tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31351038.post6565016951688358228..comments2024-03-26T13:06:41.178-04:00Comments on Jagat: Bhaktivinoda Thakur and the Novel Form: Prema PradipaJagadananda Dashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05887720845815026518noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31351038.post-62432934327921929842017-08-15T21:42:09.328-04:002017-08-15T21:42:09.328-04:00Thank you for the response. The more I learn about...Thank you for the response. The more I learn about Bhaktivinode Thakur, the more I appreciate the multi-dimensional nature of his genius. I use the "genius" term deliberately.<br />I trust you know I agree with you regarding the inherent benefits of hatha and ashtanga yoga. It seems the only deleterious impact they can have on a bhakta is if he uses them for selfish goals or personal pride. Considering how easily many folks use bhakti itself for selfish gain and prideful identity, I'm not sure it's accurate to consider the tools found in the yoga darshanas inherently a threat. <br />Prem Prakashnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31351038.post-92153303458312124792017-08-14T02:33:24.575-04:002017-08-14T02:33:24.575-04:00Radhe Radhe, Prem Prakashji. I was going to write ...Radhe Radhe, Prem Prakashji. I was going to write something a bit longer on this subject. The short answer is, judging from this book, that he had probably read those three works: Hatha-yoga-pradipika, Gheranda-samhita, and Shiva Samhita. If I am not mistaken, S.C. Bosu had printed his translations at around that time and this means that the Sanskrit editions were available. I have also seen the latter two works quoted in Sahajiya works from that period, so it is clear that these works were around and being discussed. The Mullick character in the book also reveals that there were educated people, Babus, who were taking yoga practice seriously.<br /><br />All three of these works, however, maybe give a somewhat distorted idea of what a hatha-yoga practice would look like, though one would likely dabble with most of the kriyas, etc., learn their practical utility and then either reserving them for times of necessity or integrating them into one's practice. But to think that they had to do everything is a mistake. <br /><br />I do get the impression that Bhaktivinoda Thakur also experimented a bit with it, but came to his conclusions without adventuring too far into the practices. This is clear from his summary. I may be wrong and should probably read again before making such judgments.<br /><br />Another thing is that Bhaktivinoda Thakur does not get into the Bauls, just touching on them with a brief interlude in which he presents the Bauls in a rather pleasant aspect. There is a film called Moner Manush in Bengali which rather nicely idealizes the life of Lalan Fakir, which gives a nice romantic vision of Baul life. <br /><br />Now Bauls are not exactly hatha yogis, but they have kinship and do follow many of the practices related to raising the kundalini, for want of a better expression. So whether Bhaktivinoda was going to deal with those questions and decided to abort is something that we can speculate on. He wrote a number of songs in the Baul style that are put downs of some Baul and Sahajiya practices. But it is not clear that he made the connect between these hatha-yoga texts and those of the Sahajiyas.<br /><br />In my opinion, pratyahara is not the only or even the most useful practice for a bhakti-yogi. I think that hatha-yoga or ashtanga-yoga are useful to a very high level of bhakti practice, primarily because they foster ekagrata, single-pointed concentration. Smarana ("remembering") is one of the main devotional practices, our acharyas describe it as leading to [bhakti]-Samadhi, so any of the means for Samadhi in Ashtanga can be applied to bhakti, why not?<br /><br />Are they favorable or unfavorable? In my opinion, again, I think they can be extremely valuable. The benefits of hatha-yoga and raja-yoga are too numerous and far reaching to be ignored, and if applied judiciously can be of extreme service to the cause of bhakti. <br /><br />Hatha yoga helps you to be a more complete human being. And if this is applied to bhakti-sadhana, it can make your practice that much more effective.<br /><br />Jagadananda Dashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887720845815026518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31351038.post-11290867010484734982017-08-11T02:27:07.245-04:002017-08-11T02:27:07.245-04:00I don't know enough about Bhaktivinoda Thakur&...I don't know enough about Bhaktivinoda Thakur's life to understand where he got such extensive understanding of hatha and raja yoga. Are you aware of these biographical details?Prem Prakashnoreply@blogger.com