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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