Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), the Indian saint left for posterity his four classics: Jnana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, and Raja-Yoga, all of which are outstanding treatises on Hindu philosophy in his short life of thirty-nine years.

What is Raja Yoga?

Raja Yoga means the King of all yogas. The Yoga system of Patanjali (200 BCE) is generally known as Raja Yoga.

Indian philosophical systems are known as Darshana because they depend on darshana i.e. seeing or experiencing the truth. The Yoga system deals primarily with sadhana or spiritual disciplines. It helps the individual atman to attain concentration on Ishvara and ultimate union with Him. That is why the Yogasutras of Patanjali, the basic text of the Yoga system, begins with the words – atha yoga-anushasanam i.e. Now, the teaching of Yoga is begun.

The Yogasutras comprises 195 sutras spread over four padas or chapters. They are:

1. Samadhi-pada – 51 aphorisms
2. Sadhana-pada – 55 aphorisms
3. Vibhuti-pada – 55 aphorisms and
4. Kaivalya-pada – 34 aphorisms.

Yogasutra has attracted the attention of a number of sadhakas who have enriched the yoga literature by their earned commentaries and sub-commentaries like:

Commentary	Commentator	Time Period
Vyasa Bhashya		circa 400 CE
Yoga-bhashya-vivarana	Shankara	circa 788-820 CE
Tattva-vaisharadi	Vachaspati Mishra	850 CE
Raja-martanda-vritti	Bhojadeva	11th century
Yoga-sutra-pradipika	Bhavaganesha
Yoga-sutra-vritti	Nagojibhatta
Yoga-mani-prabha	Ramananda Yati
Yoga-siddhanta-chandrika	Narayana Tirtha
Yoga-vartika	Vijnanabhikshu	16th century
Yoga-sudhakara	Sadashiva Brahmendra	18th century
Bhasvati	Hariharananda Aranya	19th century

The Yoga darshana is not only ancient but also very practical. Even the Vedantic systems accept its sadhana aspects. For thousands of years such phenomena have been studied, investigated, and generalised, the whole ground of the religious faculties of man has been analysed, and the practical result is the science of Raja-Yoga. It is the realisation of the divinity through the control of mind. It is the only science of religion that can be demonstrated.

Swami Vivekananda and Raja Yoga

Raja yoga was especially dear to Swamiji because he believed that meditation was the key to spirituality. Raja Yoga according to him is – Conquering the Internal nature.

It was sometime about June 1895 when he finished writing his famous book Raja-Yoga, which attracted the attention of the Harvard philosopher William James and was later to rouse the enthusiasm of Tolstoy. We can trace the trail of Swamiji’s Raja Yoga through his letters.

• The four yogas were published under the auspices of the Vedanta Society of New York.

• Raja Yoga was in publication during February 1896 as he wrote to Mr. E. T. Sturdy from 228 West 39^th Street, New York on 29 February 1896 that, “… the Raja-Yoga, a much bigger one, is in the course of publication;…”
• Sarah Ellen Waldo, who prepared the manuscript of Raja yoga, wrote to Sara Bull on 6 March 1896 from Brooklyn, “I am hard at work on the Raja matter and have nearly finished it.”
• The book was with the London based Longman Green and Co. in March 1896 as Swamiji wrote to Mr. E. T. Sturdy from New York on 17 March 1896 that, “The Raja-Yoga is in the hands of Longmans.”
• But, we find S E Waldo giving to Sara Bull an estimate of printing 2000 copies of Raja Yoga by the Boston based Arena Company in a letter on 23 March 1896.
• Raja Yoga was warmly received in the West as Swamiji wrote to Mrs. Bull from 63 St. George’s Road, London S.W. on 5 June 1896 that, “The Raja-Yoga book is going on splendidly.”
• He got mixed reviews about the book as he wrote to Alasinga from 14 Grey Coat Gardens, Westminster, London in 1896 that, “Mr. Satyanathan, whom I met in London the other day, said that there has been a friendly review of my Raja-Yoga book in the Madras Mail, the chief Anglo-Indian paper in Madras. The leading physiologist in America, I hear, has been charmed with my speculations. At the same time, there have been some in England, who ridiculed my ideas. Good! My speculations of course are awfully bold; a good deal of them will ever remain meaningless; but there are hints in it which the physiologists had better taken up earlier. Nevertheless, I am quite satisfied with the result. “Let them talk badly of me if they please, but let them talk”, is my motto.”
• He wrote about the symbol created by him to Dr. Nanjunda Rao from England on 14 July 1896 that, “You see the symbol I made for the Raja-Yoga, printed by Longman Green and Co.”
• The book hit a jackpot and was sold like hot cakes within eight months after its publication. We find him writing to Alasinga from 14 Grey Coat Gardens, Westminster, S. W. on 11 November 1896 that, “PS. The first edition of Raja-Yoga is sold out, and a second is in the press. India and America are the biggest buyers.”
• He also wrote to Mrs Bull from Greycoat Gardens, Westminster, London, S.W. on 13 November 1896 that, “You will be interested to know that the first edition of Raja-Yoga is sold out, and there is a standing order for several hundreds more.”
• Raja Yoga was not published in America until 1899 after Swami Abhedananda added a glossary. The book served two purposes. First, Swamiji demonstrated that religious experiences could stand on the same footing as scientific truths, being based on experimentation, observation, and verification. Therefore genuine spiritual experiences must not be dogmatically discarded as lacking rational evidence. Secondly, he explained lucidly various disciplines of concentration, with the warning, however, that they should not be pursued without the help of a qualified teacher.

Sarah Ellen Waldo and Raja Yoga

Sarah Ellen Waldo (1845–1926) was Swamiji’s American disciple from Brooklyn. He first called her Brahmacharini Yatimata for her deep interest in Raja-Yoga and later, Sister Haridasi. She ran Swamiji’s household in New York, commuting daily from her residence at 249 Monroe Street, Brooklyn—a two-hour journey. She cooked, edited, cleaned and took dictation, taught and managed, read proof and saw visitors. She played an active role in the running of the New York Vedanta Society and taught Raja-yoga in both its practical and theoretical aspects. She was given charge of the publication of Swamiji’s books in America in association with Mr. Francis Leggett. She was initiated into the vows of brahmacharya by Swamiji on 20 February 1896 at New York, with a mantra of her choice.

Swamiji dictated the greater part of Raja-Yoga to her, taken down in long hand with painstaking care. She was his scribe. She thus described the manner in which he dictated the book, 'In delivering his commentaries on the aphorisms, he would leave me waiting while he entered into deep states of meditation or self contemplation, to emerge therefrom with some luminous interpretation. I had always to keep the pen dipped in the ink. He might be absorbed for long periods of time, and then suddenly his silence would be broken by some eager expression or some long, deliberate teaching.'

The Book

The present edition of Raja Yoga is found in two parts. The first part of this book comprises several lectures to classes delivered by Swamiji in New York. The second part is a free translation of the aphorisms of Patanjali, with a running commentary. Swamiji added his own explanations and the introductory chapters written by him are especially illuminating.

Contents of the Book Raja Yoga

The contents of the present edition of Raja Yoga are presented below with some striking thoughts of Swamiji for the convenience of the readers.

Chapter I - Introductory

• The science of Raja Yoga proposes to put before humanity a practical and scientifically worked out method of reaching this truth.
• The science of Raja Yoga… proposes to give us such a means of observing the internal states.
• This is what Raja Yoga proposes to teach. The goal of all its teachings is how to concentrate the mind, then how to discover the innermost recesses of our own minds, then, how to generalize their contents and form our own conclusions from them.
• … in the study of this Raja Yoga no faith or belief is necessary. Believe nothing until you find it out for yourself; that is what it teaches us.
• This study of Raja Yoga takes a long time and constant practice. A part of this practice is physical, but in the main it is mental. As we proceed we shall find how intimately the mind is connected with the body.

Chapter II – The First Steps

• Raja Yoga is divided into eight steps.
• Absolute control of nature, and nothing short of it, must be the goal.
• This human body is the greatest body in the universe, and a human being the greatest being.
• It is from the middle classes that the great ones of the world come.

Chapter III – Prana

• The sum total of all forces in the universe, mental or physical, when resolved back to their original state, is called Prana.
• The knowledge and control of this Prana is really what is meant by Pranayama.
• The Prana is the vital force in every being. Thought is the finest and highest action of Prana.
• Modern physics also has demonstrated that the sum total of the energies in the universe is the same throughout.
• The most obvious manifestation of this Prana in the human body is the motion of the lungs.
• So Pranayama is not breathing, but controlling that muscular power which moves the lungs.
• …the whole scope of Raja Yoga is really to teach the control and direction in different planes of the Prana.
• Raja Yoga is the science which teaches us how to gain the power of concentration.
• Spiritualism is also a manifestation of Pranayama.
• All this bringing of the mind into a higher state of vibration is included in one word in Yoga—Samadhi.
• That part of Pranayama which attempts to control the physical manifestations of the Prana by physical means is called physical science, and that part which tries to control the manifestations of the Prana as mental force, by mental means, is called Raja Yoga.

Chapter IV – The Psychic Prana

• The aim of Pranayama here is to rouse the coiled up power in the Muladhara, called the Kundalini.
• …Raja Yoga is the science of religion, the rationale of all worship, all prayers, forms, ceremonies, and miracles.

Pingala is on the right side of the spinal column, and the Ida on the left, and in the middle of the spinal column is the Sushumna, an empty channel.

Chapter V – The Control of Psychic Prana

• Draw in four seconds, hold in sixteen seconds, then throw out in eight seconds. This makes one Pranayama… Do it only four times in the morning, and four times in the evening.
• There must be perfect chastity in thought, word and deed; without it the practice of Raja Yoga is dangerous, and may lead to insanity.

Chapter VI – Pratyahara and Dharana

• All actions, internal and external, occur when the mind joins itself to certain centres, called the organs.
• This controlling of mind, and not allowing it to join itself to the centres is Pratyahara.
• When the Chitta, or mind-stuff, is confined and limited to a certain place it is Dharana.
• Read only those books which have been written by persons who have had realization.
• Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life—think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success, and this is the way great spiritual giants are produced.
• Practice hard; whether you live or die does not matter.
• To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will.

Chapter VII – Dhyana and Samadhi

• Nearly every part of the body can be brought under control.
• When the mind goes beyond this line of self-consciousness, it is called Samadhi, or super-consciousness.
• The whole idea of human life can be put into that one word, unselfishness.
• Real inspiration never contradicts reason, but fulfils it.
• All the different steps in Yoga are intended to bring us scientifically to the super-conscious state, or Samadhi.
• … every man must, eventually, get to that state, and that is religion. Experience is the only teacher we have.
• … the power of flowing in an unbroken current, as it were, towards that point. This state is called Dhyana.
• The animal has its happiness in the senses, the man in his intellect, and the god in spiritual contemplation.

Chapter VIII – Raja-Yoga in brief

• It contains a summary of Raja Yoga freely translated from the Kurma Purana.
• The inaudible repetition of the Mantra, accompanied with the thinking of its meaning, is called the “mental repetition”, and is the highest.
• If the mind can be fixed on the centre for twelve seconds it will be a Dharana, twelve such Dharanas will be a Dhyana, and twelve such Dhyanas will be a Samadhi.

Patanjali’s Yoga Aphorisms (195 Aphorisms)

Introduction

• A straight line, indefinitely projected, must end in a circle.

Chapter I – Concentration: Its Spiritual Uses – 51 Aphorisms

• The organs (Indriyas), together with the mind (Manas), the determinative faculty (Buddhi), and egoism (Ahamkara), form the group called the Antahkarana (the internal instrument).
• The bottom of the lake is our own true Self; the lake is the Chitta and the waves the Vrittis.
• Go on doing good, thinking holy thoughts continuously; that is the only way to suppress base impressions.
• Molecular vibration never ceases… Each atom performs the same function as the big worlds do.
• Each time we suppress hatred, or a feeling of anger, it is so much good energy stored up in our favour; that piece of energy will be converted into the higher powers.
• Realisation is real religion, all the rest is only preparation—hearing lectures, or reading books, or reasoning is merely preparing the ground; it is not religion.

Chapter II – Concentration: Its Practice – 55 Aphorisms

• What we call mind is very much the same as electricity. It is clear that this nerve fluid has some amount of electricity, because it is polarized, and it answers all electrical directions.
• Love, existence and knowledge are not the qualities of the Purusha, but its essence.
• The soul itself is the centre where all the different perceptions converge and become unified.
• Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this Divinity within, by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either by work, or worship, or psychic control, or philosophy—by one or more or all of these—and be free. This is the whole of religion.
• The first sign that you are becoming religious is that you are becoming cheerful.

Chapter III – Powers – 56 Aphorisms

• How are we to know that the mind has become concentrated? Because the idea of time will vanish. The more time passes unnoticed the more concentrated we are.
• The word I know is a mixture of the three—vibration, sensation and reaction.
• These powers, however, are obstructions to the attainment of the highest goal, the knowledge of the pure Self, and freedom.

Chapter IV – Independence – 33 Aphorisms

• … Chemistry originally began as alchemy; men went in search of the philosopher’s stone and elixirs of life, and so forth.
• They also thought that in mercury and in sulphur was hidden the most wonderful power, and that by certain preparations of these a man could keep the body as long as he liked.
• The two causes of evolution advanced by the moderns, viz sexual selection and survival of the fittest, are inadequate.
• Matter and mind are like two inexhaustible storehouses.
• The mind and body are like two layers in the same substance, moving at different rates of speed.
• It is the power of the Purusha that is percolating through all matter and force.
• One of the Buddhistic scriptures defines what is meant by the Buddha (which is the name of a state) as infinite knowledge, infinite as the sky. Jesus attained to that and became the Christ.

Appendix

The Appendix contains references to Yoga in other ancient Sanskrit texts.

• Shvetashvatara Upanishad (Chapter II) – 14 mantras.
• Yajnavalkya quoted by Shankara – Here, the seer Yajnavalkya informs Gargi about the basics of Yoga.
• Sankhya (Book III, IV, V and VI) – 24 related aphorisms have been quoted.
• Vyasa Sutras (Chapter IV, Section I) – 5 relevant aphorisms.