Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

happened in those years we cannot know except by inference from what we observe in
the visible Universe of stars around us. The past is like a huge tidal wave advancing
and devouring everything in its path. Magnificent civilizations on our earth of which
only traces are left and even planets and solar systems have disappeared in this tidal
wave never to appear again and a similar relentless fate awaits everything from a grain
of dust to a Solar system. Time, the instrument of the Great Illusion devours every-
thing. And yet, look at puny man, whose achievements and glories are also to disap-
pear in this void, how he struts about on the world stage clothed with brief authority or
glory in the few moments which have been allotted to him. Surely, this awful pano-
rama of ceaseless change which is unfolding before his eyes should make him pause
and at least wonder what is all this about. But does it?
The above picture of man in time and space is not at all over-drawn. A man has
only to isolate himself for a while from his engrossing environment and ponder over
these facts of life to realize the illusory nature of his life and to feel the so-called zest
of life melt away. But few of us have the eyes to look at this awful vision, and if by
any chance our eyes open accidently for a while, we find the prospect too terrifying
and shut them again, and completely oblivious and unaware of the real nature of life
continue to live with our joys and sorrows until the flame of life is snuffed out by the
hand of Death.
Now, the above picture of man in space and time has been given not with a view
to provide entertainment for the intellectually curious, or even food for thought for the
thoughtful, but to prepare the ground for the consideration of the philosophy of Klesas
which forms the foundation of the Yogic philosophy. For the philosophy of Yoga is
based on the hard realities of life, harder than the realities of Nature given to us by
Science. Those who are not aware of these realities, or are aware only superficially in
their intellectual aspects can hardly appreciate the goal or the technique of Yoga. They
may find Yoga a very interesting subject for study, even fascinating in some of its as-
pects, but they cannot have the determination to go through the tremendous labour and
ordeals which are required to rend asunder the veils of illusion created by Time and
Space, and to contact the Reality which is hidden behind these veils.
With this brief introduction let us now turn to consider the philosophy of Klesas
as it is outlined in the Yoga-Sutras. Let us first take the Samskrta word Klesa. It means
pain, affliction or misery but gradually it came to acquire the meaning of what causes
pain, affliction or misery. The philosophy of Klesas is thus an analysis of the underly-