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The third sutra of the Kaivalya Pada
नि॒मि॒त्त॒म॒प्र॒यो॒ज॒कं प्र॒कृ॒ती॒नां वरणभेदस्तु त॒तः क्षेत्रि॑क॒वत् ॥ ४.३॥
Nimittam prayojakam prakṛtīnām varaṇabhedastu tathākṣetrikavat
Nimittam is incidental cause nimittamatram bhavajanvyāsaachan in the Bhagavad Gītā we get the śloka, nimittam means applied, incidental, incidental cause nimittam, aprayojakam - yojakam, prayojakam, aprayojakam, aprayojakam means not directly causing not directly related, aprayojakam those who don't move into action, prakṛti natural process, varaṇa a beautiful word varaṇa is obstacle, something like a lump of mud to stop water obstacle water is flowing and you put a stone to block it the flow is blocked and that is called as varaṇa, śila varaṇam, mṛttikā varaṇam, loha varaṇam, varaṇa is obstacle blocking bheda removal, tu is really tathā from that, kṣetrika former vat kṣetrika, vat kṣetrika is farmer, vat is like. A very beautiful sūtra which talks about the flow made to flow by removing the block, the obstacle. So nimittam is the incidental cause, aprayojakam is not directly causing, prakṛti is a creative cause, the natural process, varaṇa is the obstacle, bheda is the removal and kṣetrika vat like a farmer. The rough understanding of the sūtra is the incidental cause does not move or stir up the natural tendencies into activity; it merely removes the obstacles like a farmer irrigating a field. This is a nice way the incidental cause does not create the natural tendencies into activity the incidental cause only removes the obstacles an example given is like a farmer who irrigates the field. This is a very very important sūtra to understand the cause and effects. And the importance of the various expressions and the sūtra is very important to understand the depth of the cause and effects prakṛti, consciousness the material causes the incidental causes like that a very important sūtra it is.
For example just take an example rice is there we can make many dishes from the rice, all dishes are the dishes made from the rice, all the different kinds of changes which can be brought out which are brought out by producing different conditions and by applying different kinds of stimuli for the manifestation of different potentialities, it is very important. If a jīrā rice has to be made the kinds of changes which is to be brought are different various stimuli is different and expression of manifestation of potentialities are different. And if the rice khīr has to be made and if the rice and other items various diseases of the rice, in south India hundreds of diseases they are making, we can make. Similarly an āṭā various items can be made various dishes can be made but all those dishes are different expressions and different changes or different varieties brought out in the same prakṛti in the same material called the rice or called the āṭā, wheat. Same thing with the gold. But the potentialities of all these changes already exist in the rice, already exist in the wheat, already exist in the gold this is very very important conclusion and understanding is needed. If the rice is giving a different taste when mixed with the different items that taste and ability of the rice to express itself was already there in the rice it was hidden in the rice, from the āṭā if you can make a chapātī a roṭī, a parāṭhā of various types all those abilities, all those expressions are hidden or the potentialities are already existing a potentiality to change or a potentiality to express it is existing in the rice. But let us remember for instance, a change into wheat is not possible a wheat into rice is not possible, wheat into maize is not possible and a gold into rice, rice into gold, not possible there can be a golden rice for expression but rice cannot be gold, gold cannot be rice because the gold has a potentiality of its own and that cannot be changed. Exactly Maharshi Patañjali says in the sūtra nimittam that incidental cause cannot bring out a complete change, then what it does, it removes the obstacle to express its nature. Like he has given a beautiful example kṣetrika vat kṣetrika means a farmer, when a water has to flow into the field, the farmer will remove with a spade he will cut open that blocking mud, that blocking mud is called varaṇa, he will remove it and the water flows. So the various changes take place the various the flow of the prakṛti is made possible by removing the varaṇa, removing the obstacle.
How beautifully Swāmī Vivekānanda wonderfully says in his own commentary that “Each soul is potentially divine the goal is to manifest the divinity within all powers are within us.” But for the expression of this force from within there are many varaṇas, obstacles, blocks, lumps of block and varaṇas not only just varaṇa there are āvaraṇas, āvaraṇas of the varaṇa, varaṇas of the āvaraṇas there is a need to remove it. And whenever we say that water flows from higher level to the lower level, it may be easy common expression but always we should say that water flows from higher pressure to the lower pressure, it is not from the higher level to the lower level because when we pump water we pump from down to the top from lower level to the higher level we can pump water means we should say that it is from higher pressure to the lower pressure even from higher level means it is higher pressure to the lower pressure. That is right way of expression Maharishi Patañjali when he says nimittam aprayojakam prakṛti varaṇa vedatu tathā kṣetrika vat. That is how beautifully he says that nimittam aprayojakam prakṛti nām varaṇa vedastu tathā kṣetrika vat. And this sūtra is worth to be concluded with beautiful saying of Swāmī Vivekānanda who wonderfully says that “When a farmer is irritating his field the water is already in the canals only there are gates which keep the water in the farmer opens these gates and the water flows in by itself by the law of gravitation. So all human progress and power are already in everything this perfection is every man’s nature. Only it is born in and prevented from taking its proper course. If anyone can take the bar off in rushes nature then the man attains the powers which are his already, those we called wicked become saints as soon as the bar is broken and nature rushes in. It is nature that is driving us towards perfection and eventually she will bring everyone there. The incidental or existing cause which seems outwardly to bring about the change is not the real cause of the change the change is real brought about by the predisposing causes determined by the nature of potentialities existing in the things undergoing change. What the incidental cause does is merely to determine in which direction change will take place and thus to direct the flow of natural forces in that particular direction.” how wonderfully some Vivekānanda concludes further and he says that “what has this law to do with yoga, everything as has been pointed out before the yogī has to work out his liberation with the help of the laws which operates in the realm of prakṛti and he therefore ought to have a clear idea of this fundamental law which determines the flux of phenomena taking place around him and within him” Swāmī Vivekānanda continues his wonderful exploration of this particular sutta “The great ancient evolutionist Patañjali declares that the true secret of evolution is the manifestation of the perfection which is already in every being that this perfection has been borne and the infinite tide behind it is struggling to express itself. And these struggles and competitions are but the results of our ignorance because we do not know the proper way to unlock the gate and let the water in. This infinite tide behind must express itself and it is a cause of all manifestation and competition for life or which are only momentary, unnecessary extraneous effects caused by ignorance. Therefore there is no reason to believe that competition is necessary to progress in the animal the man was suppressed but as soon as the door was opened how precious the man so in man there is a potential God kept in by the locks and bars of ignorance when knowledge breaks these bars the God becomes manifest.” what a brilliant commentary Swāmī Vivekānanda in these powerful words concludes this particular sūtra of Maharishi Patañjali - Nimittam prayojakam prakṛtīnām varaṇabhedastu tathākṣetrikavat with this powerful conclusion of Swāmī Vivekānanda let us understand the further sūtras.
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/QQXUpYC4HQA?si=ipfiNqDsEhG4i5Sf
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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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