Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Verse 4.14 परिणामैकत्वात् वस्तुतत्त्वम् ॥१४॥ pariṇāma-ekatvāt-vastu-tattvam ||14|| The unity in things is from the unity in changes. As there is a harmonious mutation between sattva, rajas and tamas (prakasa, kriya and sthiti) , both in nature and in the individual self, so there are differences in the way we see objects. According to the predominating gunas in one's intelligence, an object is perceived differently although its essence remains the same. The yogi penetrates the harmonious combination of nature with its gunas, understands clearly their mutations, and keeps aloof from them. This study helps him to remain in the essence of his object of contemplation which is not bound by time or by the qualities of nature.  This object is the unchangeable seer, or the soul. The seer is not bound by time, whereas mind is. This sutra is a good guide for us. In our practice of Asana and pranayamaya we are the subjects, the performers. The different asanas and pranamaya are the objects wh...

Verse 4.13 ते व्यक्तसूक्ष्माः गुणात्मानः ॥१३॥ te vyakta-sūkṣmāḥ guṇa-ātmānaḥ ||13|| They are manifested or fine, being of the nature of the gunas. Desires, actions and rewards are not only entwined with the cycle of time but are composed and hidden according to the rhythmic movement of sattva, rajas and tamas. They may manifest and be brought to the surface, or remain hidden and emerge later. Bound to the wheel of time by the gunas, man started to form ideas fuelled by desires in the fire of consciousness. Then, through past actions and experiences, he began to mould his life in order to gain freedom from dualities.  This involved time, which has no beginning or end, but is simply a succession of moments. Though each moment is eternal and real in its continuous flow, it changes into movement. To be free from the cycles of cause and effect, man has to mould his behaviour from moment to moment. The cause is subtle but the effect is felt. The effects of our actions of yesterday are th...

Verse 4.11 हेतुफलाश्रयालम्बनैः संगृहीतत्वातेषामभावेतदभावः ॥११॥ hetu-phala-āśraya-ālambanaiḥ saṃgṛhītatvād-eṣām-abhāve tat-abhāvaḥ ||11|| Being held together by cause, effect, support, and objects, in the absence of these is its absence. Verse 4.12 अतीतानागतं स्वरूपतोऽस्तिअध्वभेदाद् धर्माणाम् ॥१२॥ atīta-anāgataṃ svarūpataḥ asti-adhva-bhedāt-dharmāṇām ||12|| The past and future exist in their own nature, qualities having different ways. Lack of understanding, avidya, creates afflictions, which in turn create desires. This causes the cycle of rebirths. The accumulated impressions of memory are without beginning, but have a definite end provided the individual becomes cultured and discerning. When the formation of desire is kept in abeyance, the cycle of rebirths comes to an end. Due to the play of the gunas of nature, conditions change, producing the illusion that time has changed. Past and future are woven into the present, though they appear different due to the movement of moments. Des...

Verse 4.10 तासामनादित्वं चाशिषो नित्यत्वात् ॥१०॥ tāsām-anāditvaṃ cā-āśisaḥ nityatvāt ||10|| Thirst for happiness beingeternal, desires are without beginning. Just as the universe is eternal, so are impressions and desires. They have existed from time immemorial. For one whose seeds of defects are eradicated, and whose desires have come to an end, the upheavals of the universe appear to have come to an end. Nobody knows the timeless, primeval, absolute One, or when the world came into being.  Both purusha and Prakriti spirit and nature, existed before man appeared. When creation took place, man was endowed with consciousness, intelligence, mind, senses of perception, organs of action and body. At the same time the characteristics or qualities (gunas) of nature, illumination (sattva) , action (rajas) and inertia (tamas) entered man's body.  Set on the wheel of time with the spokes of the gunas of nature, man began to function in accordance with these three fundamental, interming...

Verse 4.9 जाति देश काल व्यवहितानामप्यान्तर्यां स्मृतिसंस्कारयोः एकरूपत्वात् ॥९॥ jāti-deṣa-kāla-vyavahitānām-api-ānantaryaṃ smṛti-saṃskārayoḥ eka-rūpatvāt ||9|| There is connectiveness in desire, even though separated by speices, space and time, there being identification of memory and impressions. The law of karma functions uninterruptedly throughout successive lifetimes, though each life is separated by rank, place and time. Desires and impressions are stored in the memory and connect the behavioural patterns of previous lives with present and future lives. The theory of karma, or the law of cause and effect, is explained to inspire the siidhaka to pursue non-white and non-black karmas, which will free him from the desires and results which are simply the accumulated actions of his previous lives. Such desireless actions culture and refine the consciousness and enable it to explore the kingdom of the soul. This is another aspect of nirmana citta.  In the previous sutra, the common...

Verse 4.8 ततस्तणिऩाकानगुिानाभ ु एवाणबव्यणिवा ् सनानाभ य ॥ ८ ् ॥ tatastadvipakanugunanam evabhivyaktirvasananam From these threefold works are manifested in each state only those desires (which are) fitting to that state alone. (The others are held in abeyance for the time being.) Suppose I have made the three kinds of Karma, good, bad, and mixed; and suppose I die and become a god in heaven; the desires in a god body are not the same as the desires in a human body. The god body neither eats nor drinks; what becomes of my past unworked Karmas, which produce as their effect the desire to eat and drink? Where would these Karmas go when I became a god?  The answer is that desires can only manifest themselves in proper environments. Only those desires will come out for which the environment is fitted; the rest will remain stored up.  In this life we have many godly desires, many human desires, many animal desires. If I take a god body, only the god desires will come up, because for...

Verse 4.7 कभाश यिाक ु ृष्णं मोणगन् णत्रणवधभ इतय ् षाभे ॥ ७ ् ॥ karmashuklakrishnnam yoginah trividham itaresham Works are neither black nor white for the Yogis; for others they are threefold, black, white, and mixed. When the Yogi has attained to that state of perfection, the actions of that man, and the Karma produced by those actions, will not bind him, because he did not desire them. He just works on: he works to do good, and he does good, but does not care for the result, and it will not come to him. But for ordinary men, who have not attained to that highest state, works are of three kind, black (evil actions), white (good actions), and mixed. PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS 

Verse 4.6 तत्र ध्यानजभ अनाशमभ ् ॥ ६ ् ॥ tatra dhyanajam anashayam Among the various Chittas that which is attained by Samadhi is desireless. Having explained the creation by the single mind of multiple thoughts which disturb the poise of the original mind, Patanjali's says here that this 'sprouted' mind should be cultured, stilled and silenced through profound meditation. This puts an end to the influence of impressions, and frees the consciousness from entanglements with objects seen, heard or known. Meditation not only frees consciousness from past impressions but also removes the obstacles to the progressive evolution of the mind. Impressions of attachment and affliction continue to torment others. These obstacles, lust, anger, greed, infatuation, pride and jealousy, are the spokes of the emotional wheel. Meditation helps to subdue them so that the emotional centre (the consciousness of the heart} can expand in a new dimension of spiritual growth. Then consciousness will...

Verse 4.5 प्रवणत्तब ृ दे प्रमोजकं णचत्तभ े एकभ ् अन् केेषाभ ॥ ५॥ ् pravrittibhede prayojakam chittam ekam anekesham Though the activities of the different created minds are various, the one original mind is the controller of them all. Consciousness, though single, directs multiple thoughts, sometimes creating disparities between words and deeds. It is indirectly responsible for numerous activities, and becomes the source of desires and their fulfilment. If it stops directing thoughts, the need to culture the consciousness towards transformation does not arise. Patanjali wants us to channel the energies of the multiple mind in the right direction, so that no disparities or distortions arise between words, thoughts and deeds. It has already been said that from the sense of 'I' consciousness in the sphere of activity, multiple thoughts arise. Owing to lack of understanding, avidya, their fluctuations create doubts, confusion, desires and greed, bringing afflictions. that disturb t...

Verse 4.4 णनभािणचत्तान्यणस्मताभात्रात य ॥ ४ ् ॥ nirmannachittanyasmitamatrat From egoism alone proceed the created minds. From a sense of self-awareness, numerous activities become associated in one's consciousness, thereby giving rise to mental states called moods, which form themselves into nirmita, or cultivated, citta. They taint, distort and disturb the intelligence, creating various afflictions and fluctuations.  If this distorted consciousness is re-channelled in the right direction, it develops refinement and sensitivity. Then nirmita citta changes into a sense of sattvic individuality, and nature makes the intelligence wise, which in turn keeps the consciousness pure. This sutra explains the quality of constructive and creative mind. The seat of the mind-matter is the brain. It creates fluctuations, bias and prejudices which cause pain and distress, and need to be restrained. The mind at its source is single and pure. It is known as the core of the being (Atman) or the se...

Verse 4.3 णनणभत्तभ अप्रमोजकं प्रकृ तीनां वयिब ् दस्ते तत् ऺ ु णत्रकवत े ॥३॥  nimittam aprayojakan prakritinan varannabhedastu tatah kshetrikavat Good deeds, etc., are not the direct causes in the transformation of nature, but they act as breakers of obstacles to the evolutions of nature, as a farmer breaks the obstacles to the course of water, which then runs down by its own nature. As a farmer builds dykes between fields to regulate the flow of water, evolved yogis channel the abundant flow of nature's energy to free themselves from the bondage of their actions and develop spiritual insight. Even if sadhana fails to bring about complete transformation in the life of a sadhaka, it certainly serves to remove obstacles in the path of his evolution. Past good actions (karmasaya) indirectly become instrumental in accelerating the flow of natural tendencies for the good of the consciousness. A farmer heaps up banks of earth to collect water and soak part of a field. When one area is soa...

Verse 4.2  जात्यन्तयऩणयिाभ् प्रकृत्याऩयातू ॥ २ ् ॥ jatyantaraparinamah prakrityapoorat The change into another species is by the filling in of Nature. Patanjali explained that nature's energy flows in such abundance in certain adepts that their consciousness is transformed, enabling them to live in a pure dynamic state in this present life. (If a sadhaka fails to reach perfection during this life, nature may abundantly penetrate and perfect his sadhana in the next, so that he may then experience freedom.) Due to the power of his practices, nature's energy flows in such a sadhaka with such force as to transform him into an immortal.  It is interesting to note also that nature itself is the power-house for spiritual evolution. Sri Ramanujacharya , jnaneshvar, Tukaram and Nandanar attained kaivalya during their lives here on earth without yogic sadhana because of the fruits of yogic practices in their previous lives (jatyantara parnaima) . Similarly, Acharyani's Maitreyi, Garg...

The fourth Chapter: KAIVALYA PADA - On Inner Freedom Verse 4.1  जन्मौषणधभन्त्रतऩ्सभाणधजा् णसद्धम् ॥ १॥ janmaushadhimantratapahsamadhijah siddhayah The Siddhis (powers) are attained by birth, chemical means, power of words, mortification or concentration. There are five types of accomplished yogis (siddhayah) : 1 by birth with aspiration to become perfect (janma) 2 by spiritual experience gained through herbs, drugs or elixir (ausadha) 3 by incantation of the name of one's desired deity (mantra) 4 by ascetic devotional practice (tapas) 5 by profound meditation (samadhi) There is an important distinction between these means of spiritual accomplishment. Followers of the first three may fall from the grace of yoga through pride or negligence.  The others, whose spiritual gains are through tapas and samadhi, do not. They become masters, standing alone as divine, liberated souls, shining examples to mankind. Nandi, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Sai Baba of Shirdi and Ramana Maharshi were ...

Verse 3.56 सत्त्वपुरुषयोः शुद्धिसाम्ये कैवल्यम्  sattva-puruṣayoḥ śuddhisāmye kaivalyam ॥56॥ By the similarity of purity between the Sattva and the Purusa comes Kaivalya. When the vestures of the soul are equal in purity to that of the soul, there is harmony between them. There comes freedom, kaivalya, of the seer, uncontaminated by the qualities of nature. By yogic discipline, the veil of ignorance is lifted from the intelligence. This is the real and true light: vivekaja jnanam, illuminative consciousness. It becomes equal to that of the light of the soul, purusha.  The distinction between intelligence and consciousness comes to an end. Both dissolve in the beacon light of the soul. They are isolated from contact with nature's objects. The seeds of affliction are burnt up.  Now the Soul shines in its pristine form, in its pure effulgence: it reigns supreme. This is kaivalya, the indivisible state of existence. PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS 

Verse 3.54 जातिलक्षणदेशैः अन्यताअनवच्छेदात् तुल्ययोः ततः प्रतिपत्तिः ॥५४॥ jāti-lakṣaṇa-deśaiḥ anyatā-anavacchedāt tulyayoḥ tataḥ pratipattiḥ ॥54॥ Those which cannot be differentiated by species, sign and place, even they will be discriminated by the above Samyama. Verse 3.55 तारकं सर्वविषयं सर्वथाविषयमक्रमंचेति विवेकजं ज्ञानम् ॥५४॥ tārakaṁ sarva-viṣayaṁ sarvathā-viṣayam-akramaṁ-ceti vivekajaṁ jñānam ॥55॥ The essential characteristic of the yogi's exalted knowledge is that he grasps instantly, clearly and wholly, the aims of all objects without going into the sequence of time or change. The misery that we suffer comes from ignorance, from non- discrimination between the real and the unreal. We all take the bad for the good, the dream for the reality.  Self is the only reality, and we have forgotten it. Body is an unreal dream, and we think we are all bodies. This non-discrimination is the cause of misery, and it is caused by ignorance. When discrimination comes it brings strength, ...

Verse 3.52 स्थान्युपनिमन्त्रणे सङ्गस्मयाकरणं पुनरनिष्टप्रसङ्गात् ॥५२॥ sthāny-upa-nimantraṇe saṅga-smaya-akaraṇaṁ punar-aniṣṭa-prasaṅgāt ॥52॥ When approached by celestial beings, there should be neither attachment nor surprise, for undesirable connections can occur again. Verse 3.53 क्षणतत्क्रमयोः संयमात् विवेकजंज्ञानम् ॥५३॥ kṣaṇa-tat-kramayoḥ saṁyamāt vivekajaṁ-jñānam ॥53॥ By making Samyama on a particle of time and its multiples comes discrimination. Celestial beings try to seduce the yogi from the grace of yoga. The yogi must maintain his hard-won freedom, and must not fall victim to temptations that can pull him down from the height of spirituality. Like, celestial beings try to lure the successful yogi to his doom. If he submits to their blandishments, he is again caught in sensory pleasures and afflictions, and falls from the grace of yoga. There are four types of yogis. They are known as prathama kalpika, madhubhamika, prajnajyoti and atikrantabhavaniya.  Prathama kalpika y...

Verse 3.50 सत्त्वपुरुषान्यताख्यातिमात्रस्य सर्वभावाअधिष्ठातृत्वं सर्वज्ञातृत्वं च ॥५०॥ sattva-puruṣa-anyatā-khyātimātrasya sarva-bhāvā-adhiṣṭhātr‌tvaṁ sarva-jñātr‌tvaṁ ca ॥50॥ Only one who knows the difference between the illuminative intelligence and the purusha attains supreme knowledge of all that exists and all that manifests. Verse 3.51 तद्वैराग्यादपि दोषबीजक्षये कैवल्यम् ॥५१॥ tad-vairāgyād-api doṣa-bīja-kṣaye kaivalyam ॥51॥ By giving up even these comes the destruction of the very seed of evil; he attains Kaivalya. When we have conquered nature, and realised the difference between the Purusa and nature, that the Purusa is indestructible, pure and perfect, when the Yogi has realised this, then comes omnipotence and omniscience. He attains aloneness, independence. Then that man is free. When he gives up even the ideas of omnipotence and omniscience, there will be entire rejection of enjoyment, of the temptations from celestial beings. When the Yogi has seen all these wonderful p...

Verse 3.48 ग्रहणस्वरूपास्मिताअवयार्थवत्त्वसंयमातिन्द्रिय जयः ॥४८॥ grahaṇa-svarūpa-asmitā-avaya-arthavattva-saṁyamāt-indriya jayaḥ ॥48॥ By making Samyama on the objectivity, knowledge and egoism of the organs, by gradation comes the conquest of the organs. Verse 3.49 ततो मनोजवित्वं विकरणभावः प्रधानजयश्च ॥४९॥ tato mano-javitvaṁ vikaraṇa-bhāvaḥ pradhāna-jayaś-ca ॥49॥ From that comes glorified mind, power of the organs independently of the body, and conquest of nature. In perception of external objects the organs leave their place in the mind and go towards the object; that is followed by knowledge and egoism. When the Yogi makes Samyama on these by gradation he conquers the organs.  Take up anything that you see or feel, a book, for instance, and first concentrate the mind on the thing itself. Then on the knowledge that it is in the form of a book, and then the Ego that sees the book. By that practice all the organs will be conquers. When the properties of organs have been conquered,...

Verse 3.46 ततोऽणिमादिप्रादुर्भावः कायसंपत् तद्धरानभिघात्श्च ॥४६॥ tato-'ṇimādi-prādurbhāvaḥ kāyasaṁpat tad-dharānabhighātśca ॥46॥ From that comes minuteness, and the rest of the powers, “glorification of the body,” and indestructibleness of the bodily qualities. Verse 3.47 रूपलावण्यबलवज्रसंहननत्वानि कायसंपत् ॥४७॥ rūpa-lāvaṇya-bala-vajra-saṁhananatvāni kāyasaṁpat ॥47॥ The glorifications of the body are beauty, complexion, strength, adamantine hardness. The yogi can reduce himself to the size of an atom, or expand. He can become light or heavy. He can pierce rocks, have access to everything and master everything. From samyama on the elements, their counterparts, forms, conjunctions and fruits, the yogi develops the eight supernatural powers and gains perfect wealth of the body without falling victim to the obstacles posed by the elements.  This is said to be the best wealth of the body: perfection and freedom from all hindrances. This sutra indicates that by the conquest of the elem...

Verse 3.44 बहिरकल्पिता वृत्तिः महाविदेहा ततः प्रकाशाअवरणक्षयः ॥४४॥ bahir-akalpitā vr‌ttiḥ mahā-videhā tataḥ prakāśa-āvaraṇa-kṣayaḥ ॥44॥ By samyama on mahavideha (the disembodied state), where consciousness acts outside the body, the veil covering the light of illumination is destroyed Verse 3.45 स्थूलस्वरूपसूक्ष्मान्वयार्थवत्त्वसंयमात् भूतजयः ॥४५॥ sthūla-svarūpa-sūkṣma-anvaya-arthavattva-saṁyamāt bhūtajayaḥ ॥45॥ By making Samyama on the elements, beginning with the gross, and ending with the superfine, comes mastery of the elements. By samyama on the consciousness, the yogi lives without a body; this is something that is unimaginable, yet it is a fact. It is a siddhi, called mahavideha.siddhi or great discarnation. It removes the veil covering the light of illumination. The yogi in this state has true and pure intelligence.  If consciousness moves outside the body but abides in the body, it is called an imaginable state. When the same consciousness moves outside the body, indepen...

Verse 3.42 श्रोत्राअकाशयोः संबन्धसंयमात् दिव्यं श्रोत्रम् ॥४२॥ śrotra-ākāśayoḥ saṁbandha-saṁyamāt divyaṁ śrotram ॥42॥ By making Samyama on the relation between the ear and the Akasa comes divine hearing. Verse 3.43 कायाकाशयोः संबन्धसंयमात् लघुतूलसमापत्तेश्चाअकाश गमनम् ॥४३॥ kāyākāśayoḥ saṁbandha-saṁyamāt laghu-tūla-samāpatteśca-ākāśa gamanam ॥43॥ By making Samyama on the relation between the Akasa and the body the Yogi becoming light as cotton wool goes through the skies. There is the Akasa, the ether, and the instrument, the ear. By making Samyama on them the Yogi gets divine hearing; he hears everything. Anything spoken or sounded miles away he can here. This is one of the supernatural powers called laghima, or becoming as light as cotton. In the puranas, it is said that Lord Hanuman (son of the Wind God) jumped up to the sky to fetch the sun, which he thought was an apple. There is also the story from the Ramayan that he leaped to the Himalayas to fetch the elixir of life, called ...

Verse 3.40 उदानजयाअत् जलपण्खकण्टकादिष्वसङ्गोऽत्क्रान्तिश्च ॥४०॥ udāna-jayāat jala-paṇkha-kaṇṭakādiṣv-asaṅgo-'tkrāntiśca ॥40॥ By conquering the current called Udana the Yogi does not sink in water, or in swamps, and he can walk on thorns. Verse 3.41 समानजयाज्ज्वलनम् ॥४१॥ samāna-jayāj-jvalanam ॥41॥ By the conquest of the current Samana he is surrounded by blaze. By samyama on udana vayu, the yogi can make his body so light that he is able to walk over water, mud and thorns without coming in contact with them. He can make prana ascend through brahmarandhra and so die at will. It is said in 3. 37 verse that the yogi has the power of knowing the Tanmatras, sound, touch, sight, taste and smell, which are the counterparts of the elements, while 3 40-43 speak of the conquest of the elements water, fire, air and ether. Prana is usually translated as 'breath', yet this is only one of its manifestations in the human body. If breathing stops, so does life. Ancient Indian sages knew t...

Verse 3.38 ते समाधवुपसर्गा[ः]व्युत्थाने सिद्धयः ॥३८॥ te samādhav-upasargā[ḥ]-vyutthāne siddhayaḥ ॥38॥ These are obstacles to Samadhi; but they are powers in the worldly state. Verse 3.39 बद्न्हकारणशैथिल्यात् प्रचारसंवेदनाच्च चित्तस्य परशरीरावेशः ॥३९॥ badnha-kāraṇa-śaithilyāt pracāra-saṁvedanācca cittasya paraśarīrāveśaḥ ॥39॥ When the cause of bondage has become loosened, the Yogi, by his knowledge of manifestation through the organs, enters another’s body. If the Yogi knows all these enjoyments of the world it comes by the junction of the Purusa and the mind. If he wants to make Samyama on this, that they are two different things, nature and soul, he gets knowledge of the Purusa.  From that arises discrimination. When he has got that discrimination he gets the Pratibha, the light of supreme genius. These powers, however, are obstructions to the attainment of the highest goal, the knowledge of the pure Self, and freedom; these are, as it were, to be met in the way, and if the Yogi ...

Verse 3.36 सत्त्वपुरुषायोः अत्यन्तासंकीर्णयोः प्रत्ययाविशेषोभोगः परार्थत्वात्स्वार्थसंयमात् पुरुषज्ञानम् ॥३६॥ sattva-puruṣāyoḥ atyantā-saṁkīrṇayoḥ pratyayāviśeṣo-bhogaḥ para-arthat-vāt-sva-arthasaṁyamāt puruṣa-jñānam ॥36॥ Enjoyment comes by the non-discrimination of the very distant soul and Sattva. Its actions are for another; Samyama on this gives knowledge of the Purusa. Verse 3.37 ततः प्रातिभस्रावाणवेदनाअदर्शाअस्वादवार्ता जायन्ते ॥३७॥ tataḥ prātibha-srāvāṇa-vedana-ādarśa-āsvāda-vārtā jāyante ॥37॥ From that arises the knowledge of hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, and smelling, belonging to Pratibha. Since it serves the purposes of the Self and nature, pure intelligence and the seer appear to be one, but they are quite distinct from each other.  By samyama on that which exists for itself, comes knowledge of the soul. The refined illuminative intelligence (sattva buddhi) is free from egoism. It is quite distinct from the light of the soul. Samyama on one's own self brings to l...

Verse 3.34 प्रातिभाद्वा सर्वम् ||34|| prātibhād-vā sarvam ॥34॥ Through the faculty of spiritual perception the yogi becomes the knower of all knowledge. Verse 3.35 ह्र्डये चित्तसंवित् ||35|| hrḍaye citta-saṁvit ॥35॥ By samyama on the region of the heart, the yogi acquires a thorough knowledge of the contents and tendencies of consciousness. A yogi can intuitively perceive anything and everything. By samyama on the effulgent light, he becomes the knower of all knowledge. All knowledge is mirrored in a yogi. In short, as day follows the dawn, impulsive nature is transformed into intuitive thought through which the yogi possesses universal knowledge. It is the conquest of nature. The seat of purusha is the heart. It is anahata cakra, the seat of pure knowledge as well as of consciousness. By samyama, a yogi can become aware of consciousness and of true, pure knowledge. He learns to unfold and tap the source of his being, and identify himself with the Supreme. PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS