Abstract

Yoga system of Patañjali is one of the oldest systems of Indian philosophy. Apart from a traditional school which carries all the philosophical tenets within itself, it can also be regarded as an applied science. Basically Yoga psychology is both a positive and a normative science. Yoga psychology mainly deals with mind ( citta ), mental modifications ( vṛtti s), impurities ( kleśa ) that distract the citta from attaining the highest realization. Our mind is an area of conflicting forces which requires to be subdued to some kind of unity. The main objective of Yoga psychology is to lay bare the process of thinking in its ethical aspects of progress towards or away from self-illumination which is identical with salvation; incidentally it has to discuss the difficulty and dangers beset the path of the aspirants for liberation at different stages of progress. Like the modern psychological counselling, this traditional knowledge system teaches us how to control the mind, how to fix it or how to make it stable etc. In this paper a modest attempt will be made to showcase the psychological aspect of Yoga philosophy which aims at the purification of citta to realize the ultimate serenity of life.