The last sutra of the Samādhipāda is the conclusion of the first chapter. The sutra is
त॒स्या॒पि नि॒रो॒धे स॒र्वनि॒रो॒धान्निर्बी॑जः समा॒धिः ॥ १.५१॥
Tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-nirodhānnirbījaḥ samādhiḥ ॥ 1.51 ॥
Tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-nirodhān nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ - Tasya — of that; api — even, even of that; nirodha — restraining, curbing, eliminating, stopping; that is the nirodha. Sarva — all; nirodha — again stopping, restraining. Tasya api nirodha sarva nirodha nirbīja samādhiḥ — that is called nirbīja samādhi, bīja-rahita, without seed, seedless.
And a rough translation goes as: on suppression of even that, owing to suppression of all, that is the seedless samādhi. So nirbīja samādhi is — we should not say or we cannot say it is defined — but we have to refer as it is. The nirbīja samādhi is called so or so-called not only because there is no seed in the field of consciousness, but also because in that kind of samādhi no new saṁskāra is created.
In sabīja, new saṁskāra comes. That new saṁskāra, as we saw in the earlier sutra, works as a preventive, pratibandhī, to all other saṁskāras, but even that saṁskāra which worked as a pratibandhī is also removed. As we heard earlier, one thorn is used to remove another thorn, but both thorns are thrown out. It is not that we keep the thorn with which we have removed the other; we do not keep it. We throw it out, and it is to be removed. This is what this sutra conveys tasyāpi nirodho. Tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-nirodhānnirbījaḥ samādhiḥ - So that is the important dimension here — where using one to remove the other, and finally removing even that which we used. Just to repeat and to understand: use one to remove the other and remove both. This is an important understanding. Tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-nirodhānnirbījaḥ - sarva-nirodhānnirbījaḥ samādhiḥ - that is nirbīja samādhiḥ. A stage where saṁskāras, impressions, are not there. Not there means it is not there — no saṁskāras, absolutely pure, no dust at all.
The best way to conclude this chapter is to say that traditionally, normally, it is understood that Prathampāda, this Samādhipāda of Maharṣi Patañjali, is for the uttama sādhakas. Generally in tradition, in practices, practitioners, we cannot classify it, for understanding purposes, uttama, madhyama, and adhama sādhakas. Three levels have been generally put for understanding purposes, and it is considered that. Prathampāda is mainly concerned for the uttama sādhakas. Yoga practitioners who are very sincere, very intense, very deep and for that who are committed, for those uttama sādhakas, this particular pāda is concerned or the concepts, the experiences, the states, and the various discussions in the prathampāda is concerned with the higher levels of the consciousness, deeper layers of the consciousness. And that is how the Yoga Sūtras, the first chapter gets concludes.
There can be no other way to conclude this chapter better than how Swami Vivekananda concluded the first chapter in his wonderful commentary on the Pātañjala Yoga Sūtrās - the book Raja Yoga. Swami Vivekananda writes, or concludes this chapter — I quote:
"You remember that our goal is to perceive the soul itself. We cannot perceive the soul because it has got mingled up with nature, with the mind, with the body. The most ignorant man thinks his body is the soul. The more learned man thinks his mind is the soul, but both of these are mistaken.
What makes the soul get mingled up with all this? These different waves in the citta rise and cover the soul, and we are only a little reflection of the soul through these waves. So if the wave be one of anger, we see the soul as angry — "I am angry," we say. If the wave is a wave of love, we see ourselves reflected in that wave and say we are loving. If that wave is one of weakness and the soul is reflected in it, we think we are weak. These various ideas come from these impressions, these saṁskāras, covering the soul.
The real nature of the soul is not perceived until all the waves have subsided. So first, Patañjali teaches us the meaning of these waves. Secondly, the best way to repress them. And thirdly, how to make one wave so strong as to suppress all other waves — fire eating fire, as it were. When only one remains, it will be easy to suppress that also. And when that is gone, the samādhi of concentration is called seedless, nirbīja. It leaves nothing, and the soul is manifested just as it is in its own glory. Then alone we know that the soul is not a compound. It is the only eternal, simple reality in the universe, and as such it cannot be born, it cannot die. It is immortal, indestructible, the ever-living essence of intelligence."
That concludes the first chapter, Samādhipāda. Let us see the further understandings in our future sessions on the Yoga Sūtras.
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/p1F4Aj2rg1k?si=y3v0ducZbasqXJEIRead 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
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