• Sandilya-Upanishad of Atharvanaveda
• Yogatattva-Upanishad of Krishna-Yajurveda

E. Yoga-Upanishads

Sandilya-Upanishad Selections

Sandilya questioned Atharvan: "Please tell me about the eight angas (parts) of Yoga which is the means of attaining to Atma." (173)

Atharvan: "The eight angas of yoga are yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Of these, yama is of ten kinds: and so is niyama. (173)

Note. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras 2.30-32 lists five of each. However, Yajnavalkya Yoga lists ten yamas and ten niyamas. They are the same as in this Upanishad, Varaha Upanishad of the Krishna Yajurveda and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, v. 1.8. Cf. WP "Niyama" and "Yama," and "Yoga Yajnavalkya" - T. K.

Yamas [moral rules for fit living, with self-control serving life-success" or ethical rules ]: ahimsa, satya, asteya brahmacharya, daya, arjava, kshama, dhriti, mitahara, and shaucha. (173)

Ahimsa is the not causing of any pain to any living being at any time through the actions of one's mind, speech, or body. (173)

Satya is the speaking of the truth that conduces to the well-being of creatures, through the actions of one's mind, speech, or body. (173)

Asteya is not coveting of another's property through the actions of one's mind, speech, or body. (173)

Brahmacharya is the refraining from sexual intercourse in all places and in all states in mind, speech or body.(173)

Daya is kindliness towards all creatures in all places. (173)

Arjava is the preserving of equanimity of mind, speech, or body in the performance or non-performance of the actions ordained or forbidden to be done. (173)

Kshama is the bearing patiently of all pleasant or unpleasant things, such as praise or blow. (173)

Dhriti is the preserving of firmness of mind during the period of gain or loss of wealth or relatives. (173-74)

Mitahara is the taking of oily and sweet food, leaving one-fourth of the stomach empty. (174)

Saucha is of two kinds, external and internal. Of these, the external is the cleansing of the body by earth and water; the internal is the cleansing of the mind. This (the latter) is to be obtained by means of the adhyatma-vidya (science of Self). (174)

Niyamas [observances, duties]: tapas, santosha, astikya, dana, Ishvarapujana, siddhanta-shravana, hrih, mati, japa, and vrata. (174)

Tapas, is the emancipation of the body through the observances of certain penances according to rules. (174)

Santosha is being satisfied with whatever comes to us of its own accord. (174)

Astikya is the belief in the merits or demerits of actions as stated in the Vedas. (174)

Dana is the giving with faith to deserving persons, money, grains, etc., earned lawfully. (174)

Ishvarapujana is the worshipping of Vishnu, Rudra, etc., with pure mind according to one's power. (174)

Siddhanta-shravana is the inquiry into the significance of Vedanta. (174)

Hrih is the shame felt in the performance of things contrary to the rules of the Vedas and of society. (174)

Mati is the faith in the paths laid down by the Vedas. (174)

Japa is the practising of the mantras into which one is duly initiated by his spiritual instructor, and which is not against (the rules of) the Vedas. It is of two kinds – the spoken and the mental. The mental is associated with contemplation by the mind. The spoken is of two kinds – the loud and the low. The loud pronunciation gives the reward as stated (in the Vedas): (while) the low one (gives) a reward thousand times (that). The mental (gives) a reward a crore [ten million times] (of that). (174)

Vrata is the regular observance of or the refraining from the actions enjoined or prohibited by the Vedas. (174)

Note. Fit endurance, a virtue of the ascetics too, could be added to the niyamas. That would in case make them eleven. - T. K.

[The upanishad goes on to list up and describe eight yoga asanas (poses, postures).] (175)

Then Sandilya questioned: "By what means are the nadis purified? Please tell me." (175-76)

Atharvan answered: "As the leaf of the ashvattha tree (ficus religiosa) etc., is covered with minute fibres so also is this body permeated with nadis." (177)

Sushumna [nadi] is said to be the sustainer of the universe and the path of salvation. (176-77) On the left of Sushumna is situated Ida, and on the right is Pingala. (177)

From fourteen nadis other (minor) nadis spring; from them spring others, and from them spring others. Different vital airs move in all the nadis. (see 177)

The functions of Prana [a vital air] are inspiration, expiration, and cough. Those of Apana are the excretion of the faeces and the urine. Those of Vyana are (such actions as) giving and taking. Those of Udana are keeping the body straight, etc. Those of Samana are nourishing the body. Those of Naga are vomiting, etc.; of Kurma, the movement of the eyelids; of Krikara, the causing of hunger, etc., of Devadatta, idleness, etc., and Dhananjaya, phlegm. (178)

A person well instructed in all the religious practices and the knowledge of his order of life, should go to a sacred grove abounding in fruits, roots, and water. Or in a village or in a town, he should build a beautiful monastery. (178-79)

Pranava (Om) only is said to be Pranayama. (180) Khumbhaka is restraint of breath. (see 182)

The kumbhaka (pause) which follows the outbreath is called bahya kumbhaka. (WP, "Khumbhaka")

Through the samyama of tara (Om), he knows all things. (187)

By keeping the awareness of the heart, one gets knowledge of Suvar [sun-loka of light, such a heaven-world]. (187)

Pratyahara ["withdrawal of the senses"] is of five kinds. (188).

Contemplating on everything that one sees as [being] Atma is pratyahara. Renouncing [well] the fruits of one's daily actions is pratyahara. Turning away from all objects of sense is pratyahara. (188)

Samadhi is the union of the Jivatma (individual self) and the Paramatma (higher self) without [conscious awareness of] the knower, the known, and the knowledge). It is of the nature of extreme bliss and pure consciousness. (189)

Chapter 2

Sandilya asked the Lord Atharvan: "Teach me what is most excellent, please." (189)

Atharvan: "Speech and mind return from It, unable to gain (or reach) It. Brahman is the essence of bliss, beneficent, calm, immortal and omniscient, and reachable through yoga – He is Atma. (189)

Chapter 3

Sandilya asked Atharvan: "How did this universe arise from Brahman? How does it exist in It? Please tell." (190)

Atharvan: "From the formless Brahman, three aspects arose: partless; with parts; and with and without parts - (190)

"The Lord desired (or willed) by his spiritual wisdom (thus): May I become many? May I bring forth? (190)

"The Supreme Lord is Indra and more and shines sinlessly." (190)

Then Sandilya asked Atharvan: "Why is Brahman called by many other names?" (see 191)

Atharvan answered among other things: "He who deeply meditates in a right way becomes a knower of Brahman." (191 mod.)

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Yogatattva-Upanishad Selections

Hrishikesha (the Lord of the senses): "The supreme seat is the path. (192)

Those who go round the net of Sastras are deluded by that knowledge. (192)

How can that which is self-shining be illuminated by the Sastras? (192)

"Now I shall describe yoga to you. Yoga is divided into many kinds. There are four states common to all these: Arambha, Ghata, Parichaya, and Nishpatti. (193)

A wise man should practise pranayama. After breathing in through the right nostril, he should breathe out through the left nostril, tjem breathe in through that nostril, then switch - and repeat this whole round many times, neither very slowly nor very rapidly. (To breathe in through one nostril, switch, and then breathe out in through the other nostril, and in again through that nostril - and then switch back to the first nostril makes a round. Simply: Switch nostril after breathing in. Repeat the old method many times.) (see 194)

When the nadis have become purified, the proficient in yoga should abandon the food detrimental to the practice of yoga. He should give up emaciation of the body by fasts, etc. (194-95)

The yogin is able to rise from the ground while seated in Padma posture [he levitates]. He does (or should) not disclose to others his feats of great powers (in the path). (195)

The yogin becomes as beautiful as the god of love himself. All females being taken up with the beauty of his person will desire to have intercourse with him. Abandoning all copulation with women, he should continue his practice and attain the arambha (beginning or first) state. (196)

"Then follows the ghata (second state). By day and evening, let him practise only for 3 hours, unwearied gratify his senses organs for 3 hours every day with great effort. Various wonderful powers are attained by the yogin, such as clairvoyance and clairaudience. (196-97)

"That yogin who is constantly practising yoga attains the power to levitate. Then should the wise yogin think that these powers are great obstacles, and should never take delight in them. The king of yogins should not exercise his powers before any person whatever. He should live in the world as a fool, an idiot, or a deaf man to keep his powers hidden. Thus passes the ghata state to one who is constantly engaged in yoga practice. (197)

Nothing is gained by useless company [but such a teaching with variants, etc. See The Chuang Tzu on a so-called useless tree.]. (197)

By constant yoga practice is gained the parichaya state (the third state). (197)

From the heart to the middle of the eyebrows is said to be the region of vayu. Vayu shines and is black. (198)

A great-minded yogi does not die even during the deluge . . . The [well accomplished] yogin can live as long as he likes. (see 199)

By rajayoga one gains [better] discrimination and indifference to objects. (200)

The person engaged in yoga obtains the supreme seat, which is like a pure crystal without parts." (201)