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As we are trying to understand and follow the various methods and techniques suggested and given by Maharṣi Patañjali in these Yoga Sūtras. Especially starting from now from the 35th Sūtra for the next 4-5 Sūtras, he will be suggesting the techniques for the Citta Prasādanam Citta Vṛtti Nirodhaḥ and for the stabilizing of the mind. The 35, 36 and the 37 are the 3 important Sūtras. In each one, one particular technique has been given.
So in the 35th Sūtra of the Samādhi Pāda the technique given is
वि॒ष॒य॒व॒ती वा प्र॒वृ॒त्तिरु॒त्प॒न्ना म॒न॒सः स्थि॑तिनि॒ब॒न्धि॒नी ॥ १.३५॥
Viṣayavatī vā pravṛttir utpannā manasaḥ sthiti-nibandhinī ॥1.35॥ Viṣayavatī vā pravṛttiḥ utpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī.
Citta Prasādanam, Citta Vṛtti Nirodhaḥ and now Maharṣi has used a very beautiful word manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī. Though it is not a complete Citta Vṛtti Nirodhaḥ but a word which is very much essential to understand. Manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī - Viṣayavatī vā pravṛttiḥ utpannā - viṣaya is a subject or an object of knowledge, object of enjoyment, viṣaya it is, it is a subject and a feminine is used viṣayavatī, vatī means full of. Of course vā is there or it is pravṛttiḥ outward expression. Pravṛttiḥ - nivṛttiḥ we have seen earlier so pravṛttiḥ is externalizing, appearing, utpannā, is the created or produced, created or produced. Manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī - manasaḥ is of the mind, sthiti is the state, nibandhanī, totally binding, stabilized, fixed. So viṣayavatī vā pravṛttiḥ utpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī. Or vā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī can be achieved produced, utpannā that is manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī is produced, utpannā how? viṣayavatī pravṛttiḥ of the sense of higher sensitivity, sense of higher activity. Now this higher activity is not just in the measurement side, when we say higher mind means it is deeper mind, subtler mind. So experiencing nibandhanī, also means you tie up, focus, concentrate, fix the mind on the higher sense activities. This is to be slightly carefully understood higher sense activities. When we sit for meditation or sit quietly, there are lot of sensations in the body, various sensations, various pulsations, biological, neurological, at different levels of the body, psychological, bio neurological, neuropsychological, sensations, pulsations at the tip of the fingers and the tip of the nose, center of the face, some pitching sensations. So throughout the body lot of sensations go on continuously, they are all very subtle and deep and those subtle sensations higher sensations, one must be sensitive to that, that is the importance in this - viṣayavatī pravṛttiḥ utpannā. Those sensitiveness to the subtle, sensations, sensitivity towards higher sensations, that is the pravṛttiḥ utpannā - viṣayavatī. Then what happens manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī - the mind gets stabilized.This is one beautiful technique given by Patañjali. So be sensitive to the higher sensations, be sensitive to the subtle sensations viṣayavatī vā pravṛttiḥ utpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī. So a sense of touch, sense of smell, sense of light, very deep subtle sensations, throughout the body and if you are awake alert to those sensations pravṛttiḥ utpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī. This is one of the beautiful techniques given by Maharṣi Patañjali. In the 35th Sūtra for manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī.
Then another technique given in the 36th Sūtra for the same manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī.
The 36th Sūtra is
विशोका वा॑ ज्योतिष्म॒ती ॥ १.३६॥
viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī ॥ 1.36 ॥
Vā is again Or, or what? Viśokā, viśokā is no śoka, no sorrow, no grief. Viśokā without śoka and jyotiṣmatī. Jyotiṣmatī, jyotiḥ is light, jyotiṣmatī full of light. It is illumined light, illumined inside, illumined outside, filled with light and this meaning of jyotiṣmatī
though it is for the illumination lightening, lighting. It also has meaning for lightness, not heaviness, opposite of heaviness. That lightness, painless and lightness, painless and light, not heavy - Jyotiṣmatī also suggests, hints, indicates that. So what is the other,
other technique given by Patañjali? It is the also through the serene luminous states experienced within. When you are in the sādhanā, sitting quietly and you are making an effort in the mind, to calm down the mind to quieten the mind- Citta Prasādanam, manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī sthiti - for that when you are trained there and within many times a lightness is experienced. It can be a lightness opposite of heavy or may be sometimes, some jyotiḥ, sparkles, twinklings, the lights may be visible. And focusing there, the mind there concentrating on that that is also useful for the Citta Prasādanam. But one must be very careful that when such things will be happening subtle sensations when we are focusing on them the ultimate aim is Citta Prasādanam, Citta Vṛtti Nirodhaḥ and manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī but one should not get carried away, one should not get tied up bound by these experiences and subtle sensitivities. Because, in the first place one should not get attached to them, and give undue too much importance and significance, and begin to imagine that I am making a great progress in the path of yoga. It is very dangerous
because this is only in the beginning, first steps, ABC of the yogic practices and the second place one should not allow these experiences to become a mere source of emotional, sentimental, mental satisfaction. Many people, many sādhakas they begin to use such practices as a dope and escape from the stress and strain of the ordinary they run away from it. That is not the indication
suggestion of the Maharṣi's path of yoga. And if such wrong attitudes are adopted these practices frequently become a hindrance instead of helping, as Patañjali says it should help, it will help in the path of the sādhaka. But if too much of undue importance is given you get tied up there, that should not be. So viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī is another technique given by Maharṣi Patañjali.
Then the third Sūtra third technique, 37th Sūtra is another very important Sūtra that says
वीतरागविषयं॑ वा चि॒त्तम् ॥ १.३७॥
vītarāgaviṣayaṁ vā cittam ॥ 1.37 ॥
Again the word vā has come Or - vītarāgaviṣayaṁ vā cittam. Vītarāgaviṣayaṁ cittamthe - word can be split in various ways. Rāga is attachment, liking, fondness without attachment, without fondness, without like, not dislike, without likeness, vīta rāga is no rāga, rāgarahitam- Vītarāga. Viṣayam, object - Or that is vā. So, vītarāgaviṣayaṁ vā cittam - the mind without vīta rāga of the viṣaya, vīta of rāga viṣaya and vīta of viṣaya rāga. See the beautiful meanings which we can derive from this Sūtra. Vīta of rāga viṣayam. Viṣayam means object or subject. Object of like, object of attachment, be free from that, that is Vīta of rāga viṣayam. And another is free from the rāga of viṣayam, object and Vīta rāga is also generally, traditionally known as people who are free from attachments, vīta rāgas they are called and have closeness with them, have an association with them, be in touch
with them, something like satsaṅga with them. So vīta rāga viṣayam is, the object is vīta rāga. So vīta rāga itself is an object
and Vīta from the rāga viṣayam. That is how various suggestions and dimensions have been suggested in this particular Sūtra. So the association of a beloved person, a divine personality, a saintly personality and who is full of dislikes, detachments and tremendous power of attractive power and virtue hence his influence will be very good in our lives and an earnest meditation on such personalities, on gurus and in presence of them gives Citta Prasādanam. A meditation in the presence of Ramaṇa Maharṣi, in the presence of Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa Paramahaṃsa or anybody in our own lives, persons, who are of higher stature of life gives Citta Prasādanam. So the viṣaya, the object can be Vīta rāgas, the persons who have given up rāga. So basically, this is another technique given by Maharṣi Patañjali. Vīta rāga viṣayam vā. And that is important so 35 - viṣayavatī vā pravṛttiḥ utpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhanī, 36 - viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī, 37 - vīta rāga viṣayam vā cittam. in these three Sūtras, three techniques have been given by Maharṣi Patañjali.
Further techniques also are there in the next coming Sūtras which we shall see.
Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ. ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः||
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/7xnx0PrL54A?si=ME2UV3YHVYRtOarP
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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
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