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Latest revision as of 04:57, 6 March 2026
Theme Analysis
The modern world largely misunderstands the practice of yoga, reducing it to mere physical exercises for bodily health. Śrīla Prabhupāda thoroughly corrects this misconception by explaining the true science of aṣṭāṅga-yoga. As outlined by the great authority Lord Kapila and detailed in the Patañjali system, aṣṭāṅga-yoga is an eightfold procedure: yama (rules), niyama (regulations), āsana (sitting postures), prāṇāyāma (breath control), pratyāhāra (withdrawing the senses), dhāraṇā (concentration), dhyāna (meditation), and samādhi (trance). The entire purpose of these rigorous, physical processes is to purify the bodily concept of life, control the restless mind, and concentrate it flawlessly on the four-handed form of Lord Viṣṇu within the heart.
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that aṣṭāṅga-yoga is a specific step on the progressive ladder of self-realization. When jñāna-yoga (the yoga of knowledge) is combined with physical processes and meditation on the Supersoul, it becomes aṣṭāṅga-yoga. However, this system is incredibly difficult. It requires the yogī to leave society, live in a sacred, secluded place (like Dhruva Mahārāja did in Badarikāśrama), and undergo severe austerities. It cannot be practiced in a fashionable city by someone attached to sense gratification. Furthermore, the goal is not to achieve the eight mystic perfections (aṣṭa-siddhi), such as becoming smaller than the smallest or heavier than the heaviest. The ultimate destination is bhakti-yoga. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that because the Supreme Personality of Godhead can only be fully satisfied by unalloyed devotion, the practice of aṣṭāṅga-yoga is ultimately unsuccessful unless it culminates in pure devotional service.
- The True Purpose of Yoga: Aṣṭāṅga-yoga is not a gymnastic exercise for health; its singular goal is to control the mind and senses in order to meditate on the form of Lord Viṣṇu.
- The Eightfold Path: The system consists of eight distinct practices (yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, etc.) designed to systematically elevate consciousness.
- The Ladder of Realization: Aṣṭāṅga-yoga is a progressive step above karma-yoga and jñāna-yoga, but it must eventually culminate in bhakti-yoga to be successful.
- The Difficulty of Execution: Authentic aṣṭāṅga-yoga requires extreme isolation, celibacy, and austerity, making it entirely impractical for modern people living in fashionable cities.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Aṣṭāṅga-yoga - The Eightfold Path to Viṣṇu Realization.
Subcategories
This category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total.
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Pages in category "Astanga-yoga"
The following 57 pages are in this category, out of 57 total.
A
- A Krsna conscious person, however, being always engaged in devotional service, does not risk losing his senses to some other engagement. This is a better way of controlling the senses than by the astanga-yoga. BG 1972 purports
- After explaining the above (BG 5.27-28) principles of liberation in the Supreme, the Lord gives instruction to Arjuna as to how one can come to that position by the practice of mysticism or yoga, known as astanga-yoga. BG 1972 purports
- All these yogis (tapomaya, hatha, astanga, svadhyaya) are faithfully engaged in different types of sacrifice and are seeking a higher status of life. BG 1972 purports
- Astanga-yoga is not a bodily gymnastic exercise, but a practice to concentrate the mind on the form of Visnu
- Astanga-yoga is part of Vaisnava practice because its ultimate goal is realization of Visnu
- Astanga-yoga is practice in concentrating the mind, releasing oneself from all engagements by the regulative processes of meditation, concentration, sitting postures, blocking the movements of the internal circulation of air, etc
- Astanga-yoga was never meant to be practiced in a fashionable city. Dhruva Maharaja went to Badarikasrama, and in a solitary place, alone, he practiced yoga
B
- By performing karma-yoga one comes to the platform of jnana-yoga, knowledge. And from knowledge to this astanga-yoga, eightfold yoga system - dhyana, dharana, pranayama, asana - like that, those who are practicing the astanga-yoga
- By this astanga-yoga system, by sitting posture, by controlling the breathing, by modes of different posture of seeing, so many things there are. The real thing is to control the mind and concentrate it on the form of Visnu
D
- Dhruva Maharaja had already been instructed how to practice the eightfold yoga system, which is known as astanga-yoga. This system is explained in our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, in the chapter entitled, "Dhyana-yoga
- Duryodhana, on the other hand, decided to take Krsna's soldiers. Thus in order to pacify Arjuna, Krsna told him not to worry, although he could not execute the astanga-yoga system
I
- In meditation, there are two systems of yoga, namely astanga-yoga and sankhya-yoga
- In the astanga-yoga system, the seventh stage of perfection is dhyana. This dhyana is the third stage in devotional service
- In the astanga-yoga system, this eightfold yoga system - dhyana, dharana - they are meant for controlling the mind. In the beginning it is said a man must elevate himself by his own mind
- In this regard, the word yogaya is very significant. The purpose of astanga-yoga, as stated by Madhvacarya, is to link or connect with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The goal is not to display some material perfections
- It is understood that in astanga-yoga one practices settling the mind and then concentrating it on the form of Lord Visnu
N
- Narada Muni instructed: After bathing (in the Yamuna), you (Dhruva) should perform the necessary regulative principles for astanga-yoga and then sit down on your asana (sitting place) in a calm and quiet position
- Neither through astanga-yoga, nor impersonal monism or an analytical study of the Absolute Truth, nor study of the Vedas, nor austerities, charity or acceptance of sannyasa can one satisfy Me as much as by developing unalloyed devotional service unto Me
- No one can understand the SP of Godhead by executing karma-yoga, jnana, or astanga-yoga or any other yoga independantly. Without coming to the stage of devotional service, one cannot understand what is the Personality of Godhead. BG 1972 purports
S
- Sense restriction by some spiritual process like astanga-yoga, in the matter of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, etc., is recommended for less intelligent persons who have no better knowledge. BG 1972 purports
- So the first step of yoga system, as recommended by Krsna, the supreme authority, is one has to select a very secluded place and sacred place. The astanga-yoga meditation cannot be performed in a fashionable city
T
- The astanga-yoga system is a materialistic art of controlling air by transferring it from the stomach to the navel, from the navel to the heart, from the heart to the collarbone, from there to the eyeballs, from there to the cerebellum
- The astanga-yoga system is also materialistic, inasmuch as it teaches one to control the movements of air within the material body
- The astanga-yogis try to control the senses. The devotees, however, try to engage the senses in the service of the Lord. Therefore it appears that the activities of the bhaktas, devotees, are better than those of the jnanis and yogis
- The breathing exercises and disciplines to keep health in proper order are not the ultimate goals of yoga perfection. The yoga system as generally understood is astanga-yoga, or siddhi, eightfold perfection in yoga
- The conclusion is that one must come to the platform of bhakti-yoga, even though one may begin with karma-yoga, jnana-yoga or astanga-yoga
- The practice of mysticism or yoga, known as astanga-yoga, which is divisible into an eightfold procedure called yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. BG 1972 purports
- The senses are very restless, going this way and that way with the mind, but by the astanga-yoga system, which regulates one's sitting posture, one's breath, and so on, one can control the senses and concentrate the mind on the form of Visnu
- The sitting posture described here (in SB 4.6.38) is called virasana according to the system of astanga-yoga performances
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, said, "My dear Uddhava, neither through astanga-yoga the mystic yoga system for controlling the senses"
- The word pranayamaih is very important in this verse (SB 4.23.8) because the hatha-yogis and astanga-yogis practice pranayama, but generally they do not know the purpose behind it
- The yoga system described in the books of Patanjali is authoritative, and the modern so-called yogis who have manufactured their own ways, not consulting the authorities, are simply ludicrous. The Patanjali yoga system is called astanga-yoga
- The yoga system is for that purpose. Those who are too much bodily concept of life, bodily consciousness, they should practice this yoga—hatha-yoga, astanga-yoga—so that the mind can be purified
- The yogis, they have asta-siddhi-yoga, eight kinds of perfection. One can become smaller than the smallest or lighter than the lightest, bigger than the biggest; whatever he likes, he can get immediately
- There are eight perfections in the astanga-yoga system. One who has attained them can become lighter than the lightest and greater than the greatest, and he can achieve whatever he likes
- There are still others who engage themselves in different kinds of mystic yogas like the Patanjali system (for merging into the existence of the Absolute), or hatha-yoga or astanga-yoga (for particular perfections). BG 1972 purports
- There are three kinds of yoga, namely bhakti-yoga, jnana-yoga and astanga-yoga. Devotees, jnanis and yogis all try to get out of the material entanglement
- This concentration (concentrating the mind on the form of Visnu) is called samadhi, and it is the real goal of yoga. Thus the astanga-yoga system aims at coming to the point of smaranam, or remembering the Supreme Lord
- Those who are too addicted to sense gratification are advised to practice the mystic yoga system, or astanga-yoga system, consisting of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyhara and so on. In this way, one can control the senses
- Those who are very much addicted to the bodily necessities of life, for them this hatha-yoga system. Hatha-yoga system means astanga-yoga. Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, dhyana, dharana, pratyahara, samadhi
- To endeavor to be situated in the shade of the lotus feet of the Lord is not an ordinary task because even the great brahmacaris headed by Sanandana, who practiced astanga-yoga in trance, attained the shelter of the Lord's lotus feet
W
- We are now disconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now we have to connect again our relationship. That is called yoga. That yoga is described in the BG as karma-yoga, jnana-yoga and astanga-yoga, and at last bhakti-yoga
- When jnana-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes and the mind is on Him it is called astanga-yoga
- When jnana-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called astanga-yoga. BG 1972 purports
- When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jnana-yoga, or the yoga of knowledge. When jnana-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes, and the mind is on Him, it is called astanga-yoga
- When one surpasses astanga-yoga and comes to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, that is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination
- When one surpasses the astanga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, it is called bhakti-yoga, the culmination. BG 1972 purports
- When you are not perfect, you accept this yoga system of asana, astanga-yoga system; pranayama, sitting process, controlling the breathing exercise. But when you become perfect, you need not. You give up
- Without bhakti, neither jnana-yoga nor astanga-yoga can be successful, and unless one approaches Krsna, the principles of self-realization have no ultimate destination