“The request for learning must come from the aspirant.
Only then can be the process be step by step.
First one question which is understood, then the next.
For example Annam (food) is Brahma, then Prāṇa is Brahma (Taittirīya Upaniṣad – Bhṛguvallī v1-10).
This was the traditional approach by the aspirant.”
- TKV Desikachar France August 1983
Category Archives: Upaniṣads
The request for learning must come from the aspirant……
Also posted in Āsana, cYs Journal, Haṭha, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, viniyoga of Yoga
Defining our relationship with awareness is a matter of re-defining……
“na iti na iti – not this, not this”
Defining our relationship with awareness is a matter of re-defining our relationship with matter.
- Bṛhad Āraṇyaka Upaniṣat II.3.6
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What is the relationship between diet and health?
Viniyoga in Italia: What is the relationship between diet and health?
TKV Desikachar: It is a big subject. Our system has to be nourished. Food or Annam is needed. There is the Annamaya, we have a body which has to be nourished. The food we need and eat is Annam. This Annam is a very interesting Sanskrit word. Annam is that which will nourish you or that which will eat you. The Annam or food must nourish me, it should not consume me. For this reason there is given so much importance to Annam that nourishes and Annam that will consume.
- Extract from an interview in the Journal Viniyoga Italia on Yoga and Well Being.
Also posted in Āyurveda, cYs Journal, Desikachar Quotations, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Yoga Bricolage
Although Krishnamacharya came from a strict Indian tradition……
“Although Krishnamacharya came from a strict Indian tradition, he liberated the restrictions.
He segregated his personal beliefs (Hinduism) from his teaching and his interest in the different texts on Yoga and Vedānta.
It isn’t necessary to be a Hindu to practice Yoga, the Hindu text, the Brahma Sūtra refute Yoga. In the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali God is not emphasised.
Hindus have taken advantage of Yoga, Brahmin rituals use Yoga breathing, even if it is only symbolic and they use Mantra (Hinduism is the colloquial word for Vedānta).
Krishnamacharya didn’t mix the different teachings, he didn’t start a class with prayers when he worked with foreigners.”
- TKV Desikachar April 1992
Also posted in cYs Journal, Desikachar Quotations, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, viniyoga of Yoga
Notes from a lecture by TKV Desikachar – ‘Is Veda a Religion?’
An Introduction to the Taittirīya Upaniṣad by TKV Desikachar on November 8th 2001
The Brahma Sūtra is the source of Hinduism or Hindu Philosophy or Vedānta.
Continue ReadingAlso posted in cYs Journal, News Views & Posts, Yoga Articles, Yoga Bricolage
In each one of us there is something that experiences.
Introduction to the Taittirīya Upaniṣad – TKV Desikachar November 8th 2001
“In each one of us there is something that experiences.”
Also posted in cYs Journal, Desikachar Quotations, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, viniyoga of Yoga
My belief in Yoga is not dependant on a belief in God, whereas in Vedānta it is.
Introduction to the Taittirīya Upaniṣad – TKV Desikachar November 8th 2001
“My belief in Yoga is not dependant on a belief in God, whereas in Vedānta it is.”
Also posted in cYs Journal, Desikachar Quotations, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, viniyoga of Yoga
Yoga – To Link to myself. Hinduism – To Link to God.
Introduction to the Taittirīya Upaniṣad – TKV Desikachar November 8th 2001
“Yoga – To Link to myself. Hinduism – To Link to God.”
Also posted in cYs Journal, Desikachar Quotations, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, viniyoga of Yoga
Rāmānuja, Yāmunācarya, Krishnamacharya and Viśiṣṭādvaita
Rāmānuja, was a disciple of Śrī Yāmunācarya. Śrī Yāmunācarya, composer of texts such as the Gītārtha Saṃgraha, Siddhi Traya and Stotra Ratna, was the grandson of the 9th century sage Śrī Nāthamuni and a forebear of T Krishnamacharya. Krishnamacharya’s personal devotional philosophy and practices were grounded in the teachings that arose from these great sages and evolved into what became known as Viśiṣṭādvaita or qualified non-dualism (One of the three primary schools of Vedānta).
“Rāmānuja agrees with the Advaitin that the scripture teaches the non-twoness (Advaita) of reality.
But, he denies the Advaitan’s conclusion that this oneness is attributeless, pure being or consciousness and that plurality with regard to soul and material world is falsely imposed on this one Being due to ignorance.”
Rāmānuja on the Yoga – Dr. Robert C Lester 1976.
Also posted in cYs Journal, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, Yoga & Sāṃkhya, Yoga Bricolage
Reflections from the Upaniṣad
Reflections from my studies with TKV Desikachar on the viniyoga of Dhyānam or Application of Meditation as learnt from T Krishnamacharya
“As the spider moving upward by the thread obtains free space, thus assuredly the meditator, moving upward by the mantra obtains svatantra (independence).”
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Reflections from the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad Chapter 2 verse 8
Reflections from my studies with TKV Desikachar on the viniyoga of Dhyānam or Application of Meditation as learnt from T Krishnamacharya
“Holding the body steady, with the three (upper parts, chest, neck, head) erect, causing the senses and the mind to enter the heart, the wise person should cross by the boat of mantra all the fear bringing streams of the mind.” – Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad Chapter 2 verse 8
Also posted in cYs Journal, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, viniyoga of Yoga
Yoga Upaniṣad
This is a Saṃskṛta text with an English translation of Twenty Yoga Upaniṣad. The translator, TR Srinivasa Iyengar, has closely followed the Saṃskṛta commentaries of Śrī Upaniṣad Brahman Yogin who is the one of the few known to have achieved the unique distinction of having written a commentary on all the 108 Upaniṣad.
Click to download the translation as an Open Source PDF
Also posted in All Drawn from the Web, cYs Journal, Yoga, Health & Lifestyle
In Mīmāṃsā there is a word called Prayoga (connection)……
“In Mīmāṃsā (a philosophical system to interpret the Veda, especially the Brāhmaṇa and Mantra, with the object of correctly performing the Vedic rituals) there is a word called Prayoga (connection).
The same Mantra has to be recited differently for different rituals.
Or different Mantra in the same ritual.
So even here different applications are needed, the ancients recognised this.
There is a verse which says that if the Mantra is not used correctly it has the opposite effect and destroys or boomerangs.
Instead of doing good it will harm.
This is Mithyā Prayoga (wrong connection) with an opposite effect.
Having spoken of viniyoga (appropriate application), now looking at important points the old teachers used to convey these ideas.”
- TKV Desikachar France August 1983