तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्वाभ्यासः।।

Patanjal Yoga-Sutra

Samadhipad 32-33-34-35-36-37-38-39-40

पातञ्जल योगसूत्र,

समाधिपाद ३२-३३-३४-३५-३६-३७-३८-३९-४०

--

तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः।।३२।।

(तत् प्रतिषेधार्थं एकतत्त्व-अभ्यासः।।)

कस्य प्रतिषेधार्थं? अन्तरायस्य वा विघ्नानाम्।

The last two Aphorisms (30 and 31) describe the (अन्तराय / विघ्न) -obstacles one comes across while practicing the Yoga.

To remove them one may try the following means:

The first is : एकतत्त्वाभ्यास - ekatattwAbhyAsa

Fixing and Focusing the attention on one single object.

As suggested in the Aphorism 25, This may be the single syllable एकाक्षर ॐ.

The next is : four-fold approach in dealing with the people / the society.

Though everyone is not always happy, sad, noble or ignoble, still at times everyone is liable to go through these phases from time to time.

मैत्री Happy, To have a sense of friendliness  - 

While coming across one who is happy, one may be friendly to him. For such a man has no worry or fear at least for the time being, and will not spoil your mood in any way. 

करुणा Compassion towards the dejected :

We always find such people though we like or not. While coming across any, one should have sympathy and try to understand their sorrow. One may or may not be in a situation to help them, but this will some-how console, help, pacify him.

मुदिता : Rejoice -

To feel happy and to rejoice. While coming across those, who are generous, kind and noble of character, auspicious पुण्यकर्म deeds, one should admire appreciate them and feel happy to be with them.

उपेक्षा : Ignore, To avoid. 

While coming across people or persons not very good (ignoble / inauspicious / पापकर्म) in their character and actions, deeds, arrogant, audacious, agressive, shrewd, cunning, may be highly educated, well-learned, and may have sharp intellect, successful, wealthy and wield power and influence, one should keep a safe distance with them.

This above is the gist of the Aphorism :

मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम्।।३३।।

 (मैत्री-करुणा-मुदिता-उपेक्षाणां सुख-दुःख-पुण्य-अपुण्य-विषयाणां भावनातः चित्तप्रसादनम्।।)

Such an approach in social behavior gives us mental peace and calm. There is yet another way :

प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां प्राणस्य।।३४।।

(प्रच्छर्दन-विधारणाभ्यां प्राणस्य।।)

Practicing the regulation and control of the breath, - for breath is life and life is breath. Consciously or unconscious, one breaths the entire life almost effortlessly.

There is a power (प्राण / prANa) that controls the breath, because it is involuntary, though we can control it for a short time - may be a few minutes only. But soon we get exhausted and the power (प्राण / prANa) that is really the life itself, forces the breath to resume and go on its normal mode. One can because of the circumstances, kill oneself or someone else by suffocation and strangulating, in a fit of rage or depression, attempt suicide, that is quite another matter.

The next Aphorism explains the reason :

विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी।।३५।।

(विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिः उत्पन्ना मनसः स्थिति-निबन्धिनी।।)

विषयवती - The object-focused state of mind, वा - or प्रवृत्तिः the tendency (of the mind) that उत्पन्ना emerges out time to time forces the mind to  indulge in an activity according to that state of mind.

This tendency is called :

मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी  - that binds the mind with a certain meaningful / senseless activity. In contrast and comparison, when the mind is calm, collected and peaceful, there is a quite  another kind of the light that illuminates the mind.

The same is referred to in the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता /  Shrimadbhagvad-gita as follows :

प्रकाशं च प्रवृत्तिं च मोहमेव च पाण्डव।।

न द्वेष्टि सम्प्रवृत्तानि न निवृत्तानि काङ्क्षति।।२२।।

(अध्याय १४, Chapter 14)

This light is referred to here in the next Aphorism as : विशोका -- that makes free from grief, the same is ज्योतिष्मती illuminating, also. 

विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती।।३६।।

(विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती।।)

Having contemplated this light that is kind of अन्तर्दृष्टि / insight, one definitely gets stable in the practice of Yoga.

Because as the Sage /  महर्षि Patanjali defines the pure mind (चित्तं) in this next Aphorism :

वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्।।३७।।

(वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्।)

The pure mind is : which has transcended the objects and also the attachment (राग) to all them. 

स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा।।३८।।

(स्वप्न-निद्रा-अज्ञान-आलम्बनं वा।।)

Another means is to contemplate over the nature of the three kinds of the states of the mind, namely : the waking, the dream and the deep dreamless sleep state.

The three states happen to consciousness or the mind that is pure and as is stated in the last Aphorism :

वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्।।

These three however get contaminated by memory that binds the pure mind with these apparent three states and one / ego because of the distorted perception thinks one goes through them.

Awareness of oneself as the underlying Self आत्मन् that is ever so immutable, helps one see, how to have an insight into this Self.

The same is the subject matter of the sacred text the :

माण्डूक्य उपनिषद् / mAnDUkya upaniShad.

The last but not the least important is as is described in the next Aphorism 39 below :

यथाभिमतध्यानाद्वा।।३९।।

(यथा अभिमत ध्यानात् वा) 

There is yet another option. One can think of and meditate about what auspicious form of God, a thought, fascinates, attracts, interests him and one can instantly get peace from it.

An aspirant can try all these and can see for himself what indeed a great a spiritual boon is Yoga.

The reward (फलश्रुति) has been expressed in the following Aphorism :

परमाणु परममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः।।४०।।

(परमाणु परम-महत्त्व-अन्तः अस्य वशीकारः।।)

This ultimately results in mastery over all  the elements beginning from the महत् / mahat to the innermost core of the very being itself.

To be continued. 

***

।।तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः।।

Patanjal Yoga Sutra

Samadhipad 28-29-30-31

पातञ्जल योगसूत्र समाधिपाद २८-२९-३०-३१

--

The last Aphorism :

तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः।।२७।।

ॐ has been said to be His name.

Whose name? 

Of The ईश्वर / Ishwara, Who in the Aphorism 24 has been described as :

क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेषः ईश्वरः।।२४।।

The Supreme Being Who Alone Is the Master of the Existence and the word : ईश्वर / Ishwara, is not  His name, but His role.

One can't address or approach Him calling by this word. But to address Him one can pronounce this single syllable word ॐ.

Mandukya Upanishad, -a short text points out to the deeper significance of this word, - the single syllable ॐ . The same is known as प्रणव / PraNava.

According to

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय ८

Shrimadbhagvadgita Chapter 8 :

यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागाः।।

यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये।।११।।

सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च।।

मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मनः प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम्।।१२।।

ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन्।।

यः प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम्।।१३।।

This single letter-word is therefore is His name and when this is pronounced, He is invoked. ॐ therefore works as a sacred incantation to call and address Him, Who is ईश्वर / Ishwara as defined in the Aphorism 24 above.

The above-mentioned Stanza 11, 12 and 13 from the श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता / Shrimadbhagvadgita  suggest how one can attain Him at the time of death.

But while alive one can sure meditate upon this प्रणवाक्षर / अक्षर-ब्रह्म / ॐ.

तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम्।।२८।।

The repetition of this sacred letter with due regard and focused attention is called :

जप / japa. 

How it works has been elaborated in the : 

शिव अथर्वशीर्ष / Shiva Atharva Sheersha --

अथ कस्मादुच्यत ओङ्कारो?

यस्मादुच्चार्यमाण एव प्राणानूर्ध्वमुत्क्रामयति तस्मादुच्यते ओङ्कारः।।

अथ कस्मादुच्यते प्रणवः?

यस्मादुच्चार्यमाण एव ऋग्यजुःसामाथर्वाङ्गिरसं प्रणामयति नामयति च तस्मादुच्यते प्रणवः।।

This is how the जप / japa / repetition of ॐ is helpful in The Realization of  ईश्वर / Ishwara.

ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च।।२९।।

ततः प्रत्यक् चेतना-अधिगमः अपि अन्तराय-अभावः च।। 

This results in making the mind introvert and turning the attention focused on the Self / ब्रह्म, that is the source of all consciousness. This again helps in removing the obstacles in the practice. 

What Obstacles? 

व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्यविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः।।३०।।

(व्याधि-स्त्यान-संशय-प्रमाद-आलस्य-अविरति-भ्रान्तिदर्शन- अलब्धभूमिकत्व-अनवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपाः ते अन्तरायाः।।

व्याधि - disease, illness,

स्त्यान - √स्त्यै -- 'शब्दसंघातयोः' -- स्त्यायति, स्त्यान,

To become accumulated, thick, collected, coagulated, mental blocks,

संशय - doubt,

प्रमाद - In-attention / carelessness,

आलस्य - laziness,

अविरति - inconsistency 

भ्रान्तिदर्शन - delusion,

अलब्ध-भूमिकत्व- not getting firmly settled,

अनवस्थितत्व - irregularity,

दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः।।३१।।

(दुःख-दौर्मनस्य-अङ्मेजयत्व-श्वासप्रश्वासाः विक्षेपसहभुवः।।)

Not only the above, but other also as the 

दुःख - sadness,

दौर्मनस्य - melancholy,

अङ्गमेजयत्व - trepidation,

श्वासप्रश्वासाः - uneven breathing,

विक्षेपसहभुवः - are the troubles that are some  other obstacles.

All these above are :

अन्तरायाः / obstacles

in the practice of Yoga.

The जप / japa removes all these obstacles and the aspirant is immensely benefitted.

To be continued. 

***

  

क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः

Patanjal Yoga Sutra - Samadhipad

24-25-26-27

पातञ्जल योगसूत्र - समाधिपाद - २४-२५-२६-२७

--

क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेषः ईश्वरः।।२४।।

(क्लेश-कर्म-विपाक-आशयैः-अपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेषः ईश्वरः।)

This Aphorism has a reference to the earlier one (23) which is as follows :

ईश्वर प्रणिधानाद्वा।।

Where it is implied that the knowledge (ज्ञान) that is acquired through and by means of 

श्रद्धा वीर्य स्मृति समाधि प्रज्ञा पूर्वक इतरेषाम् ।।२०।।

could also be acquired through and by means of firm devotion to ईश्वर  / Ishwara -- ईश्वरनिष्ठा -- unwavering allegiance to Him. 

Before this, the सम्प्रज्ञातः / samprajnAta state was defined already in the Aphorism 17 :

वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितानुगमात् सम्प्रज्ञातः।।१७।।

The purport is : The state that is attained by the means of, and through any of the above could also be attained by devotion to ईश्वर / Ishwar, Who is The Omniscient reservoir / store-house of all  ज्ञान / the known, all the knowledge. 

The Supreme One, Who alone looks after the whole existence.

This Supreme Being (पुरुष) is The seat and the seed of All knowledge.

Ishwara / Supreme Being, Who Governs the Whole Existence is neither an idea nor a Fact but a Reality no one can deny or refute to.

The existence of the individual organism is self-evident and it is also a conscious being with limited knowledge / information, who alone is the ultimate evidence of the 'world' experienced by it is also a such a fact that couldn't be denied.

It is also such another fact that the 'world' is different for different individuals. So there is the objective world as is experienced by the innumerable individual conscious beings and each of them is concerned with and in its own world experienced by it. Again, this individual can alter to a certain extent, the state of the world that is in its experience.

The whole existence on the other hand is a  world with respect to a Supreme One that is not insentient like the inert Prakriti / प्रकृति. 

Again the  प्रकृति / Prakriti too is but another name of the Existence only. Prakriti / प्रकृति is essentially and inevitably Objective Reality (विषय) and the 'subject' (विषयी) is the one / individual who is the only evidence of this Objective Reality. This 'individual' conscious (चेतन) and intelligent one is endowed with intelligence (चित् / चैतन्य- awareness) is being as well, irrespective of the Time and Space / Place experienced by it, and the Time and Space are the 'objective' (विषयात्मक) realities, because of being confined within a physical body, it is never  the ईश्वर Ishwara - the One Supreme Conscious Intelligence Principle Who as an individual, alone the Master of the Existence. 

Such an Individual is Ishwara (ईशिता) Who alone is the Cause-less cause of this Whole Existence :

And is referred to in the invocation of the ईशावास्योपनिषद्  / IshAvAsyopanishad :

ईशिता सर्वभूतानां सर्वभुतमयँश्च यत्।।

ईशावास्येन संबोध्यं ईश्वरं तन्नमाम्यहम्।।

This Ishwara is thus The Supreme Being / the पुरुष / Purusha. He is therefore referred to by Patanjali here.

He is the Intelligence Principle and is the seed and seat of all knowledge and wisdom. 

This is expressed in these words in the next Aphorism :  

तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञत्व बीजम्।।२५।।

(तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञत्व-बीजम्।)

Ishwara is the individual with the state of a mind, where all knowledge rests in the seed-form, and Such a mind is ever so untouched by the क्लेश / Klesha / misery, and कर्म / Karma / actions and the deeds that happen to the individual mortals . The individual however after the release / विपाक / vipAka from those क्लेश / Klesha and कर्म / karma attains freedom from all this bondage / 'known' misery action (Freedom From The Known)  and is then  liberated while alive (जीवन्मुक्त) . In the case of Ishwara / ईश्वर, however there is no such a question at all. 

स पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात्।।२६।।

(सः पूर्वेषां अपि गुरुः कालेन अनवच्छेदात्।)

Therefore irrespective of Time, He is the True Master गुरुः, and who-so-ever through insight or deliberate contemplation arrives at this understands this worships Him.

This is Yoga-nishThA (योग-निष्ठा / कर्म-योग).

Those sages (ऋषि / Rishi) who discovered this have realized that  

ॐ 

is figurative and verbal description of Him.

The same is expressed in the next Aphorism:

तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः।।२७।।

(तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः।)

ॐ is अक्षर ब्रह्म, while वेद / Veda is the :

शब्द ब्रह्म / The Truth expressed through the 'word' - and not through 'words'.

To be continued.

*** 

श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक

... इतरेषाम्।।

Patanjal Yoga Sutra -

Samadhipad - 20-21-22-23

पातञ्जल योगसूत्र : समाधिपाद २०-२१-२२-२३

श्रद्धा-वीर्य-स्मृति-समाधि-प्रज्ञा-पूर्वक: इतरेषाम्।।२०।।

In this सम्प्रज्ञातः / samprajnAtaH 'the known' state of the individual consciousness / mind / the self, still the is evolution continues and the higher levels are attained by performing the austerities and Actions like:

तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः।।

As is said in the first Aphorism of  साधनपाद / Sadhanapada, and referred to in the earlier post.

One having purified the mind (चित्त) through such practices as :

तपः स्वाध्यायः and ईश्वरप्रणिधानम्, 

Is qualified for practicing :

नित्य-अनित्य विवेकः

Contemplating about what is transient and what is permanent.

Then one arrives at the conclusion that all the objective world is impermanent because is seen in the waking state only.

The three states of the mind / consciousness, namely - the waking state, the dream state, and the deep dreamless sleep states keep on appearing and disappearing in a circle. The दृष्टा / सूत्रात्मा 'observer' / sUtrAtma is one who is not affected in any way and remains as the underlying principle reality.

This 'observer' associated with स्मृति / memory and the संस्कार / samskAra, is in bondage and makes effort to become free.

This results in finding out a way that could help in releasing from the bondage. One may have either of the two kinds of the निष्ठा / the determination, one is the jnAna / ज्ञान / सांख्य, while another is the Yoga / योग.

One can go on practicing through any of the two means / paths.

In the beginning, one may not have clarity about what path is suitable but at one stage a earnest one somehow discovers, and there can not be a strict rule about this.

The two ways, where one enquires about the self, consciousness, mind; or just accepts that there is a Superior Being Who Alone looks after the whole existence and leaves all and everything upon that Superior Almighty, Omni-scient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent One.

This is the way of पूर्ण समर्पण  total, complete, unconditional and ultimate surrender.

There are only these two ways to be followed according to the orientation, maturity and the temperament.

One has to find out which one suites well and follow accordingly.

तीव्र संवेगानामासन्नः।।२१।।

Having determined one's way, one can move on the path of enquiry or devotion, and the urge and earnestness defines the progress in this spiritual endeavor / quest / practice.

The next Aphorism :

तीव्र संवेगानां आसन्नः।।

मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात् ततोऽपि विशेषः।।२२।।

मृदु-मध्य-अधिमात्रत्वात् ततः अपि विशेषः।। 

ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा।।२३।।

ईश्वर प्रणिधानात् वा।।

In this respect, the Shrimadbhagvad-gita / श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, अध्याय ६, Chapter 6 is immensely useful for the both kinds of the aspirants.

For such an aspirant is truly a संन्यासी . One, who has whole-heartedly and once for all renounced the world and the care of one's all own bodily concerns. Such a one is ripe in understanding. 

(Before this chapter all the prerequisites for one eligible for संन्यास / sannyAsa have been fully explained in the earlier chapters 3 to 5 in the Text of Gita) 

Therefore, the above four Aphorisms could be dealt with together in the light of the 6th chapter and in the following stanzas :

अनाश्रितः कर्मफलं कार्यं कर्म करोति यः।।

स संन्यासी च योगी च न निरग्निर्न चाक्रियः।।१।।

यं संन्यासमिति प्राहुर्योगं तं विद्धि पाण्डव।।

न ह्यसंन्यस्तसङ्कल्पो योगी भवति कश्चन।।२।।

आरुरुक्षोर्मुनेर्योगं कर्म कारणमुच्यते।।

योगारूढस्य तस्यैव शमः कारणमुच्यते।।२।।

यदा हि नेन्द्रियार्थेषु न कर्मस्वनुषज्जते।।

सर्वसङ्कल्पसंन्यासी योगारूढस्तदोच्यते।।३।।

In nutshell, these three stanzas provide all the necessary guidance to the aspirant who is steadfast in practice, of pure mind, urge, earnestness and vigor.

For one, who is comparatively lacking these qualities, there is still hope as is pointed out in the following stanzas :

अर्जुन उवाच --

योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन।।

एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात्स्थितिं स्थिराम्।।३३।।

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्ददृढम्।।

तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्।।३४।।

श्रीभगवानुवाच --

असंशयो महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्।।

अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते।।३५।।

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः।।

वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः।।३६।।

अर्जुन उवाच --

अयतिः श्रद्धयोपेतो योगाच्चलितमानसः।।

अप्राप्य योगसंसिद्धिं कां गतिं कृष्ण गच्छति।।३७।।

कच्चिन्नोभयविभ्रष्टश्छिन्नाभ्रमिव नश्यति।।

अप्रतिष्ठो महाबाहो विमूढो ब्रह्मणः पथि।।३८।।

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः।।

त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते।।३९।।

श्रीभगवानुवाच --

पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते।।

न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति।।४०।।

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः।।

शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते।।४१।।

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति श्रीमताम्।।

एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम्।।४२।।

तत्र तं बुद्धिसंयोगं लभते पौर्वदैहिकम्।।

यतते च ततो भूयः संसिद्धौ कुरुनन्दन।।४३।।

पूर्वाभ्यासेन तेनैव ह्रियते ह्यवशोऽपि सः।। 

जिज्ञासुरपि योगस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते।।४४।।

प्रयत्नाद्यतमानस्तु योगी संशुद्धकिल्बिषः।।

अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति परां गतिम्।।४५।।

तपस्विभ्योऽधिको योगी ज्ञानिभ्योऽपि मतोऽधिकः।।

कर्मिभ्यश्चाधिको योगी तस्माद्योगी भवार्जुन।।४६।।

योगिनामपि सर्वेषां मद्गतेनान्तरात्मना।।

श्रद्धावान्भजते ये मां स मे युक्ततमो मतं।।

।। इति षष्ठमाध्यायः ।। 

***

ज्ञात से मुक्ति

सम्प्रज्ञात समाधि / The Known 

-------------------©--------------------

और "Freedom From The Known". 

--

पातञ्जल योगसूत्र में समाधिपाद पढ़ते हुए श्री जे. कृष्णमूर्ति की उस अंग्रेजी पुस्तक का शीर्षक याद आया, जिसका अंगरेजी टाइटल है : Freedom From The Known, और यह मेरी हमेशा से प्रिय रही है।

जानकारी के लिए छायाचित्र यहाँ संलग्न है। 

पिछले पोस्ट में  "The Known" लिखते हुए भी पुनः याद आया!

--

वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितानुगमात्

Aphorisms of Patanjali 

पातञ्जल योगसूत्र

Samadhipad -17-18-19

समाधिपाद १७-१८-१९

--

The next three Aphorisms 17-18-19 describe the state of the mind of the insentient (जड) and the sentient beings respectively.

The insentient are wholly the Prakriti / प्रकृति, where the consciousness is still latent and has to manifest, and the words 'one and the other' just don't apply, the sentient beings (the individual living organisms) are those where the consciousness has a sprout that is to manifest gradually evolves and grows up.

वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितानुगमात् सम्प्रज्ञातः।।१७।।

So this sprout of individuality that arises in an organism has a memory of being itself. This very memory or the information is also the ego (अस्मिता / asmitA). And with this as the foundation, with further accumulation of the memory, this becomes strong. This is what is 'consciousness', -the essence of 'the known'. 

The various stages which this consciousness goes through respectively in that order are :

वितर्क-विचार-आनन्द-अस्मिता-अनुगमात् सम्प्रज्ञातः।।

At the very beginning, in the very first stage, there is :

The Sense of just being (अहम् / अहं) only. Then this becomes the sense of "I am" only -- I am without the other.

This is precisely the अस्मिता / अहंकार / asmitA.

So अहम् / अहं / is verily the Self Unlimited and  Undivided Whole. The English word the I'm, 'Ahem', the 'I am' is but सजात / सज्ञात / अपभ्रंश or the cognate of this  अहम् / अहं.

Interestingly, there is similar cognate in the Urdu as अहम, synonymous with "chief or the main".

Then with this sense of being the Self, there comes the 'other'

In the classical language as is described as :

अहं (I) and इदं (this or it, the इतरं / इतरः / other).

This bifurcation is precisely the "वितर्क", the differentiation. 

This acceptance of the 'other' turns into the conflict - "विचार", the Thought / vritti / वृत्ति.

The thought / vritti / वृत्ति is of the five kinds as has been already described :

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः।।

प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः।।

The last is स्मृति - memory.

And before memory, there is निद्रा - sleep. 

In sleep the individual-self enjoys the state of just being without the 'other'. Therefore it is called the आनन्दमय कोष / the blissful sheath.

Therefore the ignorance persists during this sleep-vritti / निद्रा-वृत्ति as well.

These five stages in consciousness together are called 'सम्प्रज्ञातः' / 'the known'.

विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः।।१८।।

(विराम-प्रत्यय-अभ्यास-पूर्वः संस्कारशेषः अन्यः।।)

This Aphorism deals with the stage prior to practising the Yoga.

विराम-प्रत्यय - the 'effort' that is done to stop the flow of vritti / वृत्ति. Such an individual follows the way of Insentient-Prakriti / जड-प्रकृति.

What happens of them? 

This has been pointed out in the following  Aphorism 19 : 

भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम्।।१९।।

(भवप्रत्ययः विदेह-प्रकृतिलयानाम्।।)

Those who die without having discovered the 'Self', dissolve in the Prakriti / प्रकृति.

भवप्रत्ययः  denotes the incarnation in another next body, according to the accumulated memory ( संस्कार / samskAra) .

संस्कारशेषः अन्यः points out, how after the death, individuals are born again in another body according to their memory retained by them.

***

 

तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽऽभ्यासः।।

Aphorisms of Yoga / पातञ्जल योगसूत्र :

Samadhipad 13-14-15-16

समाधिपाद १३-१४-१५-१६

--

तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽऽभ्यासः।।१३।।

तत्र स्थितौ यत्नः अभ्यास।। 

The effort done to settle in that state of the mind, where all vritti / वृत्ति is suspended, and kept under check is called अभ्यास / abhyAsa.

The word अभ्यास / abhyAsa could be derived in two ways respectively -

from the verb-roots :

√अस् as and √आस् As (both are अदादिगण, and परस्मैपदी, आत्मनेपदी respectively.)

The first again  about what 'is', while the next is about what stays, and still there is another verb-root √भू  that in English has taken the form of the verb - 'be' and then 'being'; synonymous with the 'becoming'.

Again the prefix (उपसर्ग) 'अभि' attached to the verb-roots √अस् and √आस्  gives us the words - अभ्यस् and अभ्यास्  respectively. 

The prefix 'अभि' is used to denote the sense of 'properly', 'well'. 

The first verb-root is applied to convey the sense of existing, while the later, to convey the sense of being.

Either way, when the effort is made to get settled in that state :

(तत्र - तदा दृष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्),

Then this effort is what is the 'abhyAsa'.

स्वरूपे - स्वरूप (locative case) 

अवस्थानम् - (action of getting placed / settled)

Where? 

Where the दृष्टा - the Witness 'is'. 

स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः।।१४।।

सः तु दीर्घकाल-नैरन्तर्य-सत्कार-आ-सेवितः दृढभूमिः।।

that effort when made constantly, carefully and regularly, with all due respect / honor, for a long time, becomes the firm foundation for this Yoga of Action. 

दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम्।।१५।।

दृष्ट-अनु-श्रविक-विषय-वितृष्णस्य वशीकार-संज्ञा वैराग्यम्।।

When there is a sense of revulsion towards all the outward tendencies of the mind, and these tendencies are fully under control, it is called "वैराग्यम् / vairAgyaM" -- synonymous to dispassion. In such a state of mind, there is no attraction towards any of the enjoyments or the experience of either of the objects that are seen or heard about.

तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्।।१६।।

तत्-परं पुरुष-ख्यातेः गुण-वैतृष्ण्यम् ।।

One, who is devoted to and well-settled in this state of mind is said to have transcended the (effects of the) three attributes namely ;

the satoguNa - सतोगुण, 

the rajoguNa -रजोगुण 

and the tamoguNa -तमोगुण

These three attributes together are what is

verily the Prakriti / प्रकृति .

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया।।

मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते।।१४।।

- Shrimadbhagvad-gita Chapter 7,

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय ७,

When such a state of mind - गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्  is attained, this is the very :

Awakening of the Intelligence,

पुरुषख्यातेः गुणवैतृष्ण्यम् -  Purusha / पुरुष is utterly devoid of Prakriti / प्रकृति, while Prakriti / प्रकृति is the sum-total of attributes (गुण-समष्टि) only.

To be continued. 

***

 

--

अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः।।

vritti-nirodhaH / वृत्ति-निरोधः

---------------------------------------

Aphorism 2 of Samadhipad / समाधिपाद - 

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः।।२।।

Defines Yoga as The stoppage of vritti / वृत्ति. In order to enter consciousness deeper, the present state of the mind (vritti / वृत्ति) needs to be effectively suspended, so that another dimension of the consciousness may open up. This is precisely what is meant by the :

vritti-nirodhaH / वृत्तिनिरोधः.

This has to be done with the help of the two means : practice (अभ्यास) and vairagya (वैराग्य) -- dispassion and indifference towards the enjoyment of all the sensory pleasures.

Shrimadbhagvad-gita / श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता,

Chapter / अध्याय 6 Stanza / श्लोक 35 :

असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्।।

अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते।।३५।।

This is how the vritti-nirodhaH / वृत्ति-निरोध is done. One has to control the mind with the help of the mind itself! Practically a conflict indeed!

The one who still insists upon this way of controlling the mind is fit for this kind of Yoga. 

The one who can at once see the paradox /  the contradiction, may have quite a different approach and another mind-set.

One who has a strong sense of doer-ship, this kind of determination will readily accept the challenge, while the another would rather like to ask the question - "what exactly the mind is?" and try the path of enquiry.

The first has the कर्म-निष्ठा / karma-nishtha -

Trust in Action. 

The other has the ज्ञान-निष्ठा / jnAna-nishtha -

Trust in Wisdom. 

The two approaches are entirely different and together are called सांख्य and योग . The first is the Yoga of Action, and another is the  Yoga of Wisdom.

Basically the two are mutually independnt from one-another and that is the root-cause of the conflict. 

Still, the right state of the mind is required and is necessary to follow any of the above approaches so that the vritti / वृत्ति  may come to an end.

--

 

प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः

The Next Aphorisms :

From Samadhipad / समाधिपाद 

प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः।।६।।

(प्रमाण-विपर्यय-विकल्प-निद्रा-स्मृतयः)

प्रमाण is direct perception as it 'appears', and its evaluation. This is about an object / विषय and with reference to a subject / विषयी.

This does not need any further evidence. Still constantly keeps on changing, so it is time-bound, transient and could not be accepted as "Truth".

This is through a medium such as the senses. The best example of this is : what we hear, see, smell touch or taste. This again could be of the three kinds as been said in the next Aphorism :

प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि।।७।।

(प्रत्यक्ष-अनुमान-आगमाः प्रमाणानि)  

Therefore it is again categorized in the three kinds. They are :

प्रत्यक्ष : What is observed - may be either as it  appears, true, untrue or false. Is appearance only.

अनुमान : What the present day Science is all about. Through experiment and arriving at a conclusion. This circumstantial, therefore conditional and is subject to change.

आगमाः : The Truth that has been known by the sages (ऋषि), and which they have arrived at without mediate knowledge, declared by them as ever abiding and the only Reality, irrespective of time and place. The same is though indescribable, is spoken out by them in human voice, and in the written form as in the Veda and scriptures. This is available always and at all times to one, who-so-ever deserves (Direct or Im-mediate Revelation or -अपरोक्षानुभूति).

विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम्।।८।।

(विपर्ययः मिथ्या ज्ञानं अ-तत् रूप प्रतिष्ठम्।) 

विपर्यय : The mediate knowledge, where there is a subject / विषयी, the object / विषय, and the knowledge, the subject is चेतन / conscious / sentient, while the object is जड / insentient. So what is taken as "knowledge" is mental image of the object mostly quite deformed and distorted. The Aphorism points out that such a "false knowledge" has no foundation at all to support its veracity.

This is enough reason to suspect that Veda and other scriptures could not be translated in any language in a way so as to correctly reflect their spirit.

शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः।।९।।

विकल्प : There is a word for all things that we all can experience and a word given to them in different languages. So a spoken word for "water" in different languages is different in different languages and conveys the same meaning that indicates what is water. But there are empty words they seem to have a meaning but there is no such an object that the word points out to. For example "sorrow" or "Government", Such words are but विकल्प / alternative to indicate something that really doesn't exist.  Such words are notional and we tend to take them for granted and think there are such "realities" that truly exist and could be dealt with. That is really the Great "माया" / "Maya" / illusion. 

अभाव-प्रत्यययालम्बना वृत्तिः निद्रा।।१०।।

निद्रा : This state of the mind, where we enjoy deep dreamless sleep is again a vritti / वृत्ति . We undergo every day through such a state. We know nothing, yet there is the awareness "I Am" intact and without a break, for when we wake up, we never say "I was not there during the sleep" but we would rather say :

"I don't know / remember what happened while I was asleep"

This statement affirms our experience that we knew I was there and enjoyed the state of deep sleep. This state is therefore called the blissful sheath / आनन्दमय कोष . Deep dreamless sleep is therefore vritti / वृत्ति where the ego, the sense of "I" exists.

अनुभूतविषयसम्प्रमोषः स्मृतिः।।११।।

स्मृतिः Memory : The last kind of vritti / वृत्ति is the memory. Memory is but recognition and conversely recognition is but memory. The two words look different but because they are interdependent, they are one and the same in essence. You recognize only if you remember.  And you remember only if you recognize.

Therefore Memory / Recognition is also but a vritti / वृत्ति  only.

Patanjali Rishi suggests Yoga is when vritti / वृत्ति is suspended. And when the vritti / वृत्ति is effectively transcended it is समाधि / samadhi.

Thus spake the Rishi.

To be continued. 

***

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः।।

वृत्ति / vritti : The Interplay / "consciousness".

Between :

विषयी / the subject and विषय / the object. 

--

The last post was in Hindi, but this one is in English, for those who may not know Hindi. Let me narrate a brief account of the last post again :

For those, who are instinctively inclined to follow the way of कर्म-योग; The Yoga of Action (Desireless Action), may find difficulty in following the way of knowledge, or the way of the Wisdom / सांख्य योग . But we can't ignore the fact that the two ways go hand in hand, and one could not exist without the other.

Shrimadbhagvad-gita 12/12 suggests :

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्-ध्यानं विशिष्यते।।

ध्यानात्कर्मफलस्त्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्।।१२।।

So we can see that it is not the Action that is to be renounced, but rather the desire that causes the bondage. Ignorance of this fact leads to Action prompted by desire, while the Action with the awareness about this, -- to freedom from the bondage.

The importance and the need for the Right Action is evident from the following verse from Vivekachudamani / विवेकचूडामणि :

चित्तस्य शुद्धये कर्म न तु वस्तूपलब्धये।।

वस्तुसिद्धिर्विचारेण न किञ्चित्कर्मकोटिभिः।।११।।

The Right Action performed with choiceless awareness leads to purification of the mind, but because the proper understanding The Reality is ever so independent of Action, the Action alone could not help in attaing this Reality.

Accordingly, if the Yoga of Action कर्म-योग is compared with the Yoga of Wisdom (सांख्य-योग), the Yoga of Wisdom is superior than the other. As has been pointed out :

दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय।।

बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः।।४९।।

(Shrimadbhagvad-gita Chapter 2)

But as soon as the Yoga of Action (कर्म-योग) is accompanied by Desirelessness, the two are at par with one-another.

Now the Aphorism :

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः।।५।।

This needs to be read with the Aphorisms :

तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः।।१।।

समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च।।२।।

अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः।।३।।

(From Sadhanapada / साधनपाद) 

A vritti / वृत्ति therefore may be associated or not with the above-referred attributes that are :

अविद्या (inherent ignorance), अस्मिता (the ego conceit), राग (attachment), द्वेष (hatred), and अभिनिवेश (fear of death) as the following :

अविद्या क्षेत्रमुत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम्।।४।।

अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या।।५।।

दृग्दर्शनशक्तयोरेकात्मतैवास्मिता।।६।।

सुखानुशयी रागः।।७।।

दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः।।८।।

स्वरसवाही विदुषोऽपि तथाऽऽरूढोऽभिनिवेशः।।९।।

Here our focus is on vritti / वृत्ति, the above reference is just to understand better how a vritti / वृत्ति  is either associated with any of these attributes or may be a plain and simple one like thirst, hunger, sleep or likewise.

In the next post we could conveniently move onto the Aphorisms of the Chapter समाधिपाद / Samadhipad.

***

 

कर्म-योग क्या है?

चित्तस्य शुद्धये कर्म न तु वस्तूपलब्धये।।

वस्तुसिद्धिर्विचारेण न किञ्चित्कर्मकोटिभिः।।११।।

(विवेकचूडामणि)

श्री रमण महर्षि कृत उपदेश-सार नामक ग्रन्थ के प्रारम्भ में ही  कर्म-योग के साधन के महत्व का उल्लेख किया गया है, क्योंकि कर्म यद्यपि जड है, और कर्ता चेतन, किन्तु कर्म के महत्व के बारे में जैसा कि श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता अध्याय ३ में कहा गया है :

न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते।।

न च सन्न्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति।।४।।

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।।

कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः।।५।।

और पुनः अध्याय ४ में :

कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः।।

अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः।।१७।।

इसलिए कर्म, विकर्म और अकर्म स्वरूपतः क्या हैं, इसका बोध होने पर कर्म का अनुष्ठान भी इस प्रकार से किया जा सकता है, कि उससे पूर्व की कर्मश्रँखला का अन्त हो और कर्म नए बन्धन का कारण भी न बन सके।

इसी दृष्टि से और चूँकि सामान्य मनुष्य कर्म की ही भाषा मानता और जानता है, इसलिए भी श्री रमण महर्षि ने इस ओर हमारा ध्यान आकर्षित किया है ताकि योग से संबंधित अधिक कठिन तत्वों को क्रमशः समझा जा सके।

यहाँ कुछ श्लोक हैं, अधिक और विस्तृत जानकारी के लिए मेरे श्री रमण वाणी ब्लॉग का अवलोकन कर सकते हैं।

उपदेश-सारः

कर्तुराज्ञया प्राप्यते फलम्।।

कर्म किं परं कर्म तज्जडम्।।१।।

कृति महोदधौ पतनकारणम्।।

फलमशाश्वतं गतिनिरोधकम्।।२।।

ईश्वरार्पितं नेच्छया कृतम्।।

चित्तशोधकं मुक्तिसाधकम्।।३।।

कायवाङ्मनः कार्यमुत्तमम्।।

पूजनं जपश्चिन्तनं क्रमात्।।४।।

जगत ईशधीयुक्तसेवनम्।।

अष्टमूर्तिभृद्देवपूजनम्।।५।।

उत्तमस्तवादुच्चमन्दतः।।

चित्तजं जपध्यानमुत्तमम्।।६।।

आज्यधारया स्रोतसा समम्।।

सरलचिन्तनं विरलतः परम्।।७।।

भेदभावनात्सोऽमित्यसौ।।

भावनाऽभिदा पावनी मता।।८।।

भावशून्य सद्भावसुस्थितिः।।

भावनाबलाद् भक्तिरुत्तमा।।९।।

हृत्स्थले मनःस्वस्थता क्रिया।।

भक्तियोगबोधाश्च निश्चितम्।।१०।।

इसे हम पातञ्जल योग के साधनपाद के प्रथम सूत्र के सन्दर्भ में भी देख सकते हैं :

तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः।।१।।

किन्तु भक्ति भी मूलतः चूँकि तप, स्वाध्याय और ईश्वरप्रणिधान पर ही आश्रित है, इसलिए यह भक्ति और भक्तियोग तथा बोध अर्थात् ज्ञानयोग भी है।

मन का हृदय में सुस्थिर होना ही लक्ष्य है । इसे ही श्री रमणगीता अध्याय २ में इस प्रकार से व्यक्त किया गया  है :

हृदयकुहरमध्ये केवलं ब्रह्ममात्रम्

ह्यहमहमिति साक्षादात्मरूपेण भाति।।

हृदि विश मनसा स्वं चिन्वता मज्जता वा।।

पवनचलनरोधादात्मनिष्ठो भव त्वम्।।२।। 

दूसरी ओर श्रीमद्भगवदगीता अध्याय २ में भी स्पष्टतः कहा गया है कि कर्म ज्ञान से कम महत्वपूर्ण है :

दूरेण ह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनञ्जय।।

बुद्धौ शरणमन्विच्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः।।४९।।

जिसका तात्पर्य यही कि जब फल की कामना रखते हुए कोई कर्म किया जाता है, तो ऐसे कर्म की बुद्धियोग से तुलना नहीं की जा सकती। 

और कर्म का इतना महत्व तो है ही, कि वह हमें आध्यात्मिक मार्ग पर चलने में बाधक न होकर अनुकूल हो। 

बुद्धियोग को जानने से पहले "वृत्ति" का क्या है, इसे समझना आवश्यक है। अगले पोस्ट में इसी पर विवेचना की जाएगी ।।

***

Aphorisms of Yoga.

पातञ्जल-योगसूत्राणि

--

In the last post, we could see how वृत्ति / vritti is the starting point of :

पातञ्जल योग Yoga of Patanjali.

The very first aphorism is :

अथ योगानुशासनम्।।१।।

And the next is :

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः।।२।।

This implies cessation of the flow of vritti is the first step in practicing this "Yoga".

Yoga of Patanjali is therefore a discipline / अनुशासनम्. 

If this is properly done, this results in fixing the mind in a state, where no वृत्ति / vritti, or the interplay between the object (विषय) and the subject (विषयी) is any more.

Then :

तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्।।३।।

And then the observer (द्रष्टा) gets settled in its natural state of just being, without being this or that, without identifying itself with any of the objects what-so-ever.

What happens when the state of just being is disturbed? This has been pointed out in the next aphorism :

वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र।।४।।

This natural state of pure uncontaminated being, where the mind (consciousness) stays unruffled, without identification with a vritti is called the "witness" / "दृष्टा".

Where the mind moves away from this state, the play of the vritti / वृत्ति begins and at once Consciousness (दृष्टा) splits into the object विषय and the subject विषयी. 

The विषयी / the subject then appears to have assumed the character and the form of the विषय / object. The विषयी / subject is changeless in comparison with the विषय / object, and the object undergoes changing all the time. One object विषय is replaced by another object and this play goes on indefinitely without an end. Identification (वृत्ति सारूप्यम) is the state when the विषयी / subject is totally and completely absorbed in a single विषय / object. This state of  indulgence is itself the vritti / वृत्ति.

When all vritti / वृत्ति  ceases to exist, there is neither the indulgence, nor the वृत्ति-सारूप्यम् / identification. Still the state of pure being is in no way affected.

--

This is the preliminary about the vritti / वृत्ति and how to deal with it. Yet the Sense of "I" that prevails over all states of the mind is an important aspect of vritti / वृत्ति. There is this sense, the underlying principle that is what enables one to claim one's individuality as being an individual / some-one.

This sense of being some-one is referred to by Patanjali as the "misery" / "क्लेश" while the same could be also said to be the ego / अहंकार.

तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः।। १।।

समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च।।२।।

अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः।।३।।

अविद्या क्षेत्रमुत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम्।।४।।

अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या।।५।।

दृग्दर्शनशक्तयोरेकात्मतैवास्मिता।।६।।

The same has been indicated by the word अहं-प्रत्यय for the same, by Sri Shankaracharya, (vivekachudamani 125) while Sri Ramana Maharshi refers to this as in Upadesh Sarah by  अहं-वृत्ति The two references are as under :

अस्ति कश्चित् स्वयं नित्यं अहं-प्रत्ययलम्बनः।।

अवस्थात्रय साक्षी सन् पञ्चकोषविलक्षणः।।१२५।।

(विवेकचूडामणि) 

वृत्तयस्त्वहंवृत्तिमाश्रिताः।।

वृत्तयो मनो विद्ध्यहं मनः।।१८।।

(उपदेश-सारः)

Then Sri Raman refers to मनोलयं  and  मनोनाशः. मनोलयः मनोनाशः

चित्त वायवः चित्क्रियायुताः।।

शाखयोर्द्वयी शक्तिमूलका।।१२।।

लयविनाशने उभयरोधने।।

लयगतं पुनर्भवति नो मृतम्।।१३।।

प्राणबन्धनाल्लीनमानसम्।।

एकचिन्तनान्नाशमेत्यदः।।१४।।

This helps us in understanding the purpose and result of abnegation / निरोध of vritti / वृत्ति  as is suggested in the aphorism 2. This also lets us see how the Yoga of Patanjali is to be practiced, while the way of understanding; the ज्ञान / सांख्य is about enquiry (अनुसंधान) into the nature of anything and everything.

--

To be continued in the next post. 

***

Is Everything Pre-destined?

Consciousness / consciousness. 

--

Past is memory and information. 

Present is how it is described.

Future is imagination, hope, fear, restricted within the limits of the known. 

In the strictly physical sense, in the physical time, we can sure chalk out and predict with 100% surity, how the things will happen. 

But as soon the number of factors increases, we see any prediction becomes rather more and more difficult and still we can somehow  predict accurately the expected result.

This is because this depends on information only. Thought is information. Memory too is information. Physics is about finding out the pattern that could explain the Laws. These presume a Time-model, a Time-frame, and according to the perspective of that model Laws are discovered. The Laws are subject to a pattern apparent to the observer.

Do and could we ever know about the nature of this "observer"? Essentially there is only "consciousness" irrespective of the observer or the observed. The same is then split into an assumed observer and the observed. The "consciousness" is ever-present and evident only reality and there nothing else like this "someone" / "observer", who emerges out from consciousness. Prior to and before this "observer" arises, there is neither "Time" or  Space - material or of any other kind.

The "observer" and the "observed" appear to happen in and because of "consciousness" that is Timelessness.

How to discover this truth? For truth is to be discovered and not to be formulated. Truth is never verbal. Truth could not be attained. Though could be and needs to be discovered only.

Still there is clue.

The six Darshana / दर्शन as are enumerated in the scriptures of Sanatan Dharma / सनातन धर्म  are verily six approaches / means to discover and find out what is the nature of "Truth". These six approaches are individually and mutually independent from each-another, perfect and independent too from the other five.

Here in terms of 'scientific', let us try to see how this has been dealt with in one of them, viz. The Yoga of Patanjali.

Patanjali begins with "vritti" / वृत्ति, and points out how (or if) the Truth could split into the "observer" and the "observed".

According to Patanjali the "observer" is विषयी, / the "subject", while the "observed" is विषय /  the "object". The Field / क्षेत्र of the interaction between the two is the "consciousness" / चेतना / क्षेत्रज्ञ.

As श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता / Shrimadbhagavad-gita points out through :

वेदानां सामवेदोऽस्मि देवानामस्मि वासवः।।

इन्द्रियाणां मनश्चास्मि भूतानामस्मि चेतना।।२२।।

(अध्याय १०, stanza 22 chapter 10)

And,

इदं शरीरं कौन्तेय क्षेत्रमित्यभिधीयते।।

एतद्यो वेत्ति तं प्राहुः क्षेत्रज्ञ इति तद्विदुः।।१।।

क्षेत्रज्ञं चापि मां विद्धि सर्व क्षेत्रेषु भारत।।

क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञयोर्ज्ञानं यत्तज्ज्ञानं मतं मम।।२।।

तत्क्षेत्रं यच्च यादृक्च यद्विकारी यतश्च यत्।।

स च यो यत्प्रभावश्च तत्समासेन मे शृणु।।३।।

ऋषिभिर्बहुधागीतं छन्दोभिर्विविधैः पृथक्।।

ब्रह्मसूत्रपदैशचैव हेतुमद्भिर्विनिश्चितैः।।४।।

महाभूतान्यहङ्कारो बुद्धिरव्यक्तमेव च।।

इन्द्रियाणि दशैकं च पञ्च चेन्द्रियगोचराः।।५।।

इच्छा द्वेषः सुखं दुःखं सङ्घातश्चेतना धृतिः।।

एतत्क्षेत्रं समासेन सविकारमुदाहृतम्।।६।।

(अध्याय १३, Chapter 13 - Stanza 1-2-3-4-5-6)

Here Shrikrishna defines :

ज्ञान Consciousness, and चेतना "consciousness", as two distinct characteristics of "knowing".

The Consciousness Omniscient is the Truth, while the consciousness manifest through and within this individual physical body is the person.

Patanjali points out the same truth in the following words :

दृष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः।।२०।।

(साधनपाद / Patanjal-Yoga Sutra, Sadhanapada 20)

vritti / वृत्ति is the interplay between the object and the subject. "Time" assumes existence so long as this interplay continues.

(Hope to write the next part of this topic in the next post.)

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Decision / Indecision

The Feature Perpetual. 

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Genius, Ingenious and The Ingenuous  --

The Ingenuity  :

--

The essential feature every-one is endowed with without exception is the sense of being. This sense of just pure being only, soon or later on gets turned into the sense of being 'some-one' because of the association with the ignorance of the fact what this sense is about, and why and how in the first place, this sense emerges out from nowhere in the mind / consciousness.

Though essentially Innocuous and Innocent, this is how this very sense of just pure being only, and the consciousness of this fact (of just being only) manifests into the form of being genius or ingenious. Being genius is being ingenious as well, but still may or may not be being ingenuous.

(Though this may look like a word-play, I'm  trying to go further into finding out this.)

This sense of just pure being is quite natural and spontaneous, but soon it gets translated into being some-thing or some-one, and gets corrupted, and becomes the individual.

Shrimadbhagvad-gita / श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता -

Chapter 7/27 points out :

इच्छाद्वेषसमुत्थेन द्वन्द्वमोहेन भारत।।

सर्वभूतानि सम्मोहं सर्गे यान्ति परन्तप।।२७।।

(अध्याय ७)

From the very beginning, All beings with no exception, come into existence, deluded with the conflict of desire and fear, apprehension and doubt. (Just because) The self is ignorant of the purpose, meaning and the truth of this sense of being oneself. 

This is what happens in the very beginning, when the the pure consciousness takes the form of an individual.

Only after having associated with intellect, the 'being' comes into 'becoming'.

So this conflict of being and becoming is the root-cause of all activities one goes through in (one's?) life.

So an average, ordinary being could either be an ignorant one, (ignorant of even this fact that one is ignorant), or the intellectual one, who is just confused and voluntarily or involuntarily trying to find out a way to get rid of this conflict.

The one who is quite ignorant and unaware of the fact of this initial ignorance moves on in life prompted by or being forced upon by the inherent tendencies like the desire and the fear, while the intellectual one tries to find out a pattern and / or order of the things that he is coming across. He could be genius, ingenious, ingenuous too. But no doubt, such a man is very un-decided what all this life is about. And according to his inherent latent tendencies, and the circumstances, he keeps on shifting from one thought to the another, may find temporary respite or satisfaction.

He keeps on trying to find out the answers to the questions like :

What is (my) future?

What decides and determines the future?

-- The Action / Effort or The Fate?

And by some mysterious reasons he keeps on avoiding / skipping the essential and the most important question : "Who I (am)?"

For a majority of people this looks like quite an absurd or senseless one. Even if one tries to think over this, one simply gets frustrated and can't see its significance any. 

But some-one out of sheer intensity of the urge, eagerness and earnestness, out of the sense of the absurdily of this life, the world, in the pursuit of a meaning and a purpose behind all this what one is and what this all existence is about, may find himself face to face to this question.

Fortunately and eventually, one may though come out of all this intellectual groove and grind, may see the light at the other end of this deep dark tunnel.

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