This is seldom obtained in nne birth, for usually only a succession of births brings to maturity the result obtained in a prior birth. (See KARMA; METEmesycnosis.) When, how ever, final liberation is attained, first, all ideas of self (-ease. In consequence, thought is turned inward, and this is the commencement of libera tion. lint as recollections, derived from former existences, sometimes prevail in his mind, they must be abandoned. 1Vhen the Yogin has sue ceeded in this, his knowledge will have become so infinite that but little will remain for him to be known. Then the cosmic:al !tunas, or qualities ( see SXNKIIYA), having accinuplished the main object of spirit, gradually arrive at the end of their functions, and, as a consequence, matter becomes separated from spirit.. This is ktlivelya, or true liberation. The practical part of the Yoga was admitted into the later Vedanta (q.v.).
The great power w hich this system of phi losophy has at all periods exercised on the llindu mind is less derived from its philosophical specu lations or its moral injunetbms, than from the wonderful effects which the Yoga practices are supposed to produce, and from the countenance they give to the favorite tendency of orthodox Hinduism, the performance of austerities. But to acquire such powers for show is expressly con demned by Patafijali and he recommends them merely as a means of practicing the Yoga-dis positions, so as to fit one's self for the knowledge which can come only to those who have over come all resistance. The perfect. Yoga thus at tained is called or Kfih`fllya, in dis tinction from the practical Yoga called 114tha YOya, which latter is hut a means to the supreme end of liberation. The text-book of this form
of Yoga is Chintamani Svatmaram .Jogindra's Hathuipradipika (edited and translated by Tatya and Iyangar, Bombay, 1893).
Originally. Yoga was not theistic; the Pnrusha was not God, but the perfected (liberated) spirit. But this individual spirit gradually, in the course of centuries, being influenced by the Vedanta, assumed the place of a personal supreme spirit or God, and yoga was interpreted as 'union with God,' whereas at first every spirit was individu ally eternal and yOga was the attempt to isolate spirit front matter. The system of Patarijali was taught by hint in a work called Yoga-sutra (edited and translated by Antra. Calcutta, 1883; translated by Dvivedi, Bombay. 1890), which consists of four padas, or chapters, each com prising a number of sutras (q.v.).
The oldest commentary on it-is ascribed to one Vyasa (q.v.) this was eommented on by Vaelmspati Alikra. Of other commentaries. those by Vijnanabhikchn (edited by Sastri, Benares, ISS-I) and Blinjadeva (edited by Alitra, Cal cutta, ISM) are the best.
Consult: Hall. Contribution Toward an Index. to thr Bibliography of the Indian Philosophical Systems (Calcutta, 1S59) : Paul. Yoga-Phi losophy (Benares. 1851) ; :Markus. Yoga-Phi losephir (Halle, 18S61: Garbe, Rankhya and Yoga (Strassburg. 1S90); Vivekananda. Yoga Philosophy (2c1 ed.. New York, 1898) ; Six Pystents of Indian Philosophy (ib., 1899).