WHAT ARE PURVANGA YOGAS?

Yoga is described as that which prevents the vacillation of the mind. Patanjali defines it " Yogah chittha vrutthi  nirodhaha" Yoga consists of eight parts and hence is called ' Ashtanga Yoga.' These eight parts are classified into two divisions namely the preliminary yogas or PURVANGAS and the later ones called UTTARANGAS. The Purvangas consist of YAMA, NIYAMA,  ASANA, and PRANAYAMA. The Uttarangas include PRATYAHARA, DHARANA, DHYANA, and  SAMADHI. In any practice like Hata or Raja yogas one should practise Purvanga Yogas before practising the Uttarangas!
   Let us take up the first of the Poorvanga yogas namely "yama".This is a combination of 5 very important aspects of life. They are
1.Ahimsa or non violence
2.Astheya
3.Sathya or truth
4.Aparigraha
5.Brahmacharya or celibacy
Ahimsa consists in not killing animals during yagnas or sacrifices and offerings to goddesses like Durga and Kali.Small insects poisonous ,reptiles ,scorpions,bugs and flies, fierce lions, tigers,cheetahs,elephants ,bears and wild boars should not be killed.No creature should be exposed to pain and no mind troubled.
The second Astheya,is not to dream of appropriating others' property.In spite of severe difficulties and poverty he should not think of stealing others wealth.He should never touch others' property or wish for it or openly say about it.
Sathya or Truth is to speak what exactly one has seen or heard or known without exaggeration or understatement. Untruth spoken in order to save oneself or the life of another is considered to be truth.Not to save the life of a person by speaking untruth is treated as a great sin according to elders.
Aparigraha is not to receive alms or anything except from his disciple.
Brahmacharya or celibacy is the most important aspect of YAMA.This is not to have any conjugal bliss.He should never entertain such a thought in mind. A married person enjoying conjugal happiness with his wife during her fertile period is considered as a celibate or bramachari.One who wants to possess the other's lady directly suffers from “Kayika dosha” physical defect. Oral defect or vachika dosha is to flirt with all types of women and scheming with friends as to how to get physical satisfaction of the senses.In “manasika dosha” or the defect of the mind , the person languishes inwardly and silently for his lady without revealing it to others.The only way to avoid these defects is to see all women as his mother and control and forget the feelings of lust. Rutukala is the 16 days from  that day. There should be no union during the first 4 days, 11^th , and 13^th days which are considered bad. Certain days  like ashtami,ekadasi,chaturdasi poornima,amavasya,sankaranthi,vratha days and mourning days are unfit for union of man and women.Union with one's own wife is forbidden except during  rutukala. A brahmin who has taken food during a shraddha should not have union with  his wife  even  when she invites him.Union is forbidden during early mornings, daytime, evening or sandhya and midnight. Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyakssha were born to Diti as she compelled Kasyapa prajapati for union in the sandhyakala or evening. Conception on the 4^th day results in poverty and short life for the child.11^th day brings in a female child not interested in dharma.A child conceived on the 13^th day shall go astray and marry in other caste and community.There is also a danger of giving birth to a eunuch or a woman given to the qualities of man.You should not approach a pregnant women after 6 months.These important points of brahmacharya must be practiced by one and all.