47 and 48 sutras also deal with the āsanas. As 46th was the definition of āsana, 47th is the methodology. How to practice āsanas?
प्र॒य॒त्नशैथिल्यानन्तस॑माप॒त्ति॒भ्याम् ॥ २.४७॥
Prayatna śaithilya ananta samāpattibhyām.
That is the sutra. Prayatna is effort. Śaithilya is relaxation. Ananta is infinity. Samāpattibhyām - We have seen already the various dimensions, the process of transformation. So relaxation of the effort and transforming the mind into infinity. That is how āsanas are to be practiced. See how beautifully the core, the crux, the important dimension of practicing āsanas. Prayatna śaithilya, relaxation of the effort. And this relaxation of the effort, for what? Effort to be in sthira and sukha state. So the effort made to be in sthira, the effort made to be in sukha, that prayatna should be relaxed. Or should be removed, should be dropped. Or, beautifully, the maintenance in sthira and the maintenance, continuity in the sukha, the continuity of the states of sthira and sukha must be effortless. It should be effortless. It should be aprayatna. Because prayatna śaithilya, an effortless practice, not effortless practice of āsana, an effortlessly staying in sthira-sukha sthiti, an effortless way of maintaining steadiness. In fact, then only sukha may come, then only sukha will come. As long as there is an effort is there, there will be a discomfort. Because effort is made to remove the discomforts. And once the discomfort is gone, then sthiratvam is retained. Then there is a state of joy, there is a state of rest. And we have succeeded in that, conquering the body and keeping it firm. That is the outcome of prayatna śaithilya, it is. All the waverings, unsteadiness of the mind. All the discomfort in the body is gone. And as if there will be no feeling to change the posture. Because the practitioner has settled in a particular posture. There will be no feeling, no urge to change, to alter the posture, to come out of the position. Why? Because he is enjoying, he is in sukha. And this is so steady, a steady flow of sukha, a steady flow of joy. And at that particular level, no need of any efforts. Efforts are dropped, it is effortless , Prayatna śaithilya.
But Maharshi Patanjali does not stop there. He says, still further, the mind, citta should be transformed, samāpatti, into ananta, infinity beautiful word. So this ananta samāpattibhyām has two meanings. One is samāpattibhyām on ananta, or normally translated as meditation, contemplation on infinity. But that prayatna śaithilya is ananta, it is endless. And sthira and sukha is endless, ananta it is. And the entire thing has been transformed. And the transformation is also infinite. What a deep meaning still comes, the more we contemplate on the Patañjali Yoga Sūtras. So ananta samāpattibhyām is that. So when prayatna is dropped, effortlessness is achieved. And the mind is transformed, or the effort made to transform the mind into ananta, even that effort is dropped. Not only effortlessness in practicing āsanas, even the effort made, prayatna made for ananta samāpatti is also śaithilya, relaxed. With all these things, the comprehensive meaning in the practice of āsana is that it is not just a physical exercise. And not just concerned with the body and ananta samāpattibhyām it is.
A small important suggestion, very important hidden dimension is there in this ananta samāpattibhyām. What is infinity? Of course, we can keep on explaining. Practically, infinity is experienced in the form of infinite gravitational force, which is infinite. The whole world is under the pull of the gravity. The gravitational force is the infinite force. Everything on this world, we are able to walk because of the gravitational force. We are able to stand because of gravitational force. A train is running because of gravitational force. And a train stops because of gravitational force. Flights, trains, ships not only that, even the trees, buildings, mountains, hills everything in this world is held by a force and that force is infinite ananta it is. And when any body, any object, if it has to be balanced, it has to be steady, if it has to be steady, it has to align its individual center of gravity to the gravity of the infinity - ananta samāpattibhyām. Means, an elephant which is so big, a big, huge elephant, also will be able to balance on one single leg and a small baby elephant also will be able to balance on one leg, we see sometimes snakes balance on their tip of the tail, balancing. Balancing means the center of gravity of the body, center of gravity of the object aligning with the gravitational force, the center of the gravity of the world that aligning is the hidden suggestion and meaning of the ananta samāpattibhyām.
What does it mean? It means simply practically, shape of the body is not important, position of the body is important. A heavy person, a bulky person can also have a balanced posture, but that alignment is important. And that is how, prayatna śaithilya ananta samāpattibhyām. So many concepts, so many ideas are packed inside. But for all our normal practical suggestions, we should just remember and take it. It is the effortless practice of the āsanas and at the mental level absorbed in infinity. And the deeper and deeper meanings which we have seen in understanding the particular sutra. And what is the final benefit of the practice of āsana? It is the 48th sutra which says, very beautiful sutra it is.
ततो द्व॒न्द्वान॑भिघा॒तः ॥ २.४८॥
Tato dvandvānabhighātaḥ it is.
Tataḥ means from the above sutra. From prayatna śaithilya ananta samāpattibhyām, what happens? Dvandvān anabhighātaḥ it is. Dvandva is pairs of opposites. Anabhighātaḥ, not attacked, means the practice gives a result, a benefit which is not affected by, not attacked by the dvandvas. Simple, an āsana practitioner will not be affected by pairs of opposites. Anabhighātaḥ is not affected, is not attacked. The meaning can be stretched with physical level to any level. That the body's resistance power will increase. A normal change in the climates will not affect the body. A little bit of rain, a little bit of cold, a little bit of temperature change will not affect the body temperature. It is a very important dimension. In hot summer, there is no need to go into an AC room. The body will not require, it will not demand, it will not make it necessary. The necessity to use, necessity to maintain same temperature, surrounding temperature. Even though the changes in the climate is taking place, that necessity will not be there because body will gain the capacity to adjust itself to the change of the environment, climate changes. The body will be able to do that dvandvān anabhighātaḥ it is. It is not attacked, it is not affected by that. How beautiful, what a wonderful benefit and suggestion given by Maharishi Patanjali. At psychological level, dvandvas or conflicts, mental conflicts are removed. Non-conflict, conflict level state. Practice of āsanas like this removes mental conflicts, no conflicts.
As Bhagavan Sri Krishna tells, samatvaṁ yoga ucyate. Equilibrium and balance. Conflicts will be resolved. Resolution of conflicts at the mental level - dvandvān anabhighātaḥ. Anger, jealousy, hatred will not affect what we see nowadays psychosomatic ailments. The body getting an ailment, a disease because of the psychological disturbances dvandvān anabhighātaḥ that will be resolved. It will not be affected. Stress, tension and anxieties will not affect the body. Tato dvandvān anabhighātaḥ it is. It is a beautiful sutra. And this concludes Maharishi Patanjali's description, exposition on the āsanas. Let us see the further sutras.Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः||
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/F7m20lQg_RU?si=a-kAjtPdqqXSGHHO
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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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