• Vedic Mysticism and the basis of Yoga •
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- Acharya Vaidyanath Shastri
In world of ours we find a lot of suffering. To remove these suffering we have to take the help of yoga or mysticism. Here "It is interesting however," points out Mr. Maxmuller, to observe the unanimity with which the principal systems of philosophy in india, nay some of their religious systems also, start from the conviction that the world is full of suffering and that this suffering should be accounted for and removed. This seems to have been one of the principal impulses, if not the principal impulse to philosophical thought in India."
The Sankhya philosophy begins with the recognition of the existence of three kinds of suffering and proclaims as its highest object the complete cessation of all pain.
The Yoga philosophers after pointing out the way to Samadhi declare that this is the best means of escaping from all earthly troubles and in the end of reaching 'Kaivalya' or perfect freedom.
Even the logic of Gautama aims at attaining 'apavarga' which is obtained by the complete destruction of all pain.
The vaisesika aims at attaining the knowledge of truth and through it the final cessation of all pain.
Badrayana teaches that the cause of all evils is 'avidya' or Nescience, and that it is the object of his philosophy to remove Nescience by science and thus to bring out true knowledge of Brahman, who is all-bliss.
If we see minutely, we would find that even the worldly pleasures are mixed with pain. The very thing in which a man seeks pleasure after a limit becomes the cause of pain. The excessive sweetness becomes distasteful. Nothing in the world is such which will always give pleasure. This is called 'Parinam-dukha' or every thing is pain-ending.
Even if it not be so, the pleasre-giving thing is accompanied always with a nonpleasant idea. While enjoying pleasures the man always remains anxious lest this pleasant thing be not taken away from him. This anxiety is equally painful. This is called 'Sanskar-dukha' or pain in idea.
Finally, after having enjoyed, the man always covets for the enjoyment, the necessary effort and then the consequent disappointment or difficulty, all these lead to a series of pains known as 'tapa-dukha' or pain in efforts.
So we see that in this world, the best of the worldly pleasures also lead to pain and suffering. Whatever pain is in the present, one has to endure it, but the suffering which is to come after-wards must be done away with some-how. The attachment of the self with Prakriti is the pain. Shall we ever get rid of this widely diffused pain all around us? This sometimes lead us to pessimism.
But Vedic philosophy never presents a pessimistic outlook of life. It makes one understand that suffering is not without utility or purpose. It is a well-established fact that through suffering alone, one transcends suffering. It is through this suffering that one can attain the highest object of life. It is not a pessimism but facing of the reality that world has to fulfil two ends that is 'bhoga', the enjoyment of pleasure and pain and 'apavarga', the attainment of emancipation. To realise this latter one has to undergo the former one which activate all courage for this achievement.
All the Indian sciences, have their source in the Vedas and therefore, the yoga too has no exception. The whole system of this philosophy is based on the Vedas.
[Source: Gems of Aryan Wisdom, pp. 66-68, 1968 edition, Presented by Bhavesh Merja]
