Raja Yoga

by Sivananda Saraswati, Venkatesananda (Editor)

This book interpretation of Raja Yoga,a part of Patanjali's Yoga sutras,is by Swami Sivananda. Raja Yoga is the King of all Yogas. It concerns directly with the mind. In this Yoga there is no struggling with Prana or physical body. There are no Hatha Yogic Kriyas. The Yogi sits at ease,watches his mind and silnces the bubbling thoughts. He stills the mind and restrains the thought waves, enters into the thoughtless state of Asamprajnata Samadhi. Hence the name Raja Yoga. Though Raja Yoga is a dualisitic philosophy and treats of Prakriti and Purusha,it helps the student in Advaitic realisation of openness eventually. Though there is the mention of Purusha,ultimately the Purusha becomes identical with the highest Self or Brahman of the Upabnishads. Raja Yoga pushes the student to the highest ring of the spiritualm ladder,Advaitic realisation of brahman.Like many other books of the author this book also has run into many editions since it's first publication in the year 1937.

373 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

About the author

Swami Sivananda Saraswati (September 8, 1887—July 14, 1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a well known proponent of Sivananda Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism. He lived most of the later part of his life near Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh.

He is the founder of The Divine Life Society (1936), Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy (1948) and author of over 200 books on yoga, vedanta and a variety of other subjects. He established Sivananda Ashram, the location of the headquarters of The Divine Life Society (DLS), on the bank of the Ganges at Shivanandanagar, at a distance of 3 kilometres from Rishikesh.

Sivananda Yoga, the yoga form propagated by him, are now spread in many parts of the world through Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, but these centres are not affiliated with Swami Sivananda's original ashrams which are run by the Divine Life Society.

Reviews

[Babs Khalidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the mental aspects of yoga. particularly I enjoyed the chapters on prana, concentration and different capabilities discussed on the journey of spiritual progress.