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The second component of yoga is pratyahara. This connotes the control of one's
senses. Yoga must always be performed in a proper posture and this is the third
component of asana. The fourth component is called yama. This means the practice
of non-violence, truthfulness and pity. The fifth component is known as niyama.
This encompasses worship, studying the Vedas, cleanliness and meditation.
Yoga has a sixth component named dhyana. In this process, one conjures up an
image of the paramatman and meditates continuously on it. The process of fixing
this image in one's heart is the seventh component, dharana. And the final component,
samadhi, is a situation where the individual realises the complete identity
between the jivatman and the paramatman.
Rituals
The sacred thread (upavita) ceremony is very important and must always be performed
at eight year of age. Brahma had created the cotton tree so that sacred threads
might be made out of cotton. But on occasions it is permissible to make sacred
threads out of grass.
A guru (teacher) is always to be respected and worshipped. In principle, a
guru is anyone from whom knowledge might be gained. But apart from usual teachers,
a father-in-law, a grandfather and an individual belonging to a superior varna
are also recognised as gurus. A mother, a grandmother, a guru's wife, an aunt,
a mother-in-law and the wife of an elder brother are recognised as being equivalent
to a guru. One must a guru ever be show disrespect or argued with. A person
who hates his guru is certain to go to hell.
Amongst gurus or those who are equivalent to gurus, the most important are
a father, a mother, a teacher, an elder brother and a husband. These have to
be respectfully served at all costs.
A brahmana must always wash his mouth after eating, drinking, sleeping, bathing,
spitting or changing clothes. The mouth must also be washed before sitting down
to study. It is also recommended that the mouth be washed after talking to those
who do not believe in the Vedas, shudras, outcasts and women. If a mouthwash
is not possible, one can cleanse oneself by touching a piece of clothing is
touched inadvertently, the act of purification requires the touching of water,
wet grass or the earth.
One of the most sacred mantras (incantations) that one can chant is the gayatri.
Before chanting, thirty-two-cells must be drawn, as shown, and the letters of
the mantra must be written down in the cells, as indicated. To recite the gayatri,
one now reads the letters as they occur in the numbered cells. That is, one
starts with cell number one, moves to cell number two and so on and so forth.
5 |
13 |
21 |
29 |
28 |
20 |
12 |
4 |
vvr |
sya |
pra |
se |
ja |
nah |
va |
tu |
|
6 |
14 |
22 |
30 |
27 |
19 |
11 |
3 |
re |
dhi |
cho |
sa |
ra |
yo |
de |
vi |
|
7 |
15 |
23 |
31 |
26 |
18 |
10 |
2 |
ni |
ma |
da |
va |
ro |
yo |
rgo |
tsa |
|
8 |
16 |
24 |
32 |
25 |
17 |
9 |
1 |
yam |
hi |
yat |
dom |
pa |
dhi |
bha |
ta |
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