History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c94.324

v7.c94.324

That a person engaged in Yoga practices is succeeding in reaching higher and higher spiritual levels is shown by the appearance of certain traits in himself. The Śv. Up. states that the first favourable signs of the working of Yoga are: lightness or agility of body, health, freedom from desires, brightness of complexion, fineness of voice, pleasant bodily odour, passing only a small quantity of urine or excreta. Almost the same verse occurs in the Vāyu ²³⁹⁴ and the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇas and Mārkaṇḍeya further says 'people come to like the yogin and sing praises of his qualities behind his back and all animals are not afraid of him; he is not affected by severe cold or heat and is not afraid of others; these show that *siddhi* in Yoga is approaching' The Vāyupurāṇa adds 'if the practitioner of Yoga sees the earth or his body as if on fire and if he sees himself entering the elements (or all beings) he should understand that success in Yoga is near.'²³⁹⁵