Part I: Concept of Atanka Stara (Stress Levels) according to Yoga and Spiritual Texts
Part II: Evaluation of Perceived Stress on Somatization Symptoms following a Short-Term Yoga Intervention
By
Satya Prakash Purohit

ABSTRACT

Part I: Concept of Atanka Stara (Stress Levels) according to Yoga and Spiritual Texts

It has been already proved by the modern medicine that stress is the root cause of all psychosomatic illness. It is very much required to study deeply about the stress. The main objective of this study was to know the concept and levels of stress in various ancient texts. Hence in this study all meanings of ätaìka described in various Sanskrit English dictionaries like Amarakoçaù, Shabdakalpadruma, Apte’s Student’s Sanskrit-English dictionary, Monier Willams Sanskrit–English dictionary and Sanskrit-Hindi dictionaries like Pärijata Kosha and the concept, sign symptoms, root causes, its manifestation in different levels of personalities and its management in the yogic texts like Pätaïjali Yoga Sütra, Yoga Väçiñtha, Çivasaàhitä, Närada Bhakti Sütra. Kavyas like Raghu Vamsam, Uttara Rämacarita, Epics like Rämayana, Mahäbhärata, Bhägavad gétä, Vedanta works such as Isäväsyopanisad, Çvetäçvetara. Üpanisad, Mundoko Üpanisad, Bhagavad gétä and Aurveda texts like Caraka Samhitä, Añöänga Hridayaà, Sushruta samhitä are compiled.

Texts like Caraka Samhitä and Añöänga Hridayaà, Sushruta Samhita says Stress is in the form of disease in the body and mind levels. Scriptures like Yoga Väçiñtha, Çrimad Bhägavatam describe that stress  can also be in the form of imbalence of präëa. Most of the texts like Pätaïjali Yoga Sütra, Yoga Väçiñtha, Çivasaàhitä, Närada Bhakti Sütra, Rämayana, Mahäbhärata, Bhägavad gétä  say stress is in mental level as pain, misury, suffering, delusion, anger, jelosy, and Scriptures like Srimad Bhägabatam, Vedanta texts say the suffering starts only when one who thinks himself as an individual (due to ignorance in intelectual stage ) and  not as an Ätman or Brahman.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION.
In day-to-day life some degree of stress is necessary for motivating us to do various activities. During stress physiological changes in our body takes place and when the stressful moments are over relaxation is required for necessary adjustment in this physiological changes to normalize our milieu interior. 
But in the modern age man is under continuous stress and does not get time for relaxation. So the degree or severity of stress goes on increasing resulting into various psychosomatic ailments. In this study an attempt is made to describe the various levels of stress and their corresponding effects.
As per the above literary research we know all the related details of stress and it may be useful to understand more efficiently and correctly the root level of the cause of health status so that the treatment or management of the related disorders become easy. It also can be beneficial in developing the personality at the different levels like  socio-cultural, psychological and spiritual.
According to Yoga repeated thinking of an object leads to different stress levels and they in turn lead to psychosomatic diseases. The solution is: In Epics it is mentioned that one gets mental agony by mercilessness and one can be free from stress by spiritual energy.

As per the above chapters described from different scriptures the levels of stress can be categorized as follows.

Table showing Atanka stara (stress levels) and their categorization related to levels of Panca Kosa.

Part II: Evaluation of Perceived Stress on Somatization Symptoms following a Short-Term Yoga Intervention

Earlier studies have shown yoga to help in reducing stressful symptoms. The present study evaluated the effect of perceived stress on Somatization symptoms in participants attending a yoga camp. 192 healthy volunteers were recruited in an open uncontrolled pilot study to participate in a weeklong yoga camp. Subjects were assessed at baseline for perceived stress and before and after intervention for Somatization symptoms using Somatization component of SCL 90 scale. Intervention effects on Somatization symptoms were analyzed using non-parametric Wilcoxon signed rank test and evaluation was done to know the effect of age, sex, perceived stress and baseline Somatization symptoms on the changes in Somatization following intervention. There was significant reduction in Somatization symptoms of healthy individuals following Yoga intervention (p< 0.001). Analysis showed baseline Somatization symptoms to be the primary predictor for decrease in Somatization symptoms following yoga intervention (p < 0.001). The results show significant reduction in Somatization symptoms in both the high and low perceived stress groups with a short-term yoga intervention and better effects in individuals with higher Somatization complaints.

SUMMARY
Background: Earlier studies have shown magnitude of perceived stress is related to exacerbation of stress responses and yoga can helps to reduce stressful symptoms.
Aims: The present study evaluated the effect of perceived stress on somatization symptoms in participants attending a yoga camp.
Methods: There were 192 subjects in all with  majority being males (95.31 %) and age ranging between 13 to 79 years. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaire was administrated at base line and Symptoms Check list (SCL90) questionnaire was administrated on 1st and 7th day of intervention.
Results: The results showed significant reduction in somatization symptoms with a short-term yoga intervention.  Better effects are seen in individuals with already higher Somatization complaints. PSS did not influence the SCL change.
Implications and applications: The present study offers preliminary evidence for reduction of somatic symptoms in normal healthy population. Integrated Approach of Yoga (IAY) practices can be applied in education for the students to reduce the somatic complaints, to improve performance. Introduction of yoga in private and public sectors can reduce medical costs and absenteeism from work.
Limitations of the study: The study was on normal healthy volunteers and not in those with established diagnosis of somatoform disorder. The results of the study could therefore be applicable only to normal population. The age range was quite wide from 13-79 years. Our study did not have controls and the findings could be simply be due to effects of participating in a group. We used a self-evaluation questionnaire that could bias our findings due to lack of controls. The duration of intervention was too short to evaluate the effects.
Suggestion For Future Work: Randomized control group studies may be planned. Longer duration of follow-up after yoga is recommended.

Key words: SCL 90   psychosomatic    Somatization    stress    Yoga