PATANJALI
YOGASUTRAS
CHAPTER-3
VIBHUTI PAADHA
Samyama is the
process of seeing your multi faceted self, from different angles – and
ultimately realizing all of them. In Samyama, we start with Dharana on a
particular Goal – and therefore, all wisdom pertaining to that Goal and it
extensions - comes to the Sadhaka in Samyama.
We have seen that process in earlier sutras upto 3.35 – and we are continuing
with the same further here.
Vs.36
Sattva purushayoh atyanta asankeernayoh pratyaya aviseshaadh
bhogah paraarthatvaat svaartha samyamaat
purusha-jnaanam
Ø sattva = Absolute intelligence
or truth, Satva Guna in us
Ø purushayoh = Absolute
consciousness
Ø atyanta = complete
Ø asankeernayoh = pure, not
mixed with others
Ø pratyaya = idea
Ø aviseshaadh = without any
special characteristic
Ø bhogah = experience
Ø paraarthatvaat = for the sake
of others
Ø svaartha = for the sake of
the self
Ø samyamaat = through
samyama
Ø purusha = absolute consciousness
Ø jnaanam = knowledge
Human beings are constantly exposed to different
types of experiences as they do not differentiate between the Satva (the
intelligence which resides in the self) and the Purusha, the pure consciousness which is
infinite.
There is a continuing confusion in our minds between
these two distinct aspects.
We are constantly driven towards a stream of
experiences because of this unending confusion between the Satva and the Purusha
i.e., the pure intelligence in the self and the pure consciousness that is
Purusha. All experiences we thus get relate to things, other than Purusha – so long
as this confusion persists in us. Our experiences do not even relate to the Satva or
the self. They are a dream-like state, where nothing is real and every
experience is untrue.
The infinity is Purusha. Our Satva, the pure
intelligence in us must remain stable within the self, to realize and
understand the Purusha. This is what is called svaartha samymaath Purusha
jnaanam.
Remaining in the self and contemplating on it
gives the much needed clarity that the experiences are just dreams and unreal.
The reality is the Purusha, the pure consciousness, which is infiniteness.
“Svaartha” in normal usage, means selfish. In
this sutra, it means, self-centredness or self-focuses. This again does not
convey the exact connotation. We must withdraw from all worldly matters,
including our own body and mind, and focus towards our innermost self and
explore the self. Exploring the self is the Samyama that is needed. When the
Self is explored and when we perform samyama on the self – it is called Svaartha samyama. What do we achieve by that
process? We attain Purusha Jnanam. We achieve the total understanding of the
pure consciousness, that is called Purusha.
The whole Universe is the product of mixing
of the three Gunas, Satva, Rajas and Tamas. When the yogi has performed all the
initial Sadhanas, he has left his rajas and tamas behind and his Satva Guna is
prominent in him. Satva Guna is the purest, brightest and the wisest. But, even
the Satva Guna will yield way to the Sat, the pure existence, that is our real
self.
Normally, all of our experiences are of the
world which is a mixture of all the three Gunas – and are neither of the pure self nor of the
Purusha, the infinite. There is no way, we can easily meditate on the Purusha
directly and do samyama on Purusha.
Dharana itself is on specific, identifiable
objects or ideas. That is why, in India, we have so many symbols and gods. A
linga is a symbol, A tree, a bird, a cobra, a stone shaped like your favorite
god (Siva, Vishnu etc) –just about anything can be a symbol of God. If you see
the god within that symbol, it is no more a stone for you; your god is there.
If you cannot see the god there, it is just a stone, or bird, or tree. In the
Anu (or atom), one can experience the Mahat or the Universe. That is why, the
Sastra says, “anoraneeyaam, mahato maheeyaam”.
This is foolishly interpreted by some, saying
that Indian culture has thousands of gods. Not thousands, it is actually
trillions of gods. Everywhere, god is present, and everyone, who is determined
to see him, can see him wherever he likes, in any form he likes. With the eyes,
ears and touch that we possess, that is the only possibility. Even the mind
cannot go beyond these.
The search for the infinity starts with the
search in the self. This is the only possibility open to us. Searching the
infinity is not really a possibility open to human mind.
The search starts – when we focus on our inner
self. This self search is called, Svaartha Samyama, or Samyama on the self .This
is the dharana-dhyana-samadhi , which one can perform, when one has advanced to
some extent with the other samyamas, so far described.
Practically, one must withdraw from all
experiences of outside world, withdraw from the experiences that mind itself
creates within us and withdraw into the pure self. Perform samyama on the pure
intelligence or the self. In the self itself lies the understanding of the
Purusha, or the pure consciousness or the infiniteness.
It is not that, something which is not
already there in the self comes in afresh there. The Purusha is there already.
Now, he is revealed to us by the Samyama.Withdrawing from the Body-mind complex is
something that advanced yogis and Jnanis have always done very effortlessly.
Yogis understand the self and the Purusha
through the combination of dharana, dhyana and samadhi that is, Samyama. Many
Sadhanas are needed before they can perform dharana and dhyana and then they
can get into Samadhi. But, a stage comes, when samyama becomes effortless for
the yogi.
Yogis have found ways of retaining the body
and mind for any number of years, as much as they want. They can keep the body
and mind healthy through the same samyama path, anywhere in the world. They are
called Siddhas – who have achieved this siddhi.
Realization of the Infiniteness comes through
the samyama on the self. This also is a vibhuti or siddhi – according to
Patanjali.
Vs.37
tatah pratibha sravana vedana adarsha aasvaada vaartaa jaayante
tatah
= thence, there
pratibha
= higher level of knowledge
sravana
= higher level of hearing
vedana
= higher level of touch
aadarsha
= higher vision
aasvaada
= higher levels of taste
vaartaa
= higher levels of smell
jaayante
= arise, occur
This sutra is a continuation of sutra.3.36. By the
knowledge of that pure consciousness which we achieve by the svaartha samyama, other
siddhis like divine or intuitive hearing, touch, taste, smell and vision also arise
in us.
In the path of yogi, many siddhis come from day one. Even
when he is performing the initial Sadhanas like yama, niyama, asana and
pranayama – the yogi is transforming himself from a restless, negative person
into a peaceful, positive person with good health to back him up in advanced Sadhanas.
But, when his Sadhanas progress into pratyahara and
dharana, which are more difficult, he will need to persist in his Sadhanas with
consistency and devotion. Once, he achieves dharana, he will need to focus on
different objects, ideas and concepts for dharana and persist in them. The
dharana will move him on into dhyana gradually and dhyana will move him on into
Samadhi finally.
The trio of Dharana-dhyana-samadhi , is called Samyama. Samyama
on the self results in knowledge of Purusha, as we have seen. This Samyama
results not only in the knowledge of Purusha but enhancement of the powers of
the five senses of the sadhaka to the level of intuitive perception.
Vs.38
the samadhau upasargah vyutthane siddhayah
the = these
(attainments)
samadhau = meditations
in the samadhi level
upasargah = impediments
vyutthana = to the
outgoing mind
siddhayah = achievements or attainments
The Siddhis and intuitive experiences which the Sadhaka
attains to, through samyama are actually obstacles to his Samadhi. But, they
will seem to be great attainments when
the mind is outgoing into the worldly activities. Patanjali is consistently
warning the Sadhaka that all the offers and siddhis he gets, on the way to Samadhi, are actually enticements
to wean him away from his ultimate goal. They will come any way. But, unmindful
of them, the Sadhaka must continue his Sadhana towards the ultimate Goal of
Kaivalya.
TO CONTINUE IN NEXT POST * * *
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