General Outlines of the SIDDHA YOGA

Introduction:- upcoming

In this world, it is only in India, the science of Yoga has been studied in detail and with great depth. It has also been practically demonstrated.
For the pursuit of happiness, peace and liberation, the Spiritual practice of meditation is necessary.
Realisation of the self is to attain eternal bliss (happiness).
The self (God) itself is the supreme bliss. Meditation is the key to eternal bliss. Meditation conquers the restlessness of the mind. Meditation is a master key to self-realization. The LORD KRISHNA confirms it in the BHAGAWAT GEETA chapter-13 in the verse no.24
     "Some behold the self by meditation, some by the path of knowledge and others by following the path of Action".
The well known branches of yoga are HATHA YOGA, Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga and Raja Yoga. But the path of the SIDDHA YOGA (MAHA YOGA) in which the awakening of the Serpent Power (Divine Power known as Kundalini Shakti), takes place by the grace of a Spiritual master, is the supreme path of the Indian origin.
The spiritual master by his grace, awakens the divine power (kundalini shakti), in the aspirant. Siddha yoga is very ancient. Very few chosen ones were given the initiation of Siddha yoga. It is recently becoming known to the common man. The intolerable stress and strain, prevailing in our homes, in the community & in the entire world is making it extremely difficult to maintain the balance of mind. With the practice of Siddha Yoga, it is possible for anyone to maintain the peace of mind.

What is MAHA YOGA (SIDDHA YOGA)? 

The aspirant, one who wants to be initiated in Siddha yoga, makes a request to the spiritual master. The spiritual master judges his / her commitment for the spiritual upliftment and  the agrees for the initiation. The exact process of initiation is not revealed to anybody. During initiation the aspirant is asked to sit in comfortable position with his eyes closed and spine erect. The initiation is done on the auspicious day and on specific time. During the initiation, the spiritual power is transmitted from the spiritual master to the aspirant.
The divine power is present in each and every living being.. It is eternal and all pervading but remains dormant because of unlawful deeds of his/her many past births. By the grace of the spiritual master, the sins committed are uprooted, the layers over the Adi Shakti (Kundalini Shakti) are removed, and she emerges into her original form of the divine entity. The power movers from the base of the spinal cord (Mooladhar Chakra) to the top of the brain (Sahasrara Chakra) like a serpant. The mind of the aspirant is diverted from worldly pleasures to the inner bliss.

The SIDDHA YOGA (SHAKTIPAT YOGA):>

The SIDDHA YOGA is also known as SHAKTIPAT YOGA because of its functional aspect. Following the Great Statements (Maha Vakyas) of the Vedas when an aspirant experiences communion with the God, it is called "knowledge". By the grace of God and by the favourable glance of the Spiritual master a deserving disciple achieves this knowledge of self-realisation through the process of the Transmission of Spiritual Power. This process is known as SHAKTIPAT.

SHAKTIPAT (Transmission of Spiritual power)

Descent of Spiritual Power:
Though the Divine Power (Serpent Power or Kundalini Shakti) is all pervading and eternal it remains trapped in an individual by the sinful deeds of his/her past many births, but by the grace of the Spiritual master, the sins committed by the initiated are uprooted and the dormant (inactive) Serpent Power (Kundalini shakti) becomes active. The layers of this Primal Power (Adi Shakti) or (Kundalini Shakti) are removed and she emerges (comes out) into her original form of the Divine Entity by the transmission of the Spiritual power. The Serpent Power being activated (awakened), the vital force (Prana) rises upward through sushumna and consequently mind and Life Force (Prana) both merge into one completely, without any efforts by the aspirant. Therefore this path is known as the SIDDHA YOGA (self-equipped path) or MAHA YOGA.

The important difference between the SIDDHA YOGA and other Yogic path is that the Followers of the other systems have to make strenuous (hard) efforts to achieve the Final Goal. While the followers of the SIDDHA YOGA - having been initiated, experiences automatic physical movements of all the Four Yogas, namely Hatha, Mantra, Laya and Raja according to the need of his body, mind and accumulated impressions of the past deeds. If an aspirant needs Bandha, Mudra and Pranayama (breath control) to purify his mind, Prana (Life Force) and senses, these yogic feats (postures) would happen automatically. If an aspirant needs mantra, he would receive it in a dream or through the divine utterances. It is also observed that the Spiritual progress of a devotee absorbed in God's worship is accelerated and he attains higher stages like MANONMANI and A-MANASKA (higher thoughtless state of mind) by the grace of the Serpent Power (Divine Power)  (Kundalini Shakti). It can be stated firmly that for the complete purification of an aspirant's mind and body, the Divine Power (the Serpent Power) takes the charge of an aspirant for his/her Spiritual progress and herself employs one or all the four ways of Yoga. Hence this path is also known as MAHA YOGA. This state of mind can be achieved spontaneously and instantly by the grace of a Spiritual master. Restraint over tendencies of mind mentioned in YOGA DARSHAN by the great sage PATANJALI can be achieved by the grace of a Spiritual master.  Function is the same; but the process of SIDDHA YOGA is simple and easy.

The Serpent Power (Divine Power):-

The Serpent Power having coiled up in three and half turns resides at the base of the spinal cord i.e. in Mooladhara. Her original form is similar to the light of crores of lamps put together. It's awakening is quite necessary for the Spiritual progress of an aspirant.
After the initiation, the initiated feels the presence of the Serpent Power (Divine Power). It is felt in the form of Life Force - Prana being controlled through the automatic process that takes place by the grace of a Spiritual master. As Divine Power (Serpent Power) remains dormant (inactive) at the base of the spinal column (mooladhara), supreme power in him remains covered i.e. dormant, the aspirant remains ignorant of his own self and his own power.
The aspirant is the form of God Shiva and the supreme power in him remains (dormant) covered. The supreme power gives rise to Life Force (Prana), (i.e. breath), Fire (Agni), Vital point (Bindu) and sound (nada). To regain this knowledge of the Serpent Power, one has to surrender himself completely to the Spiritual master, for his favourable grace. This supreme power has been called by different names because of her different functional aspects. Some call her as the Primal (Fundamental) power. Some as Sushumna, some as Kundalini (Serpent Power), some as Saraswati (Deity of learning. She is also known as Maha Maya, Maha Devi, Maha Laxmi, because of here presence in one's body, mind and breath (Prana) are active. All the activities of the world spring from this supreme power. Aspirants who are not initiated do not get the real benefits of their efforts of practising meditation, of learning scriptures for knowledge etc. of yogic practices, of recitation of God's name, of penance, of worship of God or of any kind of religious service. Therefore, it is absolutely essential for an aspirant to get initiated. Our physical birth is due to our mother, whereas our Spiritual birth is due to the initiation of our Spiritual master. Once the Serpent Power is awakened, the yogic practices, the recitation of holy (God's) name (mantra), worship of God, reading of holy verses; in whatsoever form they are performed, yield good results. The life of the initiated person turns into one full of Spiritual joy.

The Power of the Spiritual Master (Guru Tattva): The true nature of the Spiritual power):

An aspirant has to surrender himself to the Spiritual master and  pray to him personally or through a prayer-letter for bestowing on him his grace to awaken his Divine Power (Kundalini). Just as a lamp is kindled by another lamp, a Spiritual master awakens the Serpent Power (Kundalini) of the aspirant, who surrenders himself to the Spiritual master with full faith and devotion. Consequently, all his sins are gradually wiped off and the initiated begins to feel the presence of the Divine Power. This is how the Spiritual master bestows his grace naturally. According to the Spiritual science, the principle, which makes the initiated feel the direct experience of the transmission of power (SHAKTIPAT), is the grace of the Spiritual master. Preceptors of the Vedas call this Spiritual power as "CHITI SHAKTI". Yogis call her the Serpent Power (Kundalini) whereas mantra-yogis call her "Mantra-Chaitanya-Shakti".

The Code of Conduct for the initiated:

The Spiritual master should be honoured and respected as the God (divinity) himself. The progress of an aspirant depends upon the degree of intensity of respect which the initiated has for his Spiritual master. The initiated should try to have feelings of respect and honour for his Spiritual master and brotherly feelings for his initiated fellow-brothers. Otherwise, it will block his progress. Good friendly and brotherly relationship with the other disciples of the Spiritual master will enhance the progress very fast. The superb feeling of well-being among all the initiated fellow-brothers is described in the following verse of the Rigveda, will enhance the Spiritual progress of all and will bring worldly divine and Spiritual peace to all:-
"Pray God, Let all be happy, healthy and prosperous. Let there not be anyone with grief-stricken" (Rigveda). 

Shree Jnaneshwar Maharaj praises the path of SIDDHA YOGA.

The path of the SIDDHA YOGA can be compared to the path of birds' sky-way (vihamgam marga), in which an aspirant bird enjoys easily the fruit of the Spiritual progress owing to the God-gifted power. The great SAINT of Maharashhtra, Shri Jnanneshwar Maharaj was initiated into this path of SIDDHA YOGA by his Spiritual master, his elder brother, SHRI NIVRITTNATH  MAHARAJ. He had related the yogic experiences of this Yoga in several places in "JNANESWARI". For the benefits of all the fellow pilgrims of the Spiritual path. especially in the sixth chapter of "JNANESWARI" being blessed by his Spiritual master, he has narrated in detail some of his yogic experiences in which you will find description about his experiences that he had when his Divine Power was awakened by the grace of his Spiritual master, which he himself experienced without any effort, while reading the description of the experiences of this path in the 'JNANESWARI'. It is possible that common man may feel that such a difficult path is not easy to follow. But by the grace of a Spiritual master, an aspirant starts getting these experiences automatically without any physical efforts. Therefore they need not have such fears. The initiated persons have to simply watch whatever the experiences - physical or mental - that may arise in their meditation - (Spiritual practice). SHRI JNANESHWAR MAHARAJ disapproved other yogic practices which require special efforts. In the book named 'HARIPATH' in the fifty verse he says : "various yogic practices and sacred sacrificial offerings (sacrifices) would not yield results leading to man's final goal; for they are sheer waste of energy and would create hurdles (obstacles) like egoism in the Spiritual path".
Initiated by the Spiritual master SHRI NIVRITTNATH  MAHARAJ into the SIDDHA YOGA, he practiced it and experienced its simplicity. When he noticed that it is easy to follow, to make this simple and easy path known to the people, he recommends it to all the people in his book JNANESWARI in the verse 363 of the Chapter 6 (six):

The SIDDHA YOGA bestows Eternal Bliss:

Worldly pleasures mainly depend upon physical objects. For example, you may get a most obedient and amiable wife, a renowned son and an official promotion etc. One may get all these pleasures which are simply transitory (temporary). The Spiritual joy (bliss) is attainable even without the ear pleasing words, eye catching sights and fragrant smell. This unparallel path of the SIDDHA YOGA is the bestower of the eternal bliss. This is the bliss of the soul and it is eternal.