Niyama Sadhana

External physical cleanliness (Ba’hyika Sha’riirika Shaoca)

There are 5 fundamental factors of which the solid is the crudest followed by the Apatattva (liquid).

Every object has basically sentient, mutative and static principles.

The Ksiti Piitha which is square and Apapapiitha which resembles a crescent moon both are static in nature. With the over‑activeness of these two Cakras, mind becomes crude. The passing of urine and stool is done due to over activation of these glands.

But the Tejapiit’ha which is located in the navel is Ra’jasika in nature, whereas the Va’yupiit’ha and the A’ka’shapiit’ha are sentient in nature. The navel is Ra’jasika because it maintains a balance between the 2 Tamasika and 2 Sattvika piithas.

If by some means or other, the lower two Cakras are excited, then the navel also becomes imbalanced. Navel controls energy or Pra’n’a Shakti.

The energy or Pra’n’a Shakti will go down towards lower Piit’has ‑ mind will be instrumental for crude thoughts and actions. And if the energy goes upwards towards higher Cakras, all the upper nerve‑cells, nerve‑fibres become energetic.

Ultimately the mind goes up, still higher up, up to Trikut’i (pituitary) and Sahasra’ra (pineal) (which is Gun’a’tiita). These two Cakras are beyond Sattva, Rajah and Tamah. When Sattva is affected, these two also are affected.

So far the physical cleanliness (external physical) is concerned, man should keep the lower two Cakras under control. They should be free from excitement.

That is why it has been mentioned in the rules of bath that one should pour water in front, on Muladhara and Svadhisthana, and next from behind. Water should be poured from both sides. First make those two cool and then have bath.

Our Caryacarya clearly states rules in this regard. If these two are all right, then other things also are all right. Even the common village folk know that before bath, one should give water first in the navel.

They are unconsciously conscious about this fact. Bath, then is highly important thing. (There shall be more clear instructions in the Dha’ran’a’ chapter). This is highly necessary and useful for the Yogiis.

The controlling station of Svadhisthana Cakra is located in the Piit’ha, not at the central point in the Karn’ika’. This is a singular case.

In all other cases, the central point of the Karn’ika’ is invariably the controlling point of the Cakra. The central point of the Piit’ha lies outside the Piit’ha because it is same as the central point of the Cakra. If the crescent moon is given the shape of a full moon, then it becomes easier to locate the central point. In our “Sna’na Vidhi”, it has been clearly mentioned that we must wet the navel and Svadhisthana first and then we should give water again from behind. So the external physical Shaoca is to keep the body clean and strictly observe Sna’na Vidhi.

Internal Physical (A’Ntarika Sha’Riirika) Shaoca:

The physical body, which is composed of five fundamental factors, is conditioned by the nature of food one eats. There are Sa’ttvika, Ra’jasika and Ta’masika food. (Carya’carya maintains a list of such graded food‑items).

Man wants to find out persons of his choice wherever he will be. A person addicted to alcohol tries to find out the wine shops in the town or city; according to his necessity, a cinema fan will collect information about cinema houses, a sportsman will gather news about stadium etc. It is ingrained in human nature to find out the like‑minded persons and environments according to his taste and aptitude.

The virtuous and pious people look for good persons; the Ta’ntrikas try to collect information about burial grounds.

If a person takes food of Ta’masika nature, then automatically his natural tendency will be towards crude thoughts because the stimulated two Cakras (Muladhara and the Svadhisthana) are static in nature.

If one eats too much of Ta’masika food, these two lowest Cakras become strengthened while the eating of Ra’jasika food strengthens the Man’ipura Cakra which controls the physical energy. Ra’jasika food supplies more energy to man for more and more action in the physical level.

The Sentient food strengthens the Ana’hata and Vishuddha Cakra ‑ which helps very much in spiritual Sa’dhana’. Sa’ttvika food is essential for spiritual progress. In India, there is long tradition that sentient food is compulsory for 4 categories of people ‑ Yatii (Sannya’sii), Bratii, Vidhava’(widow) and Brahmaca’rii.

There is no scope of selection of food for them. They must not eat anything according to their taste. Whether they take it or not, they must eat Sa’ttvika food. Yatii ‑ one who follows Yama and tries to control oneself in every sphere; Yama means to control. Yatii means Sa’dhu or Sannya’sii.

Bratii ‑ One who has a definite mission of doing some concrete and great service to humanity. If such a Bratii takes bad food, automatically his mission will not be fulfiled. Vidhava’ ‑ One who has lost her husband.

For such a widow, it is essential to be away from Ta’masika Jiivana (bad food and immoral life), otherwise, she will be treated as one downfallen. But for those who want to marry again this is not needed.

But if one wants to remain as a widow, one must compulsorily eat Sa’ttvika food. Our society has imposed these severe rules for them. Brahmaca’rii ‑ (It is already explained in Yama Chapter).

For the above mentioned four categories of people, there should be no scope of selection of food. Food is Sa’ttvika (sentient), Ra’jasika (mutative) and Ta’masika (static) in nature, and according to the nature of food Cakras are:

Sa’ttvika food is that food which conduces to the well‑being of both body and mind and is not at all harmful in any sphere.

Ra’jasika means that food which is good for health but which may or may not be good for mind but certainly not harmful.

Ta’masika ‑ That which is positively harmful for mind but may be or may not be good for health.

What is good for health but harmful for mind is also Ta’masika. Again what is equally harmful for body and mind is Ta’masika. An example is onion. It has good effect on health but is very bad for mind.

That is why it is Ta’masika. Beef carries some animal protein; but it is very bad for mind. Lentil pulses are good for health if it is taken during daytime but at night it is Ta’masika. The qualities of many objects vary from day to night.

Moon has its own influence on human body; whereas the influence of sun is something different. A type of banana (Champa Kala’) is good for both mind and health, if eaten during the day. But if eaten at night, the same banana causes cold and cough.

There is a variety of cucumber which has good effect if it is eaten before noon. The same thing changes its qualities in the afternoon and at night. That is why, even the illiterate village people know that the uses of those Ta’masika food‑items are to be avoided during those hours.

For Yatii, Bratii, Vidhava’ and Brahmaca’rii it is compulsory that they must take the Sa’ttvika food, not Ra’jasika and Ta’masika food in any case. The common people may take Ra’jasika and Ta’masika food if they so like. We can not order anybody.

Those who practise Sva’sthay’sana should eat Sa’ttvika or Ra’jasika food but not Ta’masika food because that will harm the body. For those who practise Dhya’na’sana, only the Sattvika food is permitted. Ra’jasika food may be eaten during the daytime only. Ta’masika food is strictly prohibited.

For external physical cleanliness, one should pour water in front and behind, and follow the relevant rules in this regard. In internal physical cleanliness, one must follow rules and restrictions regarding food, because, after all, man is not an animal like camels or goats who feed themselves on anything and everything available at hand. Man must apply his knowledge of discrimination in every action.

Regarding food‑items, man must discriminate between good and bad. It is natural that one must satisfy oneself about the nature of an injection that the physician is going to put inside the body. When you are going to take something foreign into your body, you must be sure about its probable after‑effects. The same discrimination applies for food also.

There is one thing more to be said about external cleanliness ‑ that is Surya Pranama.

It is done in 2 ways:

1. Through a sunbath in an uncovered body during Brahma muhurta. (This means the period consisting of 45 minutes before sunrise till 45 minutes after sunrise.) If one’s body remains uncovered at that time, it will absorb a lot of infra‑red rays from the rising sun.

These rays are very much beneficial for skin, nerves, flesh etc.

It is a fine natural medicine for skin disease, heart, digestion etc. This Pran’a’ma should be practised opposite the sun.

Ordinarily while bowing down to a man, one stands facing the man.

2. But in case of Su’rya‑Pran’a’ma, the process is reverse.

Here is the fixed rule: fire should warm the front portion of body, sunshine, the back portion of the body.

Our body can get the natural infra‑red rays during Bra’hma‑ muhu’rta.

The colour of the sun at this time is Aruna (crimson).

In mythology, Aruna is depicted as the charioteer of the Sun’s chariot, drawn by 7 horses.

These 7 horses are nothing but seven colours (“VIBGYOR”): violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red.

Infra‑red rays are available from them in the dawn.

From the white light also these infra‑red rays can be absorbed.

When immediately after bath one stands in the sunlight with small particles of water all over his body, the infra‑red rays of the sunlight may pierce into the body through those water particles.

That is why the Snanavidhi has been laid down in such a way that before drying off the water from the body, one should stand facing the sun so that the infra‑red rays of sunlight, before being dissociated, may enter straight into the body.

Through Snana‑mudra, we want to invigorate the upper portion of our body.

Thereby, the Sattvika portion of our body, the glands, and sub‑glands, undergo movement and become fit for assimilation of rays. The hands and the chest, due to their greater movement, absorb more rays.

While doing the Mudra along with uttering the Mantra, the entire front portion of the body becomes exercised. As a result there will be a glaze on the body immediately.