Sutra 1.35
विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी॥३५॥
viṣayavatī vā pravr̥tti-rutpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhinī ॥35॥
viṣayavatī=involving sense perception; vā=or; pravr̥ttiḥ=experienced by the senses; utpannā=brought about; manasaḥ=of the mind; sthiti=steadiness; nibandhinī=cause
Taimni
"Coming into activity of (higher) senses also becomes helpful in establishing steadiness of the mind."
Mind can also be made steady by absorption in some super-physical sensuous cognition. For example, concentration on Nada or the subtle sensation of inner sound, as done in the practice of Laya Yoga, can be used for this purpose. It is probable that Laya Yoga merges with Raja yoga at some point. However, it can be used as an effective preliminary technique in preparation for Raja Yoga.
Aranya
"The development of higher objective perceptions called Visayavati also brings about tranquility of mind."
Subtle perceptions can be experienced as follows:
- smell by concentrating on the nose
- taste by concentrating on the tip of the tongue
- color by concentrating on the palate
- touch by concentrating on the tongue
- sound by concentrating on the root of the tongue
Concentration on these points develops a fine power of perception of the sense-organs. Shutting the eyes after looking intently at an object, say the moon or stars, will leave their image in the mind. Contemplation on these images develops higher perception and helps steady the mind. This kind of realization induces a deep faith in yoga and helps renounce material sense experiences. Even though we gain knowledge through the study of scriptures and inference etc, it needs to be intensified by direct experience through the subtle senses.
Discussion
Yogis are known to possess super-sensual or super-physical sensibilities. In the "Autobiography of a Yogi" several instances of similar super-sensual perception are described. In fact, most of us have some of these capabilities, although not very pronounced. For example, all of us have experienced the presence of someone behind us even though no sound was made by that person.
In the Kundalini science of yoga, each chakra (vortex of subtle energy) is associated with a "bija" (root) mantra. It is a well-established practice in Kundalini yoga to focus on the sound of the bija mantra of a given chakra which helps steady the mind. This kind of bija mantra meditation can help control the negative propensities associated with a given chakra. For example, an imbalance in the Manipura (Navel) chakra can result in ulcers, diabetes, and digestive problems. By focusing on its bija mantra, ‘ram’ (pronounced something like ‘rhum’), the negative tendencies of the Manipura chakra can be subdued. In the popular technique of ‘trataka’ (gazing), gazing on a candle flame is followed by closing the eyes and then mentally gazing at the internal image of the candle. This is usually practiced to settle the mind as a preparation for meditation. In essence, focusing on any of the five ‘tanmatras’ (subtle sense organs) can be used to restrain the fluctuations of the mind.
Sutra 1.36
विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती॥३६॥
viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī ॥36॥
viśokā=painless, blissful; vā=or; jyotiṣmatī=luminous, the supreme light
Taimni
The yogi, based on the past samskaras and the guidance of a competent teacher, may use one of several available methods to calm the mind; these include different types of meditation or techniques from Kundalini or Laya yoga as mentioned earlier. As a result of these practices, the yogi may begin to see an unusual light within or feel an utter sense of peace and tranquility. It is important for the yogi to realize that these are mere stepping stones to the final goal of achieving the state of Samadhi. The practitioner should not treat these as major milestones in their spiritual growth.
Aranya
When an experience of pure I-sense appears like a wave-less ocean, the mind becomes free from sorrow. It is also radiant and brilliant because at that time the light of knowledge dawns.
The method of reaching the I-sense is to imagine in the heart center a limitless expansion of brilliant light and stay absorbed in it. Pure I-sense is not the object of cognition but an instrument of cognition to realize that effulgence of the pure inner soul. Two methods of contemplation are described:
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Imagine in the heart a sky-like transparent light and think that the ‘self’ is within that. Such thought brings a sense of bliss and a state free from sorrow. Yogis focus this inner light on the object that they want to know in depth. After intense contemplation, the idea of space is eliminated, only the idea of the observer of space – the pure I-sense – remains.
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The other technique is simply to concentrate on the heart stopping all body movements. Then continue contemplation on the sense of serenity which results from the practice. This will lead to the undiversified experience of the I-sense called Asmita.
Discussion
I was trying to understand the grammatical structure of the sutras 1.35 and 1.36 and how they are linked to each other. After some thinking, this is how I would linearize the Sanskrit:
1.35: When a ‘pravritti’ (state of mind) which is ‘vishayavati’ (composed of a subtle sense perception) is sustained, it (the mind) attains a ‘sthiti-nibandhani’ or tranquil state.
1.36: When a ‘pravritti’ (state of mind) which is ‘vishoka’ (sorrowless) and ‘jyotishmati’ (luminous) is sustained, it (the mind) attains a ‘sthiti-nibandhani’ or tranquil state.
As we can see from the above understanding, the two sutras are linked by the common phrase ‘manasah pravritti sthiti-nibandhani’ (mind’s state of being tranquil) and therefore should be read together to get the complete meaning. In fact, the following two sutras also seem to be linked the same way.
What is not very clear to me is that having attained a state in which we have a perception of the pure I-sense and also the mind is tranquil and full of luminosity, how is this state different from Samadhi. Both the authors seem to imply that these are intermediate stages prior to attaning the state of Samadhi.
Another way to understand the sutra is to recognize that a state of sorrow is the result of predominance of the guna ‘rajas’. The guna ‘sattva’ must dominate in order to become free from sorrow. ‘Sattva’ is also equated with luminosity. So the word ‘jyotishmati’ in this sutra implies a state of mind which is ‘sattvic’.
In your own meditation practice, have you experienced this luminous state of the mind which is also free from sorrow?
Subhash: I don’t know how you do it; but, time and again, you produce these summaries both erudite and insightful. We are grateful. I offer the following comments for consideration:
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.
The Universe is what it is. What we make of it changes. Before Kepler, people truly believed that the earth was at the center and that all the heavenly bodies revolved around it. Our concept of the material universe is undergoing revisions all the time. All you have to do is to think about Dark Matter and it blows your mind. Which brings me to consciousness.
We are, when we are awake, continuously aware of a universe with things, lives, and activities (our own, others’, etc.), and the interactions among them. This “our” universe is pure awareness and is conditioned by what our individual homeostatic state is and the way and degree to which we are separated from it. Our individual homeostasis is an external manifestation of a combination of genetic and epigenetic factors. At any given moment in the history of the Universe, a human being is the repository of evolutionary memory, anthropological, historical, cultural, social memories, and memories associated with individual experiences. The interplay between these memories and the activities of our senses give rise to perceptions which were generally and broadly pigeonholed by our Gurus under the three gunas. An instant ago is memory; an instant from now is the unpredictable ( only because it is intractable) future; this instant is the present and at this instant, the perceived universe is created for the consciousness. Our faculties ( the hardware and the software of our machinery) and our capacities ( what we have eaten and how and how much of it has been converted to ATPs and hormones according to our genetic codes) perceive and react to “our” universe through the lenses of the three gunas which are emergent properties of an instantaneous arrangement of the state of our being. It is no exaggeration to say that our individual universe is created by our gunas for our consciousness at every instant of our lives. The characteristics of whichever guna is dominant at any given instant will determine our perceived universe and we will react to it according to the dictates of that guna. The degree of our compatibility we feel with the universe depends on the separation we feel away from our homeostasis. In homeostasis, the organism is in tune with “its universe”; away from homeostasis, the organism does everything it can ( whether it succeeds or not) to bring itself back to homeostasis. The organism has no choice. Homeostasis or a desire for it is not absence of needs; it is a dynamic state of having the basic needs met. Think of the thermostat in your house set at a temperature. When the actual temperature is different from the set temperature, the difference is sensed as a voltage to start the HPAC unit. The HPAC unit is shut off when the difference disappears. This servomechanical drive operates at the most fundamental unit of life, the cell. To me, this is the real meaning of our sanskaras. The emergent property of the composite of all the different kinds of memory that we are a repository of at any given instant decides what our homeostasis is. In my case, these days, I am not in my homeostasis until I can figure out the NY Times puzzle every day and I am not able to do it many days. There is a certain inevitability to this OR is there? Prof. V. S. Ramachandran says we don’t have free will but we do have free won’t; but there is always a price to pay. In homeostatic state, the organism is in harmony with the perceived universe.
What is the relation between the perceived universe and the Universe as it is? There is no perceived universe without a Universe ( with its beings and activities) to perceive. Memories are records of “past” perceptions. The signals which are emitted by the Universe are sensed, perceived, and interpreted by our prakriti (of which we are a manifestation) for our consciousness which is an emergent faculty of the of the physico-chemical state of our brain.
So, how and when can we know the Universe as it is? Our homeostatic state is not fixed in concrete. The requirements of homeostasis can be minimized further and further by dint of practice and vairaghyam to a level of bare sustenance of life force when the focus can be on an unadulterated vision of the Universe. The first step is to quiet our senses which would eliminate the biases of the metaphoric wakeful state. Secondly, we need to “forget” everything we know ( all our memories) which would get rid of our biases in our metaphoric dream state. Thirdly, we need to still our drives to keep our heart humming and blood flowing through our veins at an abject lowest level to achieve the metaphoric deep sleep state. From this state ( a thin layer on a substrate) we can glimpse the substrate. Beyond this “deep sleep” state, we can experience the completely self-free and bias-free Atman. Reading about it is not enough; experiential knowledge is what matters. This knowledge is the ultimate goal of pursuing any and all of the dharshanas, Yoga included. This is the real meaning of Arjuna’s Atman ( a manifestation of Krishna) viewing the Vishvarupam ( a dynamic continuum of past, present, and future of the Universe) of Krishna with the aid of a special vision ( a gift of Krishna). This is the perch from which the being gets a view of the Universe as it is OR this is when the perceived universe is mapped onto the Universe-as-it-is completely and identically. This is not euphoria but a transformational epiphany. The fact that this is a brain state does not detract one iota from its potential to create a retrievable memory state which is called upon to guide the being in its “wakeful” state. Two things happen when you are in possession of this knowledge. One, you remember this when you get back to the wakeful state and you have an equanimity that you did not have before. Two, you know how to get back to be in touch with Atman when you need to for the purpose of viewing the Universe as it is. How do I know this? I don’t. People whom I believe have written about this. Personally, I have never gotten past sensory delights. But I constantly reflect on the genius of our ancestors who identified this brain state and delineated pathways to it.
If we are smugly satisfied with just calming the mind and experiencing the temporary delight, we are missing out on the possibility of experiencing the permanent Anandham of nischalanam. When we come out of this temporary calm and delight, we are in no better shape to see the Universe as it is than when we went into it. That is why a samadhi pill is a contradiction in terms. This bias-free and activity-free Anandham is the base on which our lives and experiences are built for the consciousness to be aware of and what I think the neuroscientists refer to as the awareness of awareness. Dean started to talk about this when he mentioned his technique for calming down. He “observes” the peregrinations of his Self through the emotion/thought space. We have all experienced this. Think about the time you were in the middle of an experience. Our sense of self is in the experience. Our consciousness is evaluating the quality and the usefulness of the experience for future reference in negotiating the travails of life ( survival) and decides to create/forget memory for retrieval. Almost always, if you pay attention, you are aware of an additional layer which is an awareness of this consciousness. There is this quiet fly on the wall observing and not doing anything. If you can latch on to this awareness of awareness and stay with it without any reference to your needs, wants, and desires you may be in samadhi. Researchers say that this faculty is unique to humans and is the latest in the evolving cortex. I am not so sure; when I look at my daughter’s dog Miss Money Penny on those occasions when I make her do something she doesn’t want to do, she looks at me quizzically to convey the thought that by a very simple change in the quirk of nature, our positions could be interchanged. What I don’t know is whether Penny has that faculty or I am anthropomorphising our dog.
We refer to Thyagaraja Swamigal as the Nadha Brahmam for a very specific reason. His vision of Sri Rama in Kana Kana Ruchira, Annamacharya’s vision of Lord Venkatesvara in his kirtanai, Muthuswami Dikshitar’s vision of Kamalambal, Hendel’s Messiah, Beethovan’s Ninth, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio are expressions of a perceived identity and their contribution to our attempts at perceiving that identity. I think Sunitha is aware of this and we ought to get her to talk about it. It is not the repetition and concentration on one syllable. It is the complete surrender to paravasham (possessed by ANOTHER) through absorbing arrangement of fundamental sounds.
Wow! what a mouthful of a comment! Thank you so much, Kailasam, for sharing your wisdom with us.
Now I know that all I need to do is to stay at the level of “sensory delights” and all this wisdom and depth of knowledge that you display in your comment post would come to me as well!
I am myself very interested in knowing more about Brahma Naad and Naad Yoga. If anyone knows of such a resource, please share with us.
Two remarks (and some rambling):
1. Sutra 1.36 is a continuation of 1.35.
A part of 1.35 continues to 1.36. Both these sutras address pravRutti, which may be roughly translated as a mode of action – the action here referring to a concerted effort to calm the mind. PravRutti is contrasted with nivRutti, the absence of a propensity to act. From 1.35 we inherit “pravRuttiH utpannA manasaH sthitinibandhinI” and apply this to 1.36 so that an augmented 1.36 reads:
“manasaH sthitinibandhinI jyotiShmatI vishokA pravRuttiH utpannA”.
“…That mode of action which (a) serves to steady the mind or free from perturbations, (b) is luminious and (c) is devoid of sorrow – is born.”
Stylistically, this form of inheritance is ubiquitous in sutra literature. [In fact, inheritance can run for several sutras and not just the immediately following sutra.]
1.35 and 1.36 talk about two kinds of pravRutti or modes of activity. One is viShayavatI or subjective (i.e., less good). The other is jyotiShmatI or luminous (i.e., good). One of the reasons the latter is considered good is because it is vishokA, devoid of sorrow (vigataH shokaH yasyAH sA).
There is a word “vA” (or) in 1.36. I read this to mean that the two modes of activity are mutually incompatible. In other words, when one uses material or subjective elements to focus the mind, it is the former. When one does not such support to affix the mind, then the luminous, sorrow-less form of engaging in samAdhi results.
2. Some thoughts on Kailasam’s comments. (Because I am unable to skype in tomorrow, I thought I would add a few bytes here. Feel free to nibble away!).
Per this sutra, taking delight / surrendering to music or some of worship would all be considered the former, viShayavatI (subjective) kind at best. I say ‘at best’ because when one is lost in music or worship, the mind may be enjoying a happy state – but that happiness extends only as far as the music will allow. This is not really desirable, in the sense of Patanjali. Because that enjoyment of music produces an impression, vAsana, which recognizes the happiness experienced. Moreover, the Oliver in us would then ask for more! More music because that has been recognized as producing happiness.
In short, surrender to the divine (in whatever form/concept) is more aligned with bhakti / prapatti rather than sankhya, yoga or knowledge-driven Vedanta.
Sankhya has no concept of Ishvara – so the question of surrendering to him (in whatever form) does not arise. In Yoga, though there may be a concept of Ishvara, the philosophy seems to be isolatory. I suppose that tendency to isolate extends to music as well. In the Upanishads, bhakti etc. is treated an optional pre-requisite. One may use it to attain purity of the mind – chittasya shuddhaye karma na tu vastu-upalabdhaye – but surrender / worship is not treated as the end-goal.
And now for some good ol’ rambling …
Treating music as worshiping divinity, perhaps one could say the following. On planet Sankhya there are no musical instruments or music itself.
On planet Yoga, there are very accomplished musicians and their flutes produce the sweetest sound. But the dwellers of the planet chose to build a boat – one for each – and set sail into the ocean, far, far, further yet from land. There, in that faraway place in the middle of the ocean, the winds are calm, the waters still and deep and not a fish in sight.
On planet Dvaita, musicians are royalty. People pour their blood, sweat and tears to their work – just to score a ticket to the biggest concerts. People climb up hills, sail down rivers, take to the air – wherever the note takes them.
On planet Advaita, musicians are sought after as well. Unlike their Dvaitic cousins, you won’t find groupies here. They go to the concert, come home and medidate on the One. Even the musicians, having earned their dollars, dinars and dirhams, their rials, rupees and rubles, go home and meditate on the One. The One – sat, chit and Ananda – existence, consciousness and bliss. In other words, it’s a mysterious sounding name for TV! It has always been there in every home. It *knows* everything (did you hear Patterson’s short-lived campaign yet?). And it is pure joy (if you don’t agree, then clearly, you missed Kim Yu-Na’s brilliant performance!).
This is a great discussion. I enjoy it every time I read. I meant to join you on Saturdays, but ‘Medha Jananam’ is keeping me busy and the schedule is conflicting.
As I mentioned to some of you, ‘Medha Jananam’ is a short summary of all the basic concepts of our philosophy and mythology combined – meant for the common man, with common curiosity and with common questions about our philosophy, mythology and religion.
I created ‘Medha Jananam’ with the spirit of a movie maker, taking all the liberties that are allowed for an artist. I connected some concepts that are seemingly unrelated and I bent some concepts where it made sense, with the goal of making a popular workshop that appeals to diverse sections of the population – Indians/Americans, students/housewives/working people. The reception is pretty gratifying, so far.
If you get time, please browse the website (www.medhajananam.org). Even better, please accept my cordial invitation to attend the workshop – and straighten me out, where needed. Or add your glitter to Medha Jananam, so that it might dazzle the participants in the future even more.
– Krishna. 919-636-5472
Naresh, thank you so much for this wonderful contribution. You have provided such a refreshing and enlightening look at how to understand the concepts in Sankhya, yoga, dvaita etc. I have a couple of observations:
• I found it interesting that you consider sutra 1.36 as providing a “good pravRutti” while sutra 1.35 “not so good”. I haven’t seen this interpretation in any of the commentaries that I have read on these sutras.
• The word ‘va’ (or) figures in several sutras – 1.34 through 1.39. Does it mean that each subsequent sutra provides a better approach than the previous one? I get the sense that Patanjali is simply providing different alternatives, not necessarily qualifying them as good and not-so-good. Sutra 1.39 simply says “yatha abhimat dhyanat va” (use whatever technique of meditation that you feel like to achieve steadiness of the mind).
• In the phrase “chittasya shuddhaye karma na tu vastu-upalabdhaye”, I would think that ‘karma’ refers to the ‘karma kanda’ part of the Vedas, not bhakti as implied in your comment.
• Whether or not music can lead us to a state of samadhi can be debatable. Followers of Mira Bai and Surdas would say that these people achieved the highest state of spiritual evolution through their devotional music.
Any other thoughts?
Re: Subhash ji’s comments –
In sutras, vaa has been interpreted in several ways depending on context. Sometimes it is just a straightforward “or”, and at other times it denotes A or B, with B being the less preferred option. (This distinction has produced some interesting arguments regarding Panini’s grammar.)
In the sutras in question, I took it to mean the less preferred option using other sutras to derive context. E.g., samprajnaata vs. asamprajnaata in which the absence of any aids in meditation is said to be a higher state.
Re: karma and chittashuddhi. Yes, karma generally applies to vedic karma, i.e., nitya karma (daily duties), naimittika karmas (those on special occasions), praayashchitta karmas (as cleansing), kaamya karmas (those done with a specific purpose – ironically enough) etc. Bhakti or upaasana is generally treated within the same framework. This is perhaps a later addition, but is in the same spirit as that in the Gita (ref: abhyAse-py-asamarthosi etc.). Over time, culturally Bhakti found as much importance as karma itself. This was perhaps inevitable given people’s weakening adherence to karma. So in the post-vedic period one finds shlokas such as shiva-maanasa pooja in which the act of ritualistic worship is transformed into a completely mental activity (ratnaiH kalpitam aasanam … ).
Speaking of contemplating actions, I am reminded of a particular form of meditation in which one is encouraged to contemplate all possible alternatives – even the most unpleasant or dreaded ones. The idea is that by thinking the unthinkable, one is forced to deal with one’s possible reactions which can be quite real even if the situation is imagined. The process is supposed to prepare the mind better when the unpleasant does occur. Clearly they don’t believe in “Be careful what you wish for!”
PS: In Shankara’s commentaries, he usually explicitly states karma to mean vedic karmas.
Also, some upanishads extended the meaning of yajna karmas when they considered every act a yajna. This again has resonance in the Gita.
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