yoga-paTTa

[DEVARAKONDA VENKATA NARAYANA SARMA]

In the yoga sutras of Patanjali, AsanA which is one of the aSTAngAs
(which are the necessary aids) of yoga, is defined as

sthira-sukhamAsanaM

AsanA is the one that is stable and comfortable. This will be an aid in
allowing the sAdhakA to forget his body and loose himself in meditation.
Yoga-paTTa seems to help in making your posture stable and comfortable.

regards,

sarma.

At 07:27 AM 6/12/98 -0600, Michaei Rabe wrote:

>So, in brief--here's my query once again, risking overstatement for the
>sake of eliciting further speculation and textual leads, hopefully.  Given
>the contexts cited above, might the yoga-patta be, in effect, a visual
>equivalent of the black-belt in the further Eastern martial arts
>traditions?  Siva, Narasimha, and Ayyappa are demon-destroyers, now
>pacified.  Thus, might the yoga-patta be a token of necessity for
>restraint?  And likewise, in the context of heroic continence called for in
>the face of an apsaras Alambusaa's seductive wiles?
>
>Thus, the yoga-patta seems to be more than simply an aid for protracted
>sitting in the lotus position.  Like the black-belt of a judo master, it
>proclaims capacity for great exertion of violent or sexual prowess, but
>held in check.  That's why I'm wondering if there's a much more prosaic
>explanation I'm ignorant of, as a non-practioner of martial-yoga/tapas,
>myself.
>
>Hoping others shares of you share my interest in this thread,
>Michael Rabe
>Saint Xavier University
>SAIC, Chicago
>[Go Bulls!]
>
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++
>1. >To a great part the stories of Sanchi and Bharhut
>>are already identified: they reflect certain
>>Jatakas and similar Buddhist tales. There you will
>>find the literal description of what you call
>>yoga-straps.
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>2. >If you can get hold of a calender depicting Lord Ayyappa you
>>can easily know what it is.
>>regards,
>>sarma.
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>3. >I believe in a naandii verse of the play M.rcchaka.tika there is a
>>reference to yoga-pa.tta. If that is not the case, I will write again. I do
>>not have the text handy. -- ashok aklujkar
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>4. >I missed the original question, there are also sculptures of Narasimha
>>and Dakshinamurti with the yogapaTTa, though rare. There is a brief
>>discussion of the Elements of Hindu Iconography, by T. A. Gopinatha Rao
>>Vol II, Part I about dakshinamurti with yogapaTTa (page 284-286). I
>>believe Vol I, part I has all the relevant Sanskrit sources. You may
>>want to look at all 4 volumes
>>to see if he has one about Narasimha also.
>>Rama.
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>[& my original query]
>>>Friends,
>>>A fellow-instructor at The School of the Art
>>Institute of Chicago--someone
>>>who has been practicing ashtangi-yoga far longer
>>than Madonna, I might
>>>add--is currently researching the iconography of
>>yoga-straps in Indian art
>>>and contemporary meditational practice.  Though I
>>am able to direct him to
>>>numerous visual occurences instances of the motif
>>[from the North torana at
>>>Sanchi to the 16th c.Caurapanchashika mss.
>>illuminations] neither of us
>>>have been able to locate any textual references
>>to this accouterment.
>>>
>>>Here is Monier-Williams's citation:
>>yoga-paTTa[ka] (HarSa-carita, PadmaP):
>>>m. the cloth thrown over the back and knees of a
>>devotee during meditation.
>>>
>>>And the obvious query: if any one can direct us
>>to a chapter and verse in
>>>either cited work, or elsewhere, we'd be much
>>obliged.
>>>
>>>Much Thanks,
>>>Michael Rabe
>>>Assoc. Prof. of Art History
>>>Saint Xavier University
>>>&
>>>The School of the Art Institute of Chicago

>