A DETAILED STUDY OF PRATYAHARA IN VARIOUS YOGIC PRACTICES

(WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PASHUPATA YOGA)

Thesis submitted by
DEBJANI ARUN BAGCHI

To
KAVIKULAGURU KALIDASA SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY
RAMTEK, NAGPUR.

For
Ph. D. DEGREE

Under the guidance of

Prof. (Dr.) B.R. SHARMA

Research Guide
Dean, Faculty of Health and Wellness
Prof. & Head, Department of Yogic Science
Chairman, Research and Development
Member, Academic Council
Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha, India- 754006

K.J. SOMAIYA BHARATIYA SANSKRITI PEETHAM

(CULTURAL AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE)
SOMAIYA VIDYAVIHAR CAMPUS, INDIA
2020
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the research work entitled ‘A detailed study of Pratyahara in various
yogic practices (with special reference to Pashupata Yoga)’ submitted by Debjani A.
Bagchi for the award of Ph.D.DEGREE to Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University,
Ramtek, Nagpur, has been written under my supervision and guidance during her period of

study at K.J.Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham. It embodies the results of research done

by her own efforts and has not been submitted earlier for any degree or similar title to any other
university or examining body.

Place: Mumbai Prof. (Dr.) B.R.Sharma

Date: Research Guide

Dean, Faculty of Health and Wellness

Prof. & Head, Department of Yogic Science

Chairman, Research and Development

Member, Academic Council

Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha,

India- 754006

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 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this research work entitled ‘A detailed study of Pratyahara in various
yogic practices ( with special reference to Pashupata Yoga)’ submitted for the award of the
Ph. D. DEGREE to Kavikulaguru Kalidas Sanskrit University, Ramtek has been completed
by me under the guidance of research guide Dr. B.R.Sharma and under the auspices of
K.J.Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskrit Peetham, VidyaVihar, Mumbai, India.

This thesis is the outcome of my own efforts and has not been submitted either in part or whole
to any other University for any other degree or similar titles. References borrowed from the
sources are duly acknowledged.

Place : Mumbai Debjani A. Bagchi

Date: Research Student

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am immensely grateful to my spiritual Guru Swami Amarananda Saraswati for his valuable
guidance and teachings. I am tremendously indebted to my guide Dr.B.R.Sharma who has been
generous to give me time whenever I needed. He has mentored me to accomplish this research
work.

I express my gratitude towards Dr. N. Ganesh Rao for guiding and helping me. My heartfelt
gratitude to Dr. Kala Acharya, Dr.Lalita Namjoshi, Dr.S.Agashe, Dr. Deepak Bagadia, Shri
Rudraksha Sakrikar, the Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham office and its staff members:
Ms.Shubhangi, Ms.Rajshree and Ms.Seema for being there for me always. I appreciate the
kindness of Prof. Madhusudan Penna for helping me through all my queries, Mr. Bala Saheb
Wagh for doing the Sanskrit Translation of the synopsis of this thesis and the librarian, Shri
Sagar for encouraging and helping me at every step. I am also immensely grateful to Dr. Mrs.
Praveena Shetty, Dr. Mrs. Rajni Pradhan and Mrs. Anurita Misra for their unconditional
support.

This research work has given me an opportunity to visit many institutions and libraries. I thank
each one of them. I thank Kavi Kulaguru Kalidasa University, Ramtek for supporting me for
this research work. My heartfelt gratitude towards K.J.Somaiya Bharatiya Sanskriti Peetham,
Vidyavihar; Buddhist Centre, Chinmaya Mission and Kaivalyadham in Lonavala.

I have taken help from numerous websites of the internet while researching this field. I express
my sincere gratitude towards all of these websites. I wish to thank the Internet Archives:
https://sanskritdocuments.org; http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in; http://www.dlshq.org (the
Divine Life Society) and many more.

This research work would not have been possible without the help of my family members
particularly my husband Shri Arun Bagchi and my children Master Anubhav and Miss Drishti
whose computer skills helped me a lot. I am also indebted to my mother, Mrs. Kajal Lahiri who
had given her whole hearted unconditional support whenever I used to get bogged down with
workload. I also extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Raj Jotwani and Royal Printers. Every
possible care has been taken while writing this thesis, yet I seek forgiveness for the faults it
may have.

Mrs. Debjani A. Bagchi

Place: Mumbai Research student

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International Alphabets of Sanskṛta Transliteration:
Vowels and codes:

Devanāgarī Transcription

Small letters Capital letters

अ a A
आ ā Ā
इ i I
ई ī Ī
उ u U
ऊ ū Ū
ऋ ṛ Ṛ
ॠ ṝ Ṝ
ऌ ḷ Ḷ
ॡ ḹ Ḹ
ए e E
ऐ ai Ai
ओ o O
औ au Au
अं ṃ Ṃ
अः ḥ Ḥ
ऽ ‘ ‘
Chandra bindu ṁ Ṁ

Table: Vowels and codes.

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 Consonants and codes:

क : तालु मूधा द ः ओ ः
velars palatals retroflexes dentals labials

क च ट त प
kK cC ṭṬ tT
pP

ख छ ठ थ फ
kh Kh ch Ch ṭh Ṭh th Th
ph Ph

ग ज ड द ब
gG jJ ḍḌ dD
bB

घ झ ढ ध भ
gh Gh jh Jh ḍh Ḍh dh Dh
bh Bh

ङ ञ ण न म
ṅṄ ñÑ ṇṆ nN
mM

ह य र ल व
hH yY rR lL
vV

श ष स
śŚ ṣṢ sS

Table: Consonants and codes.

Henceforth, all Sanskṛta words will be written in IAST, the International Alphabets of
Sanskṛta Transliteration.

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

Ad. U. - Advayatāraka Upaniṣad

AU - Amṛtabindu Upaniṣad
Ap- Aparokṣānubhūti
At. U.- Atharvaśira Upaniṣad
BG - Śrīmadbhagavadgītā
BP - Śrīmadbhāgavatapurāṇam
BU- Bhasmajābāla Upaniṣad
Br. U.- Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad
CU - Chāndogya Upaniṣad
DU - Dhyānabindu Upaniṣad
Fig.- Figure
GG -Guru Gītā
GS - Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā
HYP - Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā
IU - Īśavasya Upaniṣad
JU - Jābāladarśana Upaniṣad
KU - Kaṭha Upaniṣad
Ke. U.-Kena Upaniṣad
Kṣ.U.- Kṣurika Upaniṣad
LP - Liṅga Purāṇa
MBU - Maṇḍalabrāhmaṇa Upaniṣad
Ma.U. - Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad
Mu.U. - Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad
NU - Nādabindu Upaniṣad
NBS – Nārada Bhakti Sūtra
Pg. – Page Number
P - Pañcadaśī
PU - Pāśupatabrahma Upaniṣad

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Pr.U. - Praśna Upaniṣad
PYS - Pātañjalayogasūtra
RU- Rāmarahasya Upaniṣad
RV - Ṛgveda
Ru.U. - Rudrahṛdaya Upaniṣad
Śā.U. - Śāṇḍilya Upaniṣad
Śv.U. - Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad
TU - Taittirīya Upaniṣad
TB - Tattvabodhaḥ
Te.U. - Tejobindu Upaniṣad
VS - Vairāgyaśatakam
VU - Varāha Upaniṣad
VP - Viṣṇu Purāṇa
Vi - Vivekacūḍāmaṇi
YCU - Yogacūḍāmaṇi Upaniṣad
YTU - Yogatattva Upaniṣad
YV – Yoga Vāsiṣṭha
YY- Yoga Yājñavalkya

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page No.

Certificate i
Declaration ii

Acknowledgement iii
International Alphabets of Sanskṛta Transliteration. iv

List of Abbreviations vi

Table of contents viii

Introduction – A Concise Introduction to the thesis 1-34

Chapter Title Pg. No.

Chapter 1 The Concept and various tools of Pratyāhāra 35-104

Chapter 2 Pratyāhāra in various yogic practices or Sādhanā-s 105-149

Chapter 3 Relevance of Pratyāhāra in Praṇava Sādhanā in 150-196

Bhakti Yoga
Chapter 4 Pratyāhāra in Pāśupata Yoga 197-220
Chapter 5 Conclusion 221-230
Bibliography 231-236

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