The yogi and the bhogi

A hermit sat in meditation, still, with eyes closed. A beautiful nymph appeared before him and began to dance. This is a recurring theme in Hindu mythology: the confrontation between the tapasvin and the apsara. Sometimes, the hermit wins and the nymph leaves disheartened. Sometimes, the nymph wins and the hermit falls into her arms. The tapasvin who does not succumb is called a yogi while a the one who does is called a bhogi.


Illustration/ Devdutt Pattanaik

The hermit and the nymph are metaphors. The hermit is our mind and the nymph is the world around us, seducing us repeatedly. When the mind is controlled by the world, we are bhogis. When the mind is in control of itself, unmindful of the world, we are yogis.

The word 'tapasvin' is derived from the word 'tapa' meaning fire. This is no ordinary fire -- it is fire that burns without fuel. In other words, it is independent fire, not dependent on the world. The hermit seeks to light this fire in his mind. This is the fire of autonomy, of freedom, of independence from the world. The tapasvin is the fire-ascetic.

The word 'apsara' is derived from the word 'apsa' meaning water. This water is flowing constantly. It is the material world where nothing is constant, where everything changes, and where everything is dependent on everything else. Apsara is the water-nymph who seeks to douse the autonomous flames of the tapasvin.
Vishwamitra is the tapasvin who became a bhogi on facing apsara Menaka. However, he remained a yogi when challenged by Rambha.

The word 'yoga' is derived from the root 'yuj' which means to harness or align. When things are aligned, and in harmony, 'yoga' exists. In Patanjali's yoga-sutra, yoga is described as 'chitta vriddhi nirodha'. The word 'chitta' means many things including consciousness, mind and imagination. The aim of yoga is to stop or reverse (nirodha) the crumpling (vriddhi) of the chitta. In bhoga, the imagination is controlled and crumpled by the material world around -- it frightens us, annoys us, exasperates us, and forces us to act. We succumb to it.

In yoga, the imagination is not controlled or crumpled by the material world around -- it no longer frightens or seduces us, as we see it for what it is. We are then liberated from it. We light the fuel-less fire of tapa in our mind, and become independent.

Patanjali was a serpent who sat coiled around Shiva's neck and learnt from Shiva the eight steps to move out of bhoga into yoga. This involved managing our social interactions through practices known as 'yama', our personal habits through practices known as 'niyama', our hungry and tired bodies through 'asana', our anxious breath through 'pranayama', our outward looking sense organs through 'pratyahara', our restless imagination through 'dharana', our discerning intellect through 'dhyana' and finally, achieving wisdom or kaivalya or chaitanya through 'samadhi'.

In samadhi, we see the nymph for who she is, a product of our own imagination, our own fears and insecurities and inadequacies, seducing us by making us restless, jealous, ambitious, lustful and greedy. We see the truth about the world, and understand it, rather than try and control or discipline it as a bhogi does.

The author is Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group, and can be reached at devdutt@devdutt.com