Yog-Mahapath-1

 Yog-Mahapath-Gopiath Kaviraj, Hindi Translation by SN Khandelwal.

Entering into another physical body is considered a great power by the yogis. its quite famous that Adi Shankaracharya also did it. He moved his pran or life force from his toe and took it out from his crown and entered in to the body of King Amru. Staying in King's body he learned Kaamkala tattva (relation between man and woman as he being a mendicant was celibate from childhood) and learned all the knowledge about it. After acquiring this intense knowledge, he departed from King's body through his crown and entered his own preserved body through crown of the head. before getting out of his own body, he appointed his closest disciples to guard his life less body till his return. As per general hearsay, the great teacher entered his life force in to King's dead body since he himself had no knowledge of Kaamkala Tattva.

how far this story about Adi Shankaracharay's entry into other physical frame is true, its not easy to say. In some scriptures this detail is there in some scriptures where this yog has been described, there also some pointers to it are mentioned. But still one can not conform it fully. This is also possible Shankars apathy towards Tantra and his indulgence in Shankar Vedant may be the root of his afore said story. 

Whether this story is true or unsubstantiated but Parkaya pravesh (to enter into another physical body) is a true fact. It represents high achievement on the part of a yogi. Parkaya pravesh can be done arranged in different ways and many different methods also exist for same. Instead discussing the purpose of it here, we feel that discussion of the procedure for same here is more appropriate.

In the yogic scriptures, dharana mentioned for ordinary practitioners, is known as Deh Dharana. It seems Dharana of Ashtang Yog ( 8 limbed Yog) is a part of it. To keep consciousness focused in a special part of body is known as Dharana. People in yogic path know how important value it carries. Inward journey (in yog) starts with Dharana only. Yam, Niyam, Asan, Pranayam, Prtyahar are known as the outer limbs of yog while Dharana, Dhyan and Smadhi are known as the inner limbs of it. We are discussing here with tantrik perspective. In Budhist tantra and non-tantra scripture the differennce is there in definitions and  the sequential procedures followed. In Agams also there are many differences referred. Even because of these differences, the knowledge of essence remains the same.

Heart, eye brow center and nose tip etc. are the special places in the body, doing dharana on them bears great fruits.  All this though defined by the term Dharana only but still its a form of Deh dharanan only. apart from this Deh dharana, there is another dharana, which is called Videh Dharana. At the time of leaving the body consciousness and mind also keep working taking support of this body only. Body, senses, consciousness etc. antahkaran and person represented by to also keep connected. Consciousness is actually Vibhu or mighty but ordinarily its vrittis are exhibited inside the physical body taking support of the body itself. While practicing the inner yog, we have to stop the outward flow of the mind and make it focused on one object only. The purpose of practice up to Pratyahaar is to make the outward movement tendencies of the mind to turn inwards. For this with moral abstinence and self control, Body-Pran-Mind and Senses help in necessary. On this whole spiritual life is based on this. Whatever  is understood by Yam and Niyam, That is only for operation in life. on this is based the essence of spirituality. After this, the main goal of asan is to make body still as much as possible. after attaining this as an effect, stillness of pran occurs and forwarded movement is attained. 

After getting proficient in the process of body stillness, on develops power  to sit in one asan for long duration of time sometime Pran automatically becomes still. Only on attaining stillness of pran one understands the teaching of Pranayam and develops the control to move the pran as per desire. On moving on this path, due to effect of Pranayam some time mind and senses also develop stillness on its own. and in that state, even if eyes are open still one is not able to see. Sound can not be acquired even if keeping the hearing senses free. Same can be understood about the other senses too. This is known as the combined still state of all the senses. Both eyes are free, sight object is in front and helping causes are also present, but still sight is not seen. From this one infers that if there is no connection with senses, this is not coming together of the sense then the meaning also will have no connection. this closeness or joining of the the two can not occur even if pran gets stilled for a moment or Kshan. This happens on its own  due to some effort. When yog practitioner attains this state then he is given diksha of Pratyahaar. Now practitioner as per desire gets skillful in pratyahar. On realizing the Pratyahar fully, outer yog finishes and inner yog starts. This alone is dharana. 

The dharana which we are discussing, meaning of that is on realizing of  stillness, moving the consciousness in one direction towards one focused point. In this one has concentrate on a point in our body only. In the process of Dharana our consciousness moves, means it transforming into Vrittis or instincts. This instinct is the instinct of our consciousness only. This instinct arises when consciousness enters into a body. Thus it is said that that consciousness has been fixated in a physical body.