This volume discusses the three next steps of Yoga known as dharana, dhyana and Samadhi. They represent the crux of the process of yogic sadhana. In view of the extreme subtlety of these steps, this volume indicates to the ways and means leading to successful coverage of these steps through relevant texts dealing with this part of the sadhana. With this end in view, selections hearing as the Upanisads, Bhagavadgita, Vijnanabhairava, Malinivijayottaratantra, etc. which have been adduced here along with their English translation and necessary notes wherever required for clarification.

It also includes and discusses the Epistemology of Yoga as well as a digest of the entire process and method of the sadhana put together succinctly and in a graded manner under A Tractatus of Yoga. The formulations made here are for summarizing the entire range of the sadhana in as brief a form as possible. These formulations have been made somewhat on the pattern of the classical authors of the sutra-form of literature dealing with subjects of utmost technical bearing requiring close attention of the reader. A significant difference in the process of formulation of the tractatus here from that of the ancient Sanskrit authors of the sutras lies in the fact that while sutra preceded their expositions made sometimes by the sutrakaras themselves and mostly by other exponents of them quite subsequently, here the formulations only follow the detailed exposition meant particularly to serve as a digest of the entire stuff along with all the difficulties involved in its coverage, understanding and practical application.

All these ingredients of yoga as well its basic postulates have been discussed clearly and authentically having based on the textual verity on the one hand and scientific possibility on the other. All these ingredients of yoga as well its basic postulates have been discussed clearly and authentically having based on the textual verity on the one hand and scientific possibility on the other.

The book is designed to confirm to the course contents of Yoga and we hope that it will be of great use to graduates, post graduates, diploma, research students, teachers of Yoga and general practitioners alike.

Content – Table of Transliteration, List of Abbreviation, Foreword, Preface, Introduction, 1. DHARANA, I. Patanjali’s Definition of Dharana, II. Dharana as Suggested by Seer Dadhyan Atharvana, III. Dharana as Suggested by Seer Visvamitra, IV. Dharana of Seer Kavasa Ailusa, V. Dharana of Seer Narayana, VI. Seer Prajapati Paramesthin’s Dharana on the Being in the Negativity of the Entire Creation, VII. Seer Hiranyagarbha’s Dharana on the Golden Egg Lying in Trancendence of Time and Space, VIII. Seer Dirghatamas’ Dharana on the Absolute Formed Through Contemplation on the Six Planes of the Universe, IX. Seer Dadhyan Atharvana’s Dharana on Universal Friendship, X. Seer Dirghatamas’ Dharana on Visnu, XI. Seer Kutsa Angirasa’s Dharana on Surya as Self, XII. Seer Gotama Rahugana’s Dharana on Aditi as All in All, XIII. Seer Gaya Plata’s Dharana on the Cosmos as a Divine Boat Sailing Towards the Final State of Emancipation, XIV. Seer Vasistha’s Dharana on Varuna’s House of Redemption from the Drudgery of the Earthly Life, XV. Seer Vamadeva’s Dharana on Rta: The Principle of Universal Dynamics, XVI. A Yajurveidc Seer’s Dharana on the Supreme Being as “That” in Abstractions as the Source of All, XVII. Dharana on Rudra as the Supreme Being, 2. DHYANA AND SAMADHI, I. Imperative for Dhyana Imparted by Seer Visvamitra, II. Dhyana, Kundalini and Samadhi, III. Soma as Symbolic of the Beatific Experience of Samadhi, IV. Seer Vamadeva’s Realization of Himself as Indra: The Divine Supreme, V. Seer Nabhanedistha’s Experience of Access to the Centre of His Being and Revelation of the Structure of the Reality, VI. Seer Visvamitra’s Experience of the Oneness of His Self with Agni, VII. A Yajurvedic Seer’s Way to Samadhi Through Assimilation of All to Oneself, VIII. Seer Bharadvaja’s Ecstatic Experience of the Inner Light Unfolding Itself as the Supreme Being, IX. Seer Narayana’s Yoga Leading to Entrance into the State of Samadhi, X. Seer Vatsa Kanya’s Account of the First Ecstatic Experience of the Earliest Vedic Seers, 3. SAMADHI, I. Experience of Samadhi in the Vedas, II. Concept of Samadhi in Buddhism, III. Concept of Samadhi in Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutra, IV. Concept of Samadhi in the Bhagavadgita, V. Concept of Samadhi in Later Upanisads, VI. Concept of Samadhi in Vedanta, VII. Concept of Samadhi in Vaisnavism, VIII. Concept of Samadhi in Saivism, IX. The Hatha-Yogic Concept of Samadhi, 4. MEDITATION ON THE SACRED SYLLABLE OM AS AN AID TO SAMADHI, 5. ROLE OF THE KUNDALINI IN THE ATTAINMENT OF SAMADHI, 6. ROLE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND CENTRES IN IT IN THE TASK OF INCULCATION OF THE SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS, 7. INTROVERTED PERUSAL OF LIGHT, SOUND AND TASTE AS WAYS TO SAMADHI, 8. FUNDAMENTALS OF THE EPISTEMOLOGY OF YOGA, APPENDICES, I. Methods of Meditation from Vijnana Bhairava, II. Methods of Meditation in Sri Malinivijayottara Tantra, 1. Chapter II, 2. Chapter XII, 3. Chapter XIII, 4. Chapter XIV, 5. Chapter XV, 6. Chapter XVI, 7. Chapter XVII, 8. Chapter XVIII, 9. Chapter XIX, 10. Chapter XXI, 11. Chapter XXII, 12. Chapter XXIII, III. Meditation Methods by Abhinavagupta Abhinavagupta’s Gitartha Sangraha, IV. A Tractatus of Yoga, 1. Foundation of Yoga, 2. The Yogin and the Yogic Methodology, 3. Suitable Place for Yoga, 4. Pillars of Yoga, 5. Mantra, 6. Prana, Nada and Kundalini, 7. Brahmacarya, 8. Buddhi and Manas, 9. Detachment, 10. Satsang, 11. Cognition, 12. Sublimation of the Desire for Sex, INDEX