Sutra 1.40
परमाणु परममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः॥४०॥
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).
Aranya
"When the mind develops the power of stabilising on the smallest size as well as on the greatest one, then the mind comes under control."
Meditating between the two extremes of the minutest (like an atom) and the infinitely great, the mind acquires the power of holding on to any object it desires. This represents stability and perfect mastery of the mind (‘vasikara’). We can look upon ‘tanmatra’ (the five internal sense elements) as the minute atom of gross elements like sound etc. How this is perfect mastery is achieved is presented in the following sutra.
Discussion
Some commentators have indicated that the infinite could mean ‘akasha’ or space/ether which further could imply the cosmic physical space or the vast expanse of the internal space of consciousness. The smallest could mean not just minute in physical size but getting deeper into the essence of any object. An example of how one can get a deeper meaning out of a mundane observation is provided by Newton’s theory of gravitation. Falling objects are observed by everybody and are taken for granted. It was Newton who was able to attach a deeper significance to a falling object and thus was able to come up with the gravitational theory which has become one of the most significant findings of science in recent times.Â
Sutra 1.41
क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनतासमापत्तिः॥४१॥
kShINavRutteH = of the one whose fluctuations of the mind have been attenuated; abhijAtasya = of the well-polished; iva = like; maNeH = of the gem; grahItRu = perceiver; grahaNa = perception; grAhyeShu = (and) perceived objects; tatstha = on which it rests; tada~jjanatA = taking the color/form of that; samApattiH= fusion
Taimni
“In the case of one whose Citta-Vrttis have been almost annihilated, fusion or entire absorption in one another of the cognizer, cognition and cognized is brought about as in the case of a transparent jewel (resting on a coloured surface).”
In order to understand this sutra, we need to understand the underlying philosophy upon which it is based. According to this philosophy, the material universe is manifested as a result of progressive condensation of consciousness. At the highest level is pure consciousness which is purely subjective. At lower levels of manifestation, there exists a subjective-objective relationship between the higher and lowers layers. Each layer is ‘objective’ to the parent layer and ‘subjective’ for the child layers. In essence, then, there are three entities which are referred to in this sutra as grahitra, grahana, and grahya which can be translated as perceiver (subjective), perceived (objective) and perception (process of manifestation). Realizing that in this process, One has become three, it is easy to see how these three can merge back into a single entity. The fusion of these three entities leads to the experience of samadhi.
The simile given in the sutra refers to a crystal in relation to a colored paper. The purer the crystal, stronger is its fusion with the color of the paper. In a crystal which is free from any impurities, the fusion of the crystal and the color of the paper is complete and the two are indistinguishable. It is the same with the mind which has various tendencies, and samskaras as its ‘impurities’. To purify the mind, Patanjali has proposed the Yamas, Niyamas, and Vairagya. Further cleansing is done through the practice of Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara. Finally, all the mental images can be controlled through the practice of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.
In Sabija samadhi, even though other defects have been eliminated, the seed still remains. To arrive at the whole truth, even this seed has to be given up in Nirbija samadhi. That is the reality of pure consciousness or Purusha.
The word ‘kshina’ in the sutra implies ‘attenuated’ or ‘weakened’ not ‘annihilated’. This again refers to the ‘sabija samadhi’ where the seed still remains.
Aranya
(discussed 4/10/10)
"When the fluctuations of the mind are weakened, the mind appears to take on the features of the object of meditation-whether it be the cogniser (Grahita), the instrument of cognition (Grahana) or the object cognised (Grahya)-as does a transparent jewel, and this identification is called Samapatti or engrossment."
Aranya
"Weakened fluctuation" refers to the state of the mind when all modifications but one have disappeared. As an example, a clear crystal influenced by the color of an adjacent article appears to be tinged by it. Similarly the mind engrossed in an object (cognizer, cognized, cognition) appears to take on its nature. The cognized object can be subtle or gross. The means of cognition refers to the organs of the body. The cognizer refers to the Empiric Self. This absorption of the mind is called "samapatti".
The state of ‘samapatti’ is arrived at when the mind is made one-pointed using any of the techniques described in the previous sutras. In subsequent sutras, four different types of samapatti have been described:
- Savitarka – concentration on gross objects with the help of words. Cognized objects include gross external objects like animals, pot, flower etc, five gross elements, Instruments of cognition include organs of perception (ear, nose etc), organs of action (hands, feet etc), and the five pranas. Here, while talking of Sabija (with seed) samadhi, the cognizer is not the Purusha.
- Savichara – concentration on subtle objects with the help of words (five subtle elements like sound, color etc; internal organs including intellect, ego and memories; the cognizer or the pure I-sense)
- Nirvitarka – concentration on gross objects without the help of words
- Nirvichara – concentration on subtle objects without the help of words, on bliss or on pure I-sense
Discussion
For this sutra, like in a few of the previous sutras, we noted that Taimni and Aranya have interpreted the sutra differently. According to Taimni, in the state of ‘samapatti’, a fusion of the perceiver, perception and the perceived takes place. That is, they lose their individual identity. This fusion takes place in all stages of ‘samapatti’ as defined above. As per Aranya, based on Vyasa’s commentary, ‘samapatti’ means the absorption of the mind in any one of the three entities – perceiver, perceived and perception. This is defined with reference to the four stages of ‘samapatti’ as stated above. I read the commentary by Swami Veda Bharati who essentially presents the same interpretation as Aranya.
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