The earliest Seers who realized the Truth have explained the cosmic process as the work of Maya, the inscrutable power of the Supreme Spirit. By the mysterious operation of this veiling power of Maya, the undivided Absolute Blissful One is made to reflect Itself in an infinite multiplicity of names and forms and can not be seen directly.
As described in verse 6, Chapter IV of the Bhagavad Gita, Maya brings about this phenomenal existence with duality and diversity. Each being has to transcend Maya to realize their essential identity with the Supreme Being.
Maya is used to denote the sum total of the forces of negativity. Nescience, oscillation, delusion, attachment, egoism, disharmony, discord, sensuality are some of the prominent forms in which Maya finds expression upon the human plane.
A Victory over Maya. Knowledge through the constant discrimination between the real and the unreal, combined with a ceaseless assertion of an identification with the ideas of omniscience and perfection, a state of unshakable equilibrium and one-pointedness, nonattachment to everything mundane, coupled with an intense unabated attachment to a particular aspect of the divine, a complete self effacement and active selflessness, constitute the major means of obtaining a victory over Maya.
Yoga concerns itself in enabling the individual being to effectively deal with and overcome the above factors that keep them pinned down to the phenomenal world.
The process of Yoga embodies an ascent into purity, into that absolute perfection, which is the original state of humanity. It implies therefore the removal of the impurities, the stilling of the discordant lower Koshas and the establishment toward a state of perfect balance and harmony.
All the above mentioned factors that bind the Jiva may be seen to be operating upon a larger scale through humanity as a whole. This present age is enmeshed in ignorance, characterized by restlessness minds, clinging to an earthly elemental existence, perverted individualism and attachment to pleasures of the flesh, violence, strife and discord in all walks of life.
Modern age is the machine age. As such, it is power driven. Discovery of newer ways of generating power, exploiting new aspects of known forces, inventing machines to make machines is a craze under humanity’s control. Meanwhile, the all powerful individual does not have their senses and mind under control. This has resulted in the misuse and abuse of the Earth. All power corrupts.
The adoption of the Yogic way of life is the release from and the guarantee against such abuse of power and the resultant disasters ensued. Training in Yoga brings several supernormal powers that no machine can ever generate.
All methods of Yoga have ethical training and moral perfection as their basis. The eradication of vices, the development of certain virtues forms the first step in the ladder of Yoga.
Disciplining your nature and the formation of a steady and pure character through a set of right habits and regular daily observances is the next step. This is Yama-Niyama in Raja Yoga.
The acquiring of Sadhana Chatushtaya by the neophyte on the path of knowledge and the insistence upon Sraddha, Sadachara and self consecration, desireless-ness, sacrifice for the devotee and the Karma Yogi respectively have as their aim the development of character and ethical perfection. Thus the ringing in of a new world order of love and sacrifice, of cooperation and brotherhood and the realization of the ideals of universal perfection can be effected by a willing unreserved allegiance to even the initial stages of Yoga. This firm foundation of a well established and virtuous moral character is the foundation for the subsequent structure of Yoga.
The inherent restlessness of the mind constitutes the greatest problem to the follower of Yoga. By its very nature, mind is ever outgoing, simultaneously in several directions. The mind can be unsteady. The resolute turning away from earthly attachments, the determined effacement of the ego, deliberate stoppage of all inharmonious mental processes and the constant dwelling upon a single idea, all these methods require a firm control of the mind and the conscious direction of its powers towards the desired end.
The greatest external manifestation of the mental impulses is physical action. Actions, when repeated, crystallize into habits. In course of time, habits get incorporated as definite traits in the individual’s personality. The plan of Yoga Science, in obtaining mastery over the mind proceeds step by step, most systematically regulating and controlling first the grosser and then the subtler manifestations.
Yama overcomes all vices and implants virtue. It weakens out all evil traits and implants godly qualities.
Niyama regulates the habits and aims at giving the Sadhaka mastery over their behaviour. Instead of being a slave to habits, the aspirant now controls their conduct.
Next, the inherent urge for activity is checked through “Asanology”. By a practice of a system of steady asanas/postures, the tendency to unrestrained and aimless movements is curbed and overcome. Character is developed, ennobling traits are acquired, old habits are overcome and replaced by new ones, activity is regulated and checked. Next, the mind is restrained by a control of its counterpart, namely the breath. This stage is Pranayama.
Though thoughts are checked, the mind yet continues to agitate in the form of desires and cravings. Thus fifth limb of Raja Yoga is the withdrawal of all the outward attention toward the sensory stimuli, turning away from the external world and withdrawing the senses from the objects. This is Pratyahara.
Pratyahara paves the way for the sixth rung in the Yogic ladder, Dharana, concentration of the mind, at a single point. The indrawn mind is made to fix upon any one given idea or image technically referred to as the Lakshya, object of meditation. Dharana, when deepened and lengthened becomes Meditation.
When Dhyana/Meditation is intensified and made continuous, Samadhi results. A state of blissful union with the Infinite Spirit frees the meditator from the thraldom of birth and death. This transcendental experience transforms them with endowment of the cosmic vision, showing a Divine unity, behind apparent diversity.
The aspirant’s entire life becomes a spontaneous expression of the unhindered flow of the Supreme Energy through every action. They live and act purely for the welfare of all humanity, carrying the Divine Plan to its glorious completion.
Thus is the path of Raja Yoga Sadhana.