The Philosophy of Peace in Yoga is a profound concept that delves into the depths of the human mind and consciousness. Sri Ganaraja Prabhu, in his instructions of Purna Yoga specific to Ganesh Gita, sheds light on the essence of peace and harmony in the practice of Yoga. The story of Veda Vyas and Sheshnag, as narrated in the Mudgal Maha Purāṇ, serves as the foundation for the Patanjali Yoga Shastra, which emphasizes the importance of overcoming differences and enmity towards all living organisms.
The Patanjali Yoga Sutras, revealed by Sheshnag as Maharishi Patanjali, guide humanity towards experiential knowledge and enlightenment. The main Sutra, "Yogashchitta Vrutti nirodhaha," highlights the restraint of the distracting tendencies of the mind as the key to achieving peace and tranquility. The five tendencies of the mind - casting away, foolishness, confusion, concentration, and restraint - are explored in depth to understand the path to inner peace.
Through rigorous practice and meditation, the Yogi progresses through various stages of meditative union, ultimately reaching the state of Purna Yoga - the Yoga of Enlightened Peace. This state transcends all dualities and leads to complete emancipation and union with the Divine. The journey towards Purna Yoga involves the restraint of all tendencies and the realization of the Self in all beings.
The teachings of Purna Yoga emphasize the importance of Non-differentiation and the attainment of total peace and harmony within oneself. The practice of restraint of tendencies and the experience of Supra-conscious and Supra-conscious Meditative Union lead the Yogi towards the ultimate goal of enlightened peace. The grace of Purna Yoga is bestowed by Gaṇeśha, the bearer of Self-Bliss and the embodiment of peace and harmony.
In conclusion, the Philosophy of Peace in Yoga teaches us to overcome differences, restrain distracting tendencies, and attain inner peace and harmony through meditation and self-realization. The journey towards Purna Yoga is a transformative experience that leads to complete emancipation and union with the Divine. Through the practice of Yoga, one can achieve a state of enlightened peace and harmony within oneself and with the world around them.
The State of Peace
The state of peace is of five types. The first is Self-ascent Peace. This is attained with the dissolution of Causal matter in the state of Meditative Union. The second is Reverse-ascent Peace. This is attained by being in the Incorporeal state experienced in the state of Meditative Union. The third type of Peace is the state devoid of Self-ascent and Re-ascent. This is attained with the experience of being in the state of complete Svāsvanand Meditative Union. The Peace of Non-differentiation is the fourth type. The fifth is the Yoga of Enlightened Peace. This is the Purna Śantī and there is nothing left after that.
In the state of Purna Śantī Yoga, consciousness of the body does not remain. Therefore it is the most excellent. The devotee who accomplishes this Śantī Yoga and does the nine types of devotion to me is my complete Devotee. With such devotion he never becomes disturbed in any manner. Now, listen to the secret of the essence and the steps of worship.
After attaining the Knowledge of my All-encompassing nature which is revealed after his initial worship of my idol, the devotee starts singing Bhajans of my cosmic form. But the problem is that he worships the cosmic form of one Universe, but Gaṇeśha’s Viśhvarāup is of innumerable Universes and beyond as well. In due course he starts worshipping my Viśhvarāup and my Asi state which is beyond it.
