PATANJALI = YOGA SUTRAS = CH.2 : SADHANA PAADHA Vs.24, 25, 26 = MAYA = ITS CAUSE = ITS REMEDY

PATANJALI 

YOGA SUTRAS 

CHAPTER.2 : SADHANA PAADHA

Vs.24, 25, 26 

Our actions follow us in a cycle. Subtle impressions of past actions are imprinted in our mind and they goad us into various actions. On performing the actions, they further leave subtle impressions again in the mind. These impressions further prompt us into further actions.

This cycle of “Subtle Impressions -> Actions -> Subtle Impressions” result in our birth, length of life and the good and bad experiences which we feel in life. Pleasure results to us from our past good and benevolent deeds. Pain and suffering result from our past bad and wicked deeds. 

But, the wise man  can see sorrow in every thing. The Duhkham experiences are any way Dukham only in the past, present and future. Even the experiences of sukham is preceded by duhkham in its anxious expectation, then, fear of its losing even when it is with us and sorrow for losing it when it is gone.

But, the Duhkham which is already gone is not with us any way. It is not to be worried about. The sorrow now with us also is not much in our hands and we probably will need to suffer from it in the present. The worst sorrow is the sorrow that is yet to come – in future. Because – we can prevent our Future Karma – by our present actions and some planning.

Why do we feel so sorrowful frequently? The main cause of our sorrow is the coming into contact of the pure witness (the seer or the self) with the drisyam, the world of experience, through the manas, Buddhi etc. But, what really is Drisyam? Drisham is the Universe, which we experience – and consists of the Sathva, rajas and Thamas – which make it illuminated, active or inert respectively by their imbalance.

The universe exists for 2 purposes – (i) for experience of Drasta and (ii) for his liberation. Universe is like a training school -where the Karma has to be extinguished by experience – and then, the Drasta can liberate from the experience of the universe.

The universe exists first in its Avyaktha state. There is no way to identify it in the avyaktha state. Then, it comes to the stage of the Mahat or universal intelligence state. In this state, there is some identification for it. From then, it proceeds to the individual intelligence, the subtle elements and then, finally to the gross forms. Thus, the formation of universe from Avyaktha state to identification state, to subtle states to gross states proceeds in a orderly, defined manner.

Drisyam is comprised of all Pancha bhoothas (including all beings in them) and the Indriyaas and is either lustrous, action-oriented or steady. In other words, it is either Sathvic, rajasic or Thamasic.

The Drasta is basically pure, but by his coming together with Drisyam, he appears to take on the virtthis of the Drisyam.

As earlier said, the Drisyam has no other purpose than being there for he experience of Drasta. But, Drastas being many, when one Drasta gets liberated, the Drisyam does not become extinguished. It is needed for experience of other Drastas.

The reality of the Prakrithi and Purusha (or Drisyam and Drasta) become evidenced only when these two come together in Samyoga.  

VERSE.2.24

 Thaysa hethuravidyaa

Ø  tasya =  for that or of that (coming together of Drasta and Drisyam)

Ø  hetuh = the cause

Ø  avidya = ignorance, veil of Maya

Avidya or ignorance is the cause of Samyoga or the coming together of Drasta and Drisyam. So, Drasta appears to identify with Drisyam.

Actually, Drasta can never become the Drisyam – even after his identification with the Drisyam. But, this identification creates Samsaara – exposing the Drasta to the apparent vulnerability to all dualities like pleasure and pain, heat and cold etc, happiness and unhappiness and so on. This is the Drasta’s experience of Drisyam. But, he must go beyond this experience and liberate him self.

VERSE.2.25

Thath abhaavaath samyoga abhaavah

Haanam thath druseh kaivalyam

Ø  thath = its ( of ignorance)

Ø  abhaavath = disappearance or absence

Ø  samyogah = the identification with or union with(Drisyam)

Ø  abhaavah = disappearance or absence

Ø  haanam = cessation, avoidance

Ø  thath = that

Ø  drisheh = of the Drasta; the force of seeing

Ø  kaivalyam = liberation, enlightenment

If the avidya or Ignorance disappears, the Samyoga of Drasta and Drisyam ceases immediately. Thereby, the liberation of Drasta happens immediately. The aim of Yoga is to bring this break in the Samyoga of Drasta and Drisyam.

In Samyoga of Drasta with Drisyam - Drasta identify himself with Maya; and Maya gains control over him. Drasta becomes subject to all of its Samsaara (miseries and sorrows) and all of its dualities.

The Drasta is, in reality, never affected by this birth, growth, decay and death cycle of the body-mind complex or of the external Prakrithi – but the veil of Maya causes this feeling.

In Samyoga – Prakrithi or Maya appears to become the master and control the Drasta. When this Samyoga is broken – Drasta regains his mastery – and attains liberation from Maya, which has been the cause of all his misery and sorrow.

Maya is actually spread all over the Universe. Yogi need not conquer this entire Maya. He only needs to conquer the Maya within – that Maya which is acting perpetually within his own body-mind complex. Once he conquers that inner Maya and frees himself from that inner Maya – the rest of the universe also salutes him and becomes his slave. For this reason only, Patanjali has said right at the beginning that “ yoga is chittha vritthi nirodhah”.

Conquering the universe is neither feasible nor necessary. But, conquering the chittha vritthi, which is the Maya within – is the only thing that we need to achieve.

For all practical purposes – when the Chittha is controlled, the body also comes under one’s control, for, body, is just the gross form and chittha the subtle form of the inner Maya. The rest of the universe is merely an extension of the body-mind complex. That also will start obeying the Drasta when this happens.

VERSE.2.26

 Viveka khyaathih

aviplavaa haana upaaayah

Ø  viveka = discriminative ability; discerning the right

Ø  khyaathih = correct awareness

Ø  aviplava = undisturbed

Ø  haana = cessation, avoidance

Ø  upayah = the method

Viveka is the discriminative ability  - the ability to see the right from the wrong, the permanent from the impermanent, the real joy from Samsaara and so on. This is also called Nitya-anitya vivekaha. 

This viveka must remain in our awareness permanently in an undisturbed manner. This means – at any point of time – are you aware – whether you are pursuing permanent joy or the impermanent Sukha, the liberation path or the Samsaara path and so on?

Stead fast adherence to this nitya-anitya viveka is what leads to cessation of the impermanent or the Samsaara – and thereby liberation occurs automatically. Be aware of the permanent and pursue it vigorously and incessantly – says Patanjali. The Purusha or the Drasta is infinite joy in himself and does not have to search for it in Prakrithi, which is impermanent and finite.

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GREAT QUOTES FROM MAHATMA GANDHI = 142nd Birth day = 02.10.2011 = UNTOUCHABILITY, WOMEN, LOVE, FREEDOM, NON VIOLENCE,TRUTH, STRENGTH, ACTION

GREAT QUOTES FROM

MAHATMA GANDHI

142^nd Birth day (02.10.2011)

Today is the birth day of Mohan Das Karam Chand Gandhi, fondly called by all of us as Mahatma and Father of the Nation. He was born on October,2^nd, 1869 and today is his 142^nd birthday. We bow before the Mahatma and remember  what he told all of us during his life and through his life. Here are some of his Great Quotable quotes : 

Ø  My life is my message.

Ø  As long as you derive inner help and comfort from anything, keep it.

Ø  You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.

Ø  Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.

Ø  In the dictionary of Satyagraha, there is no enemy.

LOVE

Ø  Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, Conquer him with love.

Ø  Whenever you have truth it must be given with love, or the message and the messenger will be rejected.

Ø  A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.

Ø  The law of love could be best understood and learned through little children.

FREEDOM

Ø  Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.

Ø  I want freedom for the full expression of my personality.

Ø  They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them.

Ø  No charter of freedom will be worth looking at which does not ensure the same measure of freedom for the minorities as for the majority.

Ø  No society can possibly be built on a denial of individual freedom.

Ø  Independence means voluntary restraints and discipline, voluntary acceptance of the rule of law.

Ø  If it is man's privilege to be independent, it is equally his duty to be inter-dependent.

RELIGION

Ø  The most heinous and the most cruel crimes of which history has record have been committed under the cover of religion or equally noble motives

Ø  Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.

Ø  This freedom from all attachment is the realization of God as Truth.

Ø  A religion that takes no account of practical affairs and does not help to solve them is no religion.

Ø  I worship God as Truth only. I have not yet found Him, but I am seeking after Him.

Ø  Faith... Must be enforced by reason...When faith becomes blind it dies.

Ø  I believe in the fundamental Truth of all the great religions of the world. I believe that they are all God given. I came to the conclusion long ago... that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them.

Ø  When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator.

Ø  A vow is a purely religious act which cannot be taken in a fit of passion. It can be taken only with a mind purified and composed and with God as witness.

NON-VIOLENCE

Ø  I cannot teach you violence, as I do not myself believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before any one even at the cost of your life.

Ø  I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent.

Ø  True nonviolence should mean a complete freedom from ill-will and anger and hate and an overflowing love for all.

Ø  Poverty is the worst kind of violence.

Ø  Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.

Ø  An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

Ø  The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles.

Ø  Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong.

Ø  The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

TRUTH

Ø  In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth.

Ø  A man of truth must also be a man of care.

Ø  When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always.

Ø  An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.

Ø  Truth is what the voice within tells you.

Ø  Truth is the right designation of God.

STRENGTH

Ø  It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.

Ø  The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Ø  Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

Ø  You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.

Ø  A weak man is just by accident. A strong but non-violent man is unjust by accident.

Ø  Nobody can hurt me without my permission.

ACTION

Ø  Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.

Ø  Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.

Ø  Action expresses priorities.

Ø  Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

Ø  Indolence is a delightful but distressing state; we must be doing something to be happy.

Ø  You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.

Ø  The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Ø  The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.

Ø  You must be the change you want to see in the world.

Ø  Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning.

Ø  A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.

Ø  A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.

UNTOUCHABILITY

Ø  God never made man that he may consider another man as an untouchable.

Ø  I would far rather that Hinduism died than untouchability lived.

Ø  My fight against untouchability is a fight against the impure in humanity.

Ø  To say that a single human being, because of his birth, becomes an untouchable, unapproachable, or invisible, is to deny God.

WOMEN

Ø  There is no occasion for women to consider themselves subordinate or inferior to men.

Ø  If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior.

Ø  If nonviolence is the law of our being, the future is with women.

Ø  Woman, I hold, is the personification of self-sacrifice, but unfortunately today she does not realize what tremendous advantage she has over man.

OTHERS ON M.K.GANDHI

Ø  Generations to come, it may well be, will scarce believe that such a man as this one ever in flesh and blood walked upon this Earth. = Albert Einstein

Ø  I am mindful that I might not be standing before you today, as President of the United States, had it not been for Gandhi and the message he shared with America and the world. = Barack Obama

Ø  Saints like Gandhi, on the other hand, have made not only tangible material sacrifices, but also the more difficult renunciation of selfish motive and private goal, merging their inmost being in the stream of humanity as a whole. = Paramahansa Yogananda

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PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS = CH,2 : SADHANA PAADHA Vs.21, 22, 23 = WHAT HAPPENS TO UNIVERSE WHEN ONE PURUSHA IS LIBERATED?

PATANJALI 

YOGA SUTRAS  

CHAPTER.2 : SADHANA PAADHA

Vs.21, 22, 23 

What really is Drisyam? Drisham is the Universe, which we experience – and is made out of the three Gunas of Sathva, Rajas and Thamas.

These Gunas make it either stable and illuminated (by Sathva), or active (by Rajas) or inert (by Thamas) – because of the imbalance in the three Gunas and dominance of one or the other of the 3 Gunas.

The universe exists for 2 purposes – (i) for experience and (ii) for liberation  - of the Purusha (the Self).

Universe is like a training school - where the Karma has to be extinguished by experience of the universe. Then, the Purusha can liberate himself from the experience of the universe and know his true self.

The universe exists first in its Avyaktha state. Then, it comes to the stage of the Mahat or universal intelligence state. From then, it proceeds to the individual intelligence, then, the subtle elements and then, finally to the gross forms. Thus, the formation of universe from Avyaktha state to identified state, to fine or subtle state to gross states proceeds in a defined manner. This Universe in all its states - forms the Drisyam for the Drasta, or Purusha.

The Drasta is by himself pure and unchanging. But, the contact with Prakrithi through the Buddhi and the experience of the Prakrithi (Drisyam) – creates the impression that  all changes are occurring in the Purusha.

Patanjali is telling us in so many verses, the qualities of the Drisyam (Universe) and the Drasta (the self). The following verses also expand on the same theme. An absolute clarity is needed between the two – so that, subsequent yoga vidya proceeds with clarity and in a confusion-less manner. 

VERSE.2.21

thad-artha eva drishyasya atma

Ø  Thath : for that

Ø  artha = purpose

Ø  eva = only

Ø  drishyasya = of the seen (Drisyam)

Ø  atma = essence

Drisyam or Universe is basically inert. It is not created for the sake of itself. No inert matter is created for the sake of itself or for the use of another inert matter. An inert matter is useful only to a chatinya swaroopam or conscious being.

In other words, Drisyam is made for the use of the Drasta for his experience and for his liberation.

VERSE.2.22

kritha-artham prathi nashtam api

anashtam thath anya

saadhaaranatvaath

Ø  kritha-artham = Drasta - after his purpose is accomplished

Ø  prathi = towards

Ø  nashtam = destroyed

Ø  api = although

Ø  anashtam = does not cease

Ø  thath = that

Ø  anya = for others

Ø  saadhaaranathvaath = because it is common to all

We say that the world is for the Purusha. In other words, the Drisyam is created for the use of the Drasta. But, if a Drasta or Purusha attains liberation after experiencing the Samsaara through the Universe, what happens to the Drisyam or the Universe. It is no more needed for this Purusha. Then, will it exist further or not?

In Yoga Sasthra, Drasta is not one but many. There are many conscious beings or many purushas – which is the way sankhya and yoga look at it. This is the truth in the unliberated state. What happens after liberation – is a different aspect.

In Vedanta philosophy – the self is only one – but expresses himself as  “reflections in the Buddhi”, which are called Chidhabhasas.  On liberation, the Purusha no more identifies with the Chidhabhasa.

Chidhabhasa is nothing other than the reflection of Purusha in the Buddhi, by which, the Buddhi attains the quality of Chaitanyam or consciousness. Purusha imparts to the Buddhi and through Buddhi to the manas etc – his quality of Chaitanyam. Other wise, the Sthoola Sareera, Sookshma Sareera and even the Karana Sareera – are part of Prakrithi and are inert matter.

Therefore - in Yoga Sastra – we assume that there are many purushas with the quality of Chaitanyam or consciousness. If one of the purushas is liberated after his experience with Drisyam, he only is liberated from the Drisyam. He has achieved all that he has to achieve. His purpose with Drisyam is over. He is now called Krithartha, one who has achieved his purpose. For him, world is no more needed.

But, there are so many purushas who are not yet liberated. For them, the Drisyam is still required. Therefore, the Universe or Drisyam continues to remain - for their experience and liberation.

VERSE.2.23

 sva svaami saktyoh

svaroopa upalabdhi

hethuh samyogah

Ø sva = of being owned

o   svaami = one who possesses

o   saktyoh = of the powers

o   svaroopa = of own form

o   upalabdhi = recognition

o   hethuh = cause

o   samyogah = union (of Drasta with Drisyam)

What is Samyoga? It is the union or the apparent union of Drasta with Drisyam. Drasta is the experiencer and is in fact separate from the Drisyam, which is inert, and is the one experienced by the Drasta.

But, in the process of experiencing the Drisyam, the Drasta identifies with  Drisyam. Unless, there is a Drisyam, there is no Drasta. What else can he experience other than the Drisyam. Likewise, there is no Drisyam – unless there is a Drasta.

The identification of the Drasta with Drisyam results in Samsaara – or the experience of sorrows and pleasures by the Drasta.

But then, this experience only further leads the Drasta to liberation from Samsaara and the knowledge of his own real self. Knowing his real form or real self is the liberation. This comes when the Drasta disengages from his identification with the Drisyam.

This is why – Patanjali has said that the universe, as Drisyam, is created for the sole purpose of the Drasta – first, for his experience, and then, through that experience, for his liberation from the same.

Patanjali is aiming in so many verses – to ensure that we first know at least theoretically that You and I are Drastas and not Drisyam – and that currently we are experiencing and identifying with the Drisyam. Patanjali is also making the aim of these Yoga sutras very clear. It is for our liberation from our identification with the Drisyam.

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