समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च॥२॥
samaadhi = meditative absorption; bhaavana = bringing about; arthaH = for the purpose of; klesha = afflictions; tanUkaraNa = weaken; arthah = for the purpose of; cha= and
Taimni
"(Kriyga Yoga) is practiced for attenuating kleshas and bringing about Samadhi"
The two results of practicing kriya yoga – attenuation of kleshas and attainment of Samadhi – can be considered initial and ultimate stages of yoga practice. However, these two are connected and complementary. When the kleshas are attenuated, it is easier to practice samadhi and reach the final goal of kaivalya.
Aranya
"For bringing about samadhi and minimizing the kleshas"
Impurities like restlessness and dullness of senses, which are a result of rajas and tamas, are destroyed by kriya yoga. As a result, kleshas are diminished and can be made unproductive like a roasted seed by discriminative knowledge (prasamkhyana). For example, when a belief like "I am the body" is based on ignorance (avidya). When through the force of samadhi, this notion of "I am the body" is eliminated, its samskara remains like a burned seed which cannot bring fruit in the future. The samskara that become active is "I am NOT the body"
Bryant
"(The yoga of action) is for bringing about samadhi and for weakening the afflictions (to yoga)"
By practicing kriya yoga, kleshas, the topic of the next sutra, are weakened. Kleshas are the cause of vrittis. As per sutra 1.2 yoga is defined as the control of these vrittis. So by weakening the kleshas, we are reducing the vrittis as well.
Kleshas become like burnt seeds when stoked by the fire of discrimination. Without kriya yoga, one may know theoretically that purusha and prakriti are different, but this mere knowledge cannot remove the kleshas and thus the vrittis. When kleshas are weakened, sattva is enhanced leading to discrimination.
Discussion
There is some confusion as to the intent of the sutra and the commentary by Vyasa. As per the sutra, kriya yoga is practiced to weaken the kleshas (which will be defined in the next sutra). However, Vyasa and the commentators like Aranya are talking about burning the seeds of kleshas through discrimination and thus leading to a state of final samadhi. It appears to me that the sutra simply gives an approach which puts the sadhaka on the right path to attain the final objective of yoga. Vyasa seems to imply that by practicing kriya yoga one can attain the final goal. The other point to note is that in the first chapter Ishvara Pranidhana was given only as one of the available options to attain the goals of yoga. In the practice of kriya yoga, it is not mentioned as an option but a ‘must’ in order to reduce the kleshas so we can subdue the vrittis.
Please provide your comments below.
Kriya Yoga is not exactly the tools. It is the quality of the tools and the results of the practice. Yoga Practice is expected to bring in the qualities of tapas, svadhyaya and Isvarapranidhana. In the first chapter and in the Niyama segment Isvarapranidhana can be taken as a tool. Here the practice is expected to bring in purity (tapas) the ability to reflect on ourselves (svadhyaya) and the attitude of total surrender (Isvarapranidhana).
Thanks a lot for your comments. Could you please clarify the term “yoga practice” that you mention here? Are you referring to the practice of the 8 limbs of yoga? That may not apply as Patanjali has not yet talked about those. In sutra 2.2 it is said that the practice of “kriya yoga” brings about ‘samadhi’ and a ‘reduction in the kleshas’. That seems to imply that indeed the three elements of kriya yoga are to be practiced. I would appreciate your clarification. Thanks.
If we look at all the four padas totally (particularly the first two together) we can see there are a number of tools (which is called as Practice) suggested by Patanjali. In the first chapter we first get “Abhyasa” and “Vairagya”, which simply means “Practice” and “Detachment”. The different tools are not given here. In fact these two feature first and then only other tools follow. Sutra also says “abhyasa vairagyabhyam tan nirodhaha”, which means just Practice and Detachment will lead to chitta vritti nirodhaha which is “Samprajnatha Samadhi”. Later in the first chapter starting from “Isvarapranidhana” nine tools are given. To sum up, “Abhyasa and Vairagya” are qualities which should be present in any practice. Similarly Kriya Yoga presents qualities to be present in a practice. Of late, Kriya Yoga is also used as a term to indicate a set of practices followed by some Yoga Teachers and Schools.
Hi
In looking at KY we must also consider its relationship both to astanga Yoga in C2 v28 and samadhi Yoga in C1.
Thus if you define samadhi bhavana as attainment of samadhi such as by the theosophically influenced taimni transaltion) you have a problem awaiting when you move from KY to AY (the switch occurs much sooner than C2 v28).
Bhavana here is to get a feeling of rather than attain (siddhi).
From this taster the real work commences in the sadhana of astanga.
However in C2 the work is all about preparation for samadhi/samyama practices in C3.
Xcuse limited typing as have broken my wrist recently.
Best wishes for 11.
Paul
In our study of Taimni we find that many of his ideas are based on his occult background which seems to stretch Patanjali’s concepts in a different direction. It is still good to see all these different approaches that various commentators have taken.
I certainly hope that your wrist heals quickly. If nothing else, from a selfish point of view, we’ll get to read more of your views. Thanks for sharing your insight.
The first chapter of YS is a complete whole but there we have almost nothing about “karma-ashaya”.
Patanjali’s text is pedagogically perfect: sadhaka first tries to stop his mind, relax and introspect to some extent, but very soon he finds very many features and problems connected 1) with his past i.e. “karma-ashaya” 2) with mechanics of kleshas.
The last one has the great inertia and opens to sadhaka more deep obstacle to samadhi than designated in 1-30 and 1-31.
Hence the need 1) to continue, not to lost the habit of stopping the mind (samadhi-bhavana) and 2) to see and understand the tremendous mechanism of kleshas.