Chapter 1.9 - Glory of Yoga in Jainism

Haribhadrasūri in his treatise Yogabindu praises yoga by presenting its significance. He says^[1] that yoga is a kin to the type of the tree namely kalpa, yoga is akin to the best type of jewel namely cintāmaṇi ^[2] yoga is chief among the virtuous performances, yoga is the very attainment of supreme success (i.e. mokṣa). Moreover, he says that the sharp weapons of the god cupid, which cause to pierce through a mind shielded by mere penance, get utterly blunted when struck against a mind that is protected by the armour of yoga.^[3] Just as an impure piece of gold is invariably purified by fire so also the mind, which has been gendered impure by nescience, invariably becomes purified by the fire of yoga.^[4]

Hemacandrācārya in his Yogaśāstra—the valuable treatise on Yoga, sings the glory of Yoga as follows:

yogaḥ sarvvavipadvallīvitāne paraśuḥ śitaḥ |
amūlamantratantraṃ ca kāmarṇaṃ nirvṛtiśriyaḥ ||1.5|| ^[5]
bhūyāṃso'pi hi pāpmānaḥ pralayaṃ yānti yogataḥ |
caṇḍavātād ghanaghanā ghanāghanaghaṭā iva ||1.6|| ^[6]
kṣiṇoti yogaḥ pāpāni cirakālārjitānyapi |
pracitāni yathaidhāṃsi kṣaṇādevāśuśukṣaṇiḥ ||1.7|| ^[7]

The Yogapradīpa of Upādhyāya Maṅgalavijaya contains the following verse. It sings the glory of Yoga. The verse is:

“pavitrayogaśabdo'yaṃ, yeṣāṃ karṇe'pi nāgataḥ |
te'pi manuṣyarūpeṇa, mantavyā hariṇāḥ sadā || 2 ||”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

yogaḥkalpatarūḥ śreṣṭho yogaścintāmaṇiḥ paraḥ|
yogaḥ pradhānaṃ dharmāṇāṃ yogaḥ siddheḥsvayaṃgrahaḥ || 37 ||

[2]:

The tree namely kalpa (kalpataru) and the cintāmaṇi jewel are mythological entities which fulfill all desires whatsoever of those who have access to them.

[3]:

kuṇṭhībhavanti tīkṣṇāni manmathāstrāṇi sarvathā|
yogavarmāvṛte citte tapaśchidrakarāṇyapi || 39 ||

[4]:

malinasya yathā hemno vahaneḥ śuddhirniyogataḥ|
yogāgneścetasastadgadavidyāmalinātmanaḥ || 41 ||

[5]:

Yoga is [like] a sharp-edged axe for the tangle of creepers of all calamities. It is a supernatural means for [attaining] the happiness of liberation without [the use of] medical herbs, spells or Tantric [teachings]

[6]:

Just as a multitude of dark and dense clouds [vanish] due to a forceful wind, [the result of] even the most evil deeds obviously dissolve by [the power of] Yoga.

[7]:

Just as a quick fire [reduces] a pile of firewood [into ashes] within a moment, [the practice] of Yoga destroys [instantaneously the results of] evil deeds although accumulated over long time._