PREFACE
 
This book entitled “Practical Lessons in Yoga” consists of twelve easy and interesting
Lessons. The First Lesson deals with Yoga and Its Objects. The Second Lesson treats of Yoga
Sadhana or the practice of Yoga and contains a clear and lucid description of the four important
paths viz., Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga. One can easily choose for
himself a path according to his particular taste, temperament and capacity by a close study of this
Lesson. I firmly hold that no one wishing to become a perfect Yogi can realise his wish, if he does
not begin his Yogic practices with Karma Yoga or doing actions for actions’ sake, without the idea
of agency and without expectation of the fruits of his actions. I have also made passing references to
the various other forms of Yoga such as Hatha Yoga, Mantra Yoga and Kundalini Yoga.


YOGA AND ITS OBJECTS
 
Yoga Philosophy is one of the six systems of Hindu Philosophy which exist in India. Unlike
so many other philosophies of the world, it is a philosophy that is wholly practical. Yoga is an exact
science based on certain immutable Laws of Nature. It is well known to people of all countries of
the world interested in the study of Eastern civilisation and culture, and is held in awe and reverence
as it contains in it the master-key to unlock the realms of Peace, Bliss, Mystery and Miracle. Even
the philosophers of the West found solace and peace in this Divine Science. Jesus Christ himself
was a Yogi of a superior order, a Raja-Yogi indeed. The founder of the Yoga Philosophy was
Patanjali Maharshi, who was not only a Philosopher and a Yogi, but a Physician as well. He is said
to have lived about three hundred years before Jesus Christ.


The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root “Yuj” which means “to join.” Yoga is a
science that teaches us the method of joining the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. It is the
merging of the individual will with the Cosmic or Universal Will. Yoga is that inhibition of the
functions of the mind which leads to the absolute abidance of the soul in its own real nature of
Divine Glory and Divine Splendour. It is the process by which the identity of the individual soul
and the Oversoul is established by the Yogi. In other words, the human soul is brought into
conscious communion with God. Yoga is the Science of sciences that disentangles the individual
soul from the phenomenal world of sense-objects and links with the Absolute, whose inherent
attributes are Infinite Bliss, Supreme Peace, Infinite Knowledge and unbroken Joy.

YOGIC DISCIPLINE

Yoga is rooted in virtue. Ethical discipline is very necessary for success in Yoga. Ethical
discipline is the practice of right conduct in life. The two moral back-bones of Yoga are Yama and
Niyama, which the aspirant must practice in his daily life. These correspond roughly to the ten
commandments of Lord Jesus or to the noble eightfold path of Lord Buddha. Non-injuring
(Ahimsa), truthfulness (Satyam), non-stealing (Asteya), continence (Brahmacharya) and
non-covetousness (Aparigraha) are the component parts of Yama. Internal and external purification
(Saucha), contentment (Santosha), austerity (Tapas), study of religious and philosophical books
(Svadhyaya) and self-surrender to the Lord (Isvara-Pranidhana) come under Niyama. Practice of
Yama and Niyama will eradicate all the impurities of the mind. In fact, Yama and Niyama form the
corner-stones of Yoga philosophy.