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Hello, can anyone explain why we supposedly don't need to do yoga postures during Kali Yugas. I have heard Vishnu's say not to do it but Shivites say do it anyway.
I started to list all my questions into one thread but there and quite a few and so I decided to do it this way. Which means there will be more
Thanks for your patience.
Om Namah Shivaya
ஓம் நமசிவாய
Pranams Mystic Soul,
Can you provide any source which says that Vaishnavas should not do Yoga Asanas in Kali Yuga.
I know that sometimes it is said that the Yuga Dharma is glorification of the Supreme or Hari Nam Bhajan, this can be applied to any of the names of Bhagavan, others say tantra is the Yuga Dharma. So perhaps sometimes it may be said that Hatha Yoga is not as applicable in the age as it was in a previous age and should not be used as a way to reach self realization, in fact this type of yoga if done correct for the purpose of self realization is very difficult, and not everyone can do it, but everyone has the ability in some form to Glorify the Supreme in what ever way they practice.
This would not mean that asana is totally abandoned or forgotten, in fact it should be encouraged to fit in within ones sadhana as much as possible. Its very good for preparing the mind before mediation and can help with equanimity and calming manas, in fact the benefits of Asana are to great to write down in one post. We should always encourage this amazing gift of Yoga Asana, but not everyone can do it, and it will be hard on a wholesale scale for everyone to do it as their means full self realization.
Namaste
It is said that for every age (yuga) there is a recommended process for self-realisation precisely designed for that age. Usually a recommended process for self-realisation precisely designed for that age is called the Yuga Dharma. There are four ages (yugas) and for each of them the recommended process was some other. This ages chronologically go as follows: 1. Satya (some call it Krita), 2. Treta, 3. Dvapara, 4. Kali.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystical Soul
Here's a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) 12.3.52 talking about it:
"Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by hari-kīrtanāt (chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and other holy names of the Lord)."
So here we have the recommended process for self-realisation precisely designed for that age:
1. Satya (Krita) yuga -- meditating on Lord Vishnu using some yoga for this purpose such as that described in the Bhagavad gita chapter 6, Dhyana-yoga, or Ashtanga yoga, or some similar.
2. Treta yuga -- performing vedic sacrifices (yajnas).
3. Dvapara yuga -- serving the Lord’s lotus feet, it's attending the deities in the temple according to the methods prescribed in the Pancaratra scriptures.
4. Kali yuga -- Hari kirtana, chanting the holy names of the Lord, and glorifying the Lord's pastimes (lilas) as described in the literature of Puranas.
Today we live in the age of Kali when many of the above mentioned things are not available to people, or people are not qualified to apply them properly. Take for example the above-mentioned 1 to 3, it requires that a person has initiation, and learn the strict rules for meditation, performing vedic sacrifices and temple worship. But above mentioned point 4 does not require initiation nor the strict rules or years of learning because even a shudra can do it!
I know that in the Vaishnava traditions even today they do some of these things, some yajna sacrifice, temple worship and the like, but it's not because they think it is absolutely necessary for self-realisation, but only in order to preserve the tradition of these things.
Thus, in order to facilitate the people and make it easier to walk by the path of self-realisation Vedic authorities prescribed kirtana as the process for self-realisation for this age. Everyone can do it, it's simple and easy to pronounce Vishnu, Hari, Narayana, Rama, Krishna, Shiva, ..., the holy names of the Lord. Everyone, even a shudra, can learn that there is a God and His names that he can pronounce, it requires no more than 5 minutes to learn this.
More about this read at http://vedabase.com/en/sb/12/3/52
regards
Dear brahma jijnasa,Quote:
Originally Posted by brahma jijnasa
Thany so much!!!! This link is VERY helpful. However I hope you don't mind if I have other questions after I read it some. Am reading DWT 2: Yes to Kṛṣṇa, No to Illusion... Quite interesting.
Thanks again
Peace to you
Hello..Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystical Soul
Yoga-PrAnAyam need to be done for removing sins.. Some sins get vanished by Mantra, some by herbals, some by chanting hari nAmA, some by meditation on the self, some by performing vedic rituals, some by tapa.. etc
After all Krishna himself instructs these all methods to be done by mokshA seekers..
Thank You
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
I have read the posts above which are fine, but seems a bit fragmented. Since this is in the yoga folder no one has brought up the method offered in patañjali’s yogadarśana.
Some too have mentioned sins. The 'sin' that is removed by patañjali’s yogadarśana is that of not knowing one's stainless SELF.
iti śivaṁ
Namaste
Just ask, when I find time I will try to give the answer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mystical Soul
regards