PATANJALI
YOGASUTRAS
CHAPTER-4
KAIVALYA PAADHA
KAIVALYA PAADHA essentially deals with how
the state of Samadhi transforms us. It
is a pointer to its essential characteristics. The following sutras deal with
how karma arises, what are vasanas and what are their nature.
Vs.4.07
karma ashukla
akrisnam
yoginah trividham
itaresam
Ø karma = actions arising from our deep samskaras
Ø ashukla = not white
Ø akrisnam = not black
Ø yoginah = of the yogi
Ø trividham = three types
Ø itaresam = of the others
Actions of all Human
beings are called karmas. They arise from vasanas, which are deep, innate, in-built
impressions or deep rooted tendencies or habits which prompt us to go in for
different karmas, again and again.
They urge, drive, command
and force us to go in and do this, or that action, though most of us fail to
recognize them as the our inbuilt vasanas.
These actions can be good,
bad or a third type which is neither good nor bad.
But, a Yogi’s actions do
not arise from the old, innate vasanas (tendencies) or as karma phalam.
Therefore they are neither good nor bad, neither pure nor impure.
Yogi goes on doing his
work - without seeking its fruit to himself. When the karma phalam is not
desired by him for himself, the karma itself does not bind him as sin(paap) or
good (Punya).
But the actions of all
others are guided by their desires; and they do desire the karma phalam of
their actions. Therefore, such karma phalam attaches to them either as punya, or
as papa or as neutral works which are neither punya nor papa.
When Yogis like Mahatma
Gandhi, Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi do great deeds of help to mankind, they
are not desiring any return from their deeds to themselves. Therefore, the
results of actions do not really touch them.
Their every action is
independent of past vasanas or tendencies.
Vs. 4.08
tatah tath vipaaka anugunaanaam
eva abhivyaktih vaasanaanaam
Ø tatah = from that
Ø tath = that
Ø vipaaka = fruition
Ø anugunaanaam = following
Ø eva = only
Ø abhivyaktih = manifest
Ø vaasanaanaam = innate potencies
Karma (action), the creation of its vasanas in
our mind, and the vasanas propelling us into karma of a similar type that
created the vasana – these go on occurring in our minds in cycles. This is a
karmic cycle.
Why do we do a particular type of good, bad or
neutral type deed? Because, vasanas of the same type are holding our mind in their
power and urging our mind to act in the same or similar manner again and again.
When we again do a karma on their influence, that
karma again creates further vasanas relating to it, which join their similar
vasanas already in our minds and strengthens the
them.
These strengthened vasanas again propel us into
similar deeds, which create similar vasanas again; which go out and join their
predecessor vasanas again.
Thus karmic cycle goes on and on – until an
awareness dawns on us.
Vs. 4.09
Jaati - desa - kaala – vyavahitaanaam
api anantaryam smriti samskarayoh
eka rupatvat
Ø jaati = category of life form
Ø desa = place
Ø kaala = point of time
Ø vyavahitaanaam = being clear and distinct
Ø api = though
Ø anantaryam = continuous sequence
Ø smriti = memory
Ø samskaarayoh = deep impressions or habits,
Ø eka-rupatvaat = because of their similarity
Our vasanas do not leave us merely because we go
to a different place; stay in a different period or even become a living being
of a different type.
In other words, our changing a residence from one
place to another is not going to remove our innate habits or vasanas. When we
grow older and older, the time changes, but our vasanas become stronger,
because, vasanas result in karma, which further creates vasanas, which results in
strengthening the already existing vasanas in us.
Even if we die and take re-birth in a different
shape, like an animal, bird, or in a different human race, our vasanas come
along with us – as if they are a continuity. We carry them along wherever we
go. So, even in an animalistic birth, our innate habits will again continue to
reflect in us in some way or other
Habits don’t die, even when we do.
But all hope is not lost. A bit of awareness in
all that we do – will bring in a huge change in this pattern.
Vs. 4.10
taasaam anaaditvam cha
aasisah nityatvaat
Ø taasaam = for these
Ø anaaditvam = there is no beginning
Ø cha = and
Ø aasisah = desire to live
Ø
nityatvat = permanent
When did the desires start in us?
No way to tell. Desires started is us – when we
started our life journey. They are born along with us. It emanates from our
will to live.
When did the vasanas start in us? When the first
desire started in us.
When was that? When we were created; when we
started our life.
All this means that – they are beginningless.
But then, do the desires have an END?
Patanjali has only said, desires and their innate
vasanas have no beginning. But, He has not said that they do not have an END.
If we recognize the nature and consequences of
desire, vasanas, and the consequent karmas and karmaphalam – Patanjali shows us
the way out of their cycle. Samadhi is essentially intended to end this cycle.
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