Generally, people are in the rajas-tamo-guṇa. I was explaining yesterday in the morning:
- tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ
- kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye
- ceta etair anāviddhaṁ
- sthita sattve prasīdati
- (SB 1.2.19)
Everyone is trying to be very peaceful and happy. That is possible when one is promoted to the platform of sattva-guṇa. The yoga practice means that. Yoga practice means by controlling the airs within the body . . . that will be explained. There are five kinds of air, vāyu. When the airs are not controlled in old age, according to Āyurvedic system, it is called vāyu-roga. The muscles become slackened, old man, because the air control or air circulation is not proper. There are many medicines, many practice of yoga.
So the real purpose is, yoga practice means, to control the senses.
- indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur
- indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
- manasas tu parā buddhir
- buddhes tu yo para saḥ
- (BG 3.42)
This is the study of the whole structure. Grossly, our body means the senses. We are, everyone, animal and less intelligent men, they are busy only for sense gratification. Indriyāṇi parāṇ . . . they think the sense gratification, "This is enjoyment, this is happiness." But actually that is not happiness. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyam (BG 6.21). What is actual happiness, ātyantikam, that is atīndriya. Atīndriya means beyond the senses.