PATANJALI
YOGA SUTRAS
POST-32 –VERSE 40,41
CHAPTER.1 : SAMAADHI PAADHA
APHORISM.40
paramaanu
parama mahattva
antah asya vashikaarah
Ø paramaanu= from the minutest / smallest things
Ø parama mahattva = largest / biggest things ;infinite things
Ø antah = upto the end, extending up to
Ø asya = of this, of his or hers (who has
Ø vasheekaarah = mastery, power
Through the various yoga practices described in these Yoga sutras, when the Sdhaka keeps his mind in peace, steadiness and under control, the mind develops the power of mastery over all objects – from the smallest sized to the largest ones in the Universe.
Mind begins to understand everything which it wants to, in the Universe – in its totality. Total understanding of any object – gives the mind, mastery over it.
There is a Beautiful Biblical saying also in this context.
"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible."
Faith really means – control over one’s own mind. Faith in one’s own self – which is where the Eeshwara, the almighty, truly resides. When the faith in this inner self becomes total, nothing is impossible for the Yogi.
That level of faith comes to the Sadhaka – through constant, consistent Yogic practices as prescribed in Yoga Sutras by Patanjali.
But, will you ask this mountain to move? You know its purpose where it is. You know the purpose of everything where they are. Therefore – the Yogi becomes almost desire-less. He won’t ask any thing to move, from here or there.
For the Yogi – his basic requirements get provided by Nature itself in some form or other. The Universe loves the Yogi, who understands itself and is always at his beck and call.
APHORISM.41
ksheena-vrittheh abhijaathasya
iva maneh
graheethru grahana graahyeshu
thath-stha thath-anjanatha
samaapatthih
Ø ksheena-vrittheh = purified mind – in which all types of mind- modifications are weakened and all of them stay under the control of the mind
Ø abhijaathasya = naturally pure
Ø iva = like
Ø maneh = a precious stone / crystal of very great value
Ø graheethru = the knower, the witness / observer
Ø grahana = process and instruments of knowing
Ø graahyeshu = the knowable objects
Ø thath-stha = remaining stable in them;
Ø thath-anjanatha = taking on the coloring / shape of the object
Ø samaapatthih = total absorption, total likeness, (like Samaadhi)
A purified mind – in which all the modifications of mind are completely weakened and in which mind becomes the master, and not the vritthis - is like a pure and invaluable precious stone (Crystal / Diamond) which is naturally very pure.
The crystal which is pure is colourless by itself – but can take on the colours of any objects placed before it and reflect the same through all of its faces.
In the same manner, the pure mind, which is its own master, can take on the qualities of the objects on which it dwells.
The purified mind can focus attention on three different types of things as follows :
(i) Graheethru = This is - meditating on the self. Here – it is not the Atman / Brahman stated in the Vedanta, which is the purest self. At this point of time – we are not yet identifying with this Atman self. We are more in tune with our identification with the Ahankara (the egoic self) and asmita (the egoless self). Since, the ahankara has been subdued by mastering the vritthis, what is meant here is the asmita, or egoless self, which comes to the fore in Samprajnaatha Samaadhi, as we have seen earlier.
(ii) Grahana = What are the Instruments that the mind can use – for focusing on any object? There are 13 instruments available to it through the body/mind; We can meditate on these 13 instruments also. Now – we have travelled from the inner self to the instruments it uses. The 13 instruments are - 5 karmendriyaas; 5 Jnanendriyas; mind; Buddhi; ahamkaara; Readers may note that Ahamkara is taken as an instrument here. It is truly an instrument. We try to meditate on any or all of these instruments. Actually – we are not meditating on the physical organs themselves. We are meditating on their subtle powers. For instance, we don’t meditate on the eye, but on the power of the eye. The power of the eye is not merely residing in the organ of the eye – but throughout the Universe. When we meditate on this Power – the power of seeing anywhere in the universe comes within the mastery of the Sadhaka.
(iii) Graahyam = From self – to the instruments that self uses – and now to the external objects that the self perceives through the Instruments. Graahyam refers to these external things. These are things which we can receive and understand; things that are outside of us; The Sadhaka must preferably focus on a noble object, name, form or sound. If the Sadhaka keeps his purified mind focused on such external things and meditates on them – so that his mind lives on it, then, his mind perceives all the knowledge associated with it. Such external thing may be a huge, gross object like earth, mountain, water, fire, air etc. Or we may meditate on very subtle things; or on a God form or sound. We then master the status of that.
In all these three cases – the Sadhaka, whose mind has become pure – must meditate on them – without diverting his mind on to any thing else, and just concentrating on one thing at any time. In such meditation, the Yogi becomes the master of the thing that the mind is meditating on. He will understand all the characteristics of the thing meditated upon.
We can also say – the Yogi can become what he meditates on! But – we are yet to understand what Samaapatthi or Samaadhi means fully. For the present – let us understand that Yogi is the master of all that he meditates on
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