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The third sutra of the Vibhūti Pāda is the definition and understanding of the Samādhi. The sutra is
त॒दे॒वा॒र्थमा॒त्रनि॒र्भा॒सं स्व॒रूपशून्यमिव॑ समा॒धिः ॥ ३.३॥
Tadeva Artha Mātra Nirbhāsaṁ Svarūpa Śūnyamiva Samādhiḥ
Tadeva, tat eva, Tat is that, Eva is itself, Tadeva, that itself, Artha is essence, Mātra, only that itself, Only that itself, Nirbhāsa, Bhāsa and nirbhāsa, Bhāsa is vision, Nirbhāsa is clear vision, clear perception, Svarūpa, Rūpa and svarūpa, Svarūpa is original form, Śūnyam is the void, empty, without, absence, Eva, as if, Samādhi, that is Samādhiḥ.
Tadeva Arthamātra Nirbhāsaṁ Svarūpa Śūnyamiva Samādhiḥ. Tadeva, that itself, that itself means Dhyāna itself, as in the second sutra, tatra is used, that tatra refers to Dhāraṇā, here, tadeva refers to Dhyāna. Dhyāna itself - Tadeva Artha mātra nirbhāsaṁ means clear perception of the essence behind the form of meditation, clear perception, clear vision of the object for meditation. That is the nirbhāsa of the object, Artha mātra, the essence alone, the reality alone, that is artha mātra nirbhāsaṁ, the clear vision of the essence alone. Svarūpa śūnyam, absence of the svarūpa, absence of the object of meditation. And that is Samādhi. So Samādhi was explained and described as culmination of Dhyāna and referring to two points, artha mātra nirbhāsaṁ and svarūpa śūnyam. So Samādhi is the culmination of the transformation of the process of Dhyāna as Dhyāna was the culmination of the transformation of the process of Dhāraṇā. Dhāraṇā culminates to Dhyāna and Dhyāna culminates into Samādhi. So Samādhi is not different, not something which is unconnected with Dhyāna. Dhyāna culminates into Samādhi. In fact Dhyāna becomes Samādhi, like Dhāraṇā became Dhyāna.
And what is the becoming of this? Tadeva artha mātra nirbhāsaṁ. The object of meditation, the essence, the essential quality of it, the essential core of the object of meditation. That is why the word tadeva is used and artha mātra is used. And say for example the object of meditation is say a rose flower, a lotus flower and when after Dhāraṇā and Dhyāna phases are over, transformations are over, the process of transformation into the Samādhi when it is happening, artha mātra, the essence of the object alone is perceived. The essence of the rose alone is perceived. Not the shape of the rose, not the smell of the rose, not the texture of the rose, not the color of the rose, the essential quality, the essence of the rose. When we say the essence of the rose, what that refers? When we say the essence of Rāma, what is referred as the essence of Rāma? That alone is perceived. Artha mātra..mātra is alone, artha is the essence. It is perceived in nirbhāsa. What is the essence of that object of meditation? It can be a flower as we refer to it as a lotus flower. What is the essence of the lotus flower? We should be very clear in understanding this meaning or reference to the essence. The essence of the lotus is not of its color, not its texture, not its smell, not its shape, not its weight, not even all the qualities. The essence goes back into the pañca bhūtas with which it is made, then the tanmātras, then the essence behind it, which is the essence of everything, of all the objects in the world and of the meditation. And that essence is perceived. And that essence alone is perceived. And clearly it is perceived. That clearly perceived is the nirbhāsaṁ. The essence alone is the artha mātra. Then what happens? When the essence, the core alone is perceived, what happens? Svarūpaśūnyam. The rūpa becomes absent. What was normally seen or visible, felt, observed, that gets lost - Śūnyam. So a book is there. On the book concentration, on the book Dhyāna. But on the book when transformation of Samādhi happens, what will happen? The essence of the book, which is not the shape of the book, which is not the weight of the book, which is not even the smell if at all it has, all the essence of all that alone is perceived. Because in the process of Dhāraṇā and Dhyāna, all that is not of the essence are eliminated. And in Samādhi the total elimination took place and the essence, the real alone is perceived. Nirbhāsaṁ it is. And once that is perceived, all that was there earlier, which is not the essence, svarūpa śūnyam, it is lost. The external visibility, the external vision, the svarūpa, that is lost, disappears actually. What a wonderful sutra it is! Means, the essence of the object, the essence of the object of meditation is clearly experienced. And once the essence is seen, the svarūpa is lost. It is like, for example, just for understanding only, take an example, a gold ring, a gold bracelet, a gold chain, a gold earring. Gold is the common essential matter and the svarūpas are different, the rūpas are different. Once the essence, the gold alone is seen in all these objects, the objects, the shapes are immaterial, they are lost and that is the artha mātra nirbhāsaṁ it is and svarūpa śūnyam happens. The subject is now not perceived or experienced in its usual way. That is experienced in our empirical way, but is experienced or comprehended better because the essence of the object is seen. The content and the essence with which the object is made, that is seen. So the outer shape, the normal shape, the normally perceived and understood loses its importance. Not only loses importance, it loses itself. That is why Dhāraṇā becomes Dhyāna. Dhyāna becomes Samādhi. It should be very clear in understanding, one culminating into the other. And this process of one culminating into the other will happen only when the entire earlier five are perfected. Then alone it is possible. And that is where Samādhi has been defined as svarūpa śūnyam and artha nirbhāsaṁ it is. And artha nirbhāsaṁ and svarūpa śūnyam is the importance of the Samādhi. A very beautiful sutra and a lot to understand and experience apart from just knowing the meanings. And artha mātra nirbhāsaṁ, tadeva and svarūpa śūnyam are the culminations of the Dhāraṇā into the Dhyāna. And after explaining Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi, the further sutras wonderfully explains, discusses about the further progress, depth and heights and experiences and the transformations of the mind. And the concentration, meditation and absorption, generally these are the English words which are used to describe Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi. But how limited these English words are and how deep the experience, the process and the transformations which are happening in the mind which signifies the beautiful word Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna and Samādhi. Really the words are so powerful and so potent with the meaning symbolizing the inner transformations of the Citta from one to the other. And that is how the last three Aṅgas of the Aṣṭāṅga Yoga and after describing them, Maharishi Patanjali goes still further and explains wonderfully, beautifully the further depths of the Citta. Let us see those sutras. Om 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/PeyVE8_YzRs?si=oKRClzFxkhlmuONA
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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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