The Science of Yoga PDF

THE SCIENCE OF YOGA THE YOGA-SUTRAS OF PATANJALI IN SANSKRIT WITH TRANSLITERATION IN ROMAN, TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY IN ENGLISH I. K. TAIMNI THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE Adyar, Chennai, India Wheaton, IL, USA ...

THE SCIENCE OF YOGA THE YOGA-SUTRAS OF PATANJALI IN SANSKRIT WITH TRANSLITERATION IN ROMAN, TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY IN ENGLISH I. K. TAIMNI THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE Adyar, Chennai, India Wheaton, IL, USA  2 PREFACE A large number of thougthful people, both in the East and the West, are genuinely in- terested in the subject of Yoga. This is natural because a man who has begun to ques- tion life and its deeper problems wants something more definite and vital for his spiri- tual needs than a mere promise of heavenly joys or ‘eternal life’ when he passes out of his brief and feverish life on this planet. Those who have lost faith in the ideals of or- thodox religions and yet feel that their life is not a meaningless and passing phenome- non of Nature naturaly turn to the philosophy of Yoga for the solution of problems connected with their ‘inner’ life. People who take up the study of Yoga with the object of finding a more satisfac- tory solution of these problems are likely to meet with one serious difficulty. They may find the philosophy interesting, even fascinating, but too much enveloped in mys- tery and rigmarole to be of much practical value in their life. For there is no subject which is so much wrapped up in mystery and on which one can write whatever one likes without any risk of being proved wrong. To a certain extent this atmosphere of mystery and obscurity which surrounds Yoga is due to the very nature of the subject itself. The philosophy of Yoga deals with some of the greatest mysteries of life and the Universe and so it must inevitably be associated with an atmosphere of profound mys- tery. But much of the obscurity of Yogic literature is due, not to the intrinsic profun- dity of the subject, but to the lack of correlation between its teachings and the facts with which an ordinary educated man is expected to be familiar. If the doctrines of Yoga are studied in the light of both ancient and modern thought it is much easier for the student to understand and appreciate them. The discoveries made in the field of Science are especially helpful in enabling the student to understand certain facts of Yogic life, for there is a certain analogous relationship between the laws of higher life and life as it exists on the physical plane, a relationship which is hinted at in the well- known Occult maxim ‘As above, so below’. Some teachers of Yoga have attempted to meet this difficulty by taking out of the philosophy and technique of Yoga those particular practices which are easy to un- derstand and practise, placing these before the general public as Yogic teachings. Many of these practices like Asana, Pranayama etc. are of a purely physical nature and when divorced from the higher and essential teachings of Yoga reduce their systems to a sci-  3 ence of physical culture on a par with other systems of a similar nature. This over- simplification of the problem of Yogic life, though it has done some good and helped some people to live a saner and healthier physical life, has greatly vulgarized the movement for Yogic culture and produced a wrong impression, especially in the West, about the real purpose and technique of Yoga. What is needed, therefore, for the average student of Yoga is a clear, intelligible presentation of its philosophy and technique which gives a correct and balanced idea of all its aspects in terms of modern thought. For, while it is true that many aspects of Yogic life are beyond the comprehension of those confined within the realms of the intellect, still, the general philosophy and the broader aspects of its technique can be understood by the serious student who is familiar with the main trends of philosophical and religious thought and is prepared to bring to his study an open and eager mind. He can, at least, understand this philosophy sufficiently to be able to decide whether it is worth his while to undertake a deeper study of the subject and later, to enter the path of Yoga as a Sadhaka. For, it is only when he enters the path of practical Yoga and be- gins to bring about fundamental changes in his nature that he can hope to gain real in- sight into the problems of Yoga and their solution. This book is meant to give to the serious student of Yoga a clear idea with re- gard to the fundamental teachings of Yoga in a language which he can understand. It does not present Yoga from any particular angle or on the basis of any particular school of philosophy. Those who study the book will see for themselves that this Sci- ence of sciences is too comprehensive in its nature and too profound in its doctrines to be fitted into the framework of any particular philosophy, ancient or modern. It stands in its own right as a Science based upon the eternal laws of the higher life and does not require the support of any science or philosophical system to uphold its claims. Its truths are based on the experiences and experiments of an unbroken line of mystics, occultists, saints and sages who have realized and borne witness to them throughout the ages. Although an attempt has been made to explain the teachings of Yoga on a rational basis so that the student may be able to grasp them easily nothing is sought to be proved in the ordinary sense. The facts of higher Yoga can neither be proved nor demonstrated. Their appeal is to the intuition and not to the intellect. There is a vast literature dealing with all aspects and types of Yoga. But the be- ginner who attempts to dive into this chaotic mass is likely to feel repulsed by the con- fusion and exaggerated statements which he is likely to find everywhere. Round a  4 small nucleus of fundamental and genuine teachings of Yoga has grown up during the course of thousands of years a volume of spurious literature composed of commentar- ies, expositions of minor systems of Yogic culture and Tantric practices. Any inexperi- enced student who enters this jungle is likely to feel bewildered and to come out of it with a feeling that his pursuit of the Yogic ideal might prove a waste of time. The stu- dent would, therefore, do well to confine himself to the basic literature to avoid confu- sion and frustration. In this basic literature of Yoga, the Yoga-Sutras of Patanjali stand out as the most authoritative and useful book. In its 196 Sutras the author has condensed the es- sential philosophy and technique of Yoga in a manner which is a marvel of condensed and systematic exposition. The student who studies the book for the first time or super- ficially may find the treatment rather strange and haphazard, but a more careful and deeper study will reveal the rational basis of the treatment. The following synopsis will show how rational the whole treatment is. The first Section deals with the general nature of Yoga and its technique. It is meant really to answer the question ‘What is Yoga?’ Since Samadhi is the essential technique of Yoga, naturally, it occupies the most important position among the vari- ous topics dealt with in the Section. This Section is, therefore, called Samadhi Pada. The first part of the second Section deals with the philosophy of Klesas and is meant to provide an answer to the question ‘Why should anyone practise Yoga?’ It gives a masterly analysis of the conditions of human life and the misery and suffering which are inherent in these conditions. The philosophy of Klesas must be thoroughly understood by any person who is to take to the path of Yoga with the unalterable de- termination to persevere, life after life, until he has reached the End. The second part of Section II deals with the first five practices of Yogic technique which are referred to as Bahiranga or external. These practices are of a preparatory nature and are meant to make the Sadhaka fit for the practice of Samadhi. As this Section is meant to fit the aspirant physically, mentally, emotionally and morally for the practice of Higher Yoga it is called Sadhana Pada. The first part of the third Section deals with the three remaining practices of Yogic technique which are referred to as Antaranga or internal. It is through these practices which culminate in Samadhi that all the mysteries of Yogic life are unrav- elled and the powers or Siddhis are acquired. In the second part of this Section these  5 accomplishments are discussed in detail and the Section is, therefore, called Vibhuti Pada. In the fourth and the last Section are expounded all those essential philosophical problems which are involved in the study and practice of Yoga. The nature of the mind and mental perception, of desire and its binding effect, of Liberation and the results which follow it, are all dealt with briefly but systematically to enable the student to have an adequate background of theoretical knowledge. Since all these topics are con- nected in one way or another with the attainment of Kaivalya, the Section is called Kaivalya Pada. On account of its comprehensive and systematic treatment of the subject the Yoga-Sutras is the most suitable book for deep and systematic study of Yoga. In the olden days all students of Yoga were made to commit it to memory and meditate regu- larly and deeply on the Sutras for bringing out their hidden meanings. But the modern student, who has to be convinced first that the study and practice of Yoga is worth- while, needs a more detailed and elaborate treatment of the subject to enable him to understand its philosophy as a whole. Even for this purpose the Yoga-Sutras is the most suitable basis, not only because it gives all the essential information about Yoga in a masterly manner but also because it is recognized as a masterpiece in the literature of Yoga and has stood the test of time and experience. It is for this reason that it has been made the basis of the present book. The task of an author who undertakes to write a commentary on a book like the Yoga-Sutras is not an easy one. He is dealing with a subject of the most profound na- ture. The ideas which he has to interpret are given in the form of Sutras which embody the art of condensation to the utmost limit. The language with which the Sutras are constructed is an ancient one which, though extraordinarily effective in the expression of philosophical ideas, can lend itself to an extraordinary variety of interpretations. And what is most important, he is dealing with a Science which is related to facts which come within the range of human experience. He cannot like the academic phi- losopher give free rein to his imagination and put forward merely an ideal interpreta- tion. He has to show things, to the best of his ability, as they actually are and not as they should be or might be. Keeping in view the possibility of the changes which are always brought about in the connotations of words with lapses of time it is extremely hazardous to interpret the Sutras rigidly according to their literal meaning. Of course, one cannot take liberties with a book like the Yoga-Sutras which has been writ-  6 ten by a master mind in a language which is considered almost perfect. But it is one thing to interpret a Sutra in a loose and careless manner and another to bring out its meaning with due regard to facts of experience and recognized traditions of ages. The sensible way, of course, is to take into consideration all the factors which are in- volved, avoiding especially explanations which explain nothing. Another difficulty in writing a commentary in English is the impossibility of finding exact equivalents for many Samskrta words. Since the Science of Yoga has flourished mainly in the East and the interest in Yoga in the West is of recent origin there are no equivalents in the English language corresponding to many Samskrta words which stand for well-defined philosophical concepts. And in many cases the available English words with approximate meanings are liable to give a totally wrong impression. To avoid this danger Samskrta words have been used freely in the com- mentary if an exact equivalent in English is not available. But to facilitate careful study of the subject, not only is the original Samskrta text given in the case of each Sutra but also the meanings of the Samskrta words used in the Sutra. Of course, as pointed out above the exact English equivalents of many Samskrta words are not avail- able. In such cases only approximate meanings have been given and the student is ex- pected to find the exact significance of the words from the following commentary. The above procedure will enable the student to judge for himself how far the interpretation is in accordance with the literal meanings of the words used in the Sutra, and if there is a divergence, how far the divergence is justified. But, of course, the final justifica- tion for any interpretation is its conformity with the facts of experience and if this kind of verification is not possible, commonsense and reason should be the guide. The seeker after Truth should concern himself especially with facts and the truth underly- ing the various Sutras and should not allow himself to get involved in controversies about the meanings of words. This pastime he can leave to the mere scholar. A careful study of the Yoga-Sutras and the kind of preparation and effort which is needed for attaining the objective of Yogic endeavour might give to the student the impression that it is an extremely difficult, if not impossible undertaking, beyond the capacity of the ordinary aspirant. This impression is certain to dishearten him, and if he does not think deeply over the problems of life and clarify his ideas about them, it might lead him to abandon the idea of embarking on this Divine adventure or to post- pone it to a future life. There can be no doubt that the serious pursuit of the Yogic ideal is a difficult task and cannot be undertaken as a mere hobby or to find an escape from  7 the stress and strain of ordinary life. It can be undertaken only on understanding fully the nature of human life and the misery and suffering which are inherent in it and the further realization that the only way to end this misery and suffering permanently is to find the Truth which is enshrined within ourselves, by the only method which is avail- able, namely, Yogic discipline. It is also true that the attainment of this objective is a long-term affair and the aspirant should be prepared to spend a number of lives—as many lives as may be required—in its wholehearted and single-minded pursuit. No one can know in the beginning his potentialities and how much time will be needed. He can hope for the best but must be prepared for the worst. Those who do not feel themselves equal to this task are not under any compul- sion to attempt it immediately. They can continue the theoretical study of Yoga, think constantly over life's deeper problems, try to purify their mind and strengthen their character, until their power of discrimination becomes sufficiently strong to enable them to pierce through ordinary illusions and see life in its naked reality. In fact, this is the purpose of Kriya Yoga to which Patanjali has referred in the beginning of Sec- tion II. When the inner eyes of true discrimination begin to open as a result of the practice of Kriya Yoga they will cease to wonder whether they are strong enough to undertake this long and difficult journey to their true homes. Then nothing will be able to stop them, and they will naturally and whole-heartedly devote themselves to this difficult but sacred task. The important point is to make a definite beginning somewhere and as soon as possible—Now. The moment such a serious beginning is made forces begin to gather round the centre of endeavour and take the aspirant forward towards his goal, slowly at first, but with increasing speed until he becomes so absorbed in the pursuit of his ideal that time and distance cease to matter for him. And one day he finds that he has reached his goal and looks back with a kind of wonder at the long and tedious journey which he has completed in the realm of Time while all the time he was living in the Eternal. I. K. TAIMNI  8 CONTENTS PREFACE 2 SECTION I Samadhi Pada 9 SECTION II Sadhana Pada 117 SECTION III Vibhuti Pada 245 SECTION IV Kaivalya Pada 333  9 SECTION I SAMADHI PADA  10 SAMADHI PADA now; herewith (of) Yoga expounding; exposition (teach- ing). 1. Now, an exposition of Yoga (is to be made). Generally, a treatise of this nature in Samskrta begins with a Sutra which gives an idea with regard to the nature of the undertaking. The present treatise is an ‘exposi- tion’ of Yoga. The author does not claim to be the discoverer of this Science but merely an expounder who has tried to condense in a few Sutras all the essential knowledge concerning the Science which a student or aspirant ought to possess. Very little is known about Patanjali. Although we have no information about him which can be called definitely historical, still according to occult tradition he was the same per- son who was known as Govinda Yogi and who initiated Samkaracarya in the Science of Yoga. From the masterly manner in which he has expounded the subject of Yoga in the Yoga-Sutras it is obvious that he was a Yogi of a very high order who had personal knowledge of all aspects of Yoga including its practical technique. As the method of expounding a subject in the form of Sutras is peculiar and generally unfamiliar to Western students having no knowledge of the Samskrta lan- guage, it would perhaps not be out of place to say here a few words on this classical method which was adopted by the ancient Sages and scholars in their exposition of some of the most important subjects. The word Sutram in Samskrta means a thread and this primary meaning has given rise to the secondary meaning of Sutram as an apho- rism. Just as a thread binds together a number of beads in a rosary, in the same way the underlying continuity of idea binds together in outline the essential aspects of a sub- ject. The most important characteristics of this method are utmost condensation consis- tent with clear exposition of all essential aspects and continuity of the underlying theme in spite of the apparent discontinuity of the ideas presented. The latter charac- teristic is worth noting because the effort to discover the hidden ‘thread’ of reasoning  11 beneath the apparently unconnected ideas very often provides the clue to the meaning of many Sutras. It should be remembered that this method of exposition was prevalent at a time when printing was unknown and most of the important treatises had to be memorized by the student. Hence the necessity of condensation to the utmost limit. Nothing essential was, of course, left out but everything with which the student was expected to be familiar or which he could easily infer from the context was ruthlessly cut out. The student will find on careful study what a tremendous amount of theoretical and practical knowledge the author has managed to incorporate in this very small trea- tise. Everything necessary for the proper understanding of the subject has been given at one place or another in a skeleton form. But the body of the requisite knowledge has to be dug out, prepared properly, chewed and digested before the subject can be under- stood thoroughly in its entirety. The Sutra method of exposition may appear to the modern student needlessly obscure and difficult but if he goes through the labour re- quired for the mastery of the subject he will realize its superiority to the all too easy modern methods of presentation. The necessity of struggling with the words and ideas and digging out their hidden meanings ensures a very thorough assimilation of knowl- edge and develops simultaneously the powers and faculties of the mind, especially that important and indispensable capacity of digging out of one's own mind the knowledge which lies buried in its deeper recesses. But while this method of exposition is very effective it has its drawbacks also. The chief disadvantage is the difficulty which the ordinary student who is not thor- oughly conversant with the subject has in finding the correct meaning. Not only is he likely to find many Sutras difficult to understand on account of their brevity but he may completely misunderstand some of them and be led astray in a hopeless manner. We have to remember that in a treatise like the Yoga-Sutras, behind many a word there is a whole pattern of thought of which the word is a mere symbol. To understand the true significance of the Sutras we must be thoroughly familiar with these patterns. The difficulty is increased still further when the words have to be translated into another language which does not contain exactly equivalent words. Those who wrote these treatises were master-minds, masters of the subject and language they dealt with. There could be no fault in their method of presentation. But in the course of time fundamental changes can sometimes be brought about in the meaning of words and the thought patterns of those who study these treatises. And this  12 fact introduces endless possibilities of misunderstanding and misinterpretation of some of the Sutras. In treatises of a purely philosophical or religious nature such a misun- derstanding would perhaps not matter so much, but in one of a highly technical and practical nature like the Yoga-Sutras it can lead to great complications and even to dangers of a serious nature. Luckily for the earnest student, Yoga has always been a living Science in the East and it has had an unbroken succession of living experts who continually verify by their own experiments and experiences the basic truths of this Science. This has helped not only to keep the traditions of Yogic culture alive and pure but to maintain the meanings of the technical words used in this Science in a fairly exact and clearly de- fined form. It is only when a Science is divorced completely from its practical applica- tion that it tends to lose itself in a morass of words which have lost their meaning and relation with the actual facts. While the method of presenting a subject in the form of Sutras is eminently suited for the practical and advanced student it can hardly be denied that it does not quite fit in with our modern conditions. In the olden days those who studied these Su- tras had easy access to the teachers of the Science who elaborated the knowledge em- bodied in a condensed form, filled up the gaps and gave practical guidance. And these students had leisure in which to think, meditate and dig out the meanings for them- selves. The modern student who is interested merely in the theoretical study of the Yogic philosophy and is not practising it under an expert teacher has none of these fa- cilities and needs an elaborate and clear exposition for an adequate understanding of the subject. He needs a commentary which not only aims at explaining the obvious meaning but also the hidden significance of the words and phrases used in terms of the concepts with which he is familiar and can easily understand. He wants his food not in ‘tabloid’ form but in bulk, and if possible, in a palatable form. (the essential technique of) yoga (of) mind (of) modifications inhibition; suppression; stoppage; restraint. 2. Yoga is the inhibition of the modifications of the mind.  13 This is one of the most important and well-known Sutras of this treatise not be- cause it deals with some important principle or technique of practical value but be- cause it defines with the help of only four words the essential nature of Yoga. There are certain concepts in every science which are of a basic nature and which must be understood aright if the student is to get a satisfactory grasp of the subject as a whole. The ideas underlying ail the four words in this Sutra are of a fundamental nature and the student should try to grasp through study and reflection their real meaning. Of course, the significance of these words will become sufficiently clear only when the book has been studied thoroughly, and the various aspects of the subject considered in their relation to one another. It might be expected that words of such fundamental im- portance will be carefully defined and such definitions inserted wherever they are needed. But in the case of the present Sutra no such definitions have been given and we can therefore conclude that the author expected the student to acquire a clear idea with regard to the import of the words from his study of the whole book. But as it is necessary for the student not to start his study with wrong or confused ideas it will perhaps be worthwhile considering at this initial stage the import of the words and the Sutra in a general way. Let us begin with the word Yoga. The word Yoga in Samskrta has a very large number of meanings. It is derived from the root Yuj which means ‘to join’ and the idea of joining runs through all the meanings. What are the two things which are sought to be joined by the practice of Yoga? According to the highest conceptions of Hindu phi- losophy of which the Science of Yoga is an integral part, the human soul or the Jivatma is a facet or partial expression of the Over-Soul or Paramatma, the Divine Reality which is the source or substratum of the manifested Universe. Although in es- sence the two are the same and are indivisible, still, the Jivatma has become subjec- tively separated from Paramatma and is destined, after going through an evolutionary cycle in the manifested Universe, to become united with Him again in consciousness. This state of unification of the two in consciousness as well as the mental process and discipline through which this union is attained are both called Yoga. This conception is formulated in a different way in the Samkhya philosophy but on close analysis the fun- damental idea will be found to be essentially the same. Then we come to the word Citta. This word is derived from Cit or Citi (IV-34) one of the three aspects of Paramatma called Sat-Cit-Ananda in Vedanta. It is this as-  14 pect which is at the basis of the form side of the Universe and through which it is cre- ated. The reflection of this aspect in the individual soul which is a microcosm is called Citta. Citta is thus that instrument or medium through which the Jivatma materializes his individual world, lives and evolves in the world until he has become perfected and united with the Paramatma. Broadly, therefore, Citta corresponds to ‘mind’ of modern psychology but it has a more comprehensive import and field for functioning. While Citta may be considered as a universal medium through which consciousness functions on all the planes of the manifested Universe, the ‘mind’ of modern psychology is con- fined to the expression of only thought, volition and feeling. We should not, however, make the mistake of imagining Citta as a sort of mate- rial medium which is moulded into different forms when mental images of different kinds are produced. It is fundamentally of the nature of consciousness which is imma- terial but affected by matter. In fact, it may be called a product of both, consciousness and matter, or Purusa and Prakrti, the presence of the both being necessary for its functioning. It is like an intangible screen which enables the Light of consciousness to be projected in the manifested world. But the real secret of its essential nature lies bur- ied in the origin of the manifested Universe and can be known only on attaining Enlightenment. It is true that the theory of perception which is developed in Section IV gives some general indication with regard to the nature of Citta but it does not say what Citta essentially is. The third word we have to consider in this Sutra is Vrtti. It is derived from the root Vrt which means ‘to exist’. So Vrtti is a way of existing. In considering the ways in which a thing exists we may consider its modifications, states, activities or its func- tions. All these connotations are present in the meaning of Vrtti but in the present con- text this word is best translated by the words ‘modifications’ or ‘functionings’. Some- times the word is translated as ‘transformations’. This does not seem to be justified because in transformation the emphasis is on the change and not on the condition. The transformations of Citta may be stopped and it may still remain in one particular modi- fication as happens in Sabija Samadhi. As the ultimate aim of Yoga is inhibition of all modifications in Nirbija Samadhi it will be seen that the word ‘transformation’ will not adequately express the meaning of the word Vrtti. Besides, the word ‘transforma- tion’ has to be used for the three Parinamas dealt with in the first part of Section III. Since Citta has a functional existence and comes into being only when consciousness is affected by matter, the word ‘functionings’ perhaps expresses to the maximum de-  15 gree the significance of Vrtti in the present context, but the word ‘modifications’ is also used generally and understood more easily and may therefore pass. In trying to understand the nature of Citta-Vrttis we have to guard against a few misconceptions which are sometimes prevalent among those who have not studied the subject deeply. The first thing to note is that Citta-Vrtti is not a vibration. We have seen above that Citta is not material and therefore there can be no question of any vi- bration in it. Vibrations can take place only in a vehicle and these vibrations may pro- duce a Citta-Vrtti. The two are different though related. The second point to be noted in this connection is that a Citta-Vrtti is not a mental image though it may be and is generally associated with mental images. The five-fold classification of Citta-Vrttis in I-5 definitely shows this. Mental images may be of innumerable kinds but the author has classified Citta-Vrttis under five heads only. This shows that Citta-Vrttis have a more fundamental and comprehensive character than the mere mental images with which they are associated. This is not the place to enter into a detailed discussion of the essential nature of Citta-Vrttis because the question involves the essential nature of Citta. But if the student studies carefully the six Sutras (I-6-11) dealing with the five kinds of Vrttis he will see that they are the fundamental states or types of modifica- tions in which the mind can exist. The author has given five types for the modifica- tions of the lower concrete mind with which the ordinary man is familiar. But the number and nature of these different types are bound to be different in the higher realms of Citta. The last word to be considered is Nirodha. This word is derived from the word Niruddham which means ‘restrained’, ‘controlled’, ‘inhibited’. All these meanings are applicable in the different stages of Yoga. Restraint is involved in the initial stages, control in the more advanced stages and inhibition or complete suppression in the last stage. The subject of Nirodha has been dealt with in considering III-9 and the student should read carefully what is written in that connection. If the student has understood the meaning of the four words in this Sutra he will see that it defines in a masterly manner the essential nature of Yoga. The effectiveness of the definition lies in the fact that it covers all stages of progress through which the Yogi passes and all stages of unfoldment of consciousness which are the result of this progress. It is equally applicable to the stage of Kriya-Yoga in which he learns the pre- liminary lessons, to the stages of Dharana and Dhyana in which he brings the mind under his complete control, to the stage of Sabija Samadhi in which he has to suppress  16 the ‘seeds’ of Samprajnata-Samadhi and to the last stage of Nirbija Samadhi in which he inhibits all modifications of Citta and passes beyond the realm of Prakrti into the world of Reality. The full significance of the Sutra can be understood only when the subject of Yoga has been studied thoroughly in all its aspects and so it is useless to say anything further at this stage. then (of) Seer in his ‘own form’ or essential and fundamental nature establishment. 3. Then the Seer is established in his own essential and fundamental nature. This Sutra points out in a general way what happens when all the modifications of the mind at all levels have been completely inhibited. The Seer is established in his Svarupa or in other words attains Self-realization. We cannot know what this state of Self-realization is as long as we are involved in the play of Citta-Vrttis. It can only be realized from within and not comprehended from without. Even the partial and super- ficial comprehension which we can obtain under our present limitations by means of study and reflection is possible only after we have mastered the whole theory and technique of Yoga outlined in this treatise. The higher stages of consciousness which unfold in the state of Samadhi and which are referred to in I-44 and 45 are called Rtambhara or truth-right-bearing. In their light the Yogi can know the truth underlying all things in manifestation. But he can know the truth in this way of only those things which are part of Drsyam, the Seen, not of the Drasta the Seer. For this he has to prac- tise Nirbija Samadhi (I-51). (with) modifications (of the mind) identification; assimilation elsewhere, in other states.  17 4. In other states there is assimilation (of the Seer) with the modifications (of the mind). When the Citta-Vrttis are not in the state of Nirodha and the Drasta is not es- tablished in his Svarupa he is assimilated with the particular Vrtti which happens to occupy the field of his consciousness for the moment. A simile will perhaps help the student to understand this assimilation of consciousness with the transformation of the mind. Let him imagine a lighted electric bulb suspended in a tank full of limpid water. If the water is churned violently by some mechanical contrivance it will make all kinds of patterns in three dimensions round the bulb, these patterns being illuminated by the light from the bulb and changing from moment to moment. But what about the bulb itself? It will disappear from view, all the light emanating from it being assimilated with or lost in the surrounding water. Now, let him imagine the churning of water slowed down gradually until the water becomes perfectly still. As the three dimen- sional patterns begin to subside gradually the electric bulb gradually emerges into view and when the water is quite at rest the bulb alone is seen. This simile illustrates in a rather crude way both the assimilation of the consciousness of the Purusa with the modification of the mind and its reversion to its own unmodified state when the mind comes to rest. The mind may come to rest either through Para-Vairagya developed by Isvara-pranidhana or through the practice of Samadhi the result in both cases is the same—Enlightenment—and Liberation. This Sutra, like the previous one, is meant to answer only in a general way the question ‘what happens to the Purusa when he is not established in his Svarupa?’ Its full significance can be understood only after the whole book has been studied thor- oughly, and the various aspects of the subject understood adequately. (plural of ) modes, modifications or functionings of the mind fivefold; of five kinds painful (and) not-painful. 5. The modifications of the mind are five-fold and are painful or not- painful.  18 After indicating the essential nature of Yogic technique the author then proceeds to classify the Vrttis. He classifies them in two ways. Firstly, in relation to our feelings whether they are painful, pleasurable or neutral in their character. And secondly, ac- cording to the nature of the Pratyaya which is produced in our consciousness. Let us consider first the reaction of these Vrttis on our feelings. This reaction according to Patanjali is either painful or not-painful. This will appear to a superficial student a rather strange way of classifying the mental modifications. Of course, there are certain modifications which are of a neutral character, i.e. they do not produce any pleasurable or painful reaction in our mind. When, for example, we notice a tree while walking, it is a mere sensuous perception which does not arouse any pleasurable or painful feeling within us. The vast majority of our sensuous perceptions which result in the modification of the mind are of this neutral character. They have been classed as ‘not-painful’. But there are other modifications of the mind which do arouse a pleasurable or painful feeling within us. For example, when we taste some palatable article of food, or see a beautiful sunset or smell a rose there is a distinct feeling of pleasure. On the other hand, when we see a horrible sight or hear a cry of anguish the resulting trans- formation of the mind is definitely painful. Why has then Patanjali classified all such modifications of the mind which arouse some feeling within us as painful? The reason for this is given in II-15 in connection with the philosophy of Klesas. It will suffice to mention here that according to the theory of Klesas upon which the Yogic philosophy is based, all pleasurable and painful experiences are really painful to the people who have developed the faculty of discrimination and are not blinded by the illusions of the lower life. It is our ignorance, caused by these illusions, which makes us see pleasure in experiences which are a potential source of pain and therefore makes us run after those pleasures. If our inner eyes were open we would see the ‘potential’ pain hidden within these pleasures and not only when the pain is present in an ‘active’ form. We would then see the justification for classifying all experiences which involve our feel- ings and thus give rise to Raga and Dvesa as painful. This may appear to the student a rather pessimistic view of life but let him withhold his judgment until he has studied the philosophy of Klesas in Section II. If all experiences involving our feelings are painful then it is logical to classify the remaining experiences which are of a neutral character and do not affect our feel-  19 ings as not-painful. It will be seen, therefore, that the primary classification of Citta- Vrttis as painful and not-painful is not without reason and from the Yogic point of view perfectly logical and reasonable. The other point of view from which the Citta-Vrttis have been classified is the nature of the Pratyaya produced in the Citta. The object of classifying them in this manner is to show that all our experiences in the realm of the mind consist of mental modifications and nothing else. The control and complete suppression of these modifi- cations, therefore, extinguishes our lower life completely and leads inevitably to the dawning of the higher consciousness. When classified in this manner the Vrttis or modifications are stated to be of five kinds as shown in the next Sutra. right knowledge wrong knowledge fancy; imagination sleep (and) memory. 6. (They are) right knowledge, wrong knowledge, fancy, sleep, and mem- ory. Here again, on a cursory examination, the five-fold classification may appear rather odd but a deeper study will show that it is perfectly scientific. If we analyse our mental life, as far as its content is concerned, we shall find it to consist of a great vari- ety and number of images, but a closer study of these images will show that they can all be classified under the five broad sub-heads enumerated in this Sutra. Before we deal with each of these separately in-the subsequent five Sutras let us try to understand the underlying system of classification in a general way. Pramana and Viparyaya comprise all those images which are formed by some kind of direct contact through the sense organs with the outer world of objects. Vikalpa and Smrti comprise all those images or modifications of the mind which are produced without any kind of direct contact with the outer world. They are the result of the in- dependent activity of the lower mind using the sensuous perceptions which have been gathered before and stored in the mind. In the case of Smrti or memory these sensuous perceptions are reproduced in the mind faithfully, i.e. in the form and order in which  20 they were obtained through the sense-organs previously. In the case of Vikalpa or imagination they are reproduced in any form and order from the sensuous material pre- sent in the mind. The imagination can combine these sensuous perceptions in any form or order, congruous or incongruous but the power of combining the sensuous percep- tions is under the control of the will. In the dream state the will has no control over these combinations and they appear before consciousness in haphazard, fantastic and frequently absurd combinations influenced to a certain extent by the desires present in the sub-conscious mind. The higher Self with its will and reason has, as it were, with- drawn beyond the threshold of consciousness, leaving the lower mind partly entangled with the brain deprived of the rationalizing influence of reason and the controlling in- fluence of will. When even this remnant of the lower mind also withdraws beyond the threshold of brain consciousness we have dreamless sleep or Nidra. In this state there are no mental images in the brain. The mind continues to be active on its own plane but its images are not reflected on the screen of the physical brain. Now, let the student examine his mental activity in the light of what has been said above. Let him take any modification of the lower concrete mind which works with names and forms and see whether he cannot put it under one or the other of these five groups. He will find to his surprise that all modifications of the lower mind can be classed under one or the other of these subheads and therefore the system of classifica- tion is quite rational. It is true that many modifications on analysis will be found to be complex and come under two or more groups but the various ingredients will all be found to fit under one or another of the five groups. That is why the Vrttis are called Pancatayyah, five-fold. It may be asked why only the modifications of the lower concrete mind have been taken into account in this classification of the Citta-Vrttis. Citta comprises all the levels of the mind, the lowest of which is called the lower Manas functioning through the Manomaya Kosa and dealing with concrete mental images with names and forms. The answer to this question is obvious. The ordinary man whose consciousness is con- fined to the lower mind can conceive of only these concrete images which are derived from perceptions through the physical sense-organs. The Citta-Vrttis corresponding to the higher levels of the mind though more definite and vivid and capable of being ex- pressed indirectly through the lower mind are beyond his comprehension and can be perceived on their own planes in the state of Samadhi when consciousness transcends the lower mind. Yoga starts with the control and suppression of the lowest kind of  21 Citta-Vrttis with which the Sadhaka is familiar and which he can understand. No use- ful purpose could be served by dealing with the Citta-Vrttis corresponding with the higher levels of the mind even if these Citta-Vrttis were amenable to ordinary classifi- cation. The Sadhaka has to wait till he learns the technique of Samadhi. Let us now consider the five kinds of modifications individually, one by one. direct cognition; sense-evidence inference (and) testi- mony; revelation tested and attested facts. 7. (Facts of) right knowledge (are based on) direct cognition, inference or testimony. Pramana which may be translated approximately as right knowledge or knowl- edge related to facts, comprises all those experiences in which the mind is in direct or indirect contact with the object of the senses at the time and the mental perception cor- responds with the objects. Although three sources of right knowledge are mentioned in the Sutra and only in one (Pratyaksa) there is direct contact with the object, this does not mean that there is no contact with the object in the other two. The contact in these two cases is indirect, through some other object or person. A simple illustration will make this point clear. Suppose you see your car coming to your door. You recog- nize it at once. This knowledge is, of course, Pratyaksa. Now, if you are sitting in your room and hear the familiar sound of your car in front of your house you recognize it at once as your car. Here your knowledge is based on contact with the object but the con- tact is indirect and involves the element of inference. Now suppose again you neither see nor hear the car but your servant comes and says that your car is at the door. Here again the contact with the object is indirect but your knowledge is based on testimony. In all these three cases since the image which springs up in your brain corresponds with a fact, the Citta-Vrtti comes under the category of Pramana or right knowledge. If it does not, for example, if your inference with regard to the presence of your car is wrong or the servant makes an incorrect report, then your knowledge is wrong and be- longs to the second category i.e. Viparyaya. Knowledge of the Pramana type may be  22 based partly on one and partly on another of these three sources but if it corresponds with facts, it belongs to this type. wrong knowledge; erroneous impression; mistake; delusion false; illusory knowledge; conception (of) not its own (real) form possessing; occupying; based. 8. Wrong knowledge is a false conception of a thing whose real form does not correspond to such a mistaken conception. The second type of Vrtti called Viparyaya is also based on some kind of contact with an external object but the mental image does not correspond with the object. The examples usually given to illustrate this kind of Vrtti such as a mirage in a desert may give the impression that it is very rare but this is not a fact. Cases of Viparyaya are very frequent. Wherever there is lack of correspondence between our conception of a thing and the thing itself we have really an instance of Viparyaya. But it should be re- membered that in Viparyaya we are not concerned with the correctness or definiteness of our mental impressions but only with the correspondence between the object and the mental image formed in our mind. In partial darkness our impression of an object may be blurred but if it corresponds with the object it is not a case of Viparyaya. word cognizance following upon empty of substance; devoid of objectivity fancy. 9. An image conjured up by words without any substance behind it is fancy. The first two categories of mental modifications exhaust all kinds of experi- ences in which there is some kind of contact with an object outside the mind. These  23 may therefore be called ‘objective’ in their nature. Now we come to the other two kinds of Vrttis in which there is no such contact and the mental image is a pure crea- tion of the mind. Here again we have two subdivisions. If the mental modification is based upon a previous experience and merely reproduces it we have a case of memory. If it is not based upon an actual experience in the past or has nothing to correspond to in the field of actual experience but is a pure creation of the mind then it is fancy or imagination. When we mentally review the events of our past life such mental modifi- cations belong to the realm of memory. When we read a novel our Vrttis belong to the realm of fancy. Of course, even in the case of fancy the mental images will be found on analysis to be derived ultimately from the sensuous perceptions which we have ac- tually experienced sometime or other, but the combinations are novel and these do not correspond to any actual experience. We may imagine a horse with the head of a man. Here the head of a man and the body of a horse have been perceived separately and belong to the realm of memory but the combination of the two in one composite image which does not correspond to an actual experience makes the mental image a case of Vikalpa. The two categories of memory and fancy on account of the absence of any contact with an external object which stimulates the mental image may be called ‘sub- jective’ in their nature. absence; nothingness content of mind support; basis; ob- ject modification sleep. 10. That modification of the mind which is based on the absence of any con- tent in it is sleep. This is an important Sutra and should be studied carefully. Of course, the literal meaning of the Sutra is obvious. Even that modification of the mind in which there is no content in the mind is classed as Vrtti which is called Nidra. And for a very good reason. During the time a person is in this state his mind is, as it were, a blank or a void. There is no Pratyaya in the field of consciousness. This state outwardly appears to be the same as that of Citta-Vrtti-Nirodha in which also there is complete suppres-  24 sion of mental modifications. How does this state then differ from the condition of Nirbija-Samadhi for the two are poles apart? The difference lies in the fact that in the state of Nidra or deep sleep the mental activity does not stop at all, only the brain is disconnected from the mind and so does not record the activities which are going on in the mind. When the person wakes up and the contact is established again, the brain again becomes the seat of mental activity as before. When a car is put out of gear the engine does not stop, only the effect of the running of the engine on the car disappears and so there is no motion of the car. In the same way, in deep sleep although there is no Pratyaya in the brain the mental activity is transferred to a subtler vehicle and goes on as before. Only the brain has been put out of gear. Experiments in hypnotism and mesmerism partly corroborate this view. Now, in Yoga it is the activity of the mind or Citta which is suppressed and for this it is necessary to stop the vibrations of the lower mental body while in the waking state. In the waking state the brain is connected with the lower mind and by controlling the activity of the mind in the brain we can control its own activity. When the engine of a car is in gear, by regulating or stopping the motion of the car we can regulate or stop the movement of the engine itself. It will be seen therefore that the state of deep sleep and the state of Citta-Vrtti-Nirodha though superficially they may appear similar are quite different. (of) experienced object; subject-matter (non-theft); not letting go or allowing to escape memory. 11. Memory is not allowing an object which has been experienced to escape. The mental process involved in recalling a past experience is a peculiar one and the reason why memory is considered as a type of Citta-Vrtti has already been dis- cussed in dealing with I-9. Memory is here defined as the retention of past experiences in the mind. But it is to be noted that these experiences are retained in the mind as mere impressions (Samskara) and as long as they are present in their potential form, as mere impressions, they cannot be considered as a Citta-Vrtti. It is only when the po-  25 tential impressions are converted into their active state in the form of mental images that they can properly be considered as a Citta-Vrtti. (by) persistent practice (and) non-attachment or absence of desire or detachment control or suppression or inhibition of that (Citta-Vrttis). 12. Their suppression (is brought about) by persistent practice and non- attachment. After classifying and explaining the different forms which modifications of the mind may assume, the author gives in this Sutra the two general means of bringing about the suppression of these modifications. These are practice and non-attachment. Two apparently simple words, but what a tremendous effort of the human will and va- riety of practices they stand for! Both these words have been defined in the subsequent Sutras but their full significance can be understood only after the study of the book has been completed. of those (two) for being firmly established or fixed effort; endeavour practice. 13. Abhyasa is the effort of being firmly established in that state (of Citta- Vrtti-Nirodha). What is Abhyasa? All effort directed towards the attainment of that transcendent state in which all Citta-Vrttis have been suppressed and the light of Reality shines un- interruptedly in its fullest splendour. The means of attaining this objective are many and various and all these may be included in Abhyasa. It is true that in the particular  26 system of Yoga put forward by Patanjali only eight kinds of practices have been in- cluded and hence it is called Astanga-Yoga, i.e. Yoga with eight component parts. But there are other systems of Yoga prevalent in the East and each has its own particular technique. Many practices are common but there are some which are peculiar to each system. Patanjali has included in his system practically all those which are essential or important. The Yogi can adopt any of these according to his needs or temperament though he is generally advised to confine himself to those practices which are pre- scribed in the particular school to which he belongs. It need hardly be pointed out that Yoga is an experimental science and as in all sciences new techniques are being constantly discovered by individual teachers and taught to their disciples. Thus each advanced teacher, though he follows the broad principles of Yoga and techniques of his particular school, imparts a personal touch to his teachings by introducing certain minor practices of his own. These are generally continued in a more or less modified form as long as the school lasts. But in most cases such schools quickly degenerate into mere academic bodies carrying on a dead tradition. that indeed (for) long time (with) uninterrupted con- tinuance (incessantly) (and) reverent devotion; earnestness pursued; practised; followed; continued firm ground. 14. It (Abhyasa) becomes firmly grounded on being continued for a long time, without interruption and with reverent devotion. In order that the practice of Yoga may bear fruit and may enable the Sadhaka to be firmly established on the path there are three conditions which must be fulfilled. These conditions1 as defined in this Sutra are (1) These practices must be continued for a long time. (2) There should be no interruptions. (3) The path must be trodden with devotion and in a spirit of reverence. The necessity for pointing out these condi- tions will be seen if one takes into account the enormous number of failures on this  27 path. The path of Yoga appears very fascinating in the beginning and many are the people who are caught by its glamour and make a start in the hope of plucking its fruit in a very short time. But alas! Of those who enter the path, only a microscopical mi- nority are able to make good progress. Even those who have the courage and persever- ance to continue are very few in number. The vast majority of aspirants drop out sooner or later, giving up the practice completely or keeping up a semblance of mere external forms as soon as the glamour wears out. They either come to believe that it is all ‘moonshine’ or manage to convince themselves that conditions in the present life are not favourable and they had better postpone the effort to the next life when they vainly hope to be placed in better circumstances. Leaving out a few cases where Karma interposes a real obstacle in the path of the aspirant the real cause of discon- tinuing the practice is, in the vast majority of cases, the lack of spiritual maturity without which no success on this path is possible. The world and its pursuits have still a great deal of attraction for such people and they are not prepared to make the sacri- fices which are demanded on this path. Coming back to the essential conditions of success the necessity for continuing the practices for a long time is obvious. The nature of the changes which have to be brought about in our character, mind and vehicles is such that unless the practices are continued for a long time no appreciable improvement can be expected. Our nature has to be completely changed and the change is so fundamental that we must be prepared to continue the work until it is finished. How long this will take will depend upon many factors: our evolutionary stage, the time we have already given to the work in previous lives and the effort that we make in this life. Theoretically, if a man is able to surrender himself completely to Isvara he can pass into Samadhi immediately, but it is a very big ‘if’ and the Samskaras of the past will not in actual life allow him to ac- complish suddenly what can be done only after a long and strenuous course of disci- pline. In a few rare cases where the progress is extremely rapid there is always the momentum of the past, due generally to a number of successive lives devoted to the practice of Yoga. So, no one can predict when the final goal will be reached and he who enters the path seriously must make up his mind to continue not only for a long time but through many lives until the goal is reached. He who is ready for treading this path is so much absorbed in the fascinating work and has so much to do that he has no time to worry as to when he will reach the goal. If time hangs heavy on our hands and  28 we are continually worrying when success will be ours, it shows lack of real interest and is a danger signal. To appreciate the requirement of not allowing any interruptions we have to re- member that much of the work in Yoga involves bringing about very deep-seated and fundamental changes in the various vehicles through which consciousness functions on the different planes. And success in bringing about the desired changes depends upon continuity of practice. Interruption means not only waste of so much time but a con- siderable sliding back and retraversing the same ground which has already been cov- ered. An example will make this clear. Suppose a Sadhaka is trying to purify his mind. He has to exclude rigidly from his mind all impure thoughts and emotions and to make his mental vehicle or Manomaya Kosa vibrate to the highest and purest thoughts until the ordinary coarse material of the vehicle has been completely replaced by the finest and subtlest matter which can respond to only pure and lofty thoughts and emotions. If this is accomplished the very vibratory capacity of the vehicle is completely changed and it becomes very difficult for the Sadhaka to entertain any impure thoughts in the same way as it is difficult for a licentious person to entertain pure thoughts. But sup- pose he gives up the effort after making some progress then the original conditions tend to reassert themselves gradually, and if he resumes the practice after considerable time the process of purification has to start ab initio. Most of the required changes in our mind and character involve some changes in various vehicles and these latter processes which are really material must be almost completed if they are to be made practically irreversible. Even in ordinary life this continuity of practice is of importance for most undertakings. A boy who wants to make himself strong and muscular must take exercise regularly. If he does strenuous exercise but gives it up from time to time he does not make much progress. Prolonged and steady practice is the secret of success in all such undertakings. Even interrupted practice gives some advantage and is better than no practice at all because it creates favourable Samskaras and thus strengthens tendencies in the desired direction but when Yoga is taken up seriously uninterrupted practice is essential and every new technique which is initiated must be practised continuously until it is sufficiently mas- tered. The third condition requiring an attitude of devotion and earnestness is equally important. Yoga is a serious business and requires intense and whole-hearted applica- tion. It cannot be pursued as a hobby, one of a number of pursuits in which we are  29 equally interested. If a person desires success even in a worldly pursuit like science or art he has to give himself completely to his work, the more difficult the undertaking the greater the devotion it demands. Now, the objective of Yoga is the highest prize of human achievement and its pursuit must necessarily be very exacting in its demand on the time and energy of the Sadhaka. That is why in the olden days people who wanted to practise Yoga retired into forests so that they could devote themselves completely to this task. Complete retirement may not be possible or necessary but a whole-hearted devotion to this holy task is absolutely necessary. Many people think that they can combine the pursuit of worldly ambitions with Yogic discipline and glibly cite the ex- ample of Janaka. But Janaka had already attained the ideal of Yoga before he under- took the worldly duties. The ordinary Sadhaka especially the beginner who tries to combine the two ideals is sure to be swamped by his worldly desires and activities and to pursue the path of Yoga merely in name. Circumstances and habits of past lives may not allow the Sadhaka to adopt this one-pointed attitude all at once but he must work steadily and deliberately towards this end, eliminating one by one all the activities and interests which either interfere with his main work or uselessly consume his time and energy. This capacity to throw oneself whole-heartedly and persistently into the task which the Sadhaka has placed before himself is a necessary qualification and shows the readiness of the soul to embark on the Divine Adventure. The word Satkara also implies an attitude of reverence towards his task. In pur- suing his ideal the Sadhaka is trying to find that Ultimate Reality which is the basis and the cause of the whole Universe, manifest and unmanifest. This very fact that he is trying to unravel the greatest mystery of life should fill him with a sense of awe and reverence provided he is conscious of the nature of his high purpose and the tremen- dous nature of the Reality which he is approaching. When the three conditions mentioned in the Sutra are present, progress on the path of Yoga is assured. It may be slow owing to inadequate momentum from past lives but the Sadhaka is at least firmly established on the path and the attainment of the final goal becomes only a question of time.  30 (for) seen (here in this world); visible; physical (and) heard; promised in the scriptures; revealed objects of him who has ceased to thirst consciousness of perfect mastery (of desires) non-attachment; detach- ment. 15. The consciousness of perfect mastery (of desires) in the case of one who has ceased to crave for objects, seen or unseen, is Vairagya. This Sutra defines Vairagya the second general means of bringing about the suppression of Citta-Vrttis. The full significance of Vairagya and its role in bringing the mind to a condition of rest will be fully understood only after the study of the phi- losophy of Klesas outlined in Section II. Here we shall discuss only certain general principles. The word Vairagya is derived from the word Raga which has been defined in II-7 as the attraction which arises due to pleasure derived from any object. Vairagya therefore means the absence of any attraction towards objects which give pleasure. The question may be asked: why absence of attraction only, why not absence of repulsion also, because attraction and repulsion are a pair of opposites and repulsion binds the soul to the objects as much as attraction. The reason why Dvesa has been left out in the etymological expression of the idea as Vairagya is not oversight but the fact that Dvesa is really included in Raga and forms with it a pair of opposites. The alternation of attraction and repulsion between two individuals who are attached to each other shows the underlying relation of attraction and repulsion and their common derivation from attachment. So, non-attachment which means freedom from both attraction and repulsion correctly expresses the underlying meaning of Vairagya. The reason why Vairagya plays such an important part in restraining and then eliminating Citta-Vrttis lies in the fact that desire in its two expressions of Raga and Dvesa is a tremendous driving and disturbing force which is incessantly producing Vrttis in the mind. In fact, in the earlier stages of evolutionary progress, desire is the sole driving force and the development of the mind takes place almost solely as a re- sult of the constant driving to which it is subjected by desire. In the later stages other factors also come in and as desire gradually changes into will the latter more and more becomes the driving force behind the evolutionary development.  31 All aspirants who are treading the path of Yoga must therefore try to understand clearly the role which desire plays in our life and the manner in which it keeps the mind in a constant state of agitation. Many Sadhakas not realizing sufficiently the dis- turbing influence of desire try to practise meditation without giving sufficient attention to the problem of controlling desires with the result that they do not succeed to any considerable extent in freeing the mind from disturbances at the time of meditation. Trying to render the mind calm without eliminating desire is like trying to stop the movement of a boat on a surface of water which is being violently agitated by a strong wind. However much we may try to hold it down in one position by external force it will continue to move as a result of the impulses imparted to it by the waves. But if the wind dies down and the waves subside completely the boat will come to rest—in time—even without the application of an external force. So is the case with the mind. If the driving force of desire is eliminated completely the mind comes to rest (Nirud- dha state) naturally and automatically. The practice of Vairagya is the elimination of the driving force of desire using the word desire in its widest sense of Vasana as ex- plained in Section IV. But the elimination of Citta-Vrtti by practising Vairagya alone, though theoretically possible, is neither feasible nor advisable. It is like trying to stop a car by merely shutting off the supply of gas. Why not also apply the brakes and make the car stop more rapidly and effectively. Herein comes the role of Abhyasa. Abhyasa and Vairagya are therefore jointly utilized for Citta-Vrtti-Nirodha. After this general consideration of the role of Vairagya let us now take note of some of the phrases used in I-15 with a view to understand the full implication of the definition given therein. Visaya are the objects which produce the attraction and consequent attachment. They have been divided under two heads, those which are seen and those about which we merely hear, i.e. those which are mentioned in scriptures. Anusravika, of course, refers to the enjoyments which the followers of orthodox religions expect to gain in the life after death. The practice of Vairagya seeks to destroy the thirst for both kinds of enjoyments. It will be seen from what has been stated above that the Yogic ideal is entirely different from the orthodox religious ideal. In the latter, a particular kind of life and conduct are prescribed and if the votary of the particular religion conforms to that code of conduct he expects to live after the dissolution of the physical body in a super- physical world with all kinds of enjoyments and means of happiness. The heavens of different religions may differ with regard to the amenities which they provide but the  32 underlying idea is the same, i.e. a particular kind of life which consists in following certain observances and moral code ensures a happy life in the hereafter. The Yogic philosophy does not deny the existence of heaven and hell but it places before the Yogi an ideal of achievement in which the enjoyments and pleasures of heaven life have no place because these also are temporary and subject to illusion. The enjoyments of the heaven world are nothing as compared with the bliss and pow- ers which the Yogi acquires when his consciousness passes into the still higher planes of existence. Even these transcendent states have to be renounced by him in his pro- gress towards his ultimate goal. Every power and pleasure which is ‘born’ out of con- tact with Prakrti and which is not contained in the Self and therefore does not make the Yogi self-contained is to be included in Anusravika Visaya. It may be pointed out here that it is not the feeling of enjoyment on coming into contact with those Visayas which constitutes Trsna. In our contact with objects of senses some must necessarily produce a sensation of pleasure. When consciousness functions on the higher planes through the subtler vehicles bliss is the natural inevita- ble accompaniment but it is not this feeling of pleasure or bliss which constitutes Raga. It is the attraction and consequent attachment which is the cause of bondage and must be destroyed by the practice of Vairagya. It is also necessary to remember that mere absence of attraction due to the inac- tivity of the body or satiety or preoccupation with other things does not constitute Vairagya. A man who becomes old may lose his sex-desire for the time being. A poli- tician engaged in the pursuit of his ambitions may for the time being become indiffer- ent to sensuous enjoyments. But this temporary indifference towards objects has noth- ing to do with Vairagya. The attraction is merely in abeyance ready to come to the sur- face as soon as the necessary conditions are present. What is needed for true Vairagya is the deliberate destruction of all attractions and the consequent attachments and con- scious mastery over the desires. This is the meaning of the phrase Vasikara-Samjna. Control over the vehicles through which the desires are felt and the consciousness of mastery which comes from such control are the essential elements of Vairagya. For gaining this kind of mastery one should have come in contact with temptations of every kind and should have passed through ordeals of every description and come out not only triumphant but even without feeling the slightest attraction. For, if the attrac- tion is felt, even though we may not succumb to the temptation, we have not com- pletely mastered the desire.  33 It will be seen, therefore, that isolation from the world or running away from temptations does not help us in acquiring true Vairagya though this may be necessary in the very early stages of acquiring self-control. We have to learn the lesson and test ourselves in the midst of pleasures and temptations—of course not by yielding to temptations and indulging in pleasures, but by trying to pierce through the glamorous illusions which surround such pleasures while we are under their domination. Real Vairagya is not characterized by a violent struggle with our desires. It comes naturally and in its most effective form by the exercise of our discriminative faculty which is called Viveka. Glamour plays a very great part in producing Raga or attachment and even ordinary intellectual analysis combined with reason and commonsense, can free us from many unreasonable habits and attachments. But the real weapon to be used in acquiring true Vairagya is the more penetrating light of Buddhi which expresses itself as Viveka. As our bodies are purified and our mind becomes free from the cruder de- sires this light shines with increasing brightness and destroys our attachments by ex- posing the illusions which underlie them. In fact Viveka and Vairagya may be consid- ered as two aspects of the same process of dissipation of illusion through the exercise of discrimination on the one hand and renunciation on the other. As the process reaches a deeper level it merges more and more in Jnana and becomes almost indistin- guishable from it. that highest; ultimate by or from awareness of the Purusa or the Self freedom from the least desire for the Gunas. 16. That is the highest Vairagya in which, on account of the awareness of the Purusa, there is cessation of the least desire for the Gunas. It has been pointed out in connection with the previous Sutra that discrimina- tion and renunciation mutually strengthen each other and bring about progressively the destruction of illusions and attachments which are the root cause of bondage. This re- sults in the release of consciousness from fetters which bind it to the lower worlds and the whole process culminates as we shall see later in Kaivalya, the final objective of  34 Yoga. In that state the Purusa having realized his true nature and having shaken off the yoke of matter has no attraction left even for the subtlest kinds of bliss experienced on the highest planes of existence. He is completely self-sufficient and above all such attractions which are based on the play of the Gunas. This Vairagya which is based upon the destruction of Avidya and the realization that everything is contained in the Purusa himself or the Purusa is the source of everything is the highest kind of Vairagya and is called Para-Vairagya. It will be seen that this Para-Vairagya which is a characteristic of the Purusic consciousness—if this word can be used—can appear only on the attainment of Kaivalya. The fact that complete Vairagya develops only on the attainment of Purusa- Khyati means that though there may be no active attachment in the lower stages, still, the seeds of attachment remain. This means that while there is the possibility of at- tachment developing again before Purusa-Khyati is attained no such possibility exists after this stage is reached. This fact has also been expressed very well in the Bhaga- vad-Gita in the well-known Sloka (II-59). “The objects of sense, but not the relish for them, turn away from an abstemious dweller in the body; and even relish turneth away from him after the Supreme is seen”. (of) reasoning; argumentation deliberation; reflection bliss; joy (and; or) I-am-ness; sense of individuality; sense of pure being by accompaniment; with association Samadhi with Prajna or consciousness. 17. Samprajnata Samadhi is that which is accompanied by reasoning, reflec- tion, bliss and sense of pure being. I-17 and I-18 deal with the two varieties of Samadhi called Samprajnata and Asamprajnata. Before we take up for discussion these two important Sutras it is desir- able that we deal in a general way with the nature of Samadhi and the mutual relation- ship of the different kinds and stages of Samadhi which are mentioned in the Yoga- Sutras. This will make it easier for the student to tackle this very difficult though fas- cinating subject and enable him to see its different aspects in their true relationship.  35 The subject of Samadhi is too often studied in a haphazard and disjointed manner without making any effort to view its different parts in their correct perspective. As the Sutras bearing on the different aspects of Samadhi are scattered in the Yoga-Sutras at different places it will help the student if a brief analysis of these Su- tras is given here and the order, in which they should be studied by the beginner, pointed out. The manner in which the subject of Samadhi is treated in the Yoga-Sutras may appear rather strange to the student. He should remember, however, that these Sutras are meant to provide in a very condensed form all the essential knowledge for the advanced student of Yoga and not to serve as an introduction for the beginner who has yet to learn the A.B.C. of the subject. That is why Patanjali allows himself to plunge into a discussion of the more abstruse aspects of Samadhi in Section I and deals with the different stages of concentration leading upto Samadhi in Section III. This manner of treating a difficult subject must appear very confusing to the modern stu- dent for whom the conditions for understanding any subject are made as easy as possi- ble. If, therefore, the student is new to the subject and his ideas about Samadhi and related subjects are not quite clear it would perhaps be better for htm to take up the Sutras bearing on Samadhi in the following order: Samadhi (1) The three stages of meditation leading upto Samadhi III-l, 2, 3, 4 (2) Samprajnata and Asamprajnata Samadhi I-17, 18 (3) The essential process involved in Sabija Samadhi I-41 (4) The different phases of Sabija Samadhi I-42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 (5) The technique of Nirbija Samadhi I-51, III-8, IV-26, 27, 28, 29 (6) The three kinds of transformations involved in Samadhi III-9, 10, 11, 12  36 Samadhi may be defined generally as a process of diving into the deeper layers of one's consciousness which functions through different grades of the mind. Con- sciousness is an aspect of the Ultimate Reality in manifestation and its expression de- pends upon the particular grade of the mind through which it is functioning, the coarser the medium the more limited the expression. As the progressive involution of consciousness in matter for the purpose of its unfoldment imposes upon it increasing limitations, so the reverse process of evolution progressively releases consciousness from these limitations. The different stages of Samadhi represent this progressive re- lease of consciousness from the limitations in which it is involved and Kaivalya is that state in which it can again function in perfect freedom. As consciousness functions at different levels in different grades of the mind through different mechanisms which are called vehicles or Kosas its progressive re- lease from limitations may be looked at from another point of view. It may be consid- ered as its withdrawal from one vehicle into a subtler vehicle. Each vehicle has its own functions and limitations but the functions become more inclusive and the limitations more tenuous as the matter of which it is composed becomes more refined. This pro- gressive withdrawal of consciousness in Samadhi into increasingly subtler vehicles is represented in the diagram showing ‘Stages of Samadhi’. The diagram is self- explanatory but can be understood fully only when the different aspects of Samadhi have been studied in detail. The first aspect of Samadhi with which Patanjali deals in the first Section is the distinction between Samprajnata and Asamprajanta Samadhi, There is a lot of misun- derstanding with regard to the nature of these two kinds of Samadhi and many students confuse them with Sabija and Nirbija Samadhi. In fact the words used for different kinds of Samadhis are generally used by commentators in a haphazard manner and the subtler distinctions which characterize the different kinds and phases of Samadhi are frequently overlooked. A student of the Yoga-Sutras should bear in mind that this is a scientific treatise in which each word has a specific and definite meaning and there is no possibility of looseness of expression or the use of alternate words for the same idea. When Patanjali uses two pairs of words—Samprajnata and Asamprajnata on the one hand and Sabija and Nirbija on the other—in entirely different contexts it is be- cause he is dealing with two entirely different ideas or subjects and to take these two pairs of words as if they mean the same thing shows lack of comprehension of the  37 whole subject. We shall discuss later the significance of Sabija and Nirbija Samadhis. Let us first try to understand what Samprajnata and Asamprajnata Samadhis mean. As frequently happens in the use of Samskrta words the clue to the meaning of a particular word is given by the etymological structure of the word. Samprajnata Samadhi means ‘Samadhi with Prajna’. The prefix A in Samskrta means ‘not’ and therefore Asamprajnata Samadhi means ‘not the Samadhi with Prajna’. Asamprajnata Samadhi is therefore not the Samadhi without Prajna, which would be the opposite of Samprajnata Samadhi. It is a state of Samadhi which, though associated with Prajna, is yet different from Samprajnata Samadhi. It may therefore be considered a correla- tive of Samprajnata Samadhi. The word Prajna in Samskrta stands for the higher con- sciousness working through the mind in all its stages. It is derived from Pra which means high and Jna which means to ‘know’. The distinctive characteristic of this higher consciousness which unfolds in Samadhi is that the mind is cut off completely from the physical world and the consciousness is centred in one or the other of the set of vehicles beginning with the lower mental body and ending with the Atmic vehicle. The consciousness is thus free from the burden and interference of the physical brain. If both Samprajnata and Asamprajnata Samadhis are associated with Prajna (Samprajna) where lies the difference between the two? The difference lies in the presence or absence of a Pratyaya in the field of consciousness. Pratyaya is a techni- cal word used in Yoga to denote the total content of the mind at any moment using the word mind in its widest sense and not merely the intellect. This Pratyaya may be of any kind and may exist on any plane of the mind. A mental image of a child, a concept of a mathematical principle, an all-embracing vision of the Unity of life are all Pratyayas of different kinds and belonging to different planes. Now, in Samprajnata Samadhi there is a Pratyaya (which is called a ‘seed’) in the field of consciousness and the consciousness is fully directed to it. So the direction of consciousness is from the centre outwards. In Asamprajnata Samadhi there is no Pratyaya and therefore there is nothing to draw the consciousness outwards and hold it there. So as soon as the Pratyaya (P) is dropped or suppressed the consciousness be- gins to recede automatically to its centre O and after passing momentarily through this Laya centre, tends to emerge into the next subtler vehicle. When this process has been completed the Pratyaya (P') of the next higher plane appears and the direction of con- sciousness again becomes from the centre outwards. The progressive stages of the re-  38 cession of consciousness to its centre and its emergence into the next higher plane may be illustrated by the following diagram: Fig. 1 From the time the Pratyaya P is suppressed to the time when the Pratyaya P' of the next plane appears the Yogi is in the stage of Asamprajnata Samadhi. During all this time he is fully conscious and his will is directing this delicate mental operation in a very subtle manner. The mind is no doubt blank but it is the blankness of Samadhi and not the blankness of an ordinary kind such as is present in deep sleep or coma. The mind is still completely cut off from the outer world, is still perfectly concentrated, is still under complete control of the will. Asamprajnata Samadhi therefore represents a very dynamic condition of the mind and differs from Samprajnata Samadhi only in the absence of Pratyaya in the field of consciousness. In intensity of concentration and alertness of the mind it is on a par with Samprajnata Samadhi. That is why it is de- noted by merely adding the prefix A to Samprajnata Samadhi. The void of Asamprajnata Samadhi is sometimes called a ‘cloud’ in Yogic ter- minology and the experience may be compared to that of a pilot whose aeroplane passes through a cloud bank. The clear landscape is blotted out suddenly, the ordinary sense of direction disappears and he flies on in the certainty that if he holds on he is bound to come out again into the clear sky. When the consciousness of the Yogi leaves one plane and the Pratyaya of that plane disappears he finds himself in a void and must remain in that void until his consciousness automatically emerges into the next plane with its new and characteristic Pratyaya. He cannot do anything but wait pa- tiently, with mind concentrated and alert, for the darkness to disperse and the light of the higher plane to dawn in his mind. In the case of the advanced Yogi this experience can be repeated over and over again and he passes from one plane to another until he takes the final plunge from the subtlest plane (the Atmic plane) into Reality itself—the  39 consciousness of the Purusa. The ‘cloud’ which he now enters is called Dharma Megha for reasons discussed in dealing with IV-29. When he comes out of this sacred ‘cloud’ he has already left behind the realm of Prakrti and is in his own Svarupa. It will be seen, therefore, that in the progressive recession of consciousness from the lower mental plane to its origin Samprajnata Samadhi with its characteristic Pratyaya and Asamprajnata Samadhi with its void follow each other in succession un- til the last hurdle has been crossed and the Yogi is established in his Svarupa and his consciousness has become one with the consciousness of the Purusa. The recession of consciousness towards its centre is thus not a steady and uninterrupted sinking into greater and greater depths but consists in this alternate outward and inward movement of consciousness at each barrier separating the two planes. The time taken for passage through the different planes and the intervening voids depends upon the advancement of the Yogi. While the beginner may remain en- tangled on the lower planes for a considerable time extending to years, the advanced Yogi can transfer his consciousness from one plane to another with lightning rapidity, and in the case of the Adept who has attained Kaivalya all the planes really merge into one because the passage up or down is so swift and easy that it is merely a question of focussing consciousness in one vehicle or another. As a rule, when the Yogi is still learning the technique of Samadhi, he has to spend considerable time on a particular plane in studying its phenomena and laws before he is in a position to attempt passage into the next higher plane. His progress depends not only on his present effort but also on the momentum of the past and the Samskaras which he brings from his previous lives. The Science of Yoga cannot be mastered in one life but only in a succession of strenuous lives devoted exclusively to the Yogic ideal. And those who are impatient and cannot adopt this long term view are not yet qualified to enter this path and make steady progress towards their goal. After dealing with the nature of Samprajnata and Asamprajnata Samadhi in a general way let us now consider the two Sutras in which Patanjali has referred to these aspects of Samadhi. In I-17 he hints at the characteristics of the consciousness which unfolds in the four stages of Samprajnata Samadhi which correspond to the four stages of the Gunas mentioned in II-19. The word Anugamat means ‘associated with’ or ‘ac- companied by’ and the Sutra therefore broadly means that the four successive phases or stages of Samprajnata Samadhi are accompanied by the activities or states of the mind which are denoted by Vitarka, Vicara, Ananda and Asmita respectively. Anyone  40 who is familiar with the old Vedantic classification or the modern Theosophical classi- fication of the planes of manifestation and the functions of vehicles on those planes will easily see how closely this progressive unfoldment of consciousness through the four stages mentioned in the Sutra corresponds with this classification. The classifica- tion of the elements which constitute the phenomenal side of the Universe according to Samkhya and Yogic philosophies is functional and not structural and that is obviously the reason why Patanjali in denoting the successive stages of Samprajnata Samadhi has given only the essential and dominant functions of the mind and not the names of the vehicles through which these functions are exercised. There is something to be said in favour of this functional representation of these stages as compared with the struc- tural. While it certainly appears vague and difficult to understand it has the advantage of being independent of any particular mode of classifying the planes and the termi- nology adopted for denoting them. Besides, the Yogi who is following the path of mys- ticism and is bent on finding his Beloved may not be interested in the constitution and phenomena of the different planes and may not like to study these planes objectively. A simple functional treatment of the different stages of Samprajnata Samadhi should therefore meet the needs of most people who are practising Yoga. But as a constitu- tional treatment has the great advantage of clarifying in a remarkable manner the whole technique of Yoga there is no reason why we should not take advantage of the knowledge which is available to us. In the following diagram are shown the different stages of Samprajnata and Asamprajnata Samadhi as well as their correspondences to the different vehicles and other aspects of the question involved in our study. It will be seen that Samprajnata Samadhi begins when the consciousness is completely cut off from the outer world after passing through the two preliminary stages of Dharana and Dhyana. In the first stage of Samprajnata Samadhi the consciousness is therefore centred in the lower mental world and functions through the Manomaya Kosa. The essential function of the  41 mind in this stage is denoted by the word Vitarka. It should be noted that when a per- son can leave the physical body and function in the two subtler vehicles called astral or lower mental body he is not necessarily in a state of Samadhi though his physical body is in an inert condition. He may be merely functioning in these subtler bodies in the ordinary manner exercising his clairvoyant powers and bringing down the knowl-  42 edge he has gained into the physical brain when he returns to the physical body. This state in which clairvoyance, etc. can be exercised is quite different from the state of Samadhi because the peculiar condition of the mind described in III-3 is not present. The mind is directed to different objects in succession and is not concentrated upon one object. After mastering the technique of Savitarka and Nirvitarka phases in the first stage the Yogi practises Asamprajnata Samadhi and withdraws his consciousness into the next higher plane, passing through the ‘cloud’ which accompanies Asamprajnata Samadhi. The consciousness of the Yogi then emerges into the higher mental world and functions through the Vijnanamaya Kosa or the causal body. The essential function of the mind working through this vehicle is called Vicara. The Yogi now starts practising Samadhi on this plane, slowly masters the technique of the Savicara and Nirvicara phases and again practises Asamprajnata Samadhi to free his consciousness from the higher mental plane. The whole cyclic process has to be repeated twice again during the last two stages of Samprajnata Samadhi in order to release the consciousness of the Yogi from the extremely subtle and hardly comprehensible vehicles which are called the Anandamaya Kosa and Atma and whose essential functions are called An- anda and Asmita. The significance of the words Vitarka, Vicara, Ananda and Asmita is explained in dealing with the four stages of the Gunas in II-19 and the student should refer to that Sutra in this connection. The student should also note that throughout the recession of consciousness in the four stages there is always something in the field of consciousness. It is true that during the period of Asamprajnata Samadhi there is no Pratyaya but only a ‘cloud’ or void but a ‘cloud’ or void is also a cover on pure consciousness. It is only the blurred impression produced in consciousness when it passes through the critical phase be- tween the Pratyaya of two successive planes. This phase is like the critical state be- tween two states of matter, liquid and gaseous, when it can be called neither liquid nor gaseous. So this presence of a Pratyaya which is characteristic of all stages of Sampra- jnata Samadhi means that in Samprajnata Samadhi consciousness can only know the nature of something which is placed within its field of illumination. It cannot know its own nature. If we pass a beam of light through a dark chamber and then place in the path of the beam different kinds of objects the light will immediately illuminate those objects and enable us to see them. The objects are seen with the help of the light but we cannot see the light itself, for if all the objects are removed from the path of the  43 beam of light the chamber will become quite dark although the beam of light is still there. Is there a means of seeing the light itself? There is no means of seeing physical light apart from the objects which it illuminates. But the light of consciousness can be seen as it really is after all the stages of Samprajnata Samadhi have been passed and Nirbija Samadhi is practised to remove the final and the subtlest veil covering Reality, the consciousness of the Purusa. We have been referring to the Pratyayas of the different planes and the student might like to know what these Pratyayas are like. Although efforts have been made to describe the glorious and vivid Pratyayas of the higher planes by mystics and occult- ists in all ages those who read these descriptions can see that these efforts are a failure, the higher the plane which is sought to be depicted the more complete the failure. The fact is that it is impossible to have any idea of these higher planes except in the most general and vaguest manner. Each world can be known only through the vehicle which consciousness uses in that world. The successive descent of consciousness into the lower worlds is not like a progressive and general dimming of a brilliant light by a number of covers. Each successive descent involves a decrease in the