ॐॐॐ
The third chapter of the Patanjali Yoga Darshanam, the Yoga Sutras of the Maharshi Patanjali, the Vibhūti Pāda is a very very important chapter in which various dimensions, aspects and practices regarding concentration, meditation and the Samādhi, the last three Aṅgas of the Aṣṭāṅga are discussed in this. Apart from it, the various practices, results, benefits, transformations are also discussed, which are termed as the Pratyayas. Then the various terms which come in this particular Pāda is the three types of transformations, Pariṇāmas and what are the benefits, Vibhūtis, the powers of the mind.
In Indian philosophy, in our culture, we keep on listening that the Yogis had, have, can develop various powers, which are inexplicable even to the modern science. The powers of the mind, the tremendous potential energy of the mind, which when it expresses, it has an immense effect in a day-to-day life, in one's own life and in general to the entire society and various types of powers, various stages of the powers and various utilities of the powers and all such topics are discussed in this.
A caution is needed as Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says that the powers of the mind, developing them, expressing them, manifesting them, using them, even it is for the benefit of the society, he says, it's very dangerous, we should not get attached to it and a sense of ego, a sense of Ahaṅkāra develops and which again will be an impediment in crossing over, in overcoming or in jumping to the still more higher, still more deeper layers of the Sādhana. With this caution that the powers of the mind, the Vibhūtis, may be a little tempting, may be a milestone, but still we should be extremely cautious and careful not to be motivated, not to be guided, not to be directed by this expression and manifestation of the powers.
We saw that in the second chapter, the discussion went on, on Kriyā Yoga, then on the Kleśas, the five Kleśas, then various results, then Aṣṭāṅga Yoga, the discussion also on the Duḥkha and all the five Aṅgas concluding with the Pratyāhāra or the Bahirāṅgas explained in the second chapter. The last three Aṅgas of the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga were taken in the third chapter for this very reason that Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi are internal, they are very intimate, they are very close than the external, outward. When we say it is external or outwards, as we have already seen in the second chapter, it was more concerned with the behaviour, emotions, the breathing, the body and senses, the power of the senses, the behaviour of the senses and it is all external. External is external to our own content of the mind, the Citta. As it was already expressed that though mind is not the correct English word for the Citta, but for our convenience we are using the word. As all of us know that there is a subconscious mind, there is an unconscious mind and of course the conscious mind, the conscious state of ours, the subconscious state of ours, the unconscious state of ours and these three states of the mind all put together the core, the basic, the foundation, that is the Citta. We have used it as the functional modifications of our core being and that outside of the Citta, anything which is not the Citta and that is all Bahirāṅga, external, even though it is internal but still separated from the Citta, outside the Citta.
So in the Vibhūti Pāda, the entire subject matter is the mind, the Citta which is completely isolated from outside, from the external and it is only under these conditions, an absolutely isolated, separated Citta alone can be a perfect, successful practice of Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi. That is how the practice of Prāṇāyāma gives ability to the mind धा॒र॒णासु च योग्यता॑ मन॒सः - we have seen it. So all this Antaraṅga Yoga, Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi can be successfully practiced. We will be able to be progress, victorious in the practice of concentration, meditation and the Samādhi only when the mind is in the Citta, is isolated, free from all the emotions, breathing, body, sense behaviours and various types of Karmaśayas, all those inflictions, all those temptations, all those tendencies, all those Saṃskāras, when all that has been purified, then the mind becomes ready, free for launching, diving deep into the practice of Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi. That is why all the above five, Yama, Niyama, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma, Pratyāhāra are the preparations and they are very much needed. Though they are basic and fundamentals, without which a right, correct, progressive practice of the Antaraṅga Yoga is not possible. We see many people, many of us, all of us, we keep on saying that, that I am meditating, I am concentrating, I am in meditation, I am doing meditation, I am practicing meditation. What exactly happens? What exactly we do? We sit quietly somewhere in the corner of the room or absolutely alone, cut off from the external. But what happens in the mind? Are we really free within ourselves? Is our Citta is exactly isolated? Then alone the practice of Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna, Samādhi comes. We shall see all these dimensions.
What is Dhāraṇā? What is Dhyāna? And what is Samādhi? And Patanjali brings out a beautiful terminology in the third chapter. It is called as the Saṃyama, he calls it. The three practices put together, and performing this Saṃyama on particular objects, gives rise to the unbelievable powers, which cannot be explained, inexplicable, to the modern science, even to our own understanding, to the normal understanding of our life. Sometimes the explanation of the powers, experience of the powers, is so deep, that it is all unbelievable. But we should remember that, when Maharishi Patanjali talks of these Vibhūtis, he opens up the gates, he opens up the locks, he unravels the inner powers of the mind.
And our own Citta, we ourselves as individuals, become one with the entire world. And then, when we become one with the world, the world becomes one with us. And that identity gives immense power. And these Vibhūtis, though seem to be unthinkable, unbelievable, but when it is expressed in Yoga Shastra, by Maharishi Patanjali himself, it means it has a value. They are achievable, they are attainable. And they are not just imaginary expressions and ideas. These attainable powers are possible. And if possibility was not there, it could not have been expressed. Expressed means there are possibilities. Infinite possibilities. And engrossing in those infinite possibilities, opening up, rising up, awakening, realizing these infinite possibilities of powers. That system of techniques is the subject matter of this Vibhūti Pāda.
The first three sutras deal with the definitions of each Aṅga. And the next two sutras, the fourth, fifth, sixth, the three sutras, they talk about the Saṃyama. The sutra 7 and 8 is a comparison between the Bahiya and the Antaraṅga Yogas. The 9 to 12 is the manifestations of Samāpatis, the various Pariṇāmas, transformations. And the sutra number 13 to 15 is a wonderful discussion about the various inner deep manifestations. And from the 16 to 48, these sutras are all about the Siddhis. About 54 psychodynamic and physiodynamic powers of the Saṃyama. What can happen to the human body and the mind? What can we achieve by practicing Saṃyama? That will be the listing of the Siddhis. And the last 6-7 sutras are about the characters of the consciousness related to the Siddhis. So the entire chapter is a wonderful chapter which deals with our regular practices and most important Sādhana in the Yoga Shastra, in the life of a Yogi, in the daily routine of a Yoga practitioner.
Let us see and understand these wonderful sutras of the Vibhūti Pāda.
Om Śānti Śānti Śāntiḥ
To Be Continued.. ---------------------------------------These are transcription of session delivered by Vice-President of Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Vivekananda Kendra, Sri M. Hanumantha Rao Ji.
Audio Link - https://youtu.be/3TpZ_7bTsiU?si=Adw1gsusprBhz7t7
Read n Get Articles, Magazines, Books @ http://prakashan.vivekanandakendra.org
मुक्तसंग्ङोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वित:।
सिद्धयसिद्धयोर्निर्विकार: कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥१८.२६॥
Freed from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with courage and enthusiasm and unperturbed by success or failure, the worker is known as a pure (Sattvika) one. Four outstanding and essential qualities of a worker. - Bhagwad Gita : XVIII-26
