Yoga: Science of the Absolute: A Commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Abbot George Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri)

Author:Abbot George Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri) [Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri), Abbot George]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: mindfulness, raja yoga, meditation, meditation methods, meditation techniques, yoga, Indian philosophy, yoga sutras, spirituality, self help, hinduism, meditation method, enlightenment, scripture, philosophy, patanjali, personal growth, yoga meditation, India, ashtanga yoga, yoga method, mantras, karma, religion
Publisher: Light of the Spirit Press
Published: 2019-02-18T16:00:00+00:00

Kaivalya Pada:

Yoga Sutras Book IV

This is a very interesting yet somewhat puzzling section of the Yoga Sutras because it covers a variety of subjects seemingly at random, though more than one sutra may be devoted to a single subject. However it may be, here it is.

1. The Siddhis are the result of birth, drugs, mantras, austerities or samadhi.

Patanjali listed various siddhis in the Sadhana Pada: Book II. He also outlined which of the yamas or niyamas would lead to those siddhis. We can question as to whether he is harking back to them or is giving us a blanket exposition relating to any other psychic powers that may arise in the sadhaka. I personally think the latter is correct and will approach it from that viewpoint. There are five possible sources or producers of the siddhis.

Birth [janma]. This means that siddhis can be carried over from previous births in which they were developed, that they are a part of the person’s samskaras.

Drugs [aushadhi]. At the time of Patanjali allopathic drugs and the various concoctions current today were not known. “Aushadhi” means herb-based. It is well known that certain herbs or plants can produce psychic abilities that usually disappear as the effect of the drug wears off, though there can remain a kind of heightened sensitivity or mental distortion that is at best borderline pathological.

Patanjali is not advocating the use of herbs or plants to develop siddhis. Rather, he is informing us that siddhis are not always signposts of psychic development or spiritual evolution, but merely the result of having ingested certain herbs or plants. Some unfortunate individuals are permanently damaged physically or psychically by these plants and consider themselves enlightened or possessing some exalted status. This, too, is pathological. No real yogi countenances the use of such substances.

Mantra. It is well known in India that certain mantras can bestow powers on those who attain what is known as “mantra siddhi.” There are even certain places in India where a person can attain mantra siddhi more rapidly than in an ordinary location.

For decades, a man simply called Poison King cured people of snakebite. The government of India had arranged that to send a telegram to him to report someone needing neutralization of poison, including cobra venom, a person need only use the address “Poison King.” The telegram would be rushed to him. He always carried a towel slung over one shoulder, and when he got a telegram he would tear a narrow strip off the towel while reciting a mantra. Instantly the person would be free of the effects of the poison.

I met a man who had the same siddhi. Through mantra he had actually brought back to life a man declared dead by a hospital in New Delhi. Being “scientific” the hospital refused to acknowledge the fact and cancel the death certificate. So the man remained legally dead for the rest of his life!

I have known of people who cured illness through mantra and also were able to know what was going on at a distance and to know the future through mantra.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.