The Concept of Yoga and its Goal

Abstract

Yoga is being popularized more than it has ever been these days. Its popularity caused a great deal of enthusiasm among the Hindus while it stirs a kind of anxiety or rather threatening among the non-Hindus as it is thought to be a plan for conversion to Hinduism. There is a general conception that yoga is about Hinduism but what it really is, except for the certain postures and answers to other questions relating to it are not generally known. The aim of this paper is to analyze Yoga thoroughly and try to answer questions relating to it, so that every reasonable man will be able to reason their way to truth and decide for themselves what to do and what not to do. In doing so, we will have to start right from the very beginning of all questions- What is Yoga? And ends with the question- Is Yoga for you? While trying to answer these questions this paper explains about the Classical Indian Philosophy, Ultimate reality, Moksha, how S mkhya and Yoga are related, about Citta, Citta Vritti, the five Kle as or sources of afflictions, Eight-fold path or Ashtanga yoga of Patanjali, purpose of Yoga. The final question attempted is whether one’s summum bonum is in accordance to that of the goal of Yoga. This will answer to the question- whether Yoga is for oneself or not.