Yogasutra Sadhanapada 4 to 9

Yogasutra Sadhanapada 4 to 9

Sri Sadgurubhyoh namaha

4. avidya kshetram uttaresham prasupta tanu vicchinna udaranam

Meaning : Avidya (Ignorance) is the kshetram(breeding ground) for other kleshas like asmita, raga, dwesha, abhinevesha. Each klesha is in turn any of four strenghts, (dormant, weakened, distanced, accentuated).

5. anitya ashuchi duhkha anatmasu nitya shuchi sukha atman khyatih avidya

Meaning : Ignorance means taking impermanent as permanent, impure as pure, unhappiness as happiness, objective knowledge(not-self) as subjective knowledge (self).

Thinking that the transient world and its pleasures as permanent is Avidya.

Pleasure, Happiness, Bliss equates to (sukha, santosha, Ananda) in sanskrit. If we take a cup of tea, it gives pleasure. So, if we mistakenly identify a cup of tea as Ananda , then 100 cups should give more happiness. instead it is fatal to health. So what is sukha is actually dukha. This mistaken notion of Ananda for Sukha is Avidya. Another example given by Sri Ramakrishna paramahansa is that of a dog chewing the bone, and enjoying the blood that oozes out of its own mouth. The dog thinks that it is enjoying whereas it is hurting itself.

What is anatman (not-self) is nothing but an object. Body is an object, mind is an object, intellect is an object. What is not object is Subject (I). Confusing these two is Avidya.

6. drig darshana shaktyoh ekatmata iva asmita

Meaning : Confusion in identification of seer with seeing capacity (intellect) is called asmita or reason for the rising of ego-consciousness.

7. sukha anushayi ragah

Meaning : Ragaha (attachment) follows sukha (pleasures). Mind either likes pleasures or likes to think about pleasures.

In Gita Krishna says, "Dhyayato vishayan punsaha, sangasteshu upajayate, sangaat jayate kaamaha, kamaat krodhobhijayate...". Meaning, By thinking about vishaya (worldy objects), an association happens with that object, with association, desire rises. Unfulfilled desire rises to anger, anger leads to delusion.

8. dukha anushayi dvesha

Meaning : Dvesha (hatred, repulsion) follows experience of dukha (unhappiness).

This dvesha and raaga are both memory based.

9. sva-rasa-vahi vidushah api tatha rudhah abhiniveshah

Meaning : In learned people , as well as highly accomplished yogis, there is a natural clinging to I-ness. This is abhinevesha. It is the fear of dissolution of ego. Fear of end of life, or cessation of ego identity.

Sadguru can and will help in breaking the Rudragranthi.

Hari OM

Yogasutra Sadhanapada - 2 & 3

Yogasutra Sadhanapada - 2 & 3

Sri Sadgurubhyoh namaha

2. samadhi bhavanaarthah klesha tanu karanarthah cha
Meaning : Kriya yoga purpose is to remove suffering and ensue bliss of samadhi. Here we have to remember the words of Buddha, "Life is full of suffering ; There is an end to suffering ; etc" . Realising that oneself is in suffering itself is a big step towards salvation.

3. avidya asmita raga dvesha abhinivesha pancha klesha
Meaning : The 5 kleshas (difficulties) are ,
Avidya : Ignorance.
Asmita : Asmita arises out of Avidya. Mistaken identification. Can somebody answer 'who am I?' . Asmita means Subject identifying with the object.
Raga : Attachment to. Mind gets attached to what it likes. Usually it is the pleasure that we are after. Not getting pleasure is a klesha.
Dvesha : Hatred, or repulsion. Mind repulses what it dislikes. Truth is repulsed if it is bitter. What is pain and suffering is repulsed by mind.
Not able to get rid of the disliked thing is a klesha.
Abhinivesha : Fear of cessation, fear of loss, death, discontinuity. Desire for continuity. Why do we fear death ? because it is a cessation of our means of happiness (life). As long as there is fear of death, that means we are not fully happy at any time. A fully satisfied, happy person wouldnt mind a cessation of life, as he has drawn what life has to offer.

Hari OM

Yogasutra sadhana pada 1

Yogasutra Sadhana pada - Sutra 1

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namaha

1. Tapaha svaadhyayaha Iswara pranidhanani kriya yogaha

Meaning : Tapas is the intense search / struggle / practice that one does before he achieves self-realisation. In the modern day, tapas is very difficult, it is rigorous and brute force approach.

Svadhyaya : observing oneself , study of oneself is svadhyaya. sva + adhyaya = study of oneself. It can also mean self-study of scriptures.

Being aware of oneself is svadhyaya.

Iswara pranidhana : Surrender to god is pranidhana. Surrender means accepting that there is a higher nobler truth. If you put effort towards the higher truth , however small it may be, it is surrender. For example doing pranayama is a surrender to Iswara.

Yogasutra 40-51

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namaha

Yogasutra 40-51

40. parmaanu paramamahattva antah asya vashikarah

Meaning : Sadhaka's mind is so well trained by now that it can be used to concentrate on internal atma (parmaanu), as well as external Iswara (paramamahattva). This stage is called Vashikarah.

41. kshinnavritti abhijatasya iva maneh grahitri grahana grahyeshu tat-stha tat-anjanata samapattih

Classical Meaning : Just as a pure crystal takes the color of object near it, pure mind achieves sameness or likeness with the object of concentration.

My meaning : This is what I understood as I dont know sanskrit properly, purists please excuse.

When chitta's vrittis are weakened, mind becomes pure like a crystal and the triad of (knower, knowledge, process of knowing) becomes one experience, and the sadhaka is situated in Tat (that), but without being aware that sadhaka is situated in natural state. This is known as samapatti.

Prabhu's correction : Sadhaka is fully aware of his state. Your statement that he is not aware is incorrect.

42. tatra shabda artha jnana vikalpah sankirna savitarka samapattih

Meaning : In that state of mind, the world still remains in subtle form as shabda (word) , artha (meaning to that word), jnana vikalpa sankirna (knowledge of shabda and artha with different possible meanings and mixture of meanings). this state is called 'savitarka samapattih', a samadhi where thoughts still remain in mind.

Our objective World is essentially made of Shabda (name, word) and Roopa (form) given to objects. The world is one continuous entity. We divide it by giving form and name and cut the infinity to pieces. When the mind is crystal like purified as in sutra 41, and if still the world exists in the form of shabda and artha, it is called savitarka samadhi.

43. smriti parishuddhau svarupashunya iva arthamatra nirbhasa nirvitarka

Meaning : When mental impressions (smriti, memory) is purified, by looking at the object, the previous records or impressions do not color sadhaka's judgement of the object. It is just an object without our past baggage that can color it. This state of mind is called Nirvitarka samapattih (samadhi without gross thoughts)

44. etayeva savichara nirvichara cha sukshmavishaya vyakhyata

Meaning : The savitarka and nirvitarka is about samapattih of objective world. In the sukshmavishaya (subtle world or internal world), two samapattih is possible, one is savichara(with thoughts), and another nirvichara (without thoughts).

45. sukshma vishayatvam cha alinga paryavasanam

Meaning : Meditation on subtle objects leads sadhaka to alinga (without subtle form also, representation less)

46. tah eva sabijah samadhih

Meaning : the samapattih described from sutra 40 to 44 are the 4 samadhis available with sabija (seed-full or object-full) meditation . SriRamana describes sabija samadhi as a bucket that is immersed in well, but the rope is still attached to it, anytime the rope can be pulled and bucket is back in samsara. As long as seed is not destroyed, return is possible to this world.

47. nirvichara vaisharadye adhyatma prasadah

Meaning : When Nirvichara samapattih is continuous it results in swaroopa darshana or self-realisation

48. Ritambhara tatra prajna

Meaning : Ritam (Truth) + bhara (filled with), prajna (consciousness), tatra (that is called).

That consciousness is called Ritambhara (filled with Higher truth or knowledge & wisdom).

49. shruta anumana prajnabhyam anyavishaya visheshaarthatvat

Meaning : Ritambhara prajna is direct experiential knowledge of the Truth. It is different than the scriptural knowledge, and knowledge inferred. What a Ritambhara person says becomes veda. Ritambhara person doesnt need scriptures to corroborate his views.

50. tajjah samskarah anya samskara paribandhi

Meaning : The chitta impression formed by Nirvichara samadhi removes all past impressions, but leaves its own impression.

51. tasya api nirodhe sarva nirodhat nirbijah samadhih

Meaning : When even that impression is removed, nirbija samadhi ensues.

Sri Sadgurubhyoh namaha

Patanjali Yogasutra : Samadhi pada Completed

Hari OM

Yogasutra 34-39

Sri SadGurubhyoh Namaha

Yogasutra Samadhi pada 34-39

34. Prachchardhana vidharanabhyaam vaa praanasya

Meaning : Or By intake, retention of Praana (Vital energy) and redistributing it to the universe, by positive thoughts, one can achieve control over mind. Praana (Vital energy) is not just the breath that we take in and leave out, though that is the popular definition of praana. If we take the meaning of Praana as energy, then praanayama becomes intake of energy either in form of gross food, in-breath, water-intake, thoughts generation, and result is the body strength, outbreath , controlled mind, and distributing positive thoughts to the world.

35. Vishayavati vaa pravrittirutpanna manasaha stiti nibandini

Meaning : OR Mind becomes calm when the sensory perceptions are trained for higher understanding. This is a progressive step from previous sutra. Pranayama leads to calmer mind. When this state of mind is used to further discriminate the inputs from sensory perceptions, which leads to proper and right understanding, will lead to further purification of mind.

36. Vishoka vaa jyotishmati

Meaning : OR one becomes free of sorrow by meditating on inner light. The state of being is light. Not physical light, but situating mind on existence-being is jyotishmati. This meditation is again a progression from previous two sutras.

37. Veeta raaga vishayam vaa chittam

Meaning : OR Chitta becomes pure when detachment happens towards the pleasures of sensory objects.

38. Swapna nidra jnana alambanam vaa

Meaning : The state of mind during dream state is a common experience to everyone. During dreaming, we have a light body, not gross body. One can train mind remembering that state of mind which exists during dream. This sutra doesnt mean that we have to meditate on dream's content. Similarly, deep sleep state is a state of nothing ness. If possible one can train mind to such a state.

39. Yatha abhimatha dhyaanad vaa

Meaning : OR one should practice as best suitable to their temperment.

Hari OM

Yogasutra 29-33

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namaha

Yogasutra Samadhi pada 29-33

29. Tataha pratyakchetanaadhigamo apyantaraayaabhavashcha

Meaning : By contemplation on the meaning and repetetion of that (Omkara), one will gain pratyakchetana (insight into truth) and leave off obstacles in the way of yoga.

30. vyaadhi sthyaana samshaya pramada aalasya virati bhraanti darshana alabdha - bhoomikatwaanavastitatvaani chittavikshepaaste antaraayaha

Meaning : What are the antaraya (obstacles) for yoga ? is answered in this sutra.

vyaadhi (illhealth of mind and body) : Vivekananda says "playing Football is better than reading Gita". So stay healthy. This body is a vehicle that needs to be maintained properly for obtaining yoga. If vehicle is not serviced on time, it will not run. Hence purpose is unachieved.

Sthyaana (Laziness) : Remember Vivekananda "Arise awake and stop not till the goal is reached". If we remember this, mental laziness will not hamper us. Our focus on yoga should be like Arjuna to hit the bird's eye.

Samshaya (Doubt) : Yoga is the way of life, it is the means and goal. It is not to achieve something. The truth or Self is ever shining (Sri Ramana). As a simple thing is not within the grasp of mind, but complex scientific problems can be grasped, similarly Self, within the reach of everybody is elusive because of ego. This causes doubts in the mind of sadhaka as to the effectiveness of the way. again we have to have a Sadguru to have proper guidance to remove constant doubts that come in the way.

Pramada (lack of enthusiasm) : Sadhaka should show enthusiasm in the practices. He has to be after Sadguru, constantly pestering him. Lack of enthusiasm makes one have one more obstacle called ....

Alasya (sloth) : doubts in the way, will cause lack of enthusiasm, which will cause sloth, and which will inturn cause doubts.

Virati (attachment to sensory pleasures) : Here we have to take SriKrishna's words "Dharma aviruddho bhooteshu kaamosmin bharatarshabha", meaning the desires that are according to dharma are allowed, but the desires that will be fullfilled by following wrong means are to be shunned. This obstacle doesnt mean that a yoga sadhaka has to leave off all sense pleasures but only those that are adharmic.

Bhranti darshana (False perception) : incorrect knowledge and understanding is an obstacle. Intellect should be fine tuned to process the inputs to the mind correctly. The daily gayatri japa is itself a prayer for sharp intellect for everyone.

Alabda bhookatvaat ... : loss of concentration, unable to concentrate and subsequent despair is an obstacle. Have a Sadguru and have faith in Sadguru. Concentration will happen by itself. Shirdi Saibaba used to say give me two coins, shraddhha and saburi (patience)

The above mentioned are the obstacles for yoga .

31. Dukha daurmanasya angamejayatwa shwaasa prashwaasa vikshepa sahabhuvaha

Meaning : The obstacles for yoga will cause the following symptoms in the sadhaka,

Dukha : unhappiness

daurmanasya : weak mindedness

angamejayatwa ... : trembling in the body and irregular breathing

32. Tatpratishedaartham Eka tatvaabhyasaha

meaning : To overcome the obstacles, one has to hang on to the One truth. The One source or Truth is Iswara or AUM or Sadguru.

33. Maitri Karuna mudito Upekshaanam sukha dukha punya apunya vishayanaam bhavanaaschitta prasadanam

Meaning : Balanced mind will be achieved by cultivating friendliness to all, compassion to the needy, happiness , and indifference towards joy & hurt, indifference towards sin and merit.

Hari OM

Yogasutra 19-28

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namaha

19. Bhava-pratyayo videha prakriti layanam

If the seed of Karma is not removed, or if the impressions/samskara is latent as explained in previous sutra, that person will re-incarnate according to his karma or merge with his nature after death as what is called as krama mukti.

20. Shradha, Veerya, Smriti, Samadhi, Prajna, Purvaka Itaresham
Meaning : A spiritual aspirant should have enormous belief and faith in the way, should strive with energy, Remember what is told by Guru, Have balance of mind, Prajna (consciousness, awareness) to gain the Yoga

(The 20th sutra is shown as 19th in my previous posting, I apologise.)

21. Teevra samvegaanaam aasannaha

Yoga is attained very quickly by those who show the qualities shown in sutra 20.

22. Mridu madhya adhimatraatvattatopi vishesha

The end result of quality of samadhi varies by the means adopted (Mild, medium and intense) to achieve yoga.

23. Iswara Pranidaanaadva

Liberation happens through the Grace of Iswara.

Prabhu : Pranidhana means surrender not Grace.

24. Klesha karmavipakaashayair aparamrishtaha purusha vishesha iswaraha

Who is Iswara ?

The person who is untouched by Klesha(ignorance), Karma, Karma phala, Aasha(desire) and who is a special being is called Iswara.

Iswara is the universal witness consciousness also known as Shiva or Narayana. There is nothing higher than this. This is the final refuge. Known as God in theistic terminology.

25. Tatra Niratishaya sarvajnatvabijam

In that Iswara consciousness the quality of Sarvajnatva (Omniscience, knowing all, knowledge, wisdom) is Niratishaya (Unsurpassed, infinite). This omniscience is abijam (seedless, or non-causal).

26. Sa Purveshaamapi Guruhu Kaalenanavachchedaat

That Iswara is Guru to all, even to most ancient teachers. Iswara is beyond time and not limited by time. SriRamana Maharshi says 'time is a concept of mind'. It is superflous to say that Iswara who is beyond maya, is beyond time also.

27. Tasya vaachaka pranavaha

Pranava (AUM) is the proper noun of Iswara. All other names are pronouns.

Prabu's Comment : Vachaka means representation.

28. Tajjapastadartha bhaavanam

Meditation has to be done on meaning of AUM along with the repetetion of sound AUM.

The sound AUM is a very soothing sound. Scriptures say it is the primordial sound that created everything. I would say it is the sound that destroys ignorance. I prostrate to AUM.

Hari AUM

Prasad

27.

Yogasutra 13-28

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namaha

13. Tatra stitathou yatno abhyasaha

Meaning : Abhyasa means the struggle/practice/sadhana to be situated in 'Tat' (that), which is swaroopa (one's own nature) until that state becomes natural.

14. sa tu deergha kaala nairantaryasatkaara sevito dridhabhoomi

Meaning : Abhyasa when done nirantara(continuously), deerghakala (for a long time) is called Dridhabhoomi.

If we take meditation as a sadhana, if we do 15 minutes of dhyana each day it is sufficient, rather than doing it for 3 hrs one day and rest of the week take off. One has to persevere in the path.

15. Drishta anushravika vishaya vitrishnasya vaseekara sangnya vairagyam

Meaning : Vairagya is the second tool, first being Abhyasa. Vairagya means non-attachment to the delusion caused by the inputs of senses.

The contact of senses with the objective world will keep on sending inputs to mind. Mind will start thinking of objects, and subsequently desire raises. We cant and shouldnt stop the inputs of senses. But we can develop non-attachment to the objects thus nipping the germ of desire in the bud. How can we have non-attachment ?

It is again Viveka (discrimination of right from wrong knowledge) that should be used in tandem with Vairagya.

16. Tatparam purusha khyater Guna vaitrishnam

Meaning: When viveka + vairagya is properly practiced, non-attachment is extended to the domain of Guna. A person is made up of satwa (Good), rajas (Bad), tamo(ugly) gunas. If one can raise oneself above these 3 gunas and be situated in his swaroopa, such a person is known as Parampurusha.

17. Vitarka vichara ananda asmita anugamat samprajnata

Meaning : Samprajnata is achieved when a person crosses the four achievements. The 4 achievements are

(a) Vitarka (A state which still has some doubts)

(b) Vichara (Contemplation or meditation)

(c) Ananda (Blissful)

(d) Asmita (Awareness)

18. Virama pratyaya abhyasa purva samskara shesho anyaha

Meaning : There is a different state of mind to the one described in previous sutra, where only the samskara (residual impressions on mind) is left.

19. Shradha, Veerya, Smriti, Samadhi, Prajna, Purvaka Itaresham

Meaning : A spiritual aspirant should have enormous belief and faith in the way, should strive with energy, Remember what is told by Guru, Have balance of mind, Prajna (consciousness, awareness) to gain the Yoga.

Yogasutra 3 - 12

Patanjali Yogasutra Samadhi Pada (3 to 12)

Sri Sadgurubhyoh namaha

3. Thatha drashtu swaroope avastanam

Meaning : As mentioned in sloka 2 (chitta vritti are contained to obtain a clear intellect), then the manas (mind) becomes purified and becomes a clear lake without thought waves. Such a mind will show what lies underneath, as well as it can reflect the seer. When mind becomes silent, Seer (drashtu) can see reflection of the self clearly. Also, the latent tendencies lying underneath the surface of mind (which cause the waves) can also be seen clearly, thus leading to further purification of mind.

4. vritti swaroopyam itaratra

Meaning : Otherwise we are that object on which we meditate upon or where our chitta vritti is. If we feel intensely about an object we become that, for the time being for which we feel for that object. For eg: when we are hungry, our thoughts center around food. Nothing else matters.

5. vrittayyaha panchatayyaha, klishta aklishta

Meaning : Vrittis are 5 types, with difficult karma consequences and without difficult karmic influence.

6. Pramana-Viparyaya-vikalpa-nidra-smritayaha

Meaning : The 5 vrittis are Pramana(evidence), Viparyaya(illusory knowledge), vikalpa(false knowledge), Nidra(knowledge of absence), Smriti(Memory based).

7. Pratyaksha, anumana, agamaha pramanaani

Meaning : Pramana itself is of 3 types, Pratyaksha(Direct knowledge percieved through senses), Anumana(Inference), Agama(scriptural knowledge or apta vakya).

Anumana means, knowledge that is derived inferentially based on some facts. for eg: If there is smoke on mountain, it means there should be fire on mountain.

Agama is also known as 'Aapta vakya' and scriptural knowledge. If a person of utmost integrity says that he has experienced something, then we should not disbelieve just on the basis of our inexperience. But this person has to have impeccable character, integrity, and souseelya (good conduct). We need to cross-verify if need be, but should not throw away such evidence.

8. Viparyayo mithya jnanam atathroopam pratishtam

Meaning : Viparyaya means illusory knowledge. We mistake an object for something else based on its roopa (shape).

Eg 1: Gold necklace. On seeing it we see a beautiful necklace, but forget the gold.

Eg 2: We call an airplane made out of paper as airplane, But we forget to view it as just paper.

9. Shabda jnana anupathee vastu soonyo vikalpaha

Meaning : Vikalpa means false knowledge based on sound.

10. abhava- pratyaya aalambana vrittir nidraa

Meaning : Nidra means that vritti where we get knowledge of absence. for eg: in deep sleep we dont experience anything including our ego's existence . after waking up we say 'I slept'.

11. Anubhoota vishayaa sampramoshaha smritihi

Meaning : We record our experiences and play it back as and when needed. This vritti is called smriti. Smriti is actually dangerous. Whatever we experience in Pratyaksha, anumana, viparyaya, vikalpa, is stored in Smriti. So it may be possible that records exist on same subject which are result of all the 4 vrittis mentioned above. Now which one to pull and compare with present experience, which one is correct, which record to go by is what is the challenge before the intellect.

12. Abhyasa vairagya tannirodaha

Meaning : All the 5 vrittis can be contained/controlled/annihilated by Abhyasa(practice) and vairagya(detachment).

Abhyasa makes man perfect. However bad the vrittis are for a person, by indulging in good company, inculcating good habits, the old bad habits can be left. Vairagya helps a person in moving from bad to good.

HariOm

Prasad

Yoga Sutra : 1 & 2

Sri Sadgurubhyoh namah

1. Atha Yogaanushashanam
After a student acquires sufficient qualification recognised by his Guru and then Yoga is prescribed by Guru to Sishya

What is Yoga ?

2. Yogaha chitta vritti nirodaha
Chitta is what we use to think, decide, and subsequently give orders to limbs to execute. We usually use it to think about objects. As long as there is a subject and it knows that it is thinking about objects, it is fine. When subjective knowledge lacks in a person, and all that remains is objective knowledge, then confusion & delusion happens.
Yoga is a way to bring back the person to his natural state where that person has subjective knowledge which can use chitta to whatever purpose that person wants.
Classically speaking chitta vritti is of four functions (manas, buddhi, ahankara, chitta) equating to (mind, intellect, ego, memory).
The fifth one is the Self which should use the above four to good use. Yoga is to make a deluded soul to be situated in Self which uses the above four functionalities of mind.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra -- studying from now

Dear Readers,

I will be studying Patanjali Yogasutra from today and putting my thoughts on this blog. Hope you dont mind the junk that comes out of my pen.

HariOM
Prasad