Yoga Insights: Understanding Yama And Niyama As The Ethical Foundation Of Patanjali's Eightfold Yoga

Yoga is said to be “karma-su-kaushalam” by Gitacharya Krishna in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. The meaning is excellence and expertise in the actions undertaken is Yoga. Patanjali helped us appreciate Yoga as “chitta vrutti nirodha”. It means Yoga helps us control the wandering mind and tendencies. Yoga is expected to help us have good swasthya (self-contained holistic health) and take us to higher levels of conscience.

To understand a body of knowledge and move towards adoption and application of the same, we need some sort of practical classification or categorisation. Yoga, too, got that respectful treatment by Patanjali, who divided it into “ashta + anga”, meaning eightfold.

Modern day Yogic trainings jump directly to Dhyana (meditation) in some cases, and a few start with the bodily movements of “Asanas” and move to “Pranayama”, the breathing exercise. It may be appreciated that Yoga begins with preliminary onboarding of definite don’ts and dos as the first two steps.

The first two steps of Yoga’s don’ts and dos are called Yama and Niyama. One needs to understand the preparation before starting the journey itself. These are hygiene factors without which attempting Yoga may become harmful. It is easy for us to appreciate that we are not supposed to hurt others. This is Ahimsa. Ethically, we should not falsify and build shaky foundations. This is practising Satya.

Asteya is the quality of non-stealing. Taking without information and permission amounts to stealing. The quality of control/abstinence is Brahma+Charya, meaning “moving” in Brahma. Holding attachment to things and accepting from others makes us mental slaves. Not accepting anything from anyone is A+Parigrha. Not doing these becomes “don’ts”.

Once we achieve the first stage of the above five, then before us are “Niyamas”, or dos. We are knowledgeable about the need to be neat and clean. This is Shaucha. The state of happiness/contentment is essential for pursuing higher objectives. It is the state of Santosha.

Tapas means focusing the attention on austerity and discipline. Next is educating oneself through absorbing the available knowledge in the body. It is called Swa+Adhyaya. Finally, believing in the superior entity and surrendering after best efforts from one’s side is called “Ishvara praneedhana”.

These don’ts and dos offer a solid foundation to one’s pursuit of Yoga.

About the author

Dr. S. Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of Management and Tradition.