Raja Yoga Or Conquering The Internal Nature

This book, first published in 1922, examines the science of Râja Yoga. All the orthodox systems of Indian philosophy point to one goal, the liberation of the soul through perfection – and the method to attain this is through Yoga. This book presents lectures on Yoga, delivered to a western audience view to explaining Indian philosophy; the lectures are accompanied by the Sutras (aphorisms) of Patanjali, along with an explanatory commentary.

For thousands of years extraordinary and supernatural phenomena have been studied, investigated, and generalised, the whole ground of the religious faculties of man has been analysed, and the practical result is the science of Raja Yoga. In the modern times Swami Vivekananda has been the most authoritative oracle to propound this age-old science of God-realization. The main theme of the book is concentration of mind as a means to superconscious state. The first part of the book comprises several lectures to classes delivered by the Swami in New York. The second part is a rather free translation of the aphorisms of Patanjali, with a running commentary. This book published by Advaita Ashrama, a publication centre of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, is invaluable and indispensable for all the practitioners of meditation.

Each Soul is potentially divine and the goal is to manifest the divinity that is within, by controlling nature, external and internal. We shall have to do this either by work, worship, psychic control, or philosophy - and eventually, all be free. This fascinating book contains a treatise on Raja yoga, and comprises a wealth of enlightening information on the subject sure to appeal to discerning students and enthusiastic beginners. Split into the two sections; 'Raja Yoga' and 'Patanjali’s Yoga Aphorisms', this book contains the chapters: The First Steps; Prana; The Psychic Prana; The Control of Psychic Prana; Patyahara and Dharana; Dhyana and Samadhi; Raja-Yoga in Brief; Powers; and Independence. Swami Vivekananda was an Indian Hindu monk and disciple of the nineteenth-century saint Ramakrishna. This book was originally published in 1923 and is proudly republished now complete with a new introduction to the subject.