What is yoga? The answer to this is in Yoga Sutras by Patanjali in the second stanza: “Yogah cittivritti nirodhah”. This is translated as “Yoga is cessation of thoughts”.
And what happens when the endless flow of thoughts cease? This is answered in the very next stanza: “Tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam”. This is translated as “Then the Seer abides in itself”. When thoughts cease you enter a state of Samadhi. Consciousness gives up its preoccupation with the outside world of duality and resides with the true Self.
These two stanzas in the Yoga Sutra are considered the most important ones as the very essence of the teaching of Yoga is in them. An exchange between a visitor and the sage Ramana Maharshi also illustrates the same ideas:
A visitor asked if the study of the sacred books will reveal the truth.
Ramana Maharshi (M): “That will not suffice.”
Visitor (V): “Why not?”
M: “Samadhi alone can reveal it. Thoughts cast a veil over Reality and so it cannot be clear in states other than Samadhi.”
V: “Is there thought in Samadhi? Or is there not?”
M: “There will only be the feeling ‘I am’ and no other thoughts.”
V: “Is not ‘I am’ a thought?”
M: “The egoless ‘I am’ is not thought. It is realization. The meaning or significance of ‘I’ is God. The experience of ‘I am’ is to Be Still.”
We now jump back 2000 years and reach out to the words Jesus said to his devotees: “Be still. And know that I am God”. In these words there is a very powerful message: A call to meditation. A call to stilling the mind so that we can find out what truly abides within. Are we willing to heed this message and seek the state of Yoga in Samadhi?
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Credits:This has been written by Raj Shah and edited by Ketna Shah. The story of Ramana Maharishi came to us from Harsha Satsangha Yahoo group