SANATAN DHARMA SANATAN DHARMA'S YOGA TRADITION: An Overview of the Yoga Traditions from the Vedas By Rodney Lingham (c) 2005 - 2006 Rodney Lingham HOME EMAIL CHAPTERS: I. THE GRAND CULTURE OF ANCIENT INDIA: Personal experiences to glorify the Rishis and Tradition II. INDIA'S IMMORTAL RISHIS, AND OUR LINEAGE FROM THEM: How Hindus and Hindu Arts all originated from the Rig Vedic Seers. III. VEDIC MYTHOLOGIES: Hindu Tales and Deities as Yogic and Vedantic Metaphors IV. HATHA YOGA ASANAS V. BHAKTI YOGA http://www.geocities.com/rigvedsamhita/sanatan_dharma.htm (1 of 37)13-09-2006 21:41:53 SANATAN DHARMA VI: THE ASHWINS: The Symbolism of the Ashwins and Yogic Siddhis VII: GAYATRI MATA: The Great Vedic Goddess and the Yoga Tradition VIII: IS SHAIVISM VEDIC? The Great Yogic-Deity of India and his Tradition deriving from the Vedas IX: SRI GORAKSHA AS INDRA: A Comparative Analysis of the Vedic God and the Leader of Nath-Yogis X: BEYOND KARMA AND REINCARNATION XI: THE AVATARS OF HINDUISM: An more Vedic Explanation XII: VEDIC YOGA TERMS XIII: OVERVIEW AND POINTS OF THE TANTRA-AGAMA NATHAS AS VEDIC SEERS CHAPTER I: THE GRAND CULTURE OF ANCIENT INDIA: Personal experiences to glorify the Rishis and Tradition Unlike many Indians in the Western World, I was lucky not to be tainted by the traditions in so-called History books etc. From age 15 onwards, I realized through various assignments in High School, that our books were rather bias, and my views changed when I discovered 'God Talks to Arjuna: The Bhagavad-Gita' and 'Autobiography of a Yogi' by Paramhansa Yogananda, in our local rural Library. http://www.geocities.com/rigvedsamhita/sanatan_dharma.htm (2 of 37)13-09-2006 21:41:53 SANATAN DHARMA At the same time I took an interest in the Indus Culture and the Vedas, and chanted the Gayatri mantra and worshipped Goddess Gayatri-Saraswati as been taught by my Mother, and also Sri Krishna, and later Kali and Shiva through Tantric Sadhana, which I had learnt also from the Web, Books and other sources. Yogananda's work changed my mind-set, and made me realize the esoteric (yogic) interpretation of the Deities such as Kali and Shiva, as well as Traditional dates and no such Arya-Invasions, and also yogic interpretations of the Shastras, which I later applied to Rig Vedic hymns and the Bible. I later realized many of my conclusions about the Biblical Symbolism, had also been elaborated on by the great Sri Yukteshwar, Yogananda's Guru, and felt a subtle connection with them. I felt a guidance from Yukteshwar, through Yogananda's grace - though I had not read the formers works. At around age 17, I had a vision of a Yogi, who I later connected to the picture of Yogananda's Sadguru, Lahiri Mahasaya. He initiated me in Yoga and later I was initiated by a personality resembling a Sadhu or Shiva, who danced around the sacred Fire and invested me with the sacred-thread. Many others sat around this Fire. It was from here onwards, that I began to expand my views, and came into contact with the works of Aurobindo and read more on Sri Ramakrishna, of whom I had been introduced to, through Yogananda's works, and my interest in the Goddess as Kali and Gayatri-Saraswati. Ramakrishna's words were a great and practical guide to living in this present era, much like Krishna's message in the Gita. I feel Ramakrishna is the 'modern Krishna’ of all Hindus, the esoteric guide who teaches from his own realization and experiences. Even to this day, the Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna follows me wherever I go, as does Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi, as a subtle reminder of our ancient Rishis and the glory of India and it's Vedic Wisdom - and also the assertion of our subtle guides. It was Yogananda and later Ramakrishna, which liberated me from the fear of Kali. I had been somewhat attracted to her since I first saw her picture and researched her, and Yogananda and Ramakrishna showed me her cosmic appearance and that she was not at all evil, like my family tradition had stated. I had many murthis and pictures of Durga, Ganesh, Shiva, Kali, Krishna, Saraswati that I used to worship, but I was terrified later of their worship, by my mother’s views against them, and also her constant threat (and later promise and manifestation of it), that she would take away and destroy them. I thus went through a stage of rejecting and then worshipping images. It was also mainly as she had many Muslim friends, and didn’t like my worship of images, as not fitting in with her egoic society. This has all changed now, however, and through many lectures with her, and prayers to the Devatas - she even now uses Yantras of the Goddess, Bodhisattvas, Chinese Dragons etc. as part of her decor around her Office and surrounds, as protection and guides. Though rejecting images, and being Arya-Samaj - I have to admit, my family's own Arya trait is that they reject images! They bow to all other aspects of Hinduism - even (amazingly) the tales in Puranas and Ithihasas as True. In later years, I learnt this was from their own experiences. My grandmother was more Sanatani than Arya, and my Mother had a great influence from her, and also from her Aunt, of who was a devotee of Gayatri- Saraswati - and sounds much like she was a great Tantric. At a young age, she saw a being, of which I have matched as an Apsaras of the Indian Tradition - a female angelic being. She has related other experiences, such as Ghosts and also the raising of Kundalini-Naga, of which she had related as terrifying. Most of all, she is my best example of one who has attained Gayatri-siddhi, and taught me her famed practice. http://www.geocities.com/rigvedsamhita/sanatan_dharma.htm (3 of 37)13-09-2006 21:41:53 SANATAN DHARMA Through it, she has gained much wealth, and has surrounded herself in the lifestyle and riches she has always wanted, and also the position and power she has today. Although having may faults, she has a mystical side, and a clear inner-intuition. She believes she has Seven Angelic-beings that guide her, of whom she consults with, when invoked - and their conclusions are quite correct. It is a kind of channeling, I think, but am not too clear. I recently tested this. I asked a series of questions, of which they (through her) revealed that they were Tantric adepts and guides of mortals. They seem some sort of Shaktas (contrary to her fear of Kali), and admitted to Kali's power. One thing that shows her Arya side as lost, is her love for mythology, and faith in it. I have often deliberated to her, and also my father over Puranic tales, of which she has never doubted as being correct and true historical accounts. Through her various intolerances, though, I have often felt that at times the Goddess has overtaken her body and has taught me through her. I see in her the Goddess Lakshmi, the Divine materialist, who sometimes changes her garb to that of the more intuitive Kali and Saraswati, the teaching and esoteric side. Through these experiences, I was able to understand much, and also relate my connections as different, and to a former lifetime, when such connections were thus there, perhaps. Before me, my mother had had three miscarriages, me being the last and successful attempt, those proceeding me also failing. I had sometimes wondered if these three predecessors had been me reborn and dying three times, as a resultant of some past karmic effect, or as a means of removing them. My first spiritual experience came when I was young - perhaps less than Four years old. I remember lying on my bed, and seeing the face of my Grandmother surrounded by a Halo on the roof, as if a reflection in a pond. At that same time, my mother had heard her calling her - and later I related my story. We soon got a phone- call to say that she had passed away. Up until now, such experiences in my lifetime can match with those of others I have read, such as Amritananda Bhairavan and other Indian authors. Many scoff at them, as lame tales - but from personal experience, I know now that they are actual Truths of these people. I have had the vision of the Goddess as Dhumawati, of Shiva, Krishna, as myself as Shiva transversing the Skies, of which all makes me not believe in the entirety of Dayananda's rationalism. Of this opinion, anyone of Arya Samaj in my family will say "Don't believe in all that he has said like many, but just take those parts that are useful" (if only hey would take their own advice, and renounce their fear of images!!). Such visions have made me feel closer to the deities. At many times, I have also seen their guidance and deliverance over distresses - just as Yogananda and Ramakrishna etc. had taught us to do, but few do. If we pray correctly, with complete faith and assurance - our prayer shall manifest in Creation - which is itself, merely the Cosmic Lila of Brahman! Nothing is impossible! The ignorance of modern man is their greatest enemy! By not knowing their Creator and their own Inner- being, they cannot understand Creation itself, in it's complete and true form. One good experience of this is during my meditations; close friends will sometimes try to arouse me, as they fear I have stopped breathing for long periods, and fear I am dead! If only they would experience such bliss, they would realize that nothing is wrong with me - but they who are lost in their own ignorance! I now understand the teachings of Buddha, Krishna and Ramakrishna.