Vihangam Yoga: A Brief Introduction

Vihangam Yoga: A Brief Introduction

Vihangam means a bird. As a bird floats in the air overcoming the gravitational force of the earth, so does the consciousness of the Atma float in the limitless space of pure consciousness leaving behind its physical base i.e. body, mind and intellect. To distinguish it from various prevalent physical, mental and spiritual practices, which also go by the name of Yoga, the Vedic Yoga is called Vihangam Yoga or Sahaja Yoga.

In Vihangam Yoga the mind is lifted to its source, the Akshara Brahma where it is permanently quietened, just like a river losing its identity in the ocean. Once the soul is freed from bondage of the mind, it realizes its true nature and stops identifying itself with the human body. In fact, the soul then acts as the master and guides the mind and the body in the way it likes. Having realised the futility of worldly pleasures, derived through the sense organs and their objects, it soars higher in search of the Absolute Bliss (Paramananda). It is then only that the real meditation of Vihangam Yoga starts, terminating in Samadhi, the ultimate aim of Yoga of meeting with the Supreme Soul. In this state the soul has attained liberation while residing in the body itself (Jivanmukti).

The literal meaning of the word 'Yoga' is union. Vihangam Yoga is defined as the union of Atma with Paramatma. This union is achieved after Atma frees itself from the shackles of the mind and intellect and attains its pure conscious state. The Supreme Soul is a purely conscious entity and is beyond the reach of the mind and intellect. The mind and intellect are inert by themselves and are activated by the consciousness of the soul. An inert object cannot reach a conscious entity, far less unite with or merge in it. Therefore, the physical yoga practices cannot reach the ideal of Vihangam Yoga.

It was this yoga that Lord Krishna taught to Arjuna. In the celebrated work Bhagwad Gita during the Mahabharata period, some five thousand years ago. This has called Brahma Vidya in the Gita and the Upanishads.

The divine knowledge of Vihangam Yoga disappeared gradually after the Mahabharata period. It was revived by the real mystic saint, Kabir, more than five hundred years ago.

In recent times it was rediscovered by the great Swami Sadafal Deoji Maharaj of village Pakari of Ballia District of Indian state Uttar Pradesh (U.P.).The entire knowledge that he gained in the state, of Samadhi of Vihangam Yoga has been described fully and systematically by him in his unique spiritual work SWARVEDA, a book of poems describing all aspects of spiritual practice in simple language. A detailed commentary has been written by his successor and son, Acharya Dharam Chandra Deoji Maharaj, and had been published from Adhyatmic Yantralaya, Garhwar; District Ballia, U.P.

The Vihangam yogis of today are verifying the experiences described therein just in the same way as was done during the Vedic period.