तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्॥२॥
tatra = there, in that; pratyaya = thought, content of the mind; ekataanataa = fixed on one point only; dhyaanam = meditation;
Sw. Satchidananda
"Dhyana is the continuous flow of cognition toward that object."
Bryant
"Meditation is the one-pointedness of the mind on one image."
Taimni
"Uninterrupted flow (of the mind) towards the object (chosen for meditation) is contemplation."
In dharana (sutra 3.1) one could focus on a specific location in the physical body – navel center, heart center, crown of the head etc., or on an image of a deity or any other object that one decides to choose. While practicing dharana, the mind stays focused for some time and then gets distracted. With continuous practice of dharana, mind learns to stay focused for longer periods of time. That is when we transition to dhyana (meditation).
In this sutra, “pratyaya” refers to the content in the mind at any given time. ‘Ekatanata’ implies stretching or prolonging the same content for an extended period of time. Here, the field of focus gets narrowed compared to dharana and focus is maintained for a longer time. The uninterrupted flow of the same content in the mind can be compared to the flow of oil or honey. Even though the mind stays focused on the object of meditation, there is still the “I-sense” that “I am meditating” that remains in the field of awareness (chitta).
The common question that comes to mind when planning for meditation is how to pick the object of meditation. Patanjali does not provide any specific guidelines. As mentioned earlier, in chapter 3 he recommends many objects on which to practice “samyama” (combination of dharana, dhyana and samadhi) to attain many different siddhis (supernormal powers). This suggests the use of the same object for dharana as well as dhyana. However, you may decide to choose one object for dharana and a different one for dhyana. In my own practice, I follow the latter approach. Different schools of meditation recommend different objects for dhyana. For example, in the Buddhist style of meditation called “Vipassana”, the object of focus is either the breath or physical sensations in the body. The style of meditation that I follow is called “mantra meditation”. Over the years this technique has evolved into being one of the popular meditation techniques. So, having practiced dharana on the chosen object, one transitions to the mantra meditation practice for dhyana.
In the ancient times, one had to live with a guru at an “ashram” or a “gurukulam” for a long period of time to study all aspects of learning – math, language, literature, scriptures etc. At the time of graduation, the guru would provide a distinct mantra for each student that the guru deemed suitable for the student. Of course, that approach is not easily available these days. So, the common recommendation is to pick a word or a short phrase that one identifies with some positive value as the mantra. For example, many people from the Indian tradition choose a mantra related to their chosen deity (called “ishta devata”) – Shiva, Vishnu, devi Saraswati etc. In the early stages of meditation, you may want to try out two or three different mantras but then must settle on one that you find the most effective for your meditation. Having picked a mantra, you should keep the same mantra for your meditation all the time. The mantras when chanted repeatedly in the mind have powerful effect on our mind at deep, subconscious levels. Constant recitation of the mantra in the mind helps cleanse the mind of impurities and can bring the mind to a peaceful, calm state.
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