Yoga Sutra Study

Sutra 1.47

निर्विचारवैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः॥४७॥

nirvichaaravaishaaradye.dhyaatmaprasaadaH

nirvichaara = the Nirvichara stage; vaishaaradye = on refinement, on attaining utmost purity; .dhyaatma = spiritual; prasaadaH = lucidity, clarity

Taimni

"On attaining the utmost purity of the Nirvichara stage (of samadhi) there is the dawning of the spiritual light."

Even though sabija samadhi begins with the lower mind, true spiritual light dawns on the consciousness only when the last stage of nirvichara samadhi is reached. Samadhi at the lower levels of the mind leads only to siddhis of a lower kind which may result in a selfish outlook and arrogant attitude. People who begin to dwell on such siddhis  may never experience deeper realms of spirituality. However, during the last stages of nirvichara samadhi, buddhi, under the control of atma can shed its radiance on the lower mind and make it purer.
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Sutra 1.46

ता एव सबीजः समाधिः॥४६॥

taa eva sabIjaH samaadhiH

taa = they (the four types of samapattis mentioned before); eva = indeed; sabIjaH = with seed; samaadhiH = meditative absorption

Taimni

"They (stages corresponding to subtle objects) constitute only Samadhi with seed"

An object associated with Prakriti on which samyama is performed is technically a seed, whether it is gross or subtle. So "sabija samadhi" (samadhi with seed) is "objective" samadhi as opposed to "nirbija" samadhi where there is no object of meditation. In "nirbija" samadhi, purusha, who is beyond the realm of prakriti is the "objectless" object of meditation.

Aranya

"These are the only kinds of objective concentration"

The four types of samapattis described use an external object for concentration. Nirvitarka and savitarka  relate to gross objects, whereas savichara and nirvichara relate to subtle objects. They are thus known as samadhis with seed.

Discussion

In sutra 1.17 there were four types of samadhi mentioned – based on vitarka, vichara, ananda and asmita. However in this sutra, the reference seems to be only on nirvitarka, savitarka, savichara and nirvichara. There is no mention of samadhis with ananda and asmita. According to Swami Veda Bharati the following correspondence should be used:

1. Savitarka samapatti = savitarka samadhi
2. Nirvitarka samapatti = nirvitarka samadhi
3. Savichara samapatti = savichara samadhi
4. Nirvichara samapatti = nirvichara samadhi, samadhi with ananda, samadhi with asmita

All these are called "sabija" since they leave a samskara or a seed of bondage. The word "bija" can be looked upon as having two different connotations:

• In a fruit, when you peel off the skin, the pulp and any other external matter, what is left is just the seed. In the same manner, seed can be considered to be the deepest essence of an object of meditation.
• A seed when planted in a favorable environment can fructify and become a tree. Similarly, a samskara can be considered a seed since it can fructify into an active vritti in the mind given the right triggers.

For these reasons, the above-mentioned samadhis can be termed as sabija samadhi.

Sutra 1.45

सूक्ष्मविषयत्वं चालिङ्गपर्यवसानम्॥४५॥

sUkShmaviShayatvaM chaali~ggaparyavasaanam

sUkShmaviShayatvaM = the state of samadhi concerned with subtle objects; cha = and; ali~gga = last stage of the gunas (without a symbol); paryavasaanam = extending (up to)

Taimni

"The province of Samadhi concerned with subtle objects extends up to the Alinga stage of the three gunas"

Different objects are subtle to different degrees and the degrees of subtlety have been classified according to the stages of the gunas (as explained later in sutra 2.19). As per the Sankhya philosophy, all objects can be classified in four categories according to the four stages of the gunas. The last stage of the gunas is called "alinga" and hence that is the most subtle object of contemplation for samadhi.

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[Note: this is a continuation of the discussion from the last session on sutra 1.44]

Sutra 1.44

एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषया व्याख्याता॥४४॥

etayaiva savichaaraa nirvichaaraa cha sUkShmaviShayaa vyaakhyaataa

etayaiva = by this alone; savichaaraa = samadhi involving reflection; nirvichaaraa = samadhi not involving ‘vichara’; cha = and; sUkShmaviShayaa = involving subtle objects; vyaakhyaataa = is described or explained

Aranya

"By this (foregoing) the Savichara and Nirvichara engrossments, whose objects are subtle, are also explained"

When the concentration on the subtle elements is conditioned by time, space and causation, it is called "savichara" samapatti. When the concentration is not affected by any mutation due to time or space, it is called "nirvichara". When there is any verbal reflection on the object, it becomes "savichara".

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Sutra 1.43

[Discussion on this sutra continued during the meetings on 6/19/10 and 6/26/10]

स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का॥४३॥

smRutiparishuddhau svarUpashUnyevaarthamAtranirbhaasaa nirvitrakaa

smRuti = memory; parishuddhau = on clarification; svarUpa = own form or essential nature; shUnya = devoid of; iva = as if; artha = real meaning; mAtra = only; nirbhaasaa = shining, appearing as; nirvitrakaa = samadhi characterized by absence of Vitarka

Discussion (cont.)

Since some of the members had missed the previous discussion on the sutra, and also we had a couple of new members, we decided to re-read the commentary by Aranya and continue with the discussion.

Vyasa, in his commentary, makes a reference to those who believe that all objects experienced are unreal, insubstantial or false. We felt that this reference is to some concepts in Buddhism and also possibly to Advaita Vedanta where all material objects are considered ‘unreal’. Vyasa states that if we were to follow this line of thinking, then all knowledge would be false and we would have access to no object of meditation. Because we are able to bring into focus an object from the material word, we are able to understand its true nature through the process of meditation and samadhi as explained in this sutra.

An interesting observation is made by Sw. Satyananda (of Bihar School of Yoga) in his commentary. Because the memory has been purified before reaching the state of ‘nirvitarka’ samadhi, a yogi loses any connection with the memory temporarily. As such, there may not be any impression of the ‘nirvitarka’ samadhi left in the memory and the experience can not be recalled at a later time. Connection with the memory may still be available for people who have reached a very high state of consciousness.

Sutra 1.44

एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषया व्याख्याता॥४४॥

etayaiva savichaaraa nirvichaaraa cha sUkShmaviShayaa vyaakhyaataa

etayaiva = by this alone; savichaaraa = samadhi involving reflection; nirvichaaraa = samadhi not involving ‘vichara’; cha = and; sUkShmaviShayaa = involving subtle objects; vyaakhyaataa = is described or explained

Taimni

In this sutra Patanjali simply states that the mental processes in ‘savichara, nirvichara’ and higher states of samadhi are identical to those found in the ‘savitarka, nirvitarka’ samadhi. As we learned in sutra 1.17, ‘savichara’ involves concentration on subtle objects. The process of perceiving material objects is done through the faculty of the five senses. But at higher spiritual planes, perception takes place through a single entity called ‘pratibha’ which performs the functions of all five sense-organs. These higher faculties can overcome the limitations of the intellect in getting to know an object in its true reality.

Sutra 1.43

[Discussion on this sutra continued during the meeting on 5/22/10]

स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का॥४३॥

smRutiparishuddhau svarUpashUnyevaarthamAtranirbhaasaa nirvitrakaa

smRuti = memory; parishuddhau = on clarification; svarUpa = own form or essential nature; shUnya = devoid of; iva = as if; artha = real meaning; mAtra = only; nirbhaasaa = shining, appearing as; nirvitrakaa = samadhi characterized by absence of Vitarka

Taimni

"On the clarification of memory, when the mind loses its essential nature (subjectivity), as it were, and the real knowledge of the object alone shines (through the mind), Nirvitarka Samadhi is attained."

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Sutra 1.42

[Discussion on this sutra continued during the meeting on 5/8/10]

तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः संकीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः॥४२॥

tatra shabdArthaj~jAnavikalpaiH saMkIrNaa savitarkaa samaapattiH

tatra = there; shabda = word; Artha = real meaning; j~jAna = ordinary knowledge; vikalpaiH = alternating between different alternatives due to confusion; saMkIrNaa = mixed up; savitarkaa = a state of samadhi characterized by vitarka (gross object); samaapattiH = absorption

Taimni

"Savitarka Samadhi is that in which knowledge based only on words, real
knowledge and ordinary knowledge based on sense perception or reasoning are present
in a mixed state and the mind alternates between them."

Sutras 1.42-1.51 discuss various aspects of ‘samadhi’. The word Samadhi does not represent a specific state of mind but a range of super-conscious states of mind which lead to ‘kaivalya’. Attainment of Samadhi can lead a yogi into higher realms of consciousness.

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Sutra 1.40

परमाणु परममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः॥४०॥

paramaaNu paramamahattvaanto’sya vashIkaaraH

paramaaNu = the smallest atom; parama + mahattvaantaH = extending up to the greatest – infinity; asya = his (yogi’s); vashIkaaraH = mastery.

Taimni

"His mastery extends from the finest atom to the greatest infinity"

In this sutra, Patanjali refers to the powers that a yogi can attain through the practice of yoga. The subject of yogic powers (siddhis) is dealt with in great detail in Chapter 3 (Vibhuti Pada).

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Sutra 1.38

स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा॥३८॥

svapnanidraaj~jaanaalambanaM vaa

Taimni

"Also (the mind) depending upon the knowledge derived from dreams or
dreamless sleep (will acquire steadiness)."

Nidra (deep sleep) and swapna (dream) refer to subtler vehicles into which the consciousness passes during sleep. Only partial contact is maintained with the physical body to enable it to carry on its normal physiological activities. Even though we all get into this state, only a few with psychic abilities can bring back a vague knowledge of their experience in that state. For a normal person, only chaotic dream images are produced as a result of interaction between the images in the mind during dream state and those received through the subtler vehicle. In the case of deep sleep, even higher subtler planes are encountered and the brain becomes empty. Only the mind stays active at a higher plane. Through proper training and practice, it is possible to bring back memories from the higher planes of dream and deep sleep states into the brain. These images are not chaotic and the knowledge can actually be carried over to the waking sate. It is this knowledge that is referred to in this sutra and contemplating on it is helpful in bringing the mind to a steady state.

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by Kailasam Iyer

You hear this expression “being one with the Universe” or “feeling one with the Universe” with the implication of an identity, resonance, compatibility, what is good for the Universe is good for me and vice versa type of cuddling in all sorts of socio, political, economic, religious interactions. What does this mean? Why is it felt sometimes and not others? Why do some people feel it and not others? When you eat a moderate amount of healthy food in the evening and if it is all digested before you go to sleep, chances are you will sleep well and wake up with a smug smirk on your face. You are in tune with your perceived universe or in other words the universe is a friendly place or the universe is cozy to you as a cocoon. The feeling is entirely subjective and transitory. Where does this feeling come from and why doesn’t it stay permanently? OR is there a way to latch on to it permanently? The answer lies in our understanding of what we mean by “the Universe” and who we are.

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