स्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्य स्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः॥५४॥
sva = their own; viShaya = sense objects; asaMprayoge = not coming in contact with; chittasya = of the mind; svarUpa = nature; anukaara = imitation; iva = as if; indriyaaNaaM = of the senses; pratyaahaaraH = withdrawal;
Sw. Satchidananda
"When the senses withdraw themselves from the objects and imitate, as it were, the nature of the mind-stuff, this is pratyahara."
Bryant
"Pratayahara, withdrawal from sense objects, occurs when the senses do not come into contact with their respective sense objects. It corresponds, as it were, to the nature of the mind [when it is withdrawn from the sense objects]."
Taimni
"Pratyahara or abstraction is, as it were, the imitation by the senses of the mind by withdrawing themselves from their objects."
Discussion
Let’s look at Vyasa’s commentary on the sutra (translation by Swami Veda Bharati):
“When the mind-field is controlled (ni-rodha), then the senses are in controlled state (ni-ruddha) just like that of the mind-field. They require no other method [for being kept controlled] the way it is needed in the other (levels) of the conquests of senses.
As the bees follow in flight the king bee who is fleeing, and they settle down as he settles down, so the senses come under control upon the mind-field becoming controlled.”
This interpretation leads to the question – if by controlling the mind, the senses fall under control, with no other method required, then why even mention Pratyahara as one of the limbs? It seems like “putting the cart before the horse”. One needs to attain a state of pratyahara before going into deeper states of meditation – not the other way around. Mind is controlled through the three stages of meditation – dharana, dhyana and samadhi (called “samyama” in sutra 3.4). There has to be some techniques, other than meditation, that lead to pratyahara. Once pratyahara has been attained, then one can go into deeper states of meditation.
As per sutra 3.7, the three limbs (dharan, dhyana, samadhi) are “internal” as compared to the previous five. So, here pratyahara, as the fifth of the eight limbs, has been identified as “external” and needs to be mastered before going into the three internal limbs of meditation.
Once the five senses have been disengaged from their respective objects, then they follow, “as it were”, the nature of the mind. That means the mind now has the capacity to control the senses. When it wants to perceive external objects, it can direct the senses to do the needful. On the other hand, when the mind needs to focus on an internal object for meditation, then the senses, following the directive of the mind, stay inward focused and do not distract the mind.
Swami Veda Bharati has devoted an entire Appendix chapter to Pratyahara wherein he has presented material on this topic from many authors and texts. One of the key guidelines that seems to be common to many is that prolonged practice of Pranayama can lead to the state of pratyahara which can further lead to the state of Dharana. This explanation seems more reasonable to me.
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