What are the eight principles of sadhana prescribed by Yoga philosophy?

The Yoga system pronounces eight principles of sadhana: 1. Yama 2. Niyama 3. Asana 4. Pranayam 5. Pratyahar 6. Dharma 7. Dhyan 8. Samadhi.

1. Yama:

Yama is the moral and ethical discipline which incorporates five observations-

(i) Ahimsa: Non-injury to all living beings.

(ii) Satyam (Truth): to rigorously follow the path of truthfulness.

(iii) Astheya: Restrain from theft.

(iv) Brahmacharya (Celibacy): To control the senses.

(v) Aparigrah (Non-covelousness): To keep away from lust.

2. Niyama (cardinal principles):

It constitutes five religious disciplines.

(i) Saucham: Purity of body, speech and thought.

(ii) Santosham (Contentment): to be ever happy by shunning worldly pleasures.

(iii) Tapas (Penance): Not to be affected by nature’s revolving cycle and observe spiritual and celestial entireties.

(iv) Swadhyaya: Study of scriptures for self-knowledge and self- realization and to ponder upon the religious discourses.

(v) Ishwara Pranidhana: Devotion and surrender to God in order to unite with the supreme entity.

3. Asana:

Steady and relaxed posture. Following asanas are helpful in meditation:

(a) Swastikasana (b) Sukhasana (c) Samasana (d) Siddhasana (e) Siddhayani asana (/) Ardha-padmasana (g) Padmasana (h) Vajrasana.

4. Pranayam is the 4th pillar:

In pranayam, the inhalation and exhalation of breath is controlled with a view to make the vital life energy equable and to produce a state favourable to mental peace and concentration.

5. Pratyahar:

It is the process in which all the exterior forces arc confined internally through the withdrawal of the senses from the sense objects and material attachment, which develops the inward oriented nature under the influence of illusion. The senses wander in the mundane world for worldly pleasures along with the mind as its slave.

6. Dharana:

It is the process of holding the mind on some particular object and focussing the consciousness between the two eyebrows, the centre of the heart, an idol, a light, a picture or on the guru in a pin pointed concentration.

7. Dhyana:

It is to concentrate and merge the mind, with the universal soul or the super consciousness.

8. Samadhi:

It is the stage when the chitta, the mind and the intellect is submerged into the ultimate truth and they become one with it.