Blog - 4 The Concept Of Parikarmas.

🙏 Namste Everyone Welcome to my Blog

"We do normal Karmas in day to day life. We do our duties, work for earning, work for pleasure, and even help others now and again. Then why bring in Parikarmas in yoga? Maharshi Patanjali was very clear on how the human mind works. He saw that many times we go overboard in normal activities and get overpowered by emotions. Suddenly we get angry and it takes a long time for us to calm down."

                            – Dr.Jayadeva Yogendra

                    (Founder of the Yoga Institute)

मैत्री करुणा मुदितोपेक्षाणांसुखदुःख पुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातः चित्तप्रसादनम् ||1.33||

It means by constant feelingful thinking of Friendliness, Compassion, Goodwill n Equanimity in happiness and misery, virtue n vice respectively the Chitta becomes pure.

This sutra is one of my anchors through my whole 7month TTC journey. I have always looked at just 4 attitudes of Maitri, Karuna, Mudita, Upeksha. I didn't quite spend time on the remaining part of Sutra, I didn't look at the Phala of the attitudes or the occasions to practice the habits n it's seemed like a good idea to explore the different interpretations of this general truth and surprisingly, each of them threw the spot light on different portion of sutra.

Pari meaning all over or around and Karma which means action and duty that's why Parikarmas are techniques for purifying the mind. So what does this have to do with yoga?

Look, Can we maintain a happy peaceful attitude when we are confronted by different kinds of people. Naturally, our usual reaction is if there is good person, we r nice. If there is bad person, we r angry. Right.. through out the day this goes on n the result is we r not very steady in our mind. 

Every thing depends on whom we talk, whom we listen, the attempt here is to see that the mind remains cool and The yogic technique n practice will start only after that only if the mind is steady u can instruct and concentrate, Right..

If the mind is unsteady than where is concentration, so these r called Parikarmas. And they r the starting point for us, I mean those who r genuinely interested in Yoga.

Now let's move on to these four parikarmas.

1. मैत्री (Friendliness) 

 

It is talking about friendship, feeling of kindness, Maitri is a friendly feeling, मैत्री (friendliness) & मित्रता (friendship) are very different concepts. When we say my friend, ego comes, attachment n selfishness comes. Maitri is not that kind of relationship. Hello, Hi, Namste, Smiling face are the signs of Maitri that is friendliness. We cultivate enamatic bhava, removing enamatic bhava means Klesha is very important in friendliness.

You can see the same Self in everybody but the feelings will not be the same. It can differ for a beginner. One does not feel the same with everybody, though intellectually you may say that, 'It is only myself there', but since your feeling is not yet fully cultured, not fully established in itself, it still has its preferences. Then what preference will you take? Be friendly with those who are happy.

Friendliness refers to the ability to put up a warm personality that makes you approachable, easy to relate with and without any hostility. ... Friendliness is more of a character than a skill.

 2. करुणा (Compassion)

People's who r suffering they need a person who cares, who listen quietly with positivity. This is called Compassion for those who are in pain. Karuna (करुणा) is very strong n deep emotion but it's not Daya (दया) means pity. करुणा inborns in personality. 

Compassion towards people who r suffering, recognizing each others problem. Avoid judging people, see that deep down we all r same. So, Be compassionate. Anyone who r lowing status, ill, u have to approach them. Help if u can, It is called Compassion.

Gautam Buddha, Mother Theresa, Baba Aamte are best examples of करुणा, we can learn from their experiences, feeling of Compassion cleans our Chitta.

3. मुदिता (Goodwill)

Mudita is a acceptances, goodwill, joy, happiness. So people who doing well got compromise joy. It's a respect, happiness about people who r doing a wonderful job. Share the happiness of others n feel happy about it. We always try to find fault in everything. Maharshi Patanjali said, in above Sutra No, it's not right, learn what u we have lack of don't b jealous. Just learn to appreciate.

Mudit means to feel joy, feel happy. U should not choose to suffer in every situation, U don't choose to suffer that is Mudit Personality. Where you accept nothing and it's good. Your way is one n God's way is one but both ways are same. Think positive n everything will b positive that should be the concept.

 4. उपेक्षा (equanimity)

 We are constantly surrounded by negative things you have to to control over, benolate in something means upeksha. Upeksha refers negativity. Creating distance as it if is nature, Don't hare like a dog, don't get affect feelings have to be generated.

In all the newspapers there are big reports about somebody who committed a murder or some heinous act. Their whole story and their picture appears in the paper. Of course, nowadays people are beginning to write some positive stories about people. But comparatively very little, isn’t it? So when you see people doing sinful things, educate them and ignore them.

मैत्री करुणा मुदितोपेक्षाणांसुखदुःख पुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातः चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥१.३३॥

Maharshi Patanjali knew very well that humans have such feelings. He knows that the mind cannot have the same feeling towards everybody all the time. Feelings keep changing and feelings can be developed. So he said, have these feelings: friendliness, compassion, joy and happiness and ignore sinful things. Be indifferent.

In this way, the chitta, your mind, is pleasant 'चित्तप्रसादनम्' gracious. In the gracious mind, one becomes one-pointed very easily. Practice one thing: devotion to one thing or one aspect.

There is a famous quote saying " Yoga is not to be performed, Yoga is to be lived, Yoga doesn't care about what u have been, Yoga Care's about the person u r becoming."

 

Thank u so much 🙏