Gs Paper-1
Syllabus: Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Context:
Each year on 21 June, the world comes together to observe the International Day of Yoga, a day designated by the United Nations to celebrate the power of yoga in promoting holistic health practices worldwide.
Yoga derives its name from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’ which means to join or to unite. It symbolizes the unity of one’s mind, body, and spirit with the world outside, through a set of exercises that include breathing techniques, physical postures, and relaxation methods.
Theme:
The International Yoga Day 2022 will be celebrated under the theme ‘Yoga for Humanity’.
Yoga Philosophy:
Yoga process is described in eight stages (ashtanga-yoga, “eight-membered Yoga”)
External Aids:
- The first two stages are ethical preparations.
- Yama(“restraint”), which denotes abstinence from injury falsehood, stealing, lust, and avarice;
- Niyama(“discipline”), denotes cleanliness of body, contentment, austerity, study, and devotion to God.
- The next two stages are physical preparations.
- Asana(“seat”), is a series of exercises to make the body supple, flexible, and healthy.
- Pranayama(“breath control”) is a series of exercises intended to stabilize the rhythm of breathing in order to encourage complete respiratory relaxation.
- The fifth stage, pratyahara(“withdrawal of the senses”), involves control of the senses, or the ability to withdraw the attention of the senses from outward objects.
Mental or internal aids:
- Dharana(“holding on”) is the ability to hold and confine awareness of externals to one object for a long period of time.
- Dhyana(“concentrated meditation”) is the uninterrupted contemplation of the object of meditation, beyond any memory of ego.
- Samadhi(“total self-collectedness”) is the final stage and is a precondition of attaining release from samsara, or the cycle of rebirth. In this stage, the meditator perceives or experiences the object of his meditation and himself as one.
Practice Questions
Q. Which one of the following pairs does not form part of the six systems of Indian Philosophy? (UPSC CSE 2014)
(a) Mimamsa and Vedanta
(b) Nyaya and Vaisheshika
(c) Lokayata and Kapalika
(d) Sankhya and Yoga
Answer: C
Q. With reference to the history of philosophical thought in India, consider the following statements regarding the Sankhya school: (UPSC 2013)
- Sankhya does not accept the theory of rebirth or the transmigration of soul.
- Sankhya holds that it is the self-knowledge that leads to liberation and not any exterior influence or agent.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B
Sources: Indian Express, the quint
