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It was with this need to save human beings from the ocean of desires that yoga was discovered and its light of knowledge uncovered. They did not find its varying
definitions at first. These came later after the subject matter was discovered with persistent practices and scrutinizing each experience with certain methodologies.
Therefore, we have to look back over its history to trace yoga's origins and definitions.
Some of the early definitions can be found in the Veda-s, Upanisad-s, Aranyaka-s, Samhita-s and Yoga Sutra-s as well as in the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita. When we
see these definitions and reflect on them, we realise how the definitions of yoga changed in accordance with the needs of the society of those times and the ways as
understood by the sadhaka-s. As the needs changed, the capacity of man's discriminative intelligence changed and the definition also changed. Let us look at these
changes.
Yoga Meditation
The Ahirbudhnya Samhita gives a clear and complete difinition of yoga, Samyoga yoga ityukto jivatma paramatmanah||
It explains that yoga is the union between the individual soul and the Universal Soul.
At the time of the veda-s and samhita-s the intelligence of human beings had reached a culmination point. Man's needs at that time were also less and greed was rare.
The sadhaka-s were mature, their religiosity in sadhana was strong, hence, they could think at the level of the soul. Therefore, in the Ahirbudhaya samhita, soul - and
paramatman - the Universal Soul. In fact, the Ahirbudhnya Samhita has its origin in Pancaratra - panca = five, ratra = nights. It is said that Lord Narayana taught
spiritual knowledge as well as Yoga to nitya suri-s - eternal souls, for five days and five nights, hence the word Pancaratra.
Yoga Meditation
Later, in the Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna realised that the intellectual capacity of the yoga practitioner, the sadhaka, had lessened from what it had been at the time
of the Veda-s. Naturally, He had to soften the path and make it understandable. Lord Krishna, showing His 'mother heart' towards His devotees, defined yoga on two
levels: jnana and karma - knowledge and action. He defined,
"Samattvam yoga ucchayate" - Equanimity is yoga.
"Yogah karma-su kausalam" - Yoga is skillfulness in action.
Let us look at the first explanation on yoga from Gita: "Equanimity is yoga". This equanimity is not just external, to show off. This equanimity has to come from the
heart - the core and one's being. There should be a thorough understanding between the intellingence of the soul and the intelligence of the consciousness,
karmendriya-s - organs of action, jnanendriya-s - senses of perception, ahamkara - ego, buddhi - intelligence and manas - mind, have to be unified and integrated so
that one realise the pureness of the soul. When one realises this pure soul, then one knows that the soul in everyone is the same and consequently one treats each and
everyone with equanimity. The practitioner who is a jnani, experiences this sense of equanimity.