।।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. 

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