Acharaya Karunamoya Saraswati, was one of Bharat’s greatest experts on scriptures of the Sanathan Dharma who lived in the 1940s in Calcutta.
The below article is from a foreword by Acharaya Karunamoya Saraswati and is extracted from the book by Shyam Sundar Gowsami:
Layayoga: The Definitive Guide to the Chakras and Kundalini
Shyam Sundar Goswami is the founder of the Goswami Institute.
I have not included the entire foreword from the book, just key points I found really enlightening.
I would strongly suggest you buy the book and read it, not just for the Foreword, but also for the excellent work done by Shyam Sundar Gowsami to compile his life’s understanding and practice of Laya Yoga (Kundalini Yoga) into such a wonderful book.
Extracts the foreword written by Acharaya Karunamoya Saraswati:
It has been expounded in the Vedamantra (Vedas):
Yogeyoge tawastarang wajewaje hawamahe,
Sakhaya Indramutaye
(Rig Veda 1.30.7)
That is, with our hearts attuned, we worship with deepest love Indra (Supreme Power Consciousness) so as to be able to practice samprajnata yoga (with all its parts successfully by remove all obstacles that distract the mind), and then (by developing supreme unaffectedness) asamprajnata yoga.
This worship is Ishwarapranidhana, that is, concentration in deepest love for God.
Love-concentration causes Samadhi.
Patanjali has also said:
“Ishwarapranidhana wa”
Samadhi is also attained by love-concentration on God.
(Yogasutra 1.23)
and
“Samadhisiddhirishwarapranidhanat”
The accomplishment of Samadhi is effected by love-concentration on God.
(-ibid 2.45)
There are Upanishad explanations of the Waidika “yogeyoge”.
It has been stated:
“Yogena yogo Jnatawyo yogo yogat prawardhate”
(Soubhagyalakshmy Upanishad 2.1)
That is , yoga is to be known by yoga, and yoga develops from yoga.
This means that the attainment of Asamprajnata Yoga develops from Samprajnata Yoga.
Again:
“Yogena Yogang sangrodhya …”
(-ibid 2.12)
That is, controlling yoga by yoga.
This means that Samprajnata yoga is controlled by Asamprajnata yoga.
In other words, Samprajnata Samadhi is transformed into Asamprajnata Samadhi when control develops to its highest degree.
Yoga means Samadhi.
So it has been stated:
“Sa gha no yoga a bhuwat…”
(Rigveda 1.5.3)
The Yogi is established in Yoga. Here Yoga is Samadhi.
It has been stated that yoga is the attainment of that which is otherwise unobtainable.
What is that thing?
It this that which is beyond the senses and the mind.
It is Brahman.
The attainment of Brahman is not possible without recourse to Samadhi.
(Nrisinghatapinyupanishad part 2, 6.4; Atmopanishad 4; Annapurnopanishad 4.62; Trishikhibrahmanopanishad, Mantra Section 161-2; etc).