PARIPEX - INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH Volume-8 | Issue-1 | January-2019 | PRINT ISSN - 2250-1991

ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER Philosophy

THE EXPOSITION OF PATANJALI YOGA SUTRA KEY WORDS: Asta siddhis,

WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ASTA SIDDHIS TO Pancha Bhutas, Pancha Tatvas,
Jnanendriya dharana, dhyana,
YOGA PRACTICES Samadhi

Jampala
Research scholar, Dept. of Philosophy, S. V. University, Tirupati
Srinivasarao
P. Chinnaiah* Professor, Dept. of Philosophy, S. V. University, Tirupati, India *Corresponding Author
This paper explains the art of integration through concentration, meditation and profound absorption and also attainment of
ABSTRACT

supernatural powers. Secondly, I have tried to analyse the Pancha Bhutas that affect the Indriyas-5 senses which in turn transmit
the physical vibrations into sensations, only to recall the basic stages of the Pancha Bhutas out of which the whole of the
manifested universe is an emanation of the self. Thirdly, an attempt in made to describe the attainment of Asta Siddhis as a result
of – bhuta-jaya perfection of the physical body through Anima, Mahima, Laghima, Garima, Prapti, Prakamya, Ishatva and
Vasitva. And Finally, I have tried to explain that these Asta Siddhis (Eight Powers) are not the ultimate goal of yoga but only to an
indication of the first path of the yogi and hence he need not feel pride in possession of Eight Powers.

Patanjali speaks of the properties of Yoga and the art of these five modes in which all things affect the mind through the
integration through concentration, meditation and profound five sense-organs are called pancha-bhutas or Pancha Tattvas.
absorption. The practitioner concentrates to particular points Thus Tejas is that all-inclusive quality which in one way or another
within and outside the body to be used by the seeker for affects the retina of the eye, Akasa(sky) is that quality which affects
concentration and contemplation. When this dharana is the ear and so on.
(maintained) steadily, it flows into dhyana leads to Samadhi. Thus,
dharana, dhyana and Samadhi are interconnected. On this The pancha-bhutas by their peculiar action affect the Indriyas
innermost quest, supernatural powers come naturally to a yogi which then transmute the purely physical vibrations into
who has integrated his body, mind and soul. There is a danger that sensations. The sensations are the raw material from which the
he will be seduced by these powers. He has to bypass them in order mind elaborates the world of ideas by a process of integration,
to pursue his practice as far as kaivalya, the height of indivisible reproduction and rearrangement of the component images. But
existence. Samyama explains the disciplines necessary to both the mind also, according to Yogic psychology, is Jada and it is the
living in the natural grace of yoga, and to attain supernatural illumination of the Buddhi which imparts to the mechanical work
powers(Siddhis). These powers are extraordinary. The appearance of the mind, an element of intelligent understanding. But, as this
of any one of them indicates that the practitioner has followed question has been dealt with thoroughly elsewhere, let us now
methods appropriate to his evolution. But he should not mistake pass on to the problem with which the present Sutra deals,
these powers as the goal of his search. For onlookers they may namely, the mastery of the Bhutas.
seem to be great accomplishments, but for the sadhaka they are
hindrances to Samadhi. Even celestial beings try to seduce the All forces of nature have been brought under the control of man by
practitioner. If he succumbs to these temptations, misfortunes the discovery of laws which determine the action of these forces. If
overwhelm him. we understand what these different stages through which the
Bhutas are in their involution are, we will again have to recall the
If a yogi gets carried away by supernatural powers and uses them basic doctrine of the Yogic philosophy, according to which the
for fame, he fails in his practice. He is like a man who tries to save whole of the manifested Universe is an emanation of the Self. It is
himself from the wind only to get caught up in a whirlwind. A yogi the Self which has become the Not-Self through a progressive
who attains certain powers and misconstrues them for his goal is involution of a part of itself. The characteristic of the gross forms of
caught in their effects and exposes himself to their afflictions. elements are solidity(Prudi), fluidity(jala), heat(Agni),
Therefore, Patanjali warns the practitioner to renounce these mobility(Vayu) and volume(Akasa). Their subtle counterparts are
accomplishments, so that the gates of everlasting bliss may open smell, taste, sight, touch, and sound. Their all-pervasiveness or
for him. He is counselled to develop non-attachment which interpenetrations is the three gunas, and their purpose is either
destroys pride, a cardinal pitfall for those who acquire powers. worldly enjoyment or freedom and beatitude. The earth element
Mastery over the Pancha Bhutas by adhering to Samyama on their has five properties of sound, touch, sight, taste and smell. Water
gross, constant, subtle, all-pervading and functional states. The has four: sound, touch, sight and taste. Fire has three: sound,
pancha bhutas are also called Panca - Tattvas and it will help us to touch and sight. Air has sound and touch. Ether has only the one
understand the nature of the five Elements (Panca – Bhutas). A quality of sound.
Tattva may also mean a principle which is embodied in a number of
things in different degrees which acquire on this account, a According to Hatha Yoga Pradipika the names of mahasiddhas
sameness of nature in certain matters though differing in degree who attained Siddhis by the practice of Hathayoga and they are
and mode of expression. still roaming about the universe having conquered time (Death)
itself. Those are:- Sri Adinath, Matsyendranath, Sabara,
The external world is cognized through our five Jnanendriya Anandabhairava, Chaurangi, Mina, Goraksha, Virupaksha,
(Sensory organs). We can know the things which exist outside us Bileshaya, Manthana, Bhairava, Siddhi, Buddha,Kanthadi,
only as they affect our sense-organs. Now, the things around us Korntaka, Surananda, Siddhipada, Charapation, Kaneri,
have innumerable qualities which are shared by them in different Pujyapada, Nityanath, Niranjan, Kapali, Bindunath,
degrees and manners. These qualities which form a jungle of sense Kakachandishwara, Allama, Prabhudeva, Ghodacholi, Tintini,
impressions can be classified scientifically. The Seers who dived Bhanuki, Naradeva, Khanda, Kaplika. These mahasiddhas, having
through the practice of Yoga into the inner and essential nature of accomplished the goal of yoga, have released their own
all things and whose main objective was to unfold the innermost personalities from the cycle of birth and death in the physical
mystery of life adopted a perfectly scientific and yet very simple world. Being jivanmukthas, liberated while still in the confines of
method of classifying these qualities. This consisted in dividing Prakriti, their will is sufficiently strong to enable them to do
them into five groups based on how they affected our five sensory anything, anywhere and at any time1.
organs. All the multitudinous qualities through which all objects of 1
the external world are cognized are classified under five heads and Swami Muktibodhananda, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bihar school of
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PARIPEX - INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH Volume-8 | Issue-1 | January-2019 | PRINT ISSN - 2250-1991

Munger2012, P-32 of use if one has forgotten the aim of yoga. 'Discard them” he says,
'and devote all energies to the realization of God.
Mahasiddhas are great beings who attained powers through the
perfection of sadhana. There are so many siddhis. As far as siddhis REFERENCES:
go there are eight major ones which a sadhaka has to master 1. Gregor maehle., “Astanga yoga practice and philosophy” Printed and Published By
RP Jain for new age Books. New Delhi. 2006.
before he is called a Asta siddhis. Thence, for the attainment of 2. Swami Abhedananda., “Yoga Psychology” Published By Swami Satya kamananda
Asta Siddhis, perfection of the body and the non-obstruction of its Ramakrishna vedanta math. Kolkata – 1967.
functions by the powers. The three results of the mastery of the 3. Gerald james Larson Ram Shankar Bhattacharya., “Encyclopedia of Indian
Philosophies (yoga: India’s philosophy of meditation) Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
Panca – Bhutas. The first is the appearance of the well-known Private Limited.Delhi.
group of eight high occult powers known as Maha-Siddhis. 4. Swami Muktibodhananda “Hatha Yoga Pradipika” Yoga Publications trust,
Anima – the ability to become as small as an atom; Laghima – the Munger, India-1985. Reprint – 2012.
5. Swami kriyananda (j.donald walters) “The Art and science of Rajayoga” Motilal
ability to become weightless; Mahima - the ability to become as Banarsidass. Publishers pvt Ltd. Delhi -2003
large as the universe; Garima - the ability to become heavy ; Prapti 6. Bangali baba “ Yoga Sutra of Patanjali”. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private
Limited – Delhi 1st edition 1976. Reprint 2010.
– the ability to reach any place; Prakamya –the ability to stay 7. “Some Responses to classical Yoga In the modernperiod” Published by Swami
under water and to maintain the body and youth; Vasitva - Sarvabhutananda, Secretary Ramakrishna Mission – Kolkata -2010.
control over all objects, organic and inorganic; Isatva - the 8. B.K.S.IYENGAR, “Core of the Yoga Sutras” Harper Thorsons An iImprint of Harper
Collins Publishers 77-85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8JB-
capacity to create and destroy at will. The second result of Bhuta- 2013.
Jaya is the perfection of the physical body. 9. “I. K. Taimni, The science of yoga” the theosophical publishing house, Adayar,
Chennai. 2005 (10th print)
10. B.K.S.Iyengar, “ Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” Harper element an Imprint
The third result is the immunity from the natural action of the of Harper Collins Publishers Private limited – Delhi - 1998
Panca Bhutas. Thus the yogi can pass through fire without being
burnt. His physical body can enter the solid earth just as an ordinary
person can enter water. These powers attained by mastery over
the Bhutas appear most extraordinary and almost unbelievable.
But they are known to be real as the Yogi tradition of thousands of
years and the experiences of those who are in touch with higher
order Yogis show. The previous discussion on the nature of the
Panca-Bhutas and the way they are mastered will give some
indication as to how such extraordinary results can follow from
such a mastery. The whole of the phenomenal world is a play of the
Panca-Bhutas and anyone who has acquired complete control over
them naturally becomes master of all natural phenomena. The
student will recall that the Anvaya state of the Panca-Bhutas is
related to the three Gunas which lie at the very basis of the
manifested Universe. Mastery of the Panca-Bhutas thus means
becoming one with the Divine Consciousness upon which
manifestation is based and therefore gaining the capacity to
exercise Divine powers which are inherent in that Consciousness.
This does not mean that such a Yogi can do whatever he likes. He
has still to work within the framework of natural laws, but his
knowledge is so vast and his powers, therefore, so extraordinary
that he appears capable of doing anything. More important that
the extraordinary nature of these powers is the question of the
nature of this manifested Universe which the existence of such
powers raises. The essential nature of the Universe is such powers.
The mystery of life, matter and consciousness appears to deepen
and acquire a new significance and we seem almost forced to the
conclusion that all phenomena, even those which seem to have a
solid material basis, are a play of consciousness. The Vedantic
doctrine 'verily, all is Brahman' seems to be the only plausible
explanation.

From samyama on the elements, their counterparts, form

conjunctions and fruits, the yogi develops the eight supernatural
powers and gains perfect wealth of the body without falling victim
to the obstacles posed by the elements. This is said to be the best
wealth of the body: perfection and freedom from all hindrances.

This sutra indicates that by the conquest of the elements a yogi

gains mastery in three fields. The first is the acquirement of the
eight supernatural powers. The second is perfection of the body,
which means that earth does not soil him, water dampens him, or
fire burn him. Wind cannot move him and space can conceal his
body anywhere at any time. The third is immunity from the play of
the elements and their characteristics, and from thee obstructions
and disturbances which they create.

These are the eight powers which come unbidden to the yogi.
Although they indicate that his sadhana is on the right path, they
are also capable of catching him up with the force of a whirlwind
to bring his sadhana crashing down. Such siddhis must be ignored
and the ultimate goal of freedom and beatitude maintained. Pride
in siddhis and preoccupation with them lead to disaster and chaos.
They create attachment and affliction, and that is why Patanjali
holds them to be obstacles to dhyana and Samadhi. They are only
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