Difference between Raja-yoga and Astanta-yoga

**orlando** · 11 April 2013, 04:44 AM

Namaste all.

In another thread Sahasranama said that Astanta-yoga is not Raja-yoga and that the former is older than the latter.

Could someone please expose the main and more important difference between these two forms of yoga?

Pranama,
Orlando.

**Ra K Sankar** · 11 April 2013, 06:35 AM

Namaste

Ashtanga yoga is 8-limbed yoga dealing with practices for body and mind leading to ultimate merger with the Divine.

Raja Yoga is awakening the serpent energy from the root chakra, merging the Ida and Pingala Spiritual nerves into the Central Sushumna passage and then raising the same up to and beyond the crown chakra.

Regards
Ra K Sankar

**orlando** · 12 April 2013, 09:52 AM

Namaste.

Originally Posted by Ra K Sankar

Namaste

Ashtanga yoga is 8-limbed yoga dealing with practices for body and mind leading to ultimate merger with the Divine.

Do you mean in an Advaita perspective?

Pranama,
Orlando.

**Ra K Sankar** · 12 April 2013, 11:57 PM

Namaste

8-limbed yoga is said to have been propounded by Sage Patanjali.
Patanjali is said to be one of the few sages
for ever attending the Dance of Lord Siva in the Golden Hall.
Sage Tirumular, the author of Tirumantiram,
a monumental treatise on Siva, also expounds the 8-limbed yoga.

Regards
Ra K Sankar

**realdemigod** · 13 April 2013, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by Ra K Sankar

Namaste

Ashtanga yoga is 8-limbed yoga dealing with practices for body and mind leading to ultimate merger with the Divine.

Raja Yoga is awakening the serpent energy from the root chakra, merging the Ida and Pingala Spiritual nerves into the Central Sushumna passage and then raising the same up to and beyond the crown chakra.

Regards
Ra K Sankar

I always thought Raja Yoga is primarily to do with more meditation (mind control) using Pranayama while the raising of serpent energy is Kundalini yoga?

May be Sahasranama can answer

**dharamsingh** · 30 May 2013, 01:53 AM

Hmm interesting question, looking forward to what people have to say about it. The wikipedia entry mentions no difference. But maybe there is a difference? Who knows

**Necromancer** · 21 August 2013, 04:56 AM

Namaste.

Sorry I am late to the party here, but after a series of epiphanies, I feel comfortable replying.

It has been ages since I last read/visited Patanjali and I have recently rediscovered him.

I am a Raja Yogi (I can say that with confidence now).

Ashtanga Yoga isn't really 'different' to Raja Yoga.

That's like saying the ingredients for a cake, is different from the cake and then saying 'the cake is a lie'.

What do I mean?

Raja Yoga incorporates Ashtanga Yoga as part of the practice of it.

This is what Patanjali is also saying in the Sesvara Samkhya.

According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, written by Swami Svatmarama, Raja Yoga is different to Ashtanga Yoga, but it isn't according to Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras.

Patanjali - 150-200 BCE
Swami Svatmarama - 1500 - 1600 AD

So, it can be the same, or it can be different, according to which school of thought you follow...but if you follow Patanjali, there is no difference.

Aum Namah Shivaya