National Journal of Hindi & Sanskrit Research

ISSN: 2454-9177
NJHSR 2016; 1(7): 14-18
YOGA DOCTRINES IN PURANAS
© 2016 NJHSR
www.sanskritarticle.com DR. D. JYOTHI
Received: 09-07-2016
Accepted: 10-07-2016
The Vedas are oldest sacred Sanskrit large of body of texts originated in
Dr. D. Jyothi, Ph.D ancient India. The central theme of the Vedic texts are popularized through the
Asst. Prof., Dept.of SankhyaYoga,
Rashtriya Sankrit vidyapeetha,
entertaining stories of the puranas giving the common people access and
Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh understanding to potent spiritual teachings and complex yogic philosophies and its
principles. The puranas were written in Sanskrit verse, and were composed between
4th century BCE and 1st Century CE. There are 18 major puranas as well as similar
number of minor puranas. The puranas instructed one on having a personal
relationship with the Devas through the explanation and encouragement of the
practices of Yoga, vows, Puja, Prayers, spiritual sacrifices, and also the scientific way
of living. The puranas also served to provide a common mythological history to the
Indian people through its stories of the lives of saints, kings, and great men and
chronicles of great historical events. All vedic literature and the puranas are meant for
to realize the native nature of human being by conquering the darkest region of
material existence to reach the eternal state. The living being is in the state of illusion
so they are attracted to sense gratification as a result the relation with God is unknown
to him. His struggle for existence in the material world is perpetual, and it is not
possible for him to get out of it by making plans. If at all wants to conquer this
perpetual struggle for existence, he must reestablish his eternal relationship with God
and one who wants to adopt such remedial measures must take shelter of literatures
such as the Vedas, Darsanas, Puranas, etc.,. Darsanas and Puranas are supplementary
explanations of the Vedas intended different types of human beings. There are three
types of men i.e., SATTVA Predominant people are good and produces pleasure,
light, bright, illuminating, happy, contended, blessed and the symbolic colour is
White. RAJAS Predominant people are with restless activities show interest towards
worldly objects, etc., and the symbolic colour is Red.TAMAS Predominant people
with inertia,ignorance, sloth, confusion, bewilderment, passivity and negativity,
heavy, enveloping, etc., and the symbolic colour is black.

The Puranas designed to teach the men of his real nature so any type of men
can utilize and can regain the lost position which results to come out of the struggle of
existence. Purana literature plays tremendous and major role in Dharmic literature.
इितहासपु राणा यां वेद ं समुपबृंहयेत् says that puranas were written and explained by many
maharshis to teach the veda concepts. Puranas have five characteristic topics :-

“ सग ितसग वंशौ म व तरािण च।

Correspondence: वंशानुच रतंचव
ै पुराणं प ल णम् ।।“ इित।।
Dr. D. Jyothi, Ph.D
Asst. Prof., Dept.of SankhyaYoga, Creation of the Universe, Secondary creation mostly recreation after
Rashtriya Sankrit vidyapeetha, dissolution( its destruction and renovation), The genealogy of Gods and patriarchs,
Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh sages,, The reigns of the Manus, forming all periods called Manvantaras, The history
of the Solar and Lunar races of kings.

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Mainly there are 18 types of Puranas and also 18 types of maximum. It is founded on the metaphysics of sankhya
Upapuranas were listed in Puranic literatures. They are and gives us a practical path of purification and self-
“ म यं भ यं चैव यं वचतु यम्। control in order to realize the true nature of man. Now let
अनाप लगकू कािन पुराणािन च ते।।“
us observe the Yogic elements in some of the Puranas.
The goal is one. There may, however, be more than one
म यम् – म यपुराणम्, माक डेयपुराणम्।
way to reach the goal. The variety of methods is there
भ यम् – भिव यपुराणम्, भागवतपुराणम्। because the means form part of Prakriti – Nature which
यम् – ा डपुराणम्, पुराणम्, वैवतपुराणम्। our everyday common experience tells us is
वचतु यम् – वामनपुराणम्,वराहपुराणम्,िव णुपरु ाणम्,वायुपरु ाणम्। immeasurably diverse. It is, however, a different matter
अ-अि पुराणम्, ना – नारदपुराणम् ,प – प पुराणम्, that a particular method is considered better or easier
िल-िल गपुराणम्, ग-ग डपुराणम्, कू -कू मपुराणम्, than the other or one particular method suits one person
क क धपुराणम्। more than the other, or in a set of circumstances one
उपपुराणािन – सन कु मारपुराणम्-नार सहपुराणम्- का दपुराणम्- method may be more suitable than the other.In this
िशवधमपुराणम्-आ यपुराणम्-वा णपुराणम्-कािलकापुराणम्- context, the Bhagavata Purana says :- “ I have
माहे रपुराणम्-सा बपुराणम्-सौरपुराणम्-पराशरपुराणम्। expounded three yogas with a desire to the welfare of
Yoga in Puranas human beings. There are 1. Jnanayoga 2.Karmayoga
3.Bhaktiyoga. There is no other means anywhere beyond
Maharshi Patanjali was the traditional founder of Yoga
these.
Philosophy. According to Maharshi Patanjali the
definition of Yoga is an effort to attain perfection “ योग यो मया ो ा नृणां य
े ोिविध सया।
through the control of body,senses and mind through ानं कम च भि नोपायोऽ योि त कु िचत्।।“
right discrimination between Purusha and Prakriti. Yoga (भागवतपु.XI.XX-6)
is intimately allied to Sankhya. Bhagavadgita calls them The Bhagavapurana makes an interesting observation on
one. Yoga means spiritual action (practice) and Sankhya the type of persons to whom a particular method of yoga
means right knowledge. These two systems are like two is suited. It says :-
wings of the same bird. The bondage of the Self is due
its wrong identification with the mental modifications “ Jnanayoga, the path of knowledge, is for those who
and liberation means the end of this wrong identification have given up all activity and have become completely
through proper discrimination between Purusha and indifferent to worldly affairs. Karmayoga , the path of
Prakriti and the consequent cessation of the mental action, is for those who still have desires and have not
modification through Practice and Detachment or become indifferent to the affairs of the world. In between
surrendering to God (Isvara).This is the aim of Yoga to is the status of those who have neither become
bring this result. If not do so the klesas(Avidya, Asmita, completely indifferent to the affairs of the world, nor are
Raga, Dvesha, Abhinivesa) leads to they too engrossed in the worldly activity. Such a person,
Karma,Vipaka,Asayas which results to lead the cycle of through a matter of good luck, develops keen interest in
pain and pleasure.Yoga recommends eight limbed Yoga stories, discourses etc about ME (GOD). For such a
to attain perfect perfection. It is said on the destruction of person Bhaktiyoga, the path of Devotion, becomes an
the impurities through the practice of the eight instrument of Salvation.
accessories of Yoga, arises the light of wisdom, leading “ िन व णानां ानयोगो यािसनािमह कमसु।
to the discriminative knowledge. ते विन व णिच ानां कमयोग तु कािमनाम्।।
“ योगा गानु ानादशूि द ये ानदीि रािववेक यातेः।“ सदृ छया म कथादौ जात द तु यः पुमान्।
न िन व णो नाितस ो भि योगो यऽिसि ः।।“
(योगसू ािण II-28)
(भागवत पु.XI-XX-7&8)
The Eightfold Path of Discipline (AshtangaYoga) are:-
1.Yama means abstention includes Ahimsa, Satya, BhagavataPurana suggests various steps to be taken
Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aprigrahayama means Self- stage by stage in the ultimate attainment of Siddhi-One
culture and it includes Saucha, Santosha, Tapas, should keep on doing worldly works so long as the mind
Svadhyaya and Isvarapranidhana. does not become completely indifferent to them or one
2. Asana means steady and comfortable posture. does not develop interest in listening to devotional
3. Pranayama means control of breath. discourses about ME. Thereafter, staying within one’s
4. Pratyahara means control of the senses own duties as prescribed, one should perform sacrifices
5. Dharana is a practice fixing mind on the object of (YAJNA) without any desire for a fruit, i.e., not with a
meditation motive for particular result. That way a person living in
6. Dhyana is meditation this world, sinless, pure and acting within one’s own
7. Samadhi is complete absorption of mind in the object prescribed duties attains the purest Jnana or devotion to
of meditation without separation. ME, through a good stroke of luck. In the beginning,
Yoga is a great system of spiritual discipline and has when he has not attained complete indifference to
found favour with all schools of Indian Philosophy worldly affairs, the practicing aspirant should try to
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steady his Mind through repeated practice. During the and it is said that they bring about purity of mind. (
course of this practice, as and when the mind wanders
like a fresh unbroken horse, the alert practitioner should िच शुि दाःनृणाम् ) . Siva and Vishnupurnas also
bring it back under his control through gentle persuation. mention only the above five Yamas.Naradiyapurana
It further says that this control of the Mind is considered besides the above five enumerates absence of anger
to be the ultimate Yoga. While doing all this, the (Akrodha) and absence of jealousy (Anasuya) also as
practitioner of Jnanayoga should continue to dwell upon Yamas. Bhagavatapurana accept four yamas but not non-
all those things which have been expounded in Sankhya deprivation as Yama, but includes non – attachment(
yoga both in the ascending and descending order in the Asangaha),belief In God(Harisanchaya),observanceof
matter of Creation and Dissolution of the Universe. This silence(mounam),stability(sthairyam),forgiveness
should continue until the mind becomes steady, free (kshama),absence of fear(abhaya) as Yamas.Like wise
from restless.And lastly if ever a reproachful is with some changes almost all puranas gave preference
committed by a yogi, through negligence, the sin of that toYamas.Regarding Niyamas Naradiya,kurma,vishnupur
should be burnt only through yoga since there is no anas accepted the same as Patanjali said Niyamas.
alternative to that remedy”said in Bhagavatapurana like Sivapurana out of five above niyamas omits Svadhyaya
this – but mentions Japa as the fifth Niyama.However,
Bhagavatapurana mentions the following as Yamas and
“ तावत् कमािण कु व त न िन व ते यावता। Niyamas both combined:-
म कथा वणादौ वा दा याव जायते।।
“ शौचं जप तपो होमः दाित यं मदचनम्।
वधम थः यजन् य रै नाशीःकामःउ दव। तीथाटनं पराथहा तुि राचायसेवनम्।।
न याित वगनरकौ य य समाचरेत।् । एते यमाः सिनयमा उभयो ादश मृताः।
अ म लोके वतमानः वधम थोऽनघः शुिचः। पुस
ं ामुपािसता तात यथा मं दुहि त िह।।“
ानं िवशु दमा ोित म वा यदृ छया।। (भागवतपुराणम् – XI-19)
यदाऽर भेष ु न िन व णो न िवर ोऽसंयतेि यः।
Regarding Pranayama also we find references in
अ यासेना मना योगी धारयेदचलं मनः।।
Puranas. Puranas also say “ the Prana is air generated in
धायमाणं मनो त ह ा यद ानवि थतम्।
the body and Ayama means holding or control of the
अति तोऽनुरोधेन मागणा मवशं नयेत।् ।
same”
सां येन सवभावानाम् ितलोमानुलोमतः।
भवा ययावनु याय मनो याव सीदित।। “ ाणः वदेहजो वायु त यायामो िनरोधनम्।“
य द कु यात् मादेन योगी कम िवग हतम्। (ग ड पु. XXXVII-21)
योगेनवै दहेदघं ोना य कदाचन ।।“ “ ाणो वायुः शरीर थ आयाम त यिन हः।“
( भागवत पु.XI-XX-11) ( नारदीयपु.पूव.XXXIII)
िल गपुराणाऩुसारम् योगोनाम – “ ाणः वदेहजो वायुरायाम ति रोधनम्।“
(कू मपु.उ र XI)
“ सवाथिवषय ाि रा मनो योग उ यते।।“ इित।।
अि पुराणानुसारम् –
Pranayama is of three types Rechaka-Puraka-
Kumbhaka., definitions also we find in Puranas such as
“ आ ममानस य ा िविश ा या मनोगितः। The Sivapurana definition is “ Press one nostril with
त या िण संयोगो योग इ यिभधीयते।।“ finger and empty the abdominal air with the other. This
(अि पुराणम् 379-24) is Rechaka”.
क धपुराणानुसारम्-
“ नािसकापुटम गु या पी क ै मपरेण तु।
“ य सम वं योर जीवा मपरमा मनोः।
औदरं रेचये ायुं तथा रेचकः मृतः।।“ ( िशवपुराणम्)
स न टसवसंक पः समािधरिभधीयते।।
परमा म मनोय ऽयमिवभागः पर तप। “Fill the body with the outside air like you fill a bellow
or a leather bag. And since it involves filling, it is called
स एव तु परो योगः समासा किथत तव।।“ इित।।
puraka. The literal meaning of Puraka is filler.
देवीभागवतपुराणानुसारम् –
“ बा ने म ता देहं दृितव प रपूरयेत।्
“ ऐ यं जीवा मनोरा य गं योगिवशारदाः।“
नासापुटेनापरेण पूरणातपूरकं मृतम्।।“
(देवीभागवतपुराणम् 7-34-2)
Sivapurana defines Kumbha like this “ In this state
Yamas and Niyamas play major role in Yoga philosophy
neither the inside air is released, nor is the outside air
because without these practices the other practices will
inhaled and one sits motionless like a pitcher filled to the
not get any success so they must be practiced. The same
brim. This is called Kumbhaka –
components with some changes were accepted in
Puranas also. Kurmapurana accepted Patanjalis Yamas “ न मुच
ं ित न गृ ाित वायुम तबिहः ि थतम्।

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स पूणः कु भवि दे चलः स तु कु भकः।।“ is known as pure Dharana. Again that is called Dharana,
The Naradiyapurana says:- Since it involves emptying because the mind is held there.
of air, it is called Rechaka. ” रेचना च
े कः मृतः” “ यथाि दतिशखः क ं दहित सािनलः।
तथा िच थो िव णुय िगनां सव कि बषम्।।
Naradiyapurana says regarding Kumbhaka :-“ After
एषा वै धारणा ो ा यि ं त धायते।।“
having filled the body wit air, when one does not release
it and holds it instead and sits like a fully-filled pitcher, According to Sivapurana, in brief, is the bonding of the
mind at one spot or place. The initial stability of the
that is known as Kumbhaka”. mind is produced by Dharana. Thereby the mind should
be stabilized through the yogic practice of Dharana. Here
“ वदेहपू रतं वायुं िनगृ न मुच
ं ित। the basic definition is the same as given in Yogadarsana.
स पूणकु भवि े कु भकः स िह िव त ु ः।।“
“ धारणा नाम िच य थानब ध समासतः।“
Kurmapurana says – the out going breath is called
“ मनसः थमं थैय धारणात् जायते।
Rechaka.“ रेचकोबा िन ासः” and puraka is opposite of
त मा दीरं मनः कु या दारणा यासयोगतः।।“
Rechaka.
The Kurmapurana says:- “ the bonding of the mind in
“ रेचको बा िन ासः पूरक ति रोधनः। places such as the heart lotus, navel point, head or
सा येन संि थितया सा कु भकः प रगीयते।।“ forehead etc., is called Dharana.
Kumbhaka is a state of equilibrium between rechaka and
puraka i.e., it is neither filling nor emptying. The puranas “ पु डरीके ना यां वा मू पवसु म तके ।
describe Pratyahara like this एवमा दषु देशषे ु धारणा िच ब धनम्।।“
Kurmapurana :- The control of senses so as to prevent The Garudapurana says:-“ It is called Dharana because
them from indulging in sense-objects, which they do it is adopted for the absorption of the mind.”
naturally, is called Pratyahara.
“ धारणे यु यते चेयं धायते य मनोलये।“
“ इि याणां िवचरतां िवषयेष ु वभावतः।
िन हः ो यते सि ः याहार तु उ म।।“ The Naradiyapurana says: - “ All that one sees around
( कू मपुराण.उ र.11) him, should be regarded as the Self. In this way when all
the senses thus thoroughly vanquished are placed in the
Sivapurana :- When one pulls away the senses from
Self, that is Dharana.
their objects in which they are thoroughly enmeshed,
that is called Pratyahara. “ य प यित त सव प येदा मवदा मिन।
“इि यािण स ािन यथा वं िवषयेि वह। याहतानीि यािण धारये सा तु धारणा।।“
आह य सि गृ ाित सः याहर उ यते।।“ Regarding Dhyana also we find so many references in
(िशवपुराण.वायवीय.उ र 45-46) Puranas. Let us observe some examples in Puranas:-
Naradiya Purana also gives a similar definition and it नारदीयपुराणे– ‟ यानं सि नग दतं यय यैकतानता ” - XXXIII
also adds that the great souls who succeed in achieving िशवपुराणे – ” यै िच तायां मृतो धातुः िशविच ता मु मु ः।
control over their senses reach Brahma and hardly return
to this world even if they are not able to succeed in अ ाि न े मनसा यानं तदु यते।।
Medition . On the contrary , one who desires to meditate येयावि थतिच य सदृशः यय यः।
without bringing his senses under control, is a fool. His यया तरिवमु ः वाहो यानमु यते।। - XXXIII
Dhyana does not succeed. अि पुराणे - ” अनाि न
े मनसा यानमिभधीयते।
“ िवषयेष ु स ािन चेि यािण मुनी र। आ मनः समन क य मु ाशेषोपध य च।।
समाह य िनगृ ाित याहार तु सः मृतः।। िच ता समाशि यानं नाम तदु यते।
िजतेि या महा मानो यानशू याऽिपि ज। येयाल बनसं थ य सदृश यय य च।।” - 372
याि त परमं पुनरावृि दुलभम्। िव णुपरु ाणे - ” त प
ू यया चैका स तित ा यिनः पृहा।
अिन जतेि य ामं य तु यानपरो भवेत।्
मूढा मानं च तं िव ाद् यानं चा य न िस यित।।“ त दयानं थमैर गै षि भ न पा ते नृप।।”
( नारदीयपु.पूव XXXIII) Regarding Samadhi concept also let us observe some
Regarding Dharana let us observe in Puranas:- examples from Purnas:-

The Vishnupurana says:- “Just as the fire when िशवपुराणे‑ ” समािधनाम योगाङ मि तमं प रक ततम्।
accompanied by wind goes up in his flames and burns समािधना च सव ालोकः वतते
the dry grass, so also does Vishnu seated in the hearts of यदथमा िनभासः ि तिमतो दिधवि थतम्।
the yogis, destroy all their sins. Therefore one should
establish one’s mind in the source of all the powers. That
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व पशू यव ानं समािधरिभधीयते।।”‑ XXXVII-61-62

नारदीयपुराणे- ” सुषिु व परान दयु ोपरतेि यः।
िनवातदीपव सं थः समािधरिभधीयते।।”‑ XXXIII-43
अि पुराणे – ” यदा ममा ं िनभासं ि तिमतो दिधवि थतम्।
चैत य पव यानं त सािधरहो यते।।” - 372
िव णुपरु ाणे - ” त यैव क पनाहीनं व प हणं िह यत्।
मनसा यानिन पा ं समािधः सोऽिभधीयते।। ” -VI-7
Conclusion :- Sankhyayoga Philosophies main aim is to bring equilibrium of hypo-hyper changes of Body-Mind
complex. Mainly internal purity is very essential to reach the goal of human being. We know the body is not eternal
yet it is an instrument to realize the real realization through the continuous practice of discrimination.It is said is
Yogasutras –
“ िववेक याितरिव लवा हानोपायः” -(II- 26). So, men will not be pure by purifying physical body but purifying mental body
one will be purified really. It is said the mind is the root of the world. One should strive to purify it. This is the main
objective of Sankhyayoga Philosophy. We find the same references even in Puranas also with some changes. The
observe that the present society is in need of solution for so many psycho-somatic disorders. It is sure that such
research will provide positive solution to the sufferers of somato-psychosomatic disorders.
“ सव भव तु सुिखनः,सव स तु िनरामयाः,
सव भ ािण प य तु,मा कि त् दुःखभा भवेत ् “
ओम् शाि तः शाि तः शाि तः
Referred Books :-
1. Samkhyakarika of Isvarakrishna by Swami virupakshananda, Sri Ramakrishana Math, Mylapore, Madras 600004.
2. Indian Philosophy by Chandradhar Sharma, Banaras, Nand Kishore & Bros. Chowk, Banaras Hindu University press.
3. Yoga perceived and practiced by Sages of India, J.C.Singhal, Abhishek Prakashan, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi-110007
4. Kurmamahapuranam – Nagapublishers, Jawaharnagar, Delhi.
5. Garudamahapuranam - Nagapublishers, Jawaharnagar, Delhi.
6. Patanjalayogadarsanam – swami Sri Brahmaleenamuni, Chaukamba Samskritsamsthan, Varanasi,
7. Vishnupurana of Vyasamaharshi, Chaukamba samskrit Samsthan, Varanasi.
8. Matsyapuranam of Vyasamaharshi,Chaukamba samskrit Samsthan, Varanasi.
9. Brahmavaivartapuranam of Vyasamaharshi,Chaukamba samskrit Samsthan, Varanasi.
10. Naradiyapuranam of Vyasamaharshi,Chaukamba samskrit Samsthan, Varanasi.

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