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Recently while discussing about practice of meditation, I heard that there are five daily activities called Pancakāla Prakriyā which are Abhigamanam, Upadanam, Ijyai, Svadhyayam, and Yogam followed by those who initiated into Pancharatra.

Out of those five, "Yogam" is what I want to know more about since it is related to meditation. I heard that these Panchakala Prakriyas are described in Pancharatra texts but I have no idea in which Pancharatra text these practices are described.

So, I am looking for the text (i.e particular chapter of particular Pancharatra text) describing and explaining "Yogam" practice from Pancharatra texts.

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  • Is Yogam and Yoga same ? – SwiftPushkar Jan 17 '19 at 8:36
  • @SwiftPushkar I don't know much. I think Keshavan Srinivasan may know. – Pandya♦ Jan 17 '19 at 8:38
  • @SwiftPushkar Yog is the correct word right? Yogam is the word I have seen in Tamil – Parabrahman Jyoti Jan 17 '19 at 8:45
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    @Sarvabhouma, from what I have learned, yoga is the Sanskrit stem while yogam is either the declined form of the neuter nominative form as well as masculine/neuter accusative case. But what do you mean with yog? – Gabe Hiemstra Jan 17 '19 at 8:56
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    @GabeHiemstra Yog is from Hindi. Hindi speakers use Yog instead of Yoga. and yes, the word Yogam exists in Sanskrit as accusative case. – Sarvabhouma Jan 17 '19 at 10:25
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I think it is quoted in the Pāñcarātrarakṣā and prescribed in the Dakṣa-smṛti. According to S. M. Srinivasa Chari, regarding Pañcakāla-prakriyā:

The Pañcakāla-prakriyā of the Pāñcarātra ystem is formulated from out of the religious duties prescribed by the Smṛti texts and fitted into the daily life of a Vaiṣṇava to be observed at five specific times of the day as a form of dedication of one’s life to the service of Viṣṇu...
source

Then he quotes in a footnote a Sanskrit reference regarding Pañcakāla-prakriyā the quoted from the Pāñcarātra-rakṣa by Vedānta Deśika :

(Pāñcarātra-rakṣa p. 108)
kālapañcaka-vibhāgena abhigamanopādāna ījyāsvādyāyayogarūpa bhagavatsevanaṃ sva-varṇāśrama-jāti guṇa-nimittādi-niyatadharma-sacivaṃ sva-varṇāśrama-jāti guṇa-nimittādi-niyatadharma-sacivaṃ bhagavad-dharma-niṣṭhānāṃ sarveṣāṃ samānam.
source

Further down the text, he explains the fifth pañcakāla called yoga:

The fifth and final duty comes after completing the evening prayers and dinner before one goes to rest. This part of the day is called yoga. What is implied by yoga is that one should contemplate on God until he actually goes to sleep. At that time the individual should bring himself to feel that his self is resting in God.

According to yet another footnote, he quotes from the Dakṣa-smṛti

Dakṣa-smṛti (quoted by Vedānta Deśika regarding in Pāñcarātra-rakṣa p. 118)
sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṃ kṣetrajñaṃ brahmaṇi nyaset; etat dyānaṃ ca yogaśca...

According to the English introduction, the “Pāñcarātrarakṣā is the third work of the Pāñcarātra-āgama”.

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    Pancharatra Raksha is a work by Vedantacharya AKA Venkatanatha. That is not a Pancharatra Agama. It is like a commentary to show the significance of Pancharatra agamas. – Sarvabhouma Jan 17 '19 at 14:28
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    Oh my apologies. I thought the English introduction, quoted at the bottom of my post, indicated otherwise. But at least it gives a decent description of yoga in the context of Pañcakāla right? – Gabe Hiemstra Jan 17 '19 at 14:47
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    No problem. Apology was not needed. Yes, it gives description of Yoga in the context of Pancharatra. If you can find, Vedantacharya cites different Agamas and shlokas in his work. Search and you may find relation to direct Agamas. Another place is looking at Agama Pramanya by Yamunacharya. perhaps the translator wanted to say "third work on Pancharatra Agamas". after Agama Pramanya, Sri Bhashya. Just a guess – Sarvabhouma Jan 17 '19 at 14:55
  • Ok thanks! Luckily, the linked book also contains the Sanskrit text of his work. I will try to give another attempt. I vaguely remember coming across an English translation of Agama Pramanya. Have to look it up too. – Gabe Hiemstra Jan 17 '19 at 15:50
  • Try to look into Pancharatra text called Ahirbudhnya Saṃhitā. May be we will find the description there. – SwiftPushkar Jan 18 '19 at 8:38

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