Dattātreya Yogaśāstra

By Swami Vishnuswaroop

Dattātreya Yogaśāstra, in a dialogue form between Sānkriti and Lord Dattātreya, is a unique classical yogic text. It imparts the right concept and rational knowledge of yoga with a heavy focus on practice with great effort. It clearly outlines that everyone is entitled to yoga practice regardless of one's age, sex, faith and belief, sect and cult and tradition and religion, and robe and physical appearance.

Regarding the four stages of yoga, the text mentions ārambha, ghaṭa, paricaya and niṣpatti avasthās. Of the Haṭhayoga practices, it elaborates mainly eight bandhas and mudrās which are mahāmudra, mahābandha, khecari mudrā, jāladhara, uddiyāna and moola bandhas, viparitakarana and vajroli.

Of yamas and niyamas the Yogaśāstra regards that laghvāhāra (eating less) and ahimsā are supreme respectively. Of all the asanas, practice of padmāsana alone is highly recommended and also regarded as the destroyer of all diseases.

The Yogaśāstra emphasizes that one can not achieve success in yoga just by reading scriptures, by wearing special garbs/dresses, by repeating mantras and by worshiping Gods and deities, but by constantly practicing it without sloth.

Dattātreya Yogaśāstra regards prāṇāyāma as an important practice in yoga sādhanā. Padmāsana is highly recommended for the practice of prāṇāyāma. The techniques of prāṇāyāma are fully elaborated with the inclusion of the practice of three bandhas and sahita kumbhaka (with the retention of breath) for the purification of nāḍis. It is further described that when the nāḍis are purified, the signs of success in the body of yogi become visible. When kumbhaka practice is prolonged gradually every day, the yogi finally attains kevala kumbhaka that is the ultimate goal of prāṇāyāma practice.

The text also explains that when kevala kumbhaka is achieved, the yogi experiences several signs in his body and attains some minor siddhis. This is called the ārambha avasthā (stage). When kevala kumbhaka is perfected through further practice, he attains ghaṭa avasthā. This is a very important stage in which prāna and apāna, manas and prāṇa and ātmā and paramātmā are united. It instructs further that the yogi in this stage should practice pratyāhāra. While practicing pratyāhāra, the yogi feels unity will one and all and also he attains miraculous powers, but he is advised neither to be attached to them nor to disclose them. 

The text further elaborates that when perfection is attained through practice on five elements, the yogi attains supernatural powers like anima, etc. Then the yogi should continue his practice of meditation first on saguṇa brahma and then nirguṇa brahma so he can finally attain the culmination of yoga, niṣpatti avasthā in which he realizes the union with God. After achieving his union with God, at this stage, the yogi as per his wish may leave his body or he may wander as a jīvan mukta (one who is liberated while living) in this universe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Divine Yoga Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Release date: Aug 29, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386086512

Swami Vishnuswaroop

Swami Vishnuswaroop (Thakur Krishna Uprety), B. A. (Majored in English & Economics), received his Diploma in Yogic Studies (First Class) from Bihar Yoga Bharati, Munger, Bihar, India. He was formally trained under the direct guidance and supervision of Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati in the Guru Kula tradition of the Bihar School of Yoga. He was initiated into the lineage of Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the founder of Bihar School of Yoga and the direct disciple of Swami Sivananda Saraswati of Rishikesh. His guru gave his spiritual name ‘Vishnuswaroop’ while he was initiated into the sannyasa tradition. Swami Vishnuswaroop is a Life Member of World Yoga Council, International Yoga Federation. Divine Yoga Institute has published his nine books on classical yoga, meditation and tantra. He is one of the few yoga practitioners registered with Nepal Health Professional Council established by The Government of Nepal. He has been teaching on the theory and practice of traditional yoga and the yogic way of life to Nepalese and foreign nationals for more than twenty-five years. Swami Vishnuswaroop has designed a comprehensive yoga program called ‘Yoga Passport’ in order to give a broader theoretical and practical knowledge of yoga which includes various aspects of yogic practice. Many health professionals, yoga practitioners and people from various backgrounds of more than forty-seven countries from various parts of the world have gone through his yoga courses and programs. He currently works as the President of Divine Yoga Institute, Kathmandu, Nepal and travels abroad to provide yogic teaching and training.

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Dedication

First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt salutations to Adinatha (the Primordial Master) and my Guru Swami Satyananda Saraswati for their inspiration and guidance I have received for my work. I realize that my firm faith and belief in God and Guru is a motivational gift for me in completing this work. I could never have done it without their blessings.

I am always thankful to Ms. Bhawani Uprety for the untiring support she provided me during the preparation of various classical texts on yoga. My due thanks go to her forever.

On the occasion of the Raksha Bandhana Day I pray that may the God and Guru inspire us to tread the path of yoga in order to achieve the ultimate goal of human life!

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- Swami Vishnuswaroop

Introduction

Dattātreya Yogaśāstra, in a dialogue form between Sānkriti and Lord Dattātreya, is a unique classical yogic text. It imparts the right concept and rational knowledge of yoga with a heavy focus on practice with great effort. It clearly outlines that everyone is entitled to yoga practice regardless of one’s age, sex, faith and belief, sect and cult and tradition and religion, and robe and physical appearance.

This text mainly describes four types of yoga that are Mantrayoga, Layayoga, Haṭhayoga and Rājayoga. Of them, Rājayoga is the highest one. Anyone can practice Mantrayoga and can attain perfection in it, but it is regarded as inferior practice. Layayoga is the yoga of concentration on the object or image of God. There are millions of Sangketas (the points of concentration) described by Ādinātha Śaṅkara. Karmayoga as another type of yoga is also described in the text which is similar to Astāṅgayoga (yoga of eight limbs).

Astāṅgayoga is described as Karmayoga in this Yogaśāstra. Many readers may think that it is unusual and illogical to describe Karmayoga as Astāṅgayoga. It seems appropriate to equate astāṅgayoga with karmayoga in this Yogaśāstra which is neither a philosophical nor a theoretical text, but it is a practical yogic text focusing on practice alone. A few meanings of karmayoga are also ‘active exertion’ in doing something or ‘practical application’ or ‘dynamic action/practice’ of something to attain a higher spiritual goal. One who follows the practice of yoga according to the tradition of the Siddhas, he exerts himself constantly in his active practice of yoga. So, for a yogi his constant dynamic yogic practice equates to Karmayoga.

Regarding the four stages of yoga, the text mentions ārambha, ghaṭa, paricaya and niṣpatti avasthās. Of the Haṭhayoga practices, it elaborates mainly eight bandhas and mudrās which are mahāmudra, mahābandha, khecari mudrā, jāladhara, uddiyāna and moola bandhas, viparitakarana and vajroli.

Of yamas and niyamas the Yogaśāstra regards that laghvāhāra (eating less) and ahimsā are supreme respectively. Of all the asanas, practice of padmāsana alone is highly recommended and also regarded as the destroyer of all diseases.

The Yogaśāstra emphasizes that one can not achieve success in yoga just by reading scriptures, by wearing special garbs/dresses, by repeating mantras and by worshiping Gods and deities, but by constantly practicing it without sloth.

Dattātreya Yogaśāstra regards prāṇāyāma as an important practice in yoga sādhanā. Padmāsana is highly recommended for the practice of prāṇāyāma. The techniques of prāṇāyāma are fully elaborated with the inclusion of the practice of three bandhas and sahita kumbhaka (with