Niyam
(The second limb of Yoga)
Niyam
are the second part of Yoga. They are articles of personal discipline. Here
are five niyam:
-
Sauch (Purity)
-
Santosh (Contentment)
-
Tapa (Austerity)
-
Swadhyaya (Study of Vedic literature)
-
Ishwar Pranidhan (Surrender to God)
Sauch
(Purity): It means
purity or cleanliness. It is of two types: External cleanliness and internal
purity. External cleanliness means cleanliness of body, clothes,
surroundings, food and professional life specially the ways of earning
money. Internal sauch means purity of mind and intellect, thought and
feelings, the purity of heart and soul. When a person is clean and pure he
enjoys many advantages in life.
Santosh
(Contentment): It
means to work honestly according to your best capacity and be happy and
satisfied with what you get. Even if success is not in proportion to the
effort you put in, it is your duty to feel satisfied and not to feel
disappointed, disheartened and unhappy. Therefore in the interest of balance
and happiness, one should observe contentment in every condition of life.
There are several ways to achieve santosh
-
Faith in justice of GOD
-
Realize that pleasures of world are temporary.
-
Determination
Tapa
(Austerity): When
we do something in life, many kinds of difficulties, oppositions present
themselves and block our way. To face all these cheerfully, without
flinching, is tapa. Tapa gives purification of mind and body
and blesses us with strength.
Swadhyaya
(Study of Vedic Literature):
It means study of Vedas and Vedic literature in full awareness of its
meaning. There are several means to accomplish swadhyaya.
-
Knowledge of the language.
-
Study of Vedas.
-
Preceptor – attaining and sharing knowledge
Ishwaar
Pranidhyan (Surrender to God):
Knowing the nature and attributes of God, praying with faith and total love.
Some of the means to Ishwaar Pranidhyan:
-
Knowledge of limitation of Jeev and Prakriti.
-
Vairagya
-
Faith