PATANJALI
YOGA SUTRAS
Chapter
3
Vibhoothi Paadha
We are at a very
interesting point of our Journey in Yoga. I strongly suggest to readers to
bring Yoga into their lives by active practice of the eight limbs of Yoga, one
by one.
We have examined
the first five limbs in detail – in chapter.2, Sadhana Pada. Patanjali ended
the Sadhana Pada with Pratyahara, the fifth
limb of Yoga.
The last three
limbs, the sixth to eighth, are really the glorious pinnacle of Yoga, they are
the vibhooti, they are the treasure, they
are the fruits of the first five limbs of Yoga.
Does it mean that,
our sadhana is over now? In one, limited sense, Yes. In a larger sense, No.
Yama, Niyama,
aasana, Pranayama, pratyahara are practices that must be done ACTIVELY by the sadhaka. Yama and Niyama cleanse the
body and mind significantly. Aasana enables the calmed mind and body to sit at the
place of Yoga Sadhana with reasonable stability and comfort. Pranayama further
calms the mind and body and makes them fit for Dharana.
Pratyahara starts the
Sadhaka’s inward Journey – by shutting out external stimuli and turning the
senses towards the mind-stuff, where the action is now to take place totally.
Now, the Sadhaka has to open
the Main Gates to kaivalya, the ultimate
goal of Yoga.
The Key for that is –
Dharana.
Verse.3.1
Desha bandhah chittasya Dharanaa
Ø deshah = place or object
Ø bandhah = tying the two; uniting
Ø chittasya = the mind-stuffs
Ø dharanaa = Focus, or
attention
Dharana is fixing the Sadhaka’s mind-stuff’s attention on a single
object, idea or place.
Just One thing – and nothing else!
Sadhaka must drop
the whole world, the whole universe, except the one thing chosen by him for his
concentration / attention in Dharana.
Nothing else matters
now. Nothing else exists now – for him.
What does not exist
in chittha does not exist at all – for the Sadhaka. His reality is just that.
The body does not
exist, the thinking mind does not exist. The feelings do not exist. The entire
universe does not exist – except the one thing that Sadhaka has chosen as the
object of his Dharana or attention.
That is why – the
Sadhaka has made all possible efforts to shut out all external stimuli, by
shutting out his five senses appropriately. He has also focused all of his
energies towards the chittha.
Now, Sadhaka resides
in the chittha. He can direct the chittha to do deeds it never did before. Chittha
was always wayward, a nomad, which cannot stay on any single thought or object
for more than a moment.
But, now, it can.
This is a Great,
new found, Power for the Sadhaka.
The Sadhaka can
direct the Chittha now – to focus attention on a single thought, or object, or
place, or person – to the total exclusion of all other things.
It is not that the
Sadhaka is an instant success in doing Dharana on a single object. He focuses. The
focus goes towards the chosen object. It stays on it also, for a moment. But, the
mind again plays lots of tricks. Hitherto, it was the master. It was driving the
Sadhaka here, there, everywhere, every moment, never allowing him to stay on
any object or thought. Now, the Sadhaka is taking the reins of Chittha into his
own hands. The Sadhaka is now the master, and, per force, Chittha is the
unwilling servant.
It takes quite some
time and effort for the Chittha to accept the Sadhaka’s master-hood on itself.
It surely makes efforts to regain control over the sadhaka. There is a tussle
for some time.
The ONE THING AT A
TIME – is the toughest thing for the Chittha to do. It lures the sadhaka into
all sorts of thoughts – many of which will seem more important and urgent –
than the Sadhaka’s Yoga Sadhana.
Do me first, do
your Sadhana thereafter, I am urgent – cries each thought. It happens all the
time – until the mastery over chittha is significant enough – for it bow down before
the Sadhaka’s commands.
In Vedanta
philosophy also, this perennial problem is always encountered by the disciples
of Vedanta.
Contemporary saints
like swami Paramarthananda (a noted disciple of Swami Dayananda) advices a
certain technique which he calls –P O R T REDUCTION.
P – for Possessions
O – for Obligations
R – for relations
T – for transactions
Reduce all the FOUR
to the absolute minimum possible level.
Not only for
Vedanta pursuit – but for Yoga Sadhana, this is an eminently desirable way.
During Yoga Sadhana – it is good for Sadhakas to keep these four at the minimum
level possible.
Concentration on
one thing – necessarily must exclude all other things. That is Dharana. Sadhaka
cannot do Dharana – keeping a thousand obligations pressing on his time.
Possessions and relations may not be possible to get away totally from totally -
but, if there is a Possibility – go out to a great Guru or an Ashram, which
encourages your Sadhanas – for some time, periodically. Throw off your Cell phone and
other means of communication with the world.
Do not try to make
new friends at the Ashram. Do not talk much with others. Keep transactions to the minimum.
The focus must be
on Dharana. Dharana must be on a single suitable object.
If you do Dharana
at home – no matter what – switch off the Phones, the TV, the Radio etcm tell
all of your people not to disturb – shut yourself somewhere – where you
conveniently do your Sadhanas – and start in a methodical way.
Gurus do teach some
methods to initiate the process. But that is it. They cannot travel with you
thereafter in your inward journey.
More important –
you should not carry them along with you. In Buddhism, it is some times said
that, if you encounter even Buddha on the way (in your Sadhana / Dharana /
Dhyana ), kill him straightaway and move ahead.
One thought, one
object for the thought – and nothing else. That is Dharana.
Now we will move to
Dhyana in the next step.
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