Yama and Niyama are the first two limbs of the AshtangaYoga propounded by the sage Patanjali in his famous treatiseYoga Sutras. Other limbs comprise Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. The first two Yama and Niyama are considered the foundation of Yogic and spiritual life. The subsequent stages of Yoga can’t be successfully mastered without following these Yama and Niyama. It is the beauty of Yogic tradition that evolution is dependent upon human efforts. Patanjali has listed five Yamas. They are Satya or truth, Ahinsa or non-violence, Asteya or no stealing, Brahmacharya or continence and Aparigraha or non hoarding. All these are social norms of a democratic society. Here no ideology is enunciated to run the individual or social life. Any civilised or evolved society needs these norms. These norms are totally secular and nonsectarian. Even today our moral or even legal codes of conduct are based upon these social norms.

 

The integration of the society with its members is possible consequent upon the observation of these norms. After prescribing the social norms, Patanjali has highlighted the individual compliances in the form of Niyama. These Niyama are also five in number. Shaucha is the purity of the body and the mind. Santosha is the contentment. Tapah is the penance or different higher practices done to elevate human consciousness. Swadhyaya is self-study . Swadhyaya means study of scriptures and self awareness as well. The last one is Ishvarapranidhana or surrender to the Supreme Reality. By observing these individual norms one evolves and prepares the ground for the further practices of Yoga leading to enlightenment. While describing these Yama and Niyama Patanjali talks like a self management expert. Nowhere he has mentioned in the entire text that non compliance of these social and individual norms will lead to hell or anger of any divine entity. Even when he has talked about surrender to the Almighty, there is no mention of the divine wrath or curse.

 

Thus it is clear that Yama and Niyama are the basic and fundamental paths to self evolution. Anybody can practise these norms and uplift his consciousness. Other forms of self management traditions of India have also given equal importance to Yama and Niyama. In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna has also enumerated these Yama and Niyama for becoming Sthitaprjna or a person having mental stability. The modern concept of emotional intelligence is basically anchored in the practice of self awareness, a core ingredient of Niyama. Self awareness is the root of self management. At the same time social awareness can’t be cultivated without self awareness. Modern research and study have found that a self aware person alone can be truly successful either in personal or professional life. In this way we find that Yama and Niyama are universal and applicable for all the times and for all the persons cutting across race, creed, sex, language, ideology, etc. The inclusion of these values in the syllabi of our primary education will go a long way in building a society based upon democratic and secular norms.