the ratio for practice, that ratio also has to be adjusted and maintained as per the capability and ability of the practitioner. That is how important dimension is given.
Then the Upanishad explains, "Pranayama bhyase indriya pratyahara avasyakaha." By the practice of pranayama, one will enhance his ability and mastery over the pratyahara, sense control, ability to reign the speed, pressure, and force of the indriyas. One can reign, control, and gain mastery over one's own speed and force, pressure of the desires. This ability and capacity to postpone the pressure to fulfill the desire, that is an important dimension of the pratyahara.
So the sadangas, that is the asana Kamalasana and the Siddhasana, then the structure of the body, then the nadis, then the nadi shuddhi, then the importance of the pranayama, then the dharana and dhyana, the Omkara Dhyana. That is how the Yoga Chudamani Upanishad, the Samaveda Upanishad, which was having about one hundred and twenty one mantras, concludes, presents beautifully the practical dimension of the yoga practices, which should be extremely useful to all of the practitioners in the field of yoga in enhancing our own ability to raise our own lifestyle and to enhance our practices to a higher level.
A simple, normally confining ourselves to the practice of asanas and pranayama, kriyas, mudras, bandhas, for the sake of exhibitionism, for the sake of fame and name, are to be curtailed, and that is also a part of practicing of the pratyaharaha. And that is how the Yoga Chudamani Upanishad reorients the entire practices of asana, pranayama, and the entire sadangas, and gives a beautiful suggestion, specific suggestions for the practice of the Omkara Dhyana and the Omkara Japa and the Ajapa Gayatri practice. And let us see the other Upanishads, and let us conclude here. Aum Shanti Shanti Shanti.
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मुक्तसंग्ङोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वित:।
सिद्धयसिद्धयोर्निर्विकार: कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥१८.२६॥
Freed from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with courage and enthusiasm and unperturbed by success or failure, the worker is known as a pure (Sattvika) one. Four outstanding and essential qualities of a worker. - Bhagwad Gita : XVIII-26
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