Mircea Eliade YOGA IMMORTALITY AND ... - Brihaspati.net

The texts quoted above refer, undoubtedly, certain ascetics who practiced pranayama,
approved by them to the particular called Agnihotra sacrifice. This is not only a
validation example, by the Orthodox tradition, an exercise that, if mis-mo, was devoid of
ties that join this tradition. However, the homologation results in substitution practices
(which she justifies it). Asceticism thus becomes an equivalent of the sacrifice, the Vedic
ritual. Since that time com-prises that so easily penetrated other practices I-guis in the
Brahmanic tradition, and how they were accepted.
Moreover, we should not imagine that this homologous-mation was made in only one
direction. There are always the fervent supporters of yogic practices which seek to obtain
the brah-ancestor-worship the validation of his attitude and his method. The same ortodoxia
has taken the initiative, often. The tiny number of "he-regiments" that has marked
the three thousand years of Indian religious life is partly due to the incessant efforts of the
many sec-tions and currents to be validated within the tradition, and secondly side to the
relentless action and assimilative "hinduizante" of orthodoxy. Orthodoxy, in India, means
first of all spiritual domination of a caste, the Brahmins. His "system" theological and
ritual can be reduced to two elements: l9) the Vedas are con-sidered as elements of an
unchanging scriptural corpus, 2?) Slaughter is the most important alii. The two elements
are "is-static" par excellence. And yet, the religious history of India Indo-Aryan is
revealed as essentially dynamic, in perpe-tua transformation. A double fact explains this
phenomenon, nourished and sustained done so far by the Brahmin orthodoxy: 1) 'through
the hermeneutics, the Vedas have been reinterpreted constantly, 2 °) approvals through
mystical, or religious rituals, all the complexity religious and mystical extra-Orthodox
has been reduced, so to speak, to a common denominator and finally absorbed by the
orthodoxy of the divinities Assimilation "poor neighborhoods" autochthonous by
Hinduism is a current phenomenon (see Note IV, 4) .
Obviously, this absorption orthodoxy but did not make in times of crisis, ie, when their
old patterns and doctrinal ritualized them no longer satisfied with their own schemes for
farmers and when major "experiences" or ascetic-mystical sermons extramural occurred.
We can distinguish in the course of history, a reaction against the Brahmanic ritual
schemata, and also against an excess of "abstraction" reaction whose starting point is at
the very heart of Indian society. This reaction volume to increase as India is more
"brahmanizada" and "Hinduized", ie when the absorption of the elements and extra-extra-
Brahmanic Aryan is more intense.
Symbolism and Gnosis in the Upanishads
The also, its against the ritualized
ism. They are the expression of experiences and meditations I-chas outside Brahman
orthodoxy. Responded to the absolute necessity of the abstract schemas of ritualism were
far from complete. The Upanishads rsi shared, in this regard, the position of the yogis
much as each other, leaving orthodoxy (the sacrifice, ta civil, family) and in utter
simplicity engaged in search of the absolute. It is true that the Upanishads are held in the
metaphysical Hnea \ of contemplation, while that uses yoga asceticism and meditation
techniques. But the osmosis between the media and yogis Upanishads has not been
interrupted ask. Some yogis bastavSon methods accepted by the Upanishads, by way of
preliminary exercises of purification and contemplation.