In all 195 Sutras of Yoga Darshan the word ‘Chitta’ is used for a combination of three elements – 1st ‘ Mahat’ (Intellect), 2nd ‘Ahankar’ (Relating to Egotism) and 3rd ‘Mana’. About ‘Mana’ Bhagwat Geeta says:
‘Chanchalam hi Manah’ (Geeta Chapter 6 Shaloka 34)
Meaning: Mana is unsteady/inconstant, Arjuna says.
We have mentioned above the meaing of ‘Vritti’ is various Forms. Now I further define word ‘Various Forms’ in details:-
“We receive wordly information through five organ, i.e. Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue and Skin which is contained by our ‘Chitta’. Whatever effects are made on ‘Chitta’ by the information, The Chitta acts accordingly. So when a situation arises our thought relationg to the information, goes out of our ‘Chitta’ and acts accordingly.” These coming information and out going thoughts relating to ‘Chitta’ are called ‘Vritti’ i.e. Various Forms.
To understand clearly, suppose a person sitting on a chair suddenly looks a snake. So, here his chitta has received information of coming snake through eye organ. Within no time the Chitta studied the situation and gives order either to the feet to run away or to the hands to kill the snake by all means. So in this process incoming collected information and out going order of the Chitta is called Vritti or Various forms. Vritti word is in Sanskrit and Various forms is in english. So these various forms (Vritti) are coutnless in total. It generates daily and countless various forms are from previous deeds/situations from previous countless births.
Now after understand the word ‘Vritti’ (Various Forms) we come to understand the word ‘Chitta’. I think after understanding the word ‘Vritti;, it is not so difficult about ‘Chitta’ to understand.
Under the heading ‘What is Yoga’ above, we have defined ‘Chitta’ – a combination of three elements i.e. Intellect (in Hindi language it is called ‘BUDDHI’), 2nd element is ‘Ahankar’ (Egotism) and 3rd is ‘Mana’. Mana word is in Sanskrit and Hindi language. In English language it is ‘Mind’ but not intellect or brian. Because Intellect is a facult of thinking, discussing and making solution of problems etc., after collecting picture/data/information, etc. from ‘Mana’. Whereas, ‘Mana’ is a media to collect such data/information from ten organis and ‘Mana’ passes the same to Intellect (Buddhi). Similarly after getting decision from Intellect, Mana passes the same to ten organs to obey the decision. Therefore, the Intellect is separate, Mana is separate and Ahankar (Egotism) is separate from each other. Ahankar is related to the quality of ego (Egotism), Ahankar enable us to understand that we have taken birth and we have a baby, young, man or woman, etc.
Ten organs are:-
5 organs of perception – Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue and Skin, which receive worldly knowledge and give it to ‘Mana’.
5 organs of action – Hands, Mouth, Legs, Rectum and Genital i.e. external organ of generation.
Again we come to the word ‘Chitta’.
In Samkya Darshan Sutra 26 of Chapter one, we see that when creation stars, the first element which comes in existence is called ‘Mahat’ i.e. intellect or Buddhi as briefed above. Hereafter the ‘Mahat’ will be called Intellect. The Intellect is the nearest power to Soul. From Intellect the 2nd element produced is called ‘Ahankar’ by which power one is able to understand that he has taken birth and has got body etc. From Ahankar the third element generated which is called ‘Mana’. The word ‘Mana’ has been briefed above. So now what is ‘Chitta’?
In Yoga Darshan, a combination of above three elements, i.e. Intellect, ‘Ahankar’ (Ego) and ‘Mana’ (Mind), is called ‘Chitta’. Why this combination is called ‘Chitta’, it will be briefed later on while learning 1st Chapter of Yoga Darshan. Please see that hereinafter for Ahankar the word Egotism, for Mana Mind and for Mahat word Intellect will be used. And word ‘Chitta’ will be treated a combination of Intellect, Egotism and Mind. For Vritti the word Various Forms will be used. For word ‘Chitta’ it will remain as ‘Chitta’ but will be a symbol of combination of Intellect, Egotism and Mind. So again we come to know what is Yoga.
“Total stoppage of various forms of ‘Chitta’ is called Yoga.”
Once upon a time in a lonely place some of Rishis/Munis and others were discussing on the matter as to how the earth came into existence? Who is the Creator of the world? Etc. To get the answer thereof they went on meditation through the powers of Yoga and then realized that the power of Almighty God is great and superb and the same is hidden (same power) by its own quality. That is to say that through the power of Yoga, the Rishi came to know about the great and superb power of God and they also came to know that the same power is hidden by its own qualities. That is the power is so great that it is hidden by itself. This authentic description is taken from Svetasvatara Upnishada, Chapter 1 Shloka 1 and 3. See that to hide itself, the power needed no assistance or substance. For hiding itself, the power of God was self-sufficient. That is why we call God as Almighty, because he does not want any assistance or help to create world and Vedas or anything else. So the Yajurveda…
From the above it is concluded that the most difficult answer of the world is to realise the Truth – The Creator and His Superb Power did not come to know merely based on the discussion. However, the Rishi/Muni went on meditation through the power of Yoga and then only they came to know that the great and superb power of God is hidden with itself. And this power created the world.
“THEREFORE, THE WAY THROUGH WHICH THE CREATION AND CREATOR IS KNOWN, IS CALLED YOGA.”
But as said in Bhagwat Geeta, Chapter 10, Shaloka 16 and as said in Yoga Darshan Sutra 32 of Sadhan Paad, Yoga Education purify the devotee and too destroy sins, sufferings, sorrows, etc. and thus a devotee gets a good health and happy long life, etc. Yoga Education further kills all the dirt of false knowledge, kills the sins, solve the problems, get way from the sorrows and sufferings/tension, etc. So here another definition of Yoga comes as under:-
“THE ADOTED WAY BY WHICH WE ATTAIN A LONG HAPPY LIFE KILLING ALL THE PROBLEMS, IS CALLED YOGA”
“Relation with all Universal Matters/Articles with Knowledge is called YOGA and spread from Ear to Ear traditionally.”
(Comments on Yogini Hridayam Holy Book 1/2)
Yajur Veda Mantra four, Chapter seven says that o aspirant through the hard practice of Yoga, become able to kill all the trouble, pain and harassments, etc. and through the Yoga obtain the eight power like Anima, Laghima, etc. (These eight powers will be briefed afterwards). So from the same it is concluded that:-
“THE WAY BY ADOPTING WHICH WE BECOME ABLE TO KILL ALL THE TROUBLES, PAIN AND HARASSMENTS, ETC. AND BY WHICH WE GET EIGHT SUPER NATURAL POWERS, THAT WAY IS CALLED ‘YOGA’.”
In Rig Veda (1/164/16) it is said that he, who is a Yogi, can only see all about the Veda Mantras and universe. Again it is said, who is lack of Yoga Knowledge and thus he is blind, he is not able to understand the Truth. In Yajur Veda Mantras 1 and Chapter 11 concludes:-
“He who wish to attain long happy life and final liberation happiness, he must learn and practice yoga education.”
“He who adopt Yoga, they kill all false knowledge and all sufferings by producing true knowledge and super natural qualities.”
In Yagvalkya Smiriti, Rishi Yagvalkya says that Yoga Knowledge is preached by God Himself in Vedas.
In fact, no human being like to have any suffering. Yoga Knowledge kills all suffering/troubles/tension/ills, etc. and produces a long happy life in addition it give realization of Almighty God.
“THEREFORE, IT IS NOT OUT OF MENTION THAT YOGA KNOWLEDGE IS AN UTMOST REQUIREMENT OF HUMAN KINDS AT EACH PART OF THE WORLD.”
Supreme Commander and adorable God is very kind enough to preach Yoga Education for those to whom there is no other way except Final Liberation (Realization of God).
(Shiva Samhita 1/2)
Lord Shiva tells that after going through all the Shastras it is concluded that amongst all only Yoga Education is the best way to accept.
(Shiva Samhita 1/17)
It is a matter of astonishment that leaving a “true God given Yoga Knowledge”, which is automatically applicable to all concerned, a person with disturbed mind is wandering here and there. Secondly while attaining the golden chance of having human body if a person is not capable of doing Yoga at his early stage then whether the God will preach a man during one’s old age full from illness and sufferings etc. or in animal’s birth, etc.
(Shiva Samhita)
We get information through eye, ear, nose, tongue, skin and mana (Mind). This process is called “Getting Knowledge” either bad or good. We are involved in bad deeds or habits through this media. When these senses are controlled and are refrained from illusion, then only the God is known. “Therefore, the path by which these senses are controlled is called Yoga.”
(Keno-Upanishada Part II, Shaloka 4)
It is truly said in Yajur Veda Mantra four, Chapter forty that the God is never known through the media of any senses or organs or Mind (Mana) or Intellect, etc. Therefore, the God is only known by a YOGI through the media or YOGA practice. Therefore by which path the total function of the senses or organs is stopped, Almighty God is realized, that Path is called YOGA.
By knowing the path and doing practice of the same, when we become able to give up the illusion and start looking within us that path is called Yoga Knowledge. In other word it is called Samadhi, i.e. final liberation.
It is said in Katho-Upanishada that after attaining the golden chance of human body there comes two kinds of path GOOD or BAD (Sharey and Parey) before a person to accept. The same truth is also mentioned in Yajur Veda Mantra three of chapter forty that there are two paths to accept after taking birth in human life. One is to do good deed and become wiser (Deva Yoni) 2nd is to do bad deeds and to become devil (Asura Yoni). Wiser after doing Yoga practice becomes Yogi and get final liberation stage. On the contrary Devil with the result of his bad deeds are indulged with illusion gets hell. Hell means to bear the consequences of bad deeds through present and coming birth full of sorrows, sufferings, ills, etc.
Therefore, a wiser person thinking this world destructive, they leave the world and accept the good path and doing the Yoga practice achieve the final liberation stage.
Yoga is a oldest education of the world. Its authentic reason is Four Vedas from where it is originated because Vedas itself are the oldest education of the World, originated by God Himself. On going through the various holy books of the world even, it is concluded that we find therein a portion or reflection of the Vedic Yoga Philosophy. For example, Mahatma Buddha and Mahavir Swami did Tapasya/meditation and preached Ahimsa, etc. See that Meditation and Ahimsa are the teachings of Vedic Yoga Darshan in Eight Fold Path of Yoga philosophy. In Tantra Holy books also a person learns about the praise and education of Yoga. We also see that Yoga Education in holy books like Gorakh Samhita, Hatha Yoga Pradeepika, Gheyrand Sahmita, Shiva Sahmita, etc. In these holy books too we see the reflection less or more already described in Vedic Yoga Philosophy, as under:-
GORAKH SAMHITA: The main knowledge about Asana, Pranayam, meditation and samadhi is given in this holy book which give reflection of Vedic Yoga Philosophy.
HATHA YOGA PRADEEPIKA: It also teaches about Asana, several types of Pranayams, purity of nervous system by Pranayam, meditation and Samadhi, etc.
Gheyrand Samhita: It also teaches the knowledge of Asana, Pranayam, meditation and Samadhi, etc.
Shiva Samhita: It also teaches Asana, Prananayam, Meditation and Samadhi, etc.
So, we see that in all the above quoted holy books a main touch from Vedic Yoga philosophy is taught.
See the conclusion of Shiva Samhita about “WHAT IS YOGA PHILOSOPHY”. In Shiva Samhita, Lord Shiva says:-
According to all Shastras (Darshans), no knowledge stands higher than the Yoga Shastra/Yoga education which is described in all the four Vedas as ‘Brahm Vidya’. Lord Shiva states that after going through all the shastras constantly, I have come to the conclusion that no shastra is so excellence as compared with Yoga Shastra.
In Shrimada Bhagwat Geeta, Lord Krishna says:-
The personnel with lack of knowledge, says that Yoga philosophy and Philosophy of Karma Yoga is separate with each other. But this is not told by wisers. He who adopts faithfully as one path from both (Either Yoga or Karam Yoga), in right way, he gets the result of both the paths.
Valmiki Ramayana:
The most authenticated Indian Holy book was written by Maharishi Valmiki, about more than 1 crore years age. We see all the Rishis/Munis mentioned in the Holy Book studied four Vedas and did Yoga only, as that time no other holy book was written except four Vedas originated by Almighty God Himself. See the character of Shri Rama described by Maharishi Valmiki Ji in Ist stage, Shloka 12:-
Shri Rama knew about the true religion. With true oath, kind belevolent renowned, wiser holy and attained Samadhi. “
