Ishvara-Pranidhana

What is Ishvara Pranidhana? Who is Ishvara? How to practice Ishvara Pranidhana?

Before reading this article, we recommend that you first familiarize yourself with the following:

➤ Why develop consciousness?
➤ Soul awareness
➤ Human energy states
➤ What is spirituality?

In the process of mastering a new picture of the world and realizing one’s place in it, it is easier for a person to first find out what needs to be done practically, and then delve into a philosophical or theoretical understanding of various complex aspects.

The same principle of immersion in the practice of yoga - you need to find out what exactly needs to be done, and on the basis of this, move on to understanding those “subtle” matters that previously did not attract attention in everyday life.

In addition, if the first stage should be correlated with common sense and strict logic, forming a basis, then the second may imply going beyond the generally accepted formal-logical framework of the usual interpretation of reality. If you go the opposite way and start by immersing yourself in “metaphysical” spheres, then you can stay there, enjoying the illusions of understanding deep “truths”.

Based on this point of view, we will try to supplement the consideration of some aspects of one of these complex and rather complex concepts in yoga as Ishvara-pranidhana.

What is Ishvara-pranidhana?

Ishvara-pranidhana is the fifth basic principle of Niyama. We started with it, because understanding Ishvara-pranidhana can be the basis for a deeper understanding of the remaining principles. Their order is quite conventional, just like the conventionally sequential division of yoga into steps (stages) by Patanjali.

In general, 10-12 such rules are mentioned in different sources. Of these, there are five main ones, providing for external and internal purification, contentment, asceticism, etc.: Shaucha, Santosha, Tapas, Svadhyaya, Ishvara-pranidhana. And seven additional ones (they are not mentioned in this article).

It is obvious that a seriously practicing yogi will try to put these principles into practice, and not just study them theoretically, if only because Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras did not ignore them.

Patanjali explained that yoga is the cessation of the activity of consciousness (here “consciousness” is used in the generally accepted sense - as the highest form of reflection of reality, characteristic only of man), which can be achieved through concentration. But concentration can be achieved, including (but not only) as a result of “relying” on Ishvara.

➤ Cessation of the activity of consciousness - Chitta Vritti Nirodha

It would seem that everything is clear. Trust in Ishvara and the result of yoga will come. You just need to find out who he is, or what Ishvara is and how to “trust” in him correctly?

Who is Ishvara?

From the comments available in the literature and found on the Internet, several approaches can be identified that depend not only and not so much on the “confession” of the writer, but on their level of consciousness and understanding.

The first approach to the interpretation of Ishvara is religious. The authors adhere to a purely religious approach and interpret Ishvara exclusively as God in his usual representation, as some (ultimately) higher power, sometimes personified.

The second approach to the interpretation of Ishvara is pseudo-religious. Ishvara is also translated as "god", but the commentator's own concept differs from the purely religious one. By “god”, in this case, we mean either some impersonal force, the Universal Mind, an information field, etc.

However, readers have to guess for themselves what exactly the author meant. Either he is a religious person who sincerely believes in God (and it is completely unclear which God (the Absolute, Ishvara, Brahman, Jehovah... The Flying Spaghetti Monster...)? Or the author did not believe in the possibility of an inexperienced reader understanding his thoughts. This approach introduces fundamental errors in understanding the very concept of Ishvara.

You can also mention a mix of both approaches, but with an emphasis on moral and ethical standards. They say that it is necessary to behave as prescribed by certain rules, and also to show humility before God, to feel devotion to God, to maintain constant thoughts about God, to realize the presence of God in everything around you, to devote all your actions to the Almighty, to behave “worthy of God” and humbly (to please God or like... a budding God?! :) )

And the third approach to interpretation is the denial of not only the religious component in the concept under consideration, but also the leveling of any deep meaning hidden in previous interpretations of the principle of Ishvara-pranidhana. At the same time, Ishvara is understood as some impersonal “laws of the Universe”.

However, even this modern version is little understood for practical implementation. Just take it and start feeling devotion and humility before... Ohm's law, universal gravitation, the rules of Yama and Niyama or Fermat's theorem? It’s also somehow not entirely clear.

Of course, if we begin to delve into the inner meaning of any law or concept, we will come to that “Inexpressible” that cannot be described and conveyed in words. This will be what can be called “the reflection of Ishvara.” However, if such an understanding is realized, then a person no longer needs to read various texts and commentaries. He himself, from personal experience, understands what “Tat tvam asi” means: “Tat” means the eternal Brahman; "tvam" refers to the individual soul - jiva, dependent on him; "asi" - the relationship between Brahman and Purusha (Jiva), simultaneously both unity and difference.

Two approaches of philosophical directions

And here we are faced with the problem of the knowability or non-knowability of the First Principle of the universe.

In various philosophical and religious movements, there are two approaches - apophatic (negative) and cataphatic (affirmative). Apophatism is the doctrine that the Supreme Reality is ultimately incomprehensible and indefinable by means of human language and concepts. Cataphaticism involves defining God using positive statements.

In our opinion, both of these options simply reflect the levels of understanding that are available to different people and depend on what they prefer - religious worship or real practice of comprehension.

Etymology of the word "Ishvara"

Let us return to the etymology of the word Ishvara. In dictionaries, the concept of Ishvara actually corresponds to such equivalents as lord, lord, lord, owner, owner, god, supreme, spouse, Supreme being, supreme soul and a number of others. Based on this, it is quite possible to understand him as God.

Moreover, the word “pranidhana” can come from pran̤idhana̱t (devotion; entrusting oneself; finding refuge). Although, there is another interpretation: pranidhana - retention of prana).

But, in the Yoga Sutras it is said that:

“Ishvara is a special Purusha, untouched by affects, karma, [its] maturation and [hidden] “traces.”

Yoga Sutras by Patanjali.

From the point of view of an inexperienced reader, a certain entity that is outside the action of karma can indeed be assessed as a god. Accordingly, trusting, or being devoted to God, is attractive. All that remains is to understand what or who specifically you need to devote your activities to and who to rely on.

An even more complex situation arises when “god” is understood as some kind of “higher spiritual consciousness.” It is unlikely that many people who use such interpretations can explain what exactly they mean.

In order to begin to understand what Purusha is, you will have to turn to the Sankhya system, some elements of which can be seen in the Upanishads.

(For more details, see S. Radhakrishnan. Indian philosophy. Vol. 1. pp. 217-220, vol. 2 pp. 218-230; Upanishads in 3 volumes.. Translated by A.Ya. Syrkin). Moonlight of Sankhya.)

To put it simply, Purusha is to some extent the individual non-material essence of a person (spirit), which allows the material bodily part (Prakriti) to be a living and thinking being. Thanks to this, she (Purusha) gets different life experiences. At the same time, being associated with a material form, she “forgets” about her eternal nature (and the purpose of yoga is precisely to help her “remember” this and achieve liberation). The material shell is exposed to various influences, errors accumulate and destructive states (kleshas) arise. More details in the book Sankhya and Yoga - B. L. Smirnov.

Ishvara has always been and is not subject to any external influences. Accordingly, Ishvara is completely indifferent to whether someone will follow certain rules or not, whether someone will trust in him or not, and so on. After all, he is a perfect observer. He doesn’t interfere in anything, doesn’t get involved, doesn’t worry, and therefore explanations that he GIVES something add an erroneous humanizing connotation.

However, given a certain essential commonality between the individual Purushas and Ishvara, his very existence contributes to the liberation of the Purushas. Approximately how a pure crystal in a solution becomes a catalyst for the crystallization of the entire solution. But, initially, this requires having such a solution and the more saturated it is, the faster the process goes.

The practice of yoga, in its entirety, can be compared to the creation of such an oversaturated environment, when a minimal impact is sufficient to change its state of aggregation.

How then can one explain the principle of the effective action of “relying” on Ishvara - a certain entity detached from everything, independent, omniscient, eternal, etc., etc., after all, Patanjali wrote... and he could not lie...?!

A certain non-specific primary “image” is created in the “head”. The creation and maintenance of this image is accompanied by a certain psychoenergetic state, as well as concentration and concentration. Concentration and concentration. At the same time, all the usual, secondary objects of attention (material values, life priorities, etc.) fade into the background.

However, without a comprehensive psychotechnical culture and bodily development, this is hardly possible. In particular, therefore, practice the gradual development of the so-called. “steps” of yoga - to no avail. Moreover, with practice, the student moves further and further away from attempts to supposedly visualize the image of Ishvara, focusing on the actual state of Dharana (concentration of attention on any object) and extending it into Dhyana (the level of meditative states in which there is an awareness of unity with the object of meditation) (techniques for visualizing Yidams, Devas, Buddhas, Totems, Spirits, Saints, etc. are other types of practices).

Therefore, the interpretations of a religious follower who claims that he adheres to Ishvara-pranidhana, trusting one of the gods, have nothing to do with yoga as such, but can be regarded simply as religious worship or some other practices.

It is Yoga that allows individual human consciousness to manifest and realize the absolute nature of Consciousness (Purusha). In the process of this awareness, the integral complex of the body and the individual Purusha becomes increasingly close in “vibration” to Ishvara. As a result, “resonance” becomes possible. Ishvara “magnetizes” those Purushas who, through practices with the body and mind, were able to clean off the crust of “impurities” (Kleshas). This, in fact, is the entire mechanism for implementing Ishvara’s help.

Here there is a certain synthesis of cataphatic (affirmative) and apophatic (unknowable) understanding. In the beginning it is said that Ishvara has certain qualities. This is a theoretical and philosophical level. It is then stated that it cannot be conclusively known by the human mind. And this is also true. But practice allows you to realize (not intellectually understand, but directly realize) your own basis, a derivative of the Absolute. The understanding of which cannot be conveyed in another ordinary verbal way, except by creating conditions so that those who want this can also know what they are looking for (or Enlighten).

(In addition, it should be added that in tantra Ishvara is understood as a kind of male inert, stabilizing principle. At the same time, Prakriti is female, active, impermanent. And achieving liberation is possible after practical comprehension of the unity of these two complementary aspects.)

How to practice Ishvara Pranidhana?

Firstly, form a picture of the world in which there is Ishvara, and you are not only the body and psyche or the flow of social relationships, but also something Else (Purusha, Jiva).

Secondly, start practicing a holistic system of yoga. Including various meditation techniques.

Third, begin to control your personality focus. And stop, for example, thinking that you are a brilliant teacher, lawyer, writer, scientist, philosopher, leader, etc. (you should also not think that you are not perfect and “will never be able to do anything”), which “and so knows everything due to personal life experience." You should also be careful about your belief that your entire business or other activity is aimed solely at the benefit of other people. If you have such a thought and it is very pleasant to you, then most likely this is one of the forms of vain narcissism. As long as a person limits his idea of his “I” only as a certain function or compliance with criteria accepted in society or its circle, then he is not able to go beyond the boundaries of alienation from the World. Plus, in any of his activities there will be mistakes, as a result of the influence of flare-ups (emotions, neuroses, etc.). Accordingly, what kind of Ishvara-pranidhana can we talk about if the main motive of activity is the satisfaction of self-conceit?

In principle, nothing particularly complicated :)

Conclusion

From what has been discussed, it is clear that depending on the possibility of developing one’s own perception and assessment, the level of understanding of the practice of Ishvara-pranidhana depends. Formal - in which it will be correct to worship God (gods), humbly trust in him, waiting for grace to descend... or enlightenment. And not formal - at which there is and cannot be any worship or veneration. Where Ishvara is a completely free special soul, which is outside the categories and concepts familiar to most people.

Accordingly, consideration of such specialized issues is forced to be carried out at several levels. On the one hand, everything must be laid out clearly and without logical errors. On the second, it is necessary to awaken in those listening to their own understanding of the subject of discussion (in our case, this is the understanding/awareness of Purusha and Ishvara), which can only be done by indirect methods - meditative and training practices . Any intellectual explanation can only be an aid. Actually, this is discussed in all areas of “spiritual” development.

In conclusion, let us remember the immortal song of the Soul of Shankaracharya:

1.
“I am not the mind, not the mind, not the self, not the matter of thought,
Not the organs of hearing, taste, smell, sight,
Not earth, not space, not fire, not air,
I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva!

2.
I am not prana and not five streams,
Not the seven foundations of the body, not the five sheaths,
I am not the organs of action,
I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva!

3.
For me there is no disgust, no attraction, no blindness, no greed.
For me there is no intoxication with pride and no feelings of envy.
I am not what should be, useful, pleasant, I am not Liberation,
I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva!

4.
I am not virtue, not sin, not pleasure and not suffering,
No places of worship, no mantra, no Vedas, no sacrifices,
I am not the taster of experience, neither the taster nor the taster.
I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva!

5.
For me there is no death, no fear, no division into castes,
For me there is no father, no mother, no birth;
I am neither a relative nor a friend, nor a guru nor a disciple.
I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva!

6.
I am deprived of form and appearance
I am omnipotent, I am in everything and everywhere, I am unchangeable,
There is no liberation for me, no fetters for me.
I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva!”

➤ What is the Song of the Soul of Shankaracharya?

In conclusion, let us remember the immortal song of the Soul of Shankaracharya:

2.
I am not prana and not five streams,
Not the seven foundations of the body, not the five sheaths,
I am not the organs of action,
I am Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, I am Shiva, I am Shiva!

Are you ready to practice Ishvara Pranidhana? Where do you start?

P.S. If you didn't understand everything the first time you read it, don't worry. Read it again... and again. Read the books that are linked to. Then you will definitely gradually begin to perceive yourself as an immortal Soul and come closer to understanding Ishvara-pranidhana.