Centre for Yoga Studies

The Art of Personal Sādhana

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    rūpa

    Devanāgarī: रूप Translation: any outward appearance or phenomenon or colour; form, shape, figure; aggregate; ‘formed or composed of’, ‘consisting of’ Similar words:cakṣus Opposite words:virūpa Related concepts:nāma, lakṣaṇa, svarūpa, śabda, sparśa, rasa, gandha, sarūpa, tanmātra, saguṇa, nirguṇa

    Appears in

    Yoga Sūtra:

    Chapter 1: 8 , 17
    Chapter 3: 21 , 46
    Chapter 4: 34

    Sāṃkhya Kārikā:

    23 , 63 , 65

    Bhagavad Gītā:

    Chapter 11: title


    Click here for complete Saṃskṛta Index

    Commentaries around

    “Insight follows the aggregate
    of deliberation on the gross,
    to reflection on the subtle,
    resulting in a feeling of happiness,
    culminating in a sense of oneness.”
    – Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 17

    “The association with the world full of form and change starts with the mind.
    Suffering caused because of this association is an eye opener.
    Who is suffering?
    Who is recognising it?
    What can release this suffering?
    All these questions exist because of this association,
    even though it may often be painful”
    – T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 23

    “Then, he has also some views on Dhyāna.
    Since Dhyāna is a characteristic of mind,
    and since the mind is limited to form,
    Deśa, or the object of meditation,
    must be Saguṇa and not Nirguṇa.
    Ordinary people need certain forms,
    certain visualisations, for Dhyāna,
    so any Dhyāna which is Nirguṇa is only Vikalpa.”
    – TKV Desikachar Switzerland 1981.

    “In meditation,
    one must make the transition
    from the gross, that which has form
    and which can be seen by the mind,
    to the subtle, the formless.”
    – TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988

    Bhāvana on Ujjāyī as a Dhāraṇā Deśa
    “Ujjāyī is a form of Ajapā Mantra.”
    – 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

    “The ‘seed’ of potential for Ujjāyī as an
    Ajapā Mantra abides within the ‘shell’ of
    a Bhāvana for Ujjāyī as a Dhāraṇā Deśa.
    The Deśa also needs to be supported by
    utilising a locationally relevant Ādhāra,
    as in this instance, the Viśuddhi Ādhāra.
    Further considerations can be around the
    linking of the sound of Ujjāyī to a semantic
    thought-form, by adding Mano Japā Rūpa to
    this Ajapā, as some do through using Haṃsa.
    However, one could argue that this formation,
    shifting from a non-language feeling-based
    experience into a language thought-based
    experience, can detract from the Bhāvana,
    in that a unique Lakṣaṇa of Ujjāyī resides in
    the notion of ‘sounding’ without language.”
    – 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

    “Ultimately our experience of the Āsana is refined
    through the mystery of the breath,
    rather than the mastery of the form.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    The Viniyoga of Breath Ratio within Śikṣaṇa Practice
    “Svatantra within Āsana, Mudrā
    and Prāṇāyāma implies knowing
    the self-application and effects of
    breath ratios, as well as you know
    the self-application and effects of
    the forms of the important Āsana.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “My Āsana study with Desikachar was shaped around forming
    a deep appreciation of specific core principles that underpin
    the planning and practice of Āsana and their application to
    the individual student’s constitution, psychology and need.
    Amongst these dozen or so core principles,
    the first group when looking at any Āsana in depth,
    were the concepts of Nāma, Rūpa and Lakṣaṇa, or the
    name, form and characteristics of that particular Āsana.
    Obviously, the Nāma is a useful tag point for identification
    and the Rūpa is vital as a reference point for the Sat Viniyoga,
    or right application of the Āsana within overall considerations of
    initial direction and outcomes through such as the Śikṣaṇa Krama,
    Rakṣaṇa Krama or Cikitsā Krama application of the forms used.
    However, I do feel these days that our understanding in Āsana
    practice is more dominated by the Nāma and the Rūpa with
    little emphasis on the Lakṣaṇa or inherent characteristics of the
    Āsana and how understanding this aspect can have a profound
    effect on the approach, application and outcome of the overall or
    accumulative impact of the Āsana within the student’s practice.
    The teachings of Krishnamacharya around Āsana included
    an in-depth appreciation of the Lakṣaṇa, especially around
    the thirty or so primary and secondary support Āsana such as
    Uttānāsana, Jaṭhara Parivṛtti, Bhujaṅgāsana or Januśīrṣāsana.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    Links to Related Posts:

    • Can we find some similar characteristics between various individuals around Āsana practice…
    • Compendium of Quotes from TKV Desikachar on the Yoga of T Krishnamacharya……
    • Considerations for Vinyāsa Krama around Bakāsana……
    • Guidelines for skilful dynamics within the performance of Vīrabhadrāsana……
    • Longer term Vinyāsa Krama within the Viniyoga of the breath in Āsana……
    • Nāma, Rūpa, Lakṣana – The Name, Form and Characteristics of Āsana
    • The Viniyoga of Inversion as an Āsana or as a Mudrā……

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    Related

    This glossary with its similar, opposite and related concepts categories, supplemented by textual references and additional commentaries around the key word, is a both work in progress and constantly ever-expanding in terms of further cross-references, textual cross links and commentaries.
    As it continues to develop your comments and suggestions on your experience and how it may be enhanced are very welcome via this link, thank you.
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