Itimarg Sadhana – First Step – Kindle Edition

Yoga has been practiced from times immemorial. In the olden age the most prevalent practice was according to Maharishi Patanjali’s prescribed eight steps; Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharna, Dhyana and Samadhi.

With the passage of time, man has become physically weaker and his activities have gradually shifted from the physical to the mental sphere. In the Nineteenth Century the essence of Patanjali Yoga was condensed into Raja Yoga, the entire practice centered round renunciation of Kamini and Kanchan i.e., women and gold. Hence Balbrahmcharya was an essential requirement, Hereby the great stress at the mental plane. The advance of science has made man more materialistic, a majority of the people do not want or even feel the necessity of thinking beyond their bodies. Eat, drink and be merry is the motto of their life. In these circumstances, therefore, neither the Yoga of the olden age nor the Raja Yoga is practicable. One out of a crore of persons might attain perfection but for the masses, such an achievement appears impossible.