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By subhash, on December 28th, 2015
एतेन भूतेन्द्रियेषु धर्मलक्षणावस्थापरिणामा व्याख्याताः॥१३॥
etena bhūtendriyeṣu dharma-lakṣaṇa-avasthā pariṇāmā vyākhyātāḥ ॥13॥
etena = by this; bhUta = an object; indriyeShu = in the senses; dharma = essential nature; lakShaNa = qualities, temporal state; avastha = condition; pariNaamaaH = development, transformation; vyaakhyaataaH = are explained
Sw. Satchidananda
"By this [what has been said in the preceding Sutras], the transformation of the visible characteristics, time factors and conditions of elements and senses are also described."
Bryant
"In this way, the change in the characteristics, state, and condition of objects and of the senses is explained".
Taimni
"By this (by what has been said in the last four Sutras) the property, character and the sense-organs are also explained."
Aranya
"By These Are Explained The Three Changes, Viz. Of Essential Attributes Or Characteristics, Of Temporal Characters, And Of States Of The Bhutas And The Indriyas (i.e. All The Knowable Phenomena)"
It is interesting to note that Patanjali, in this sutra, states that the same concept of parinama (transformations) of chitta related to dharma (esential nature), lakshana (temporal state), and avastha (condition) that were given in the previous four sutras can also be applied to the transformations related to the indriyas (sense perceptions) and the bhutas (gross elements). As we know, these three terms were never introduced in the previous four sutras. The three transformations that were discussed were called samadhi, ekagrata, and nirodha parinamas. So, how do we understand these new terms? Since Patanjali does not provide any explanations, we have to look to the commentaries by Vyasa and other more modern commentators to understand the meaning and significance of these terms.
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By subhash, on February 26th, 2015
Deep meditation
Sutra 3.9
व्युत्थाननिरोधसंस्कारयोरभिभवप्रादुर्भावौ निरोधक्षणचित्तान्वयो निरोधपरिणामः॥९॥
vyutthāna-nirodha-saṁskārayoḥ abhibhava-prādurbhāvau nirodhakṣaṇa cittānvayo nirodha-pariṇāmaḥ ॥9॥ (sutra 3.9)
Vyutthāna=outgoing impressions; nirodha=suppressive; saṁskārayoḥ=of the samskaras; abhibhava=overpowering, disappearance; prādurbhāvau=appearance; nirodha=suppression; kṣaṇa=moment; citta=mind; anvayaḥ=proceeding; nirodha=suppression; pariṇāmaḥ=transformation
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By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 तदपि बहिरङ्गं निर्बीजस्य॥८॥
tadapi bahiraṅgaṁ nirbījasya ॥8॥
tadapi = even that; bahih = external; angaM = limbs; nirbIjasya = to seedless [samadhi]
Sw. Satchidananda
"Even these three are external to the seedless samadhi."
Bryant
"Yet even these are external limbs in relation to "seedless" samadhi."
Taimni
"Even that (Sabija Samadhi) is external to the Seedless (Nirbija Samhadhi)."
In the previous sutra it was stated that the practices of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi are internal or more intimate as compared to the first five limbs of yoga. These practices culminate in attaining the state called “samprajnata samadhi” wherein a deep awareness of the object of meditation still remains in the chitta. The ultimate state of samadhi mentioned by Patanjali is the “nirbija” (seedless) samadhi (sutra 1.51) when even the awareness of that seed disappears. In that sense, all the eight limbs of yoga leading to the samadhi with seed are external to the state of nirbija (seedless) samadhi. Only through this state of samadhi can one achieve “kaivalya” (final liberation) which leads to the realization of the separation between Purusha and Prakriti.
By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 त्रयमन्तरङ्गं पूर्वेभ्यः॥७॥
trayam-antarangaṁ pūrvebhyaḥ ॥7॥
trayam = three; antar = internal; angaM = limbs; pUrvebhyaH = than the previous ones;
Sw. Satchidananda
"hese three [dharana, dhyana and Samadhi] are more internal than the preceding five limbs."
Bryant
"These three [dharana, dhyana, and samadhi] are internal limbs compared to the previous limbs [of yoga]."
Taimni
"The three are internal in relation to the preceding ones."
The commentators don’t have much to say about this sutra. Vyasa states that compared to the first five limbs (yama etc.), the three – dharana, dhyana, and samadhi, jointly labeled as “samyama”, lead the practitioner to the state of “samprajnata samadhi” (samadhi with deep awareness of the object of meditation). That is why they are mentioned as more internal or intimate compared to the previous five. It must be emphasized that the first five limbs are essential to prepare the body and the mind to dive deep into meditation. Of course, there are rare exceptions when someone who is born as spiritually elevated due to past karmas, can attain liberation just by following the practice of deep meditation. Some of the names that come to mind from recent history are Ramana Maharshi and Paramahansa Ramakrishna.
In the Bhagavad Gita also (6.40-44), Lord Krishna states that those yogis who, with sincere devotion lead a deeply spiritual life, are unable to reach liberation in this life will be reborn into pious families where they will continue their journey and attain liberation quickly.
By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 तस्य भूमिषु विनियोगः॥६॥
tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ ॥6॥
tasya = its; bhūmiṣu = on the stages or planes; viniyogaḥ = application
Sw. Satchidananda
"Its practice is to be accomplished in stages."
Bryant
"Samyama is applied on the different stages of samadhi."
Taimni
"Its (of Samyama) use by stages."
The goal of yoga, which is attainment of the state of kaivalya, is to be achieved in different stages. One cannot leap to the higher stage by skipping the lower stages. It is like climbing stairs where to reach the top you need to go step-by-step. The only other method mentioned by Patanjali where one can attain the highest samadhi without having to go through all the lower stages is through Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to Ishvara) (sutra 2.45). As per Vyasa, the only way to know what the next higher stage is through the practice of yoga. He quotes an ancient statement (without providing the source), “Yoga is known by yoga and yoga itself leads to yoga. By remaining steadfast in yoga, one can remain joyfully immersed in it”.
Different commentators have interpreted the term “stages” differently. As per Aranya, the stages are as defined in sutra 1.41:
- samadhi on the object of knowledge (grāhya )
- samadhi on the organ of perception (grahaṇa)
- samadhi on the observer (grahītr̥)
- attainment of the final stage of discriminative discernment ( viveka khyati), ultimately leading to kaivalya (liberation)
The other interpretation is to use the stages defined in sutra 1.17 and subsequently expanded in sutras 1.42 through 1.51:
- Savitarka (awareness of the gross aspect)
- Nirvitarka (without awareness of the gross aspect)
- Savichara (awareness of the subtle aspect)
- Nirvitarka (without awareness of the subtle aspect)
- Ananda (awareness of the state of pure joy)
- Asmita (awareness of just being)
- Nirbija (seedless) samadhi
Vyasa gives the example of “reading others’ thoughts”, which is one of the siddhis (supernormal powers) mentioned in sutra 3.19, as a possible intermediate stage. That, of course, begs the question as to what the other stages are!
By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 तज्जयात्प्रज्ञालोकः॥५॥
tajjayāt prajñālokaḥ ॥5॥
tat = that; jayāt = from mastery; prajñā = wisdom; ālokaḥ = vision, light;
Sw. Satchidananda
"By mastery of samyama comes the light of knowledge."
Bryant
"From samyama comes insight."
Taimni
"By mastering it (Samyama) the light of higher consciousness."
The word “samyama” was defined in the previous sutra as the combined practice of dharana, dhyana and samadhi. This sutra states that by attaining complete mastery over the practice of samyama, the true intuitive wisdom will shine through. As we know, chapter 3 discusses all the supernormal powers (siddhis) that one can attain by practicing samyama on a variety of objects. However, Patanjali warns us that these powers can be an obstruction to the attainment of Kaivalya or liberation.
The current sutra talks about attaining the true light of intuitive wisdom which transcends any attachment to these powers. The state of samadhi attained as a result of this level of samyama is pure and is a step in the direction of final liberation.
However, their purpose is to eventually gain mastery/victory over the practice of samyama. Having gained this mastery, you can now use it to attain the light of prajna – pure wisdom. As we saw in sutra 1.48, prajna is attained after the final stage of nirvichara samapatti. This leads to the highest stage of samprajnata samadhi. On suppressing the seed/impression of even this prajna, one can attain nirbija samadhi (sutra 1.51)
By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 त्रयमेकत्र संयमः॥४॥
trayam-ekatra saṁyamaḥ ॥4॥
trayam = three; ekatra = together; saMyamaH = samyama;
Sw. Satchidananda
"The practice of these three [dharana, dhyana and samadhi] upon one object is called samyama."
Bryant
"When these three are performed together, it is called samyama."
Taimni
"These three taken together constitute Samyama."
As we know, chapter 3 of the Yoga Sutras, known as Vibhuti Pada, is largely devoted to the attainment of supernormal powers by contemplation on a variety of objects. To attain such powers, one needs to apply all three stages of meditation practices – dharana, dhyana and samadhi – on the same object. Patanjali has given the technical name “Samyama” to the collective practice of these three stages of meditation.
By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधिः॥३॥
tadeva-artha-mātra-nirbhāsaṁ svarūpa-śūnyam-iva-samādhiḥ ॥3॥
tat = that (the practice of meditation from the previous sutra); eva = the same, that very; artha = object; maatra = alone; nirbhaasaM = shining forth; svarUpa = own nature; shUnyam = devoid of; iva = as if; samaadhiH = meditative absorption;
Sw. Satchidananda
"Samadhi is the same meditation when there is the shining of the object alone, as if devoid of form."
Bryant
"Samadhi is when that same meditation shines forth as the object alone and the mind is devoid of its own reflective nature."
Taimni
"The same (contemplation) when there is consciousness only of the object of meditation and not of itself (the mind) is Samadhi."
Discussion
As you may recall, in chapter 1, Patanjali mentioned two categories of samadhi – saṁprajñāta wherein one maintains awareness of the object of meditation, and asaṁprajñāta when no such awareness remains. The saṁprajñāta itself has six stages of samadhi – savitarka, nirvitarka etc. The asaṁprajñāta is also called nirbīja (seedless) samadhi (sutra 1.51).
The present sutra presents a general definition of samadhi which is quite similar to the definition given in sutra 1.43 for the nirvitarka samadhi. Essentially, one attains the state of samadhi when the practice of dhyana (meditation) goes deeper and one begins to lose identification with the I-sense. That means at that point, the sense that “I am meditating on a specific object of meditation” (svarūpa-śūnyeva) is also dissolved and all that remains in the mind (chitta) is the very essence of the object of meditation (arthamātra). In essence, the meditator, the process of meditation and the object being meditated upon become one. This is the highest stage of saṁprajñāta samadhi.
By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्॥२॥
tatra pratyaya-ikatānatā dhyānam ॥2॥
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.
By subhash, on February 26th, 2015 देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा॥१॥
deśa-bandhaḥ cittasya dhāraṇā ॥1॥
desha = place; location; bandhah = binding; chittasya = of the mind; dhaaraNaa = concentration;
Sw. Satchidananda
"Dharana is the binding of the mind to one place, object or idea."
Bryant
"Concentration is the fixing of the mind in one place."
Taimni
"Concentration is the confining of the mind within a limited mental area (0bject of concentration)."
Discussion
Patanjali now shifts his focus to the three stages of meditation – dharana, dhyana and samadhi. In sutra 3.4, he defines “samyama” as the combination of all these three practices. In the later part of chapter 3, he describes a large number of practices involving samyama on different objects to attain various kinds of “siddhis” (supernormal powers).
Dharana is the initial stage of meditation to develop initial focus that can lead to deeper states of meditation. Vyasa suggests the following as objects for focusing the mind – naval chakra, the lotus of the heart center, the bright center in the head, tip of the nose or the tongue or any other external object. Some commentators recommend the use of the image of your personal chosen deity – for example, image of Shiva, Vishnu or any other god or goddess. During dharana, the mind stays focused for a short duration of time and then may drift off. However, dharana helps in sharpening mental images and improving alertness and power of attention.
The ancient Tantric text “Vijnana Bhairava Tantra” is fully devoted to the practices of dharana. In this text, 112 different dharana practices are described.
Some common techniques of dharana that I use in my own practice as well as in the meditation classes that I teach include:
- so-hum meditation
- trataka (candle gazing)
- reverse breath counting
- sense withdrawal (pratyahara) meditation
- udgitha pranayama (continuous OM chanting)
- many of the pranayama techniques including staircase breathing, square wave breathing, bhramari (humming bee) etc.
Please visit my blog here and search for any of these dharana practices to get detailed instructions.
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