Niyam(Sadhana pada 2.32)

सूत्र: शौचसंतोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः

पदच्छेद: शौच , संतोष , तपः , स्वाध्याय , ईश्वर , प्रणिधानानि , नियमा:

Simple meaning: Cultivate good in you

While Yama directs common man how to live and behave in society. Niyama guides his/her individual behavior within him/herself.

Thus science of yoga places society before self.

There are 5 components of Niyama are:

1)Shoucha:purity

A pure mind only can give joy and peace to you as well as others. cleanliness being next to godliness, a clean body ina pure mind is essential for purity of thought, words and acton. here purity is referred to as physical, oral and mental.

Physical purity can be external and internal.

Oral purity means to avoid unnecessary use of tongue and follow Yam steps of purity/modify speech.

Mental purity is ofcourse very important to keep one on path of sadhana.

Eating fresh and healthy food and treating the body like a temple is shoucha.

2)Santosh: According to Manusmita, Santosh is happiness and Asantosh is sorrow.

It is a feeling of fulfillment of a mission or goal.

Our day to day physical needs can be fulfilled with the help of material objects, this fulfillment is sometimes misunderstood as Santosh.

Yoga refers Santosh to mental contentment which is a state of mind and is not dependent on outside matters or ojects.

Our scriptures told us that root cause of all suffering is Trishna(desires).

With Santosh yoga teaches us to learn to be content and remain happy with what we have and what we are.

3)Tapas or Tap(Austerity):

Tapa means endurance building.

Continue to march forward on the path of Dharam or the path of yoga despite physical or mental limitations is Tap.

One should show discipline in thoughts, speech and actions.

This helps mind seek higher spiritual aims.

Seventeenth Chapter of Bhagwat Geeta describes 3 types of TAPAS:-

a) Satvik Tap = Done with faith and not expecting fruits

b) Rajasic Tap = Done to attain status or recognition

c) Tamasic Tap= Done with meanness to hurt others.

With the help of Tapas, destruction of impurity happens, our body and all senses(indriyas) becomes pure.

It helps in gaining concentration in work.

4) Swadhyaya(self-study):

Swadhyaya means self-study. In simple terms it is learning and then meditate on what is taught.

Study of sacred books is Swadhyaya.

Reading and absorbing sacred texts elevates consciousness to a higher level where we start to realize that all creation is made for bhakti(adoration) rather than bhoga(enjoyment) and that all creation is divine and same divine energy sustains all of us.

5) Ishwara Pranidhana( Surrender to Ishwara(GOD) ):

The word ‘Ishwar’ is derived from sanskrit root ‘Ish'(to rule).

The word Ishwar suggests “personal god” but also includes the idea of the impersonal Bharma.

Ishwara Pranidhana means worship with complete faith. It is to believe in Ishwar’s existence, have faith in his greatness and to completely devote oneself to him without expecting anything in return.