[Advaita-l] BGBh and yoga - yama-niyama - II

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

In the previous post 
(http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/2005-April/015247.html), 
we noted a few references to tapas and svAdhyAya in BGBh. BG 17. 14-16 list 
kinds of physical (SArIra), verbal (vAN^maya) and mental (mAnasa) tapas. 
Amuthan has already posted the verses on the list 
(http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/2005-April/015262.html), 
so I will just go on to what the commentary says. SankarAchArya gives basic 
and simple explanations of the entries listed as physical tapas, with a 
statement that they are called so because their observance primarily 
involves the physical body. It is therefore clear that in this context, 
Saucha refers to bodily cleanliness and purity, brahmacarya refers to 
continence etc.

It is in the description of the verbal and mental tapas that SankarAchArya 
gives importance to yogic concepts. The gItA describes verbal tapas as 
speaking the truth, which is also pleasant, benificial (priyahita.m) and not 
offensive to hear (anudvegakara). Study and practice (svAdhyAya and 
abhyasana) are also included as verbal tapas. We have already seen in the 
earlier post that svAdhyAya was described as study of the Vedas, according 
to rule (yathAvidhi). Now, what is an example of speech that is true, 
pleasant, benificial and inoffensive? SankarAchArya gives an example - 
"SAnto bhava vatsa, svAdhyAya.m yoga.m ca anutiShTha, tathA te Sreyo 
bhaviShyati" - Child, be calm, study and practice yoga, thereby you will 
benefit."

Here, we may also compare what SankarAchArya says in the bR^ihadAraNyaka 
commentary 4.4.2 - svAtantryArtha.m yogadharmAnusevana.m parisa.mkhyAbhyAsaS 
ca ... kartavya iti - to attain freedom (svAtantrya), one should practice 
yoga and the parisa.mkhyAna meditation. Note that the only place where 
SankarAchArya elaborates on parisa.mkhyAna meditation is in the third prose 
chapter of upadeSasAhasrI. It is my feeling that he uses the bhagavadgItA 
commentary as the opportunity to elaborate on what kind of yoga practice he 
endorses as being compatible with the advaita goal. In the process, he shows 
deep familiarity with yogasUtra and its bhAShya.

This is exemplified in his comments on the mental tapas as described in gItA 
17.16. The gItA verse refers to saumyatva.m, which SankarAchArya elaborates 
as "yat saumanasyam AhuH ... antaHkaraNasya vRttiH" - what is called 
saumanasya, a state of the internal organ (mind, loosely speaking). Note 
that yogasUtra uses the term saumanasya (2. 41). gItA 17.16 next lists mauna 
(silence) as a mental tapas. SankarAchArya explains that as vAk-sa.myamo 
.api manaH-sa.myama pUrvakaH - silence is control of speech, preceded by 
control of mind. It is obvious why mauna is listed as mental tapas, rather 
than as verbal tapas, because it takes mental control, not just verbal 
control, to maintain silence. The gItA then lists Atma-vinigraha 
(self-control) under mental tapas, which is explained in the commentary as 
mano-nirodhas sarvatas sAmAnyarUpaH. Note the technical yoga usage of 
nirodha applied to the mind in this context by SankarAchArya. Note also that 
he intends it in a full (sarvataH) and general (sAmAnya) sense. Also compare 
bhAvasa.mSuddhi in gItA 17.16 to yogasUtra 2.41 (sattvaSuddhi - saumanasya - 
ekAgrya - ...).

Other verses in the gItA that SankarAchArya takes as references to aids to 
Self-realization are the qualities mentioned in the 13th chapter, which is 
called kShetra-kShetraGYa-yoga. These verses are -

amAnitvam-adambhitvam-ahi.msA-kShAntirArjavam.h .
AchAryopAsana.m Saucha.m sthairyam-AtmavinigrahaH .. 13\-8..

indriyArtheShu vairAgyam-anaha.nkAra eva cha .
janmamR^ityujarAvyAdhi-duHkhadoShAnudarshanam.h .. 13\-9..

asaktir-anabhiShvaN^gaH putradAragR^ihAdiShu .
nitya.m cha samachittatvam iShTAniShTopapattiShu .. 13\-10..

mayi chAnanyayogena bhaktir avyabhichAriNI .
viviktadeSasevitvam aratir-janasa.msadi .. 13\-11..

adhyAtmaGYAna-nityatva.m tattvaGYAnArtha-darshanam.h .
etajGYAnamiti proktamaGYAnaM yadato.anyathA .. 13\-12..

In the commentary on these verses, SankarAchArya explains each item listed 
above in a very simple and straightforward manner. His introduction and 
summary of the above verses are more relevant to the current discussion. He 
explains why the qualities enumerated above, starting with amAnitva.m are 
called GYAna (etat GYAnam iti prokta.m). He says that these qualities are 
instrumental steps and are aids to realization. Moreover, by cultivating 
these qualities, one becomes fit for attaining GYAna.

"yasmin sati tajGYeya viGYAne yogyo .adhikR^ito bhavati, yatparas sa.mnyAsI 
GYAnaniShTha ucyate, tam amAnitvAdigaNa.m GYAna-sAdhanatvAj 
GYAna-Sabda-vAchyam" - Due to which one becomes fit, entitled to 
Self-knowledge, that which is the natural state of the one established in 
knowledge, these are the qualities beginning with amAnitva. These are the 
referent (in this context) of the term GYAna (knowledge), because they are 
instrumental towards it (GYAna-sAdhana).

SankarAchArya also has an opponent raising the question, amAnitva etc. are 
only yama-s and niyama-s, so how could they be called knowledge? - "nanu 
yamA-niyamAS ca amAnitvAdayaH." He addresses this question by saying it is 
not a fault to exalt these qualities as "knowledge" because we only do so 
insofar as they are instrumental and are an additional aiding cause in the 
rise of Self-knowledge "naiSha doShaH - GYAna-nimittatvAj GYAna ucyata iti 
hy avochAma. GYAna-sahakAri-kAraNatvAch cha."

Before concluding this discussion of yama-s and niyama-s, I would like to 
draw the attention of readers to multiple places in the gItA commentary 
where SankarAchArya emphasizes that what are taught as the qualities aiding 
the rise of Self-knowledge are in fact the natural qualities of the 
Self-knower. For example, under the description of the sthitapraGYa, under 
verse 2. 55, he says, "sthitapraGYa lakShaNa.m sAdhana.m cha upadiSyate. 
sarvatraiva hy adhyAtma-SAstre kR^itArtha-lakShaNAni yAni tAny eva sAdhanAny 
upadiSyante. yatna-sAdhyatvAt." The qualities of the sthitapraGYa (one who 
is established in knowledge) are taught as the means to knowledge. 
Everywhere in the scriptures, what are the qualities of the realized one are 
alone taught as the means to realization, as these can be achieved through 
effort. So also, in chapter 14, in the discussion of the guNAtIta - one who 
has transcended the guNa-s. "yAvat yatna-sAdhya.m tAvat sa.mnyAsino 
.anuShTheya.m guNAtItatva-sAdhana.m mumukShoH. sthirIbhUta.m tu 
sva-sa.mvedya.m sad guNAtItasya yater lakShaNa.m bhavati" - Insofar as these 
qualities are attainable through effort, the qualities of the one who has 
transcended the guNa-s are to be cultivated by one who seeks liberation. 
These qualities are firmly established in the one who has transcended the 
guNa-s and are self-revealing.

It should be clear that SankarAchArya gives a very important place to 
cultivating the yama-s and niyama-s as described in the gItA and the yoga 
texts, because these are more or less seen as prerequisites to 
Self-knowledge. Starting with the next post of this series on BGBh and yoga, 
I will move on to the other limbs of yoga in the bhagavad-gItA-bhAShya 
(BGBh).

iti Subha.m,
Vidyasankar

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