Sanatana scriptures viz. Puranas etc. are replete with descriptions of nakshatras, i.e., planetary bodies, their movement, eclipses, changes in weather; complex rotatory movement of Anuradha Naksatra is vividly described; panchangas narrates entire planetary movement for the forthcoming year with accuracy of the highest order; entire planetary configuration at the moment of birth of Sri Rama is described in Valmiki Ramayana; various planes of existence viz. Pitriloka, Devaloka, Indraloka, Brahmaloka etc., were not only very well-known but also extensively visited upon too; they were entirely aware of gravity, velocity of light, bending of time in space due to gravity so on and so forth. These narrations have been established to be at least 5,000 years old if not several thousands years more.
These details instantly engender an extreme curiosity provoking questions – how could they do all that, did they have spaceships, were they astronauts, did they often visit deep into space to watch planetary movements to verify their computational exercise live before their eyes….otherwise how else was it possible to have so advanced Astronomy and Astrophysics to boot centuries ago?
Those highly advanced and realised ones were endowed with super-natural faculties, could assume subtlest forms and move anywhere in the entire universe on their own volition. Vibhuti Pada of Patanjali Yoga Darsana mentions Siddha Yogis travelling to sun on the path of sunrays. Bhagavatpurana (IX/3. 29-36) recounts, Kakudmi space-travelled to Brahmaloka to consult King Brahma on the issue of wedding of his daughter Revati who very well accompanied him on the sojourn. As Monarch of Brahmaloka was busy at the moment of their arrival, they had to wait for a ‘moment’ and their ‘moment’ is equivalent to thousands of man-years on Planet Earth. That instantly allows the concept of relativity to emerge. Purana-s are magnificent chronicles of ancient history wherein all significant events are mentioned concurrently with planetary configuration during occurrence of the event. Almost every Purana is thus, an excellent exposition on Astrophysics too. There is a Brahmaloka described in Puranas in a different Solar system presided over by Brahma and almost 26 Light-Years away from Planet Earth. Time moves on at various paces in those planes of existence viz. one moment of Brahmaloka is equal to 216 Man-Years on Planet Earth. Also the fact that travelling in space extends life and decelerates pace of aging. All these expositions are so explicit that these are impossible to be narrated unless the author is an ace astronaut him- or her-self. And there were no Apollo, Viking, Mariner, Soyuz…space missions at all.
Maharshi Patanjali lived at least three millennia ago. To attain liberation from sufferings born of ignorance, he composed Yogasutras based on his own personal forays into mystical, subtle worlds. In just four chapters, rising from the most basic level of personal discipline, he reveals the way how to attain the highest plane of existence i.e. Kaivalya.
First Chapter of Samadhipada emphasises fixation thereby, resolution of one’s chetana on an object to cease and desist innumerable mental modifications leading to attainment of the ultimate state i.e. Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
Second Chapter of Sadhanapada dwells on various techniques i.e. Kriyayoga, on how to attain the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
It is third Chapter of Vibhutipada that dwells deep into the domain of mysticism of various Siddhis, extra-ordinary faculties and capabilities which happen to be the subject of this article.
Fourth Chapter of Kaivalyapada deals with the supreme, infinite and immortal state of existence just in close proximity of Param Brahmatma.
The Chapter on Sadhanapada illustrates Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi, together constituting Ashtangayoga propounded by Maharshi Patanjali. First five elements of the Yoga are practised externally i.e. at gross, physical level while Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi internally, at the subtle level of consciousness. When entire consciousness is transfixed on Dhyeya i.e. object of contemplation, it is known as the state of Dharana. Dhyana is the state of being completely assimilated into Dhyeya with respect to consciousness excluding consciousness pertaining to any other entity. When cognition of the object as Dhyeya is completely dissolved and entire consciousness is transfixed on the conceptual existence of Dhyeya, it is the state of Samadhi. Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi are together known as Samyama. By resolving Samyama on various entities, one is rendered capable of performing any miracle, even those that would appear impossible otherwise. Some of divine miracles that can be accomplished through Samyama, have been expounded herein for the knowledge of our readers and prospective seekers.
When a Yogi resolves his Samyama upon sun as the physical entity, he gains extensive knowledge pertaining to all stellar bodies existing in space. Samyama on earth invites knowledge of entire geography of the planet as well as all subtle worlds below earth. When Samyama is refined further upon subtler manifest of the sun, knowledge of entire Svargaloka and Brahmaloka is attained. Indeed, when Kundalini enters into Susumna-Nadi upon awakening, all these worlds are perceived immediately by the Yogi. For such an accomplished Yogi, even Samyama is rendered redundant. Then knowledge is attained through Vrttis and Samkalpas undertaken before beginning of Samadhi.
If a Yogi resolves his Samyama on the moon, knowledge of stellar configurations is attained. Location of any star in a stellar cluster may be ascertained through Samyama upon moon. Earth beholds every Rasi for two hours during every 24 hour cycle of day and night. Out of these 12 Rasi-s, Earth stays in every Rasi for a month each in an annual cycle of 12 months. However, moon completes one revolution around Earth in one lunar month i. e. twelve times in a year of 12 months. Hence Samyama upon moon reveals precise position of every star in a Rasi without any obstacle with absolute precision.
If Samyama is resolved on the Star Dhruva, stellar movement is ascertained immediately.
Dhruva is the star that is stable and resolved to a well-defined point eternally while all other members of stellar configuration are always under migration. Hence, Samyama upon Dhruva enables Yogi to know cosmic migration of every star in relation to Dhruva.
When a Yogi resolves his Samyama on the interconnect between body and Akasa, he thus attains fundamental state of manifest of his body i.e. Akasa. In that state of being Tadakara with Akasa, he is capable of comfortably gliding into the infinite void of Akasa. If such a Yogi attains the state of being Tadakara with something as light as cotton-wool, he attains same lightness in his body too. Indeed then, Yogi is able to walk over tiny fibres of spider-web without snapping fibres or disturbing the spider dwelling within.
Those are merely glimpses of a few accomplishments attainable through Samyama. It was a cakewalk for those Yogis to depart from their bodies, wander around deep in Universe, revert into their bodies and settle down to author masterpieces on Astronomy, Astrology and other related disciplines. Yogi-s, Rsi-s and Maharsi-s were all ace astronauts too. Mysticism of Samyama is truly infinite.
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