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 ।। 

***