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Subject Matter
==What is Raja Yoga?==
==What is Raja Yoga?==
Raja Yoga means the King of all yogas. The Yoga system of Patanjali (200 BC) is generally known as Raja Yoga<ref>Swami Harshananda (2008), A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Vol 3, Bangalore: Ramakrishna Math.</ref>.
Raja Yoga means the King of all yogas. The Yoga system of Patanjali (200 BCE) is generally known as Raja Yoga<ref>Swami Harshananda (2008), A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Vol 3, Bangalore: Ramakrishna Math.</ref>.
Indian philosophical systems are known as Darshana because they depend on darshana i.e. seeing or experiencing the truth. The Yoga system deals primarily with sadhana or spiritual disciplines. It helps the individual soul to attain concentration on Ishvara and ultimate union with Him. That is why the Yogasutras of Patanjali, the basic text of the Yoga system, begins with the words – atha yoga-anushasanam i.e. Now, the teaching of Yoga is begun.
Indian philosophical systems are known as Darshana because they depend on darshana i.e. seeing or experiencing the truth. The Yoga system deals primarily with sadhana or spiritual disciplines. It helps the individual atman to attain concentration on Ishvara and ultimate union with Him. That is why the Yogasutras of Patanjali, the basic text of the Yoga system, begins with the words – atha yoga-anushasanam i.e. Now, the teaching of Yoga is begun.
Yogasutra has attracted the attention of a number of sadhakas who have enriched the yoga literature by their earned commentaries and sub-commentaries like:
Vyasa Bhashya – circa 400 CE
Tattva-vaisharadi – by Vachaspati Mishra – 850 AD
Yoga-bhashya-vivarana – by Shankara – circa 788-820 CE
Tattva-vaisharadi – by Vachaspati Mishra – 850 CE
Raja-martanda-vritti – by Bhojadeva – 11<sup>th</sup> century
Raja-martanda-vritti – by Bhojadeva – 11<sup>th</sup> century
*The four yogas were published under the auspices of the Vedanta Society of New York.
*The four yogas were published under the auspices of the Vedanta Society of New York.
*Raja Yoga was in publication during '''February 1896''' as he writes to Mr. E. T. Sturdy from 228 West 39<sup>th</sup> Street, New York on 29 February 1896 that, “… the Raja-Yoga, a much bigger one, is in the course of publication;…”
*Raja Yoga was in publication during '''February 1896''' as he wrote to Mr. E. T. Sturdy from 228 West 39<sup>th</sup> Street, New York on 29 February 1896 that, “… the Raja-Yoga, a much bigger one, is in the course of publication;…”
*Sarah Ellen Waldo, who prepared the manuscript of Raja yoga, wrote to Sara Bull on 6 March 1896 from Brooklyn, “I am hard at work on the Raja matter and have nearly finished it.”
*Sarah Ellen Waldo, who prepared the manuscript of Raja yoga, wrote to Sara Bull on 6 March 1896 from Brooklyn, “I am hard at work on the Raja matter and have nearly finished it.”
*The book was in the British press of Longman Green and Co. in '''March 1896''' as Swamiji writes to Mr. E. T. Sturdy from New York on 17 March 1896 that, “The Raja-Yoga is in the hands of Longmans.”
*The book was with the London based Longman Green and Co. in '''March 1896''' as Swamiji wrote to Mr. E. T. Sturdy from New York on 17 March 1896 that, “The Raja-Yoga is in the hands of Longmans.”
*But, we find S E Waldo giving to Sara Bull an estimate of printing 2000 copies of Raja Yoga by the Boston based Arena Company in a letter on 23 March 1896.<ref>Amrita M Salm & Judy Howe Hayes (2019), The Inspired Life of Sarah Ellen Waldo, Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.</ref>
*But, we find S E Waldo giving to Sara Bull an estimate of printing 2000 copies of Raja Yoga by the Boston based Arena Company in a letter on 23 March 1896.<ref>Amrita M Salm & Judy Howe Hayes (2019), The Inspired Life of Sarah Ellen Waldo, Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.</ref>
*The book was warmly received in the West as Swamiji wrote to Mrs. Bull from 63 St. George’s Road, London S.W. on 5 '''June 1896''' that, “The Raja-Yoga book is going on splendidly.”
*Raja Yoga was warmly received in the West as Swamiji wrote to Mrs. Bull from 63 St. George’s Road, London S.W. on 5 '''June 1896''' that, “The Raja-Yoga book is going on splendidly.”
*He got mixed reviews about the book as he wrote to Alasinga from 14 Grey Coat Gardens, Westminster, London in 1896 that, “Mr. Satyanathan, whom I met in London the other day, said that there has been a friendly review of my Raja-Yoga book in the Madras Mail, the chief Anglo-Indian paper in Madras. The leading physiologist in America, I hear, has been charmed with my speculations. At the same time, there have been some in England, who ridiculed my ideas. Good! My speculations of course are awfully bold; a good deal of them will ever remain meaningless; but there are hints in it which the physiologists had better taken up earlier. Nevertheless, I am quite satisfied with the result. “Let them talk badly of me if they please, but let them talk”, is my motto.”
*He got mixed reviews about the book as he wrote to Alasinga from 14 Grey Coat Gardens, Westminster, London in 1896 that, “Mr. Satyanathan, whom I met in London the other day, said that there has been a friendly review of my Raja-Yoga book in the Madras Mail, the chief Anglo-Indian paper in Madras. The leading physiologist in America, I hear, has been charmed with my speculations. At the same time, there have been some in England, who ridiculed my ideas. Good! My speculations of course are awfully bold; a good deal of them will ever remain meaningless; but there are hints in it which the physiologists had better taken up earlier. Nevertheless, I am quite satisfied with the result. “Let them talk badly of me if they please, but let them talk”, is my motto.”
*He wrote about the symbol created by him to Dr. Nanjunda Rao from England on 14 July 1896 that, “You see the symbol I made for the Raja-Yoga, printed by Longman Green and Co.”
*He wrote about the symbol created by him to Dr. Nanjunda Rao from England on 14 July 1896 that, “You see the symbol I made for the Raja-Yoga, printed by Longman Green and Co.”
*The book hit a jackpot and got sold like hot cakes within eight months after its publication. We find him writing to Alasinga from 14 Grey Coat Gardens, Westminster, S. W. on 11 '''November 1896''' that, “PS. The first edition of Raja-Yoga is sold out, and a second is in the press. India and America are the biggest buyers.”
*The book hit a jackpot and was sold like hot cakes within eight months after its publication. We find him writing to Alasinga from 14 Grey Coat Gardens, Westminster, S. W. on 11 '''November 1896''' that, “PS. The first edition of Raja-Yoga is sold out, and a second is in the press. India and America are the biggest buyers.”
*He also wrote to Mrs Bull from Greycoat Gardens, Westminster, London, S.W. on 13 November 1896 that, “You will be interested to know that the first edition of Raja-Yoga is sold out, and there is a standing order for several hundreds more.”
*He also wrote to Mrs Bull from Greycoat Gardens, Westminster, London, S.W. on 13 November 1896 that, “You will be interested to know that the first edition of Raja-Yoga is sold out, and there is a standing order for several hundreds more.”
*Raja Yoga was not published in America until 1899 after Swami Abhedananda added a glossary. The book served two purposes. First, Swamiji demonstrated that religious experiences could stand on the same footing as scientific truths, being based on experimentation, observation, and verification. Therefore genuine spiritual experiences must not be dogmatically discarded as lacking rational evidence. Secondly, he explained lucidly various disciplines of concentration, with the warning, however, that they should not be pursued without the help of a qualified teacher.<ref name=":0">Swami Nikhilananda (1953), Vivekananda A Biography, New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center.</ref>
*Raja Yoga was not published in America until 1899 after Swami Abhedananda added a glossary. The book served two purposes. First, Swamiji demonstrated that religious experiences could stand on the same footing as scientific truths, being based on experimentation, observation, and verification. Therefore genuine spiritual experiences must not be dogmatically discarded as lacking rational evidence. Secondly, he explained lucidly various disciplines of concentration, with the warning, however, that they should not be pursued without the help of a qualified teacher.<ref name=":0">Swami Nikhilananda (1953), Vivekananda A Biography, New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center.</ref>
==Sarah Ellen Waldo and Raja Yoga==
==Sarah Ellen Waldo and Raja Yoga==
Sarah Ellen Waldo (1845–1926) was Swamiji’s American disciple from Brooklyn. He first called her Brahmacharini Yatimata for her deep interest in Raja-Yoga and later, Sister Haridasi. She ran Swamiji’s household in New York, commuting daily from her residence at 249 Monroe Street, Brooklyn—a two-hour journey. She cooked, edited, cleaned and took dictation, taught and managed, read proof and saw visitors. She played an active role in the running of the New York Vedanta Society and taught Raja-yoga in both its practical and theoretical aspects. She was given charge of the publication of Swamiji’s books in America in association with Mr. Francis Leggett. She was initiated into the vows of brahmacharya by Swamiji on 20 February 1896 at New York, with a mantra of her choice.
Sarah Ellen Waldo (1845–1926) was Swamiji’s American disciple from Brooklyn. He first called her Brahmacharini Yatimata for her deep interest in Raja-Yoga and later, Sister Haridasi. She ran Swamiji’s household in New York, commuting daily from her residence at 249 Monroe Street, Brooklyn—a two-hour journey. She cooked, edited, cleaned and took dictation, taught and managed, read proof and saw visitors. She played an active role in the running of the New York Vedanta Society and taught Raja-yoga in both its practical and theoretical aspects. She was given charge of the publication of Swamiji’s books in America in association with Mr. Francis Leggett. She was initiated into the vows of brahmacharya by Swamiji on 20 February 1896 at New York, with a mantra of her choice.
Swamiji dictated the greater part of Raja-Yoga to her, taken down in long hand with painstaking care. She was his amanuensis. She thus described the manner in which he dictated the book, 'In delivering his commentaries on the aphorisms, he would leave me waiting while he entered into deep states of meditation or self contemplation, to emerge therefrom with some luminous interpretation. I had always to keep the pen dipped in the ink. He might be absorbed for long periods of time, and then suddenly his silence would be broken by some eager expression or some long, deliberate teaching.'<ref name=":0" />
Swamiji dictated the greater part of Raja-Yoga to her, taken down in long hand with painstaking care. She was his scribe. She thus described the manner in which he dictated the book, 'In delivering his commentaries on the aphorisms, he would leave me waiting while he entered into deep states of meditation or self contemplation, to emerge therefrom with some luminous interpretation. I had always to keep the pen dipped in the ink. He might be absorbed for long periods of time, and then suddenly his silence would be broken by some eager expression or some long, deliberate teaching.'<ref name=":0" />
==The Book==
==The Book==