On Antharanga Sadhana

By S. Ramaswami
I n t he p r a v i o u s i s s u a s m a n y g r o u p s o f
Yogasanas and Pranayamas have been
oxplained and bsnefits indicated. While
these practices-accordingto Hathayoga-give
many physical and physiological benetits,
Patanjali would urge the aspirants to go
bayond and work towatds the taansformation
of the mind (chittaparinama) itself. This
practice known as Antharanga Sadhana helps at
q ualit at ive a n d p e r m a n e nt
c hanges in r h o c h i t t a b y
means of practice; ths
increaseand strengthen the
habit s (s a m s k a r a s )o f n i r o dha, s am a d h i , a n d e k a g r a tha. s uc c e s s i v e l y t o t h e
ex c lus ion o f r h e d i s t r a c rd (v y ut h i t h a ) s e m s k a r a s .
G O FURT H E B
Pranayamahelps to reduce
the painf u l a n d d i s t t a c t i n g
tendenc ie s o f c h i t t a w h s n
it t ends t o b o c o m e p r e d o minant ly s a t h w i c . S u e h a
mind als o b e c o m e s c a p a b l s
of c onc en t r a t i n ga n d h o l d i n g
on lo subtle obiocta.
Many of us stop with as!nas and P r a n a y a m a . W h i l e
those by thomselvesgive rise

to many benefits as a hoalthy frame, sufficiont mental clarity to cary on tha day to day
work. - the psychological experiences and
ultimat spiritual experience require further
rigorous practice. Since wg normally go
back to tho normal way of lifs after the two
aspects of sadhana, the sensaS continue to
distract tho mind. Altornating botween

yogabhyasa of th rudimentary kind and antaranga sadhana. The thre parts, viz.
sensual activities. wo wonder about the ral Dharana,dhyana and samadhi are only diffeefficacies of Yogasadhana.
tent discernablestages each succeeding the
Otn e r .
yo
g
a
P ra t y a h a r a ,t h e t i f r h a n g a o f
is to
In tha first chapter of Patanjala yoga,
help prevent this slide back. Antogonist to
f urt hery o g a b h y a s a i s t h e i n d u lg e n ce th r o u g h sa r n a d h i in its vari ous rami fi cati ons are
the ssnsual objects which lead again to detailed. In the second, ths prefequisito
passion and dolusion. Having practised practises td mak the mind fit for Dharana
vama, niyama. asana and pranayama to are dgscribod. In the third chaptet to creato
ac hiev om e n t a lc l a r i t y ,t h e i n d r iya s' in flu e n ce in ta r e st a n d a lso for thoso so i ncl i ned,
on tho mind greatly reduces. When that cattain siddhis are describEd and tho morns
happons, there is a bettor awareness of th6 of such lttainments,
spotless satwic rspect of chitta and tho
Going back to tho question of what
indriyas also becoma satwic. Henco they,
as it were, mergo with tho chitta 5r1*r. should be the obiect for contemplation, th
That is, as the chirta is given orher subtle; Rshl is delightfully vaguo in this, mainly to
Tatwas, the indfiyss do not cause any intr- accomodate the vatious classgsof antaranga
ference.
abhyasis . whother ho be a devotee, religious

MUDBA
HErps
*HANM'KHT

ff:'::'JJ"1',".1,3":il"'il:tlf;"::T:;:

Ptalyahata, some pgople aver, is an

offoct of Asana and Pranayama,rhile some
say it is also a specific practico. Shanmuth.imudra. a simpla exercise menti.oned
.i"
Februaty 1978 issue helps strengthen.
lh"
Pratyaharahabit. But a fundam-ental,de"irion
about what object ot Tattwa sholld be contmplated upon by ths now
satwic
_free
chitts' should be made Here rle1e, tt"-tt
many views ag there are schools. For
instance Hathsyogis refer to nadanusa.nilgna
or lis t en i n gt o t h e A n a h a t a ( th !t wh ich lir e rally meens that sound produced without
rubbing of two objects) made possiblo 6y
Shanmukhimudra and this should be
sttmptod.

somo specitic guiclelines'

Even though by means of the yama to
pratyahara,tho basie dafilement of restlesschitta is grearty reduced, sincs
;;;.';;;"
tt"
chitta is basically wandering and
unsteady (Manaschanchalam Asthtramr,
wittrout'conjoining with an obiect, it doos
not ur"or" steady and hence the need for
of an objact (Aasraya).
.rpport
"
SUBHASHRA'A
- - - ""- '
But we havo excludod' by means of
Bahitangasadhana those contacts which
Produce painful bondage. lt is now necsssary to find the support (ashraya) of that

chaprer
orparanjara
rherhird
,"n",' llliltttiiffi';:^::::]:rt:"liir?r:i'::
devoted exclusively to describe th tchnique of concentrstion, th tatwas to be
concentratodand the benefits or siddhis that
s c c ruet o t h e a b h y a s i .

bondage, would progressively lead the

s66y631 to Kaivalya (thsre ar6 very many
nsmg6 given to this ultimate state of chitta).
th r o u g h sta g e so f superi or enl i ghtenment,
l!

Such an object is tormod as subhasraya.

The technique itself consists of thtee
lt the mind, contacling an object, by which
stagos, but put as one is called y1g

does not sutfer restlessnssand subsequnt

The difference betwen dherana, dhyano
bond a g e ( B a n d h a ) ,r h a t o b je ct o r su p p o r t is and samadhi are subtle, but have howovr
k now n a s s u b h a s r a y a . T h is su b h a sr a yais been described in yogic texts and slso tho
of t w o k i n d s . B a h y aa nd Aa n ta r a .
Puranas. When tho chitta having taken to s
Subha object, continues to remain submorI t h a s b e e n t h e p ra ctice to sta r t with g e d in th e vr it hi w i thout a sw i tch
to another,
B aby a d h a r a n a . T o f o cu s th e m in d o n th e th a t sta te o f the mi nd i s
cal l ed dhyana vri c har m i n gM u r t i o f t h e L or d , m a d e o f p a n ch a - th i. Eve n th ough dharana i s
al so a chi tta
loha a n d a s p e r t h e A g am a s fo r tifie d b y th e vrithl on one object, there
is considerable
mantr ai s B a h y a d h a r a n a . Ho we ve r , wh e n effort in warding off other intruding
objective
s davotee by fepeated pfact;ce has the vr ith is. In d h yana,w i thout
offort ths mi nd
c hit ta v i r t h i o f t h e e n ch a n tin g fo r m o f th e stays withl.ha objct,
ftortl6ssly,According
Lord , e v e n w i t h o u t t h e a id o f th e vig r a h a , r o Vish n u Pu rana:
t hs n i t b o c o m e s A n t ar d h a r a n a . Bh a kti is
Tsdrupe
Prstysyaikasgro
Ssntati3chs
Aryr nisspunha
not merely unrestrained emotion of Love,
Tad dhysnaihi Prarhamsirangihi Shadbhiht ilishpad.
but t h e c h a n n e l i s i n g t h e ch itta lo wa r d s th e
divya form of Lord so that the Bhakta has it
alwa y s i n h i s c h i t t a t o th e e xclu sio no f a ll
However in dhyana, the distinction
orhe r t h o u g h t s o r V r i t h i s.
between th meditator (dhyata) 8nd th
object of mditation (dhyeyam) remains.
O TH E R K I N D S O F D H A RANA
The yogis, however, suggest othet
k inds o f A n t h a r d h a r a n awh ich will b e h e lp f ul eq u a l l y t o B h a k t a s ,gn a n is. d h a r m is sn d
B aira g i s . T o f o c u s a t t e n tio n ,a s ta u g h t b y I
learnEd preceptors, on such 'centres in tha
B ody a s n a v a l ( N a b h i ch a kr a ) , h e a r t r e g r o n
(ht ida y a p u n d a r i k a ) sa h a sr a r a , n a sa g r a .
jihv aa g r a , B h r u m a d h ya is a lso a n th a r a
dhara n a ,w h i c h w h e n d eve lo p e d to d h ya n a
and s a m a d h il e a d s t o v a n o u s sid d h is.

In Samadhi, or moro spocitically the

sampragnata or sabija samadhi. when the
distinction between the dhyata and dhyeys
vanish and only the object shines in its full
g lo r y, th e n it is samadhi . Tho techni caltel m
u se d b y yo g i s for antaranga sadhanai s
sa m va m a .
CAN BE CHANGED BY PRACTICE

One more pertinent observation may be

m a d e . T h e A ntaranga sadhana produces
Praanaayamena Pavanam
its o wn ch a n g esi n the chi tta, i t i s sai d chi tta
Pratyaahaarenacha Indriyam
is b u t th e r e m ai nder of previ ous ssmskaras
Vasikfitya Tatah kuryaath
fsa m ska r ase s hamhi chi ttam); thus pow erTatstaanam Subhaasrave.
ful samskarareplaceweak samskara(PtabalH a v i n g b r o u g h t u n d e r co n tr o lth e n su r o - e n a d u r b a la syaB adaha),w hi ch observati on
, e se n se s is co m m o n kn ow l edge.
logic a lf o r c e s b y P r a a na a ya m a th
by Pr a t y a a h a a r ao,n e s h o u ld r e so r tto co n Du e to rpeatodsensualexperi ences
t emp l a : i o no n a p e a c e f ulp r in cip lefo r m e n ta l
s t abi l i t y . A c c o r d i n g to Vish n u p u r a n a m , o u r ch itta h ss. ths samskarasof outgoi ng
A nt ar a d h a r a n ai s f r r m l y fixin g th e e n ch a n tin g ( viksh ip ta ) . D ue to vasanasof them peopl e
form of the t-ordffi?i6"s mind and this prac- r e p e a te d lyg o for such experi enc6s. Furthr
t ic e o f d h a r a n as h o u l d be d o n e u n til d h ya n a a str e n g th e n ingsuch samskaras al so takes
t ak es p l a c e . S r i m a dB h a g a va ta r ma n d m a n y p la ce b y r epeai ed i ndul genco- B ut i t i s
p c' - ' sr t:!e
tc ch ange i t by practi ce, w hi ch i s
ot her P u r a n a sa l s o d e t a ilth is p fa ctr ce .

fri.
dgt ailgdin th e s c i e n s eo f y o g a . T h e An ta r anga s adha n ap r o d u c e sm u t a t io n sin th e b r a ir .
Th eV y ut hith a c h i t t a t u l l o f o utg o in g sa m s'
ka ras is r e p l a c o d b y n i r o dh a sa m ska r a ,
wh ic h is t o r a f u s e t o r e s p o n d to e xte r n a l
stimuli. T h e n t h e s a m y a m a p r o d u ce s a
sa madhipa t i n a m ao r t h s m e n ta l tr a n sfo r m a '
ti o n t o rem s i ni n o n o b j e c t ,t o th e e xclu sio n
of all ot her c h i t t a v r i t h i si n c l u dr n g th e le e lin g
o. _s eparar i n d i v i d n a l i d e n t i ty. Wh e n th r s
fco nf inued, r h e c h i t t a b e c o m e sco m p lste ly
Jtra naf orme d t o
b e i n-parinama.
g w i t h o n e vr ith i o n ly
When such
frfri|fr-_G.-Et ugrata
chitta parinami takes placo, just as it is

p e r so n swh o a r e r e specti vgl ycontenl gd,suf- - .;.

te r in g , r ig h te o u s,a n d unl aw ful -to ths exrento "
o f sa m ya m a - o n e a cqui resenormousmsl !9!;i U
str e n g th . An d sa myama on the pri nci pl e
o f lig h t kn o wn a s j voti shmati vri thi , l he i ,/
la n g e o f visi6 n in cteasosl o l ong di stances ' "
a n d lin e o b je cts.

chiila
sa bija s am a d h ii s a c h i e v e d ,t h e ch itta tr a n s'
torm at ionb e c o m s ss o c o m p l e te it is e q u a lly
dif f ic ult t o m a k e s u c h a c o n c e n tr a tin gm in d
to be dis t u r b e d . T h e U p a n i sa d s, p u r a n a s,
smirti eulogize such states. lt is lhe contenti o n of y og a , t h a t s u c h s t a g e s a r e p o ssib le
and ars me c h a n i c a l p r o c e s s esa tta in a b leb y
right practice and by ptactice alone'
'
T'
A NTA RDH A R A N A
-,r!
V y as a c o m m e n t a r v o n Pa ta n ja layo g a
relors to a nnqbgl of places or objects for
such samyama,each one leading to its own
s iddhis and s u p e t n o r m apl o w er sa n d p o sse ssion, Evry chitta has the capacity for such

.tr'.r
{$"'
Ne a r e rh o m e , withi n onsel f.by samya m a o n n a va l r e g io n (N abhi chakra)one gots)n\
to kn o w a b o u t o n e ' s anatomy (kayavyuha).
Co n ce n tr a tio n o n the i nsi ds of the throat
(near the glottis) leads to control of thg : .p h ysio lo g ica lfu n ctions, thi l st and hunger. ' "
A n a d i ca lle d Ku r ma i s i denti fi ed as the.1 1
bronchial area. Concentrating on that, stea. ' 'i
m in d ( b r e ath)accrues' B v samv:::ttf Brahmarandhra, one communicates ]-3
ama1on
with sid d h a p u r u sh as.

By sa m ya m ao n the sun, know l edgeof |.) l .

u n ive r sed a wn s. On chandra, i f one.does
yo g ic sa d h a n a , kn o w l edge of the gal axi es d-i
".,
b e co m e kn o wn ' T he pol ar stat' samY ama -1?
o.n which provtdes the ky fot the motion of '
the stars and the galaxies'

to make
theurrtn'j,ni;:"*il,:1]ff INTERNAL
dirricutr
slDDHts
to even slsrt on yoga, when lnls llnal

PRAAT IBHA

T h e n ce r ta inp e opl ehavei ntui ti veknow . 3?

ledge. All have it but in some it is rnoro
trans t orma t i o na, n d s u c h a c co m p lish m e n ts, m a n ife sta n d fr e q u entl yso. l t i s cal l edP raa.
tib h a , wh ich is in d icati ve. B y concentrati ng
I t is aa i d t h a t b y s a m y a mao n th e d istr n ' a n d d e ve lo p in gth is intui ti vo pow er,everythc t ion bot w e e n w o r d ( s a b d a ) ,lh e o b ie ct r e - in g co m e sto b e kn o w n. B y concentrati ngon
ferredby t h e w o t d ( a r t h a ) a n d th e fo fm a tio n o n ' s o wn h e a r tr e g ion,as descri bedi n such
i n t he mind ( p r a t y a y a ) o n e ca n u n d e r sta n d vid ya s a s Da h a r a vi dya. one understands
the langua g eo f a l l s p e c i e s . By sa m ya m ao r o n e ' s o wn m in d .
deep c onc e n t r a t i o no n t h e b asic te n d o n cie s
T h e Ch itta is o f Tri gunas,but the purusha
of an indivi d u a l( s a m s k a r a )o, n e ca n n n d e r is p u r e co n scio u sn ess. B y concentfati ngon
s t and one' s p r e v r o u sb i r t h . T h e n sa r iiffi
ont he mo o d s ( P r a t h y a y a ) , n r in d r e a d in g th is d istin ctio no n e gets to know tho real
n a tu le o f o n e ' s o wn sel f.
boc omesp o s s i b l e .
B y dev e l o p i n gt e n d e n c i eso f fr ie n d sh ip ,
T h e sa m ya m a srefered to so far are on
c ompas s io n s, a t i s f a c t i o na n d in d iffe r e n ceto sp e cificp r in cip le sle adi ngto vari ous know -

:-'

'

ledgo(sa m p r a g n a t a ) .l l c a n g o u p to te a li- a im o f yo g a is achi eved. Then thel o i s

z ing t he n a t u r eo f J i v a t m a . T h e r e a r e o th e r n o th in g to a ch ie vo and none dssi ri ng achi E .
y ogic f e a t s p o s s i b l ew h i c h a r e d u e to ch a n . ve m e n t.
nelis ingt h a c t i v es a k t h i . (kr iyar u p a sa kth i) .
Purushartha SunySanasm Pfatipressvah Kaivalyrm
Howev e r S l i m a d B h a g awa ta ca ta lo g u e s
swaroops prstishlava chitisakthirEfhi
s rddhis i n a d i f f e r e n tw a y , b u t a lwa ys with
B hak hit o w a r d s t h e L o r d .

***

Chi t l a b V n a t u r e h a s th e ca p a city to r
s ubt let y , b u t d u e t o t h e p ar ticu la r d h a r m a d harm a o f i n d i v r d u a l s i s co n fin e d to o n e ' s
body . T h e a b o v e s a m y a m a sh e lp to sla cke n
t h k not s ( g r a n t h i ) t h a t c a u ss th o b o n d a g e .
Henc et h e s e y o g i c e x a r c i e s lite r a lly r e m o ve
all res t r i c t i o n so f t h g P r a kr itia n d th e m in d
k nows t h s m e a n st o t r a n s c e n dsu ch p h ysica l
res t ric ti o n s a
, n d e n t r i n t o o th db o d ie s.T h e
pa?asarira avesha is seen to b6 achieved by
many ovsn in lhs present day.
B HUT A S I D D H I S
Just as the sensasact in xternal matters
the five vaayus, are lho causes of the abhyarnant rav r i t h i o . t h e p h y s i o lo g ica la ctivitie s,
such as respiration,circulation etc.
By ths mastefy of a vayu, called udaana
one is able t1 fly like a hovercraft over water
thorns and marshy land. One bscomes
lusttous as ths devas with the conquest and
voluntary control of samaana. Samyamaon
aar which is a Sattwic volulion of ahankara
princ ipl e e n d t h e T a m a sic e vo lu tio n o f
A hank a r aw h i c h i s s p a c e ( Aka sa ) a n d th e ir
relat ion s h i p( w h i c h i s s o u n d ) o n s ca n h e a r
lh s ub t l s ts o u n d . S u c h h e a r in g is ca lla d
Drvya srothram. lt may be extended to other
Indrlyas, by concentretion on corresponding
karana,Buta and TanmaatrasOther siddhis
grouped
inc lude l e v i t a t i o n , a n i m a d h isid d h is,
as B hut o s i d d h i s .

t
I
!

It is th e co n l enti onof P atanj al i that al l

sid d h is a r e p o ssi bl e. In fact achi evementi s
a m e ch a n ica l p rocess, requi ri ng the ri ght
p r a ctice . He co mparesthe acti vi ty to that
o f a fa r m e rwh o has onl y to break or rai se
th e b u n d to d ivert w ater. S o w i th chi tha
sa kth i. T h e r e i s no other coordi nati ng
a g e n cy( n im ith a )that hel psor hi ndersi n one's
endeavours (aprayojaka). Considerable
e m o h a a isis th e r eforopl aced on i ndvi di ual
6ifoh.The one dhyana that is necessary and
dhyana. When
aufflgient is . . Bhagawad
1
Ish
wa
r a is m e d itated upon, hi s form consta n th y ke p t in m ind, al l $g.si ddhi s are gi ven
bv Him. This contenti<i6--obviatesthe nsed
for different kinds of samyama. The repetilf,en^of Srinivasa mantra-that of the Lord
wilh Go d d e ssL a kshmi w i th al l the S reyas
o r r ich e s- issa id to gi ve both l ha sukha and
p a r a su kh a .
According Jg-.Srr Sankaracharya, the
r a p e titio no f th o mantra "B rahmarvahamna
sa m sa r im u kto h a m" gi ves the 8 fol d si ddhi s.
Ob vio u slyth is is onl y e sop for gai ni ng
Atm a g n a n a .

Wh e th e r h e is a si dha.B haktaor a gnani .

yoga is a necessary practice for success,
The siddha has to resort to samyama for all
the siddhis,-samyama is a yogic process. A
it is s u f f i c e t o s a y t h a t p r a ctice with b h a kta h a s to d o B hagaw atdhyana,w hi ch
f ait h in s a s t r a sa n d p r o p e r g u id a n ce fr o m a a g a r nis fa cilita tedby yoga as menti onedi n
guru wi i l l o s d t o t h s i d d h is m e n tio n e d .T h e va flo u s p u r a n a s,w hi ch hel p to achi evgparalimit t o s u c h p o w e r s i s L or d sh io o r lsh ws- b h a kth i. A Ve o a nthi n.w ho sees th i denti ty
or
rarwa. H a v i n g b y s a m y a m asu Dp r e sso dth e o f th e in d ivid u a l soul w i th P aramatma,
Rajas and Thanas aspects from chitta if one th e n o n - d ittg r e nceof the tw o apparentl y
p
h
e
n
o
menon
al so has to constantl y
repoat e d l yr e s o r t st o s a m ya m a,o nth 6 d istin - d iffe r e n t
c lion be t w e e n P r a k r i t ia n d !' u r ' a h a ( vive ka ) , m e d ita leo n th e Mahavakya(ni dhi dhyasana)
yogi
c
a
g
a
in
is
a
di sci pl i ne. A B hakta,
wh
ich
rhen as lshwara, h0 gets th6 powels to
c reat ew o r l d s a n d k n o w le d o e o f T r ika a la , a g n a n i, a sid d h a are basi cal l y yogi s.
S uc h a c h i t t a i s k n o w n as"Viso ka ch ttia .
Yo g a is a m eansfor both l ha and P ara
However, even when this is renounced becaus eof p a r a v a i r a g y a . t h eKnaiva lyath e u r tim a te su kh a r n .