KAIVALYA PĀDA

Janmauṣadhi-mantra-tapaḥ-samādhi-jāḥ siddhayaḥ.

birth drugs incantation; a group of words whose constant repetition produces specific results austerities; purificatory actions; penance trance; born of; are the result of attainments; occult powers.

1. The Siddhis are the result of birth, drugs, Mantras, austerities or Samādhi.

Section IV of the Yoga-Sūtras provides the theoretical background for the technique of Yoga which has been dealt with in the previous three Sections. It deals with the various general problems which form an integral part of the Yogic philosophy and which must be clearly understood if the practice of Yoga is to be placed on a rational basis. The practice of Yoga is not a sort of floundering in the Unknown for attaining a vague spiritual ideal. Yoga is a Science based upon a perfect adaptation of well-defined means to an unknown but definite End. It takes into account all the factors which are involved in the attainment of its objective and provides a perfectly coherent philosophical background for the practices which are its more essential part. It is true that the doctrines which constitute this theoretical background will hardly appear rational or intelligible to people who are not familiar with this subject but that is true of any kind of knowledge which deals with problems of an unfamiliar nature. It is only those who have given considerable thought to this subject and are familiar at least with the elementary doctrines of the Yogic philosophy who can be expected to appreciate the grand and almost flawless line of reasoning which underlies the apparently disconnected topics dealt with in Section IV.

As this Section deals with many difficult topics which are apparently unconnected, it will perhaps help the student to grasp the underlying thread of reasoning running throughout the Section if a synopsis of the whole Section is given at the beginning. This will inevitably involve some repetition of ideas but such a bird’s-eye view will be definitely helpful in understanding this rather abstruse aspect of Yogic philosophy.

SYNOPSIS

Sūtra 1: This enumerates the different methods of acquiring Siddhis. Of the five methods given only the last based upon Samādhi is used by advanced Yogis in their work because it is based upon direct knowledge of the higher laws of Nature and is, therefore, under complete control of the will. The student must have noticed that all the Siddhis described in the previous Section are the result of performing Saṃyama. They are the product of evolutionary growth and thus give mastery over the whole range of natural phenomena.

Sūtras 2-3: These two Sūtras hint at the two fundamental laws of Nature which govern the flux of phenomena constituting the world of the Relative. An understanding of these two laws is necessary if we are to form a correct estimate of the functions and limitations of Siddhis. The student should not run away with the impression that it is possible for the Yogi to do anything he likes because he can bring about many results which appear miraculous to our limited vision. The Yogi is also bound by the laws of Nature and as long as his consciousness functions in the realms of Nature, it is subject to the laws which govern these realms. He has to work out his liberation from the realm of Prakṛti but he can do so only by obeying and utilizing the laws which operate in her realm.

Sūtras 4-6: The Yogi brings from his past lives, like everyone else, an enormous number of tendencies and potentialities in the form of Karmas and Vāsanās. These exist in his subtler vehicles in a very definite form and have to be worked out or destroyed before Kaivalya can be attained. These Sūtras refer to these individual vehicles which are of two types—those which are the product of evolutionary growth during successive lives and those which the Yogi can create by the power of his will. Before one can understand the methods adopted for the destruction of Karmas and Vāsanās he should have some knowledge of the mental mechanisms through which these tendencies function.

Sūtras 7-11: These deal with the modus operandi by which the impressions of our thoughts, desires and actions are produced and then worked out during the course of successive lives in our evolutionary growth. The problem for the Yogi is to stop adding to these accumulated impressions by learning the technique of Niṣkāma Karma and desirelessness and to work out those potentialities which have already been acquired in the quickest and most efficient manner. The destruction of the subtler or dormant Vāsanās depends ultimately upon the destruction of Avidyā which is the cause of attachment to life.

Sūtras 12-22: After dealing with the vehicles of the mind (Citta) and the forces (Vāsanās) which bring about incessant transformations (Vṛttis) in these vehicles Patañjali discusses the theory of mental perception, using the word ‘mental’ in its most comprehensive sense. According to him two entirely different kinds of elements are involved in mental perception. On the one hand, there must be the impact of the object upon the mind through their characteristic properties and, on the other, the eternal Puruṣa must illuminate the mind with the light of his consciousness. Unless both these conditions are simultaneously present there can be no mental perception because the mind itself is inert and incapable of perceiving. It is the Puruṣa who is the real perceiver though he always remains in the background and the illumination of the mind with the light of his consciousness makes it appear as if it is the mind which perceives. This fact can be realized only when the mind is entirely transcended and the consciousness of the Puruṣa is centred in his own, Svarūpa in full awareness of Reality.

Sūtra 23: This throws a flood of light on the nature of Citta and shows definitely that the word Citta is used by Patañjali in the most comprehensive sense for the medium of perception at all levels of consciousness and not merely as a medium of intellectual perception as commonly supposed. Wherever there is perception in the Relative realm of Prakṛti there must be a medium through which that perception takes place and that medium is Citta. So that even when consciousness is functioning on the highest planes of manifestation, far beyond the realm of the intellect, there is a medium through which it works, however subtle this medium may be, and this medium is also called Citta.

Sūtras 24-25: These two Sūtras point out the nature of the limitations from which life suffers even on the highest planes of manifestation. The Puruṣa is not only the ultimate source of all perception as pointed out in IV-18 but he is also the motive power or reason of this play of Vāsanās which keep the mind in incessant activity. It is for him that all this long evolutionary process is taking place although he is always hidden in the background. It follows from this that even in the exalted conditions of consciousness which the Yogi might reach in the higher stages of Yoga he is dependent upon something distinct and separate, though within him. He cannot be truly Self-sufficient and Self-illuminated until he is fully Self-realized and has become one with the Reality within himself. It is the realization of this fact, of his falling short of his ultimate objective, which weans the Yogi from the exalted illumination and bliss of the highest plane and makes him dive still deeper within himself for the Reality which is the consciousness of the Puruṣa.

Sūtras 26-29: These Sūtras give some indication of the struggle in the last stages before full Self-realization is attained. This struggle culminates ultimately in Dharma-Megha-Samādhi which opens the door to the Reality within him.

Sūtras 30-34: These Sūtras merely indicate some of the consequences of attaining Kaivalya and give a hint about the nature of the exalted condition of consciousness and freedom from limitations in which a fully Self-realized Puruṣa lives. No one, of course, who has not attained Kaivalya can really understand what this condition is actually like.

After taking a bird’s-eye view of the Section let us now deal with the different topics one by one. In the first Sūtra Patañjali gives an exhaustive list of methods whereby occult powers may be acquired. Some people are born with certain occult powers such as clairvoyance etc. The appearance of such occult powers is not quite accidental but is generally the result of having practised Yoga, in some form or another, in a previous life. All special faculties which we bring over in any life are the result of efforts which we have made in those particular directions in previous lives and Siddhis are no exception to this rule. But the fact that a person has practised Yoga and developed these powers in previous lives does not mean necessarily that he shall be born with those powers in this life. These powers have generally to be developed afresh in each successive incarnation unless the individual is very highly advanced in this line and brings over from previous lives very powerful Saṃskāras. It is also necessary to remember in this connection that some people whose moral and intellectual development is not very highly advanced are sometimes born with certain spurious occult powers. This is due to their dabbling in Yogic practices in their previous lives as explained in I-19.

Psychic powers of a low grade can often be developed by the use of certain drugs. Many Fakirs in India use certain herbs like Gānjā for developing clairvoyance of a low order. Others can bring about very remarkable chemical changes by the use of certain drugs or herbs, but those who know these secrets do not generally impart them to others. Needless to say that the powers obtained in this manner are not of much consequence and should be classed with the innumerable powers which modern Science has placed at our disposal.

The use of Mantras is an important and potent means of developing Siddhis and the Siddhis developed in this manner may be of the highest order. For, some of the Mantras like Praṇava or Gāyatrī bring about the unfoldment of consciousness and there is no limit to such unfoldment. When the higher levels of consciousness are reached as a result of such practices the powers which are inherent in those states of consciousness begin to appear naturally, though they may not be used by the devotee. Besides the natural development of Siddhis in this manner, there are specific Mantras for the attainment of particular kinds of objectives and when used with knowledge in the right manner bring about the desired results with the certainty of a scientific experiment. The Tantras are full of such Mantras for obtaining very ordinary and sometimes highly objectionable results. The reason why the ordinary man cannot get the desired results by simply following the directions in the books lies in the fact that the exact conditions are deliberately not given and can be obtained only from those who have been regularly initiated and have developed the powers. Of course, the true Yogi regards all such practices with contempt and never goes near them.

Tapas is another well-recognized means of obtaining Siddhis. The Purāṇas are full of stories of people who obtained all kinds of Siddhis by performing austerities of various kinds and thus propitiating different deities. Those stories may or may not be true but that Tapas leads to the development of certain kinds of occult powers is a fact well known to all students of Yoga. The important point to be noted in this connection is that the Siddhis acquired by this method, unless they are the result of the general unfoldment of consciousness by the practice of Yoga, are of a restricted nature and do not last for more than one life. And it frequently happens that the person who acquires such a Siddhi, being morally and spiritually undeveloped, misuses it, thus not only losing the power but bringing upon himself a lot of suffering and evil Karma.

The last and the most important means of developing Siddhis is the practice of Saṃyama. The major portion of Section III deals with some of the Siddhis that may be developed in this manner. The list of Siddhis referred to in that Section is not exhaustive but the more important ones are given. They should be taken merely as representative of an almost innumerable class to which references are found in Yogic literature.

One fact has, however, to be noted in this connection. The Siddhis which are developed as a result of the practice of Saṃyama belong to a different category and are far superior to those developed in other ways. They are the product of the natural unfoldment of consciousness in its evolution towards perfection and thus become permanent possessions of the soul, although a little effort may be needed in each new incarnation to revive them in the early stages of Yogic training. Being based upon knowledge of the higher laws of Nature operating in her subtler realms they can be exercised with complete confidence and effectiveness, much in the same way as a trained scientist can bring about extraordinary results in the field of physical Science.

Jāty-antara-pariṇāmaḥ prakṛty-āpūrāt.

into another class, species or kind change; transformation Nature which makes, acts, creates; natural tendencies or potentialities by the filling up or overflow.

2. The transformation from one species or kind into another is by the overflow of natural tendencies or potentialities.

The word Jāti is generally used in Saṃskṛta for class, species etc., but in the context in which it is used here it is obvious that it has to be interpreted in a much wider sense. It is only then that the profound significance of the Sūtra reveals itself and can be understood in terms of modern scientific thought.

It is difficult to grasp the underlying idea of this Sūtra from its mere translation and it will, therefore, be necessary to explain its real significance in some detail. Jāty-Antara-Pariṇāma means a transformation involving a fundamental change of nature, or substance such as genus or chemical composition and not merely a change of state or form. Thus when water is changed into ice it is merely a change of state and does not involve an essential change of substance. When a bangle made of gold is changed into a necklace, again, there is no fundamental change but merely a change of form. But when hydrogen is changed into helium, or uranium is changed into lead, it is a fundamental change of substance and comes under Jāty-Antara-Pariṇāma. Now, the Sūtra lays down that all such changes involving fundamental differences can take place only when there is present in the substance the potentiality for the change under the specified conditions. Prakṛtyāpūrāt is a beautiful and pregnant phrase for expressing a very comprehensive scientific law. Literally, it means ‘by the flow of Prakṛti’; but let us try to understand in terms of modern Science what the real significance of this phrase is. It will be best to take a few facts from our common experience to illustrate the working of this law. If we take a dry mass of wood and apply a burning match to it, the wood immediately takes fire and a whole timber yard may be reduced to ashes in a short time. But if we apply a burning match to a heap of bricks and mortar nothing happens. Why? Because, wood has in it the potentiality of combining with the oxygen of the air with the liberation of a great amount of heat and a number of volatile products and as the reaction is self-propagating involving a sort of ‘chain reaction’ a mere spark is enough to reduce the whole mass of wood to ashes. But in the case of bricks and mortar there is no potentiality to react in this manner and, therefore, when the match is applied nothing happens. Change, in such a case, therefore, takes place according to the potentialities existing in the material and follows the tendency of natural forces under the given conditions. If the conditions change, the tendencies may also change and an entirely new kind of change may be brought about. For example., the wood may be subjected to the action of certain chemical substances and converted into charcoal. Let us take another example. A breeder can evolve a new species of dog by the appropriate crossing of different kinds of dogs but he cannot produce a new species of cat in this manner. The potentiality for the production of a new species of cat does not exist in the latter case. Here again, therefore, we are bound by limitations set by natural tendencies and potentialities and cannot go against them. It is true that if we have the necessary knowledge we can, by the introduction of new factors, bring about changes which appeared impossible before, but that does not mean that we have violated the fundamental law of Nature referred to above.

Nimittam aprayojakaṃ prakṛtināṃ varaṇabhedas tu tataḥ kṣetrikavat.

incidental cause non-urging; not directly causing of natural tendencies; of predisposing causes obstacle piercing through; removal verily; on the other hand from that like the farmer.

3. 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).

The idea embodied in IV-2 is further elaborated in IV-3. Transformation from one kind into another takes place, as we have seen, according to the resultant effect of all forces involved. Everything has the potentiality of changing in a number of directions and by bringing to bear upon it different kinds of forces, we can make it change in one or another of the directions as illustrated in the following diagram.

FIG. 11

If we have a beaker full of sugar solution we can change the sugar into alcohol by inoculating the solution with a certain kind of ferment, we can change it into a mixture of glucose and fructose by adding hydrochloric acid, we can change it into carbon by adding strong sulphuric acid and so op. All these different kinds changes can be brought about by producing different conditions, by applying different kinds of stimuli for the manifestation of different potentialities. But the potentialities for all these changes already exist in the sugar solution. We cannot, for instance, change the sugar into mercury because there is no potentiality, in the chemical sense, for sugar to change into mercury.

The incidental or existing cause which seems outwardly to bring about the change is not the real cause of the change. The change is really 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.

The respective role of the exciting and predisposing causes in bringing about all kinds of changes in Nature is then further made clear by the use of a very apt simile “like a farmer”. Anyone who has observed a farmer directing the current of water into different parts of a field will see at once how closely such a process resembles the action of natural forces being directed by one or the other of the outward causes which seem to bring about different kinds of changes. He removes a little earth here and the water begins to flow in one furrow. Then he closes up the gap and makes a breach at another place and the water begins to flow in another direction. The removal of a little earth from one particular spot does not produce the current of water. It merely removes an obstacle in the path of the water and determines the direction of the current.

The great natural law embodied in the above two Sūtras is applicable not only to physical phenomena but to all kinds of phenomena in the realm of Prakṛti For example, the nature of our actions, good or bad, does not make our life. It merely determines the direction of our future lives. The current of our life must flow on incessantly, its direction being continually determined by our actions, thoughts and feelings.

The student may well ask: “What has this law to do with Yoga?” Everything. As has been pointed out before, the Yogi has to work out his liberation with the help of the laws which operate 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. As he has to destroy completely, and for ever, certain deep-seated tendencies in his nature he ought to know their root causes which give rise to different forms of those tendencies. He ought to know that mere suppression of a tendency does not mean its removal. It will lie low in a potential form for an indefinite period and then again raise its head when suitable conditions present themselves. It is no use merely removing the exciting causes. The predisposing causes must be removed. The modem tendency is to deal only with the superficial causes and to get over the present difficulties somehow. This leads us nowhere and continually brings before us the old troubles in new and different forms.

Nirmāṇa-cittāny asmitā-mātrāt.

created; artificial minds egoism; ‘I-am-ness’; sense of individuality from alone.

4. Artificially created minds (proceed) from ‘egoism’ alone.

The two previous Sūtras should prepare the ground for understanding the modus operandi of the method by which any number of additional ‘minds’ can be artificially produced by the highly advanced Yogi. Citta, as pointed out in I-2, is the universal principle which serves as a medium for all kinds of mental perceptions. But this universal principle can function only through a set of vehicles working on the different planes of the Solar system. These vehicles of consciousness, or Kośas as they are called, are formed by the appropriation and integration of matter belonging to different planes round an individual centre of consciousness and provide the necessary stimuli for mental perceptions which take place in consciousness. Patañjali has used the same word, Citta, for the universal principle which serves as a medium for mental perception as well as the individual mechanism through which such perception takes place. It is necessary to keep this distinction in mind because one or the other of the two meanings is implied by the same word—Citta—at different places.

Since the object of Section IV is partly to elucidate the nature of Citta, the question of the creation of ‘artificial minds’ has been dealt with by Patañjali in this Section. There is, of course, a ‘natural mind’, if we may use such a phrase, through which the individual works and evolves in the realms of Prakṛti during the long course of his evolutionary cycle. That mind, working through a set of vehicles, is the product of evolution, carries the impressions of all experiences through which it has passed in successive lives and lasts till Kaivalya is attained. But, during the course of the Yogic training when the Yogi has acquired the power of performing Saṃyama and manipulating the forces of the higher planes, especially Mahat-Tattva, it is possible for him to create any number of mental vehicles by duplication, vehicles which are an exact replica of the vehicle through which he normally functions. Such vehicles of consciousness are called Nirmāṇa-Cittāni and the question arises: ‘How are these “artificial minds” created by the Yogi?’ The answer to this question is given in the Sūtra under discussion.

Such artificial minds with their appropriate mechanism are created from ‘Asmitā alone’. Asmitā is, of course, the principle of individuality in man which forms, as it were, the core of the individual soul and maintains in an integrated condition all the vehicles of consciousness functioning at different levels. It is this principle, which on identification with the different vehicles, produces egoism and other related phenomena which have been dealt with thoroughly in II-6. This principle is called Mahat-Tattva in Hindu philosophy and it is through its agency that artificial minds can be created. The advanced Yogi who can control the Mahat-Tattva has the power of establishing any number of independent centres of consciousness for himself and as soon as such a centre is established an ‘artificial mind’ automatically materializes round about it. This is an exact replica of the ‘natural mind’ in which he functions normally and remains in existence as long as he wills it to be maintained. The moment the Yogi withdraws his will from the ‘artificial mind’ it disappears instantaneously.

It is worthwhile noting the significance of the word ‘alone’ in the Sūtra. The significance, of course, is that the creation of an ‘artificial mind’ does not require any other operation except that of establishing a new centre of individuality. The precipitation of an ‘artificial mind’ round about this centre is brought about automatically by the forces of Prakṛti because the capacity of gathering a ‘mind’ round itself is inherent in the Mahat-Tattva. There is nothing extraordinary or incredible in such materializations and similar phenomena take place even on the physical plane. What happens when we place a tiny seed in the ground? The seed, by the potential power which is inherent in it, immediately begins to work upon its surroundings and gradually elaborates a tree from the matter appropriated from its environment. The flow of natural forces brings about all the necessary changes needed for this development. Do we know the secret of this power? No! But still it exists and we see its action all around us in every sphere of life. What is, therefore, incredible or miraculous in a centre established in the Mahat-Tattva gathering a Citta or ‘mind’ round itself by the automatic action of natural forces (Prakṛti-Āpūrāt)? The only difference is that of time. While the tree takes considerable time to grow, the production of the ‘artificial mind’ seems to take place instantaneously. But time is a relative thing and its measure varies according to the plane upon which it functions.

The automatism which is involved in the creation of ‘artificial minds’ cannot be adequately understood unless we have a clear grasp of the natural law enunciated in IV-2-3. This, no doubt, partly accounts for the insertion of these two Sūtras before the problem of ‘artificial minds’ is dealt with by the author.

Pravṛṭṭi-bhede prayojakaṃ cittam ekam anekeṣ’m.

activity; pursuit in the difference directing; moving mind one of many.

5. The one (natural) mind is the director or mover of the many (artificial) minds in their different activities.

If the Yogi can duplicate his ‘mind’ at different places the question arises: ‘How are the activities of these “artifical minds” thus created, co-ordinated and controlled?’ According to this Sūtra the activities and functions of the ‘artificial minds’—whatever their number—are directed and controlled by the one ‘natural mind’ of the Yogi. The ‘artificial minds’ are merely the instruments of the one ‘natural mind’ and obey it automatically. Just as the activities of the hands and other organs working in the physical body are co-ordinated by the brain and are directly under its control, in the same way the activities of the ‘artificial minds’ are co-ordinated and controlled by the Intelligence working in and through the ‘natural mind’. Of course, this Intelligence working through the ‘natural mind’ is none else but the Puruṣa whose consciousness illuminates and energizes all the vehicles. It should also be noted that the ‘artificial minds’ act not only as instruments of the ‘natural’ mind but also, as it were, the outposts of its consciousness. Pravṛtti includes both kinds of activities, those corresponding to Jñānendriyas and Karmendriyas, the receptive and operative functions of consciousness.

Tatra dhyānajam anāśayam.

of them born of meditation free from Saṃskāras or impressions; germless.

6. Of these the mind born of meditation is free from impressions.

To all outer appearances the ‘artificial minds’ are exact replicas of the ‘natural mind’ but they differ from it in one fundamental respect. They do not carry with them any impressions, Saṃskāras or Karmas which are an integral part of the ‘natural mind’. The ‘natural mind’ is the product of evolutionary growth and is the repository of the Saṃskāras of all the experiences which it has passed through during the course of successive lives. These Saṃskāras in their totality are referred to as Karmāśaya ‘vehicle of Karmas’ and have been dealt with in II-12. The ‘artificial minds’ created by the will-power of the Yogi are free from these impressions and one can easily see why this should be so. They are merely temporary creations which disappear as soon as the work for which they are created is finished. A business firm may be obliged to open a temporary branch in some locality for a particular purpose. Although business is transacted at the office of the new branch all accounts etc. are kept at the head office. The temporary office is merely an outpost of the head office and has really no independent status. The assets and liabilities belong to the head office. A somewhat similar relationship exists between the ‘artificial minds’ and the one ‘natural mind’.

Karmāśuklākṛṣnaṃ yoginas tri-vidham itareṣām.

action not white not black of a Yogi fasten threefold of others.

7. Karmas are neither white nor black (neither good nor bad) in the case of Yogis, they are of three kinds in the case of others.

The next topic which Patañjali takes up is the question of gaining freedom from the bondage of Karma which is a sine qua non for the attainment of Kaivalya. The subject of Karma has already been dealt with in II-12-14 and is taken up again here. In Section II the problem was discussed from a different angle—in relation to Kleśas—and it was shown how the Kleśas are the underlying cause of Karmas which in their turn produce pleasant or unpleasant conditions in this or future lives according as they are good or bad. But here, in Section IV, the subject has been taken up again and is dealt with from an entirely different point of view—with the object of showing how the Yogi may get rid of the Karmāśaya—the vehicle of Karma—which contains the accumulated Saṃsakāras of all the previous lives and which binds the soul to the wheel of birth and death. Unless and until all these Saṃskāras are destroyed or rendered inoperative no freedom from the bondage of Prakṛti is possible even though the Yogi may have reached an advanced state of illumination. The force of his Saṃskāras will pull him back again and again and prevent him from reaching the ultimate goal.

IV-7 gives a classification of Karma as well as indicates the means of avoiding the formation of new Karma. Karmas are neither black nor white in the case of those who are Yogis, they are of three kinds in the case of ordinary people. Black and white obviously describe the two kinds of Karmas which produce painful and pleasurable fruits referred to in II-14. The third kind of Karmas are those which are of mixed character. For example, many actions which we do have different effects upon different people. They benefit some and harm others and consequently produce Karmas of mixed character.

The word Yogi in this Sūtra means not only one who is practising Yoga but also one who has learnt the technique of Niṣkāma Karma. He does all his actions in a state of at-one-ment with Iśvara and does not, therefore, produce any personal Karma. The theory of Niṣkāma Karma is an integral part of Hindu philosophical thought and is well known to all students of Yoga. It is not, therefore, necessary to discuss it here in detail, but the broad central idea underlying it may be given. According to this doctrine personal Karma results from the performance of an ordinary action because the guiding force or motive of the action is personal desire—Kāma. We do our actions identifying ourselves with our ego who sees the fulfilment of his own desires and naturally reaps the fruits in the form of pleasurable and painful experiences. When an individual can dissociate himself completely from his ego and performs action in complete identification with the Supreme Spirit which is working through his ego, such an action is called Niṣkāma (without desire). It does not naturally produce any personal Karma and consequently does not bring any fruit to the individual.

It is necessary to note, however, that it is conscious and effective dissociation from the ego which neutralizes the operation of the law of Karma and not a mere thought or intention or wish on the part of the individual. So real Niṣkāma Karma is possible only to highly advanced Yogis who have risen above the plane of desires. Many well-meaning people trying to lead the religious life imagine that merely by wishing to be desireless or thinking of dissociating themselves from their ego, superficially dedicating their actions to God, will free them from the binding action of Karma. This is a mistake though it is true that persistent efforts of this kind will naturally pave the way for acquiring the right technique. As well may a person hope to free himself from the law of gravitation by thinking of rising in the air. What is needed, as has been pointed out above, is a real, conscious identification with the Divine within us and freedom from any taint of personal motive. To the extent that the action is so tainted will it produce Kārmic effect with its binding power over the individual.

When the technique of Niṣkāma Karma has been learnt and applied to all actions, no personal Karma is incurred by the Yogi even though he may be busily engaged in the affairs of the world as an agent of the Divine Life within him. All his Karmas are ‘consumed in the fire of Wisdom’ in the words of the Bhagavad-Gitā. But what about the Karmas that he has already accumulated in his present and past lives? He ceases to add any new Saṃskāras to the accumulated stock, but an enormous number of Saṃskāras are already there in his Karmāśaya which must be exhausted before Liberation is attained. He cannot, simply by willing, make these Saṃskāras disappear. He must wait patiently till they have been completely exhausted and he has paid up the last pie of his debt. It is, therefore, natural that the exhaustion of his Karmas which bind him to other souls should be a long drawn-out process extending probably over many lives. It is true that he has been paying heavy instalments of his Kārmic debts since he has taken to the path of Yoga. It is also true that as he advances on the path of Yoga and is able to function on the higher planes new powers come to him which enable him to expedite this process. For example, he can make ‘artificial minds’ and ‘artificial bodies’ (Nirmāṇakāyās) and through them pay off simultaneously his debts to people who are scattered far and wide in time and space. Still, with these new powers and facilities for hastening the Kārmic process at his disposal he is bound by the laws of Prakṛti and has to work within the framework of these laws. And this naturally requires time and wise and careful adaptation of means to ends.

Tatas tad-vipākānuguṇānām evābhi-vyaktir vāsanānām.

thence their ripening; fruition accordant; correspondent; favourable only manifestation of potential desires; of tendencies.

8. From these only those tendencies are manifested for which the conditions are favourable.

What has been said above about the nature of Niṣkāma Karma must have brought home to the student that it is desire or personal attachment which is the motive power of action in the case of ordinary people and which produces the Saṃskāras both in the form of tendencies and potentialities as well as Karmas which bring pleasant or painful experiences.

The forces set in motion by our thoughts, desires and actions are of a complex nature and produce all kinds of effects which it is difficult to classify completely. But all these leave some kind of Saṃskāra or impression which binds us in one way or another for the future. Thus our desires produce potential energy which draws us irresistibly to the environment or conditions in which they can be satisfied. Actions produce tendencies which make it easier for us to repeat similar actions in future and if they are repeated a sufficient number of times may form fixed habits. In addition, if our actions affect other people in some way they bind us to those people by Kārmic ties and bring pleasant or unpleasant experiences to ourselves. Our thoughts also produce Saṃskāras and result in desires and actions in accordance with their nature.

If, however, we analyse these different kinds of mental and physical activities we shall find that at their base there are always desires of one kind or another which drive the mind and result in these thoughts and actions. Desire in its most comprehensive sense is thus a more fundamental factor in our life than our thoughts and actions because it is the hidden power which drives the mind and body in all kinds of ways for the satisfaction of its own purposes. The mind is thus mostly an instrument of desires and its incessant activity results from the continuous pressure of these desires upon it. Of course, ‘desire’ is not an apt word for the subtle power which drives the mind at its higher levels and which binds consciousness to the glorious realities of the spiritual planes. The word used in Saṃskṛta for this power which works at all levels of the mind is Vāsanā. Just as Citta is the universal medium for the expression of the mind principle, so Vāsanā is the universal power which drives the mind and produces the continuous series of its transformations which imprison consciousness. In fact, the word Vāsanā used in the present context is of a still more comprehensive significance, for it not only indicates the principle of desire in its widest sense but also the tendencies and Karmas which this principle generates on the different planes. For desire and the Karmas or tendencies which it produces form a vicious circle in which causes and effects are inter wined and it is difficult to separate them. So the use of the word Vāsanā for both is quite justifiable.

Since different types of Vāsanās require differerent kinds of conditions and environment for their manifestation, it is quite obvious that they cannot find expression in any haphazard manner but must follow a certain sequence determined by the different types of environments and conditions through which the individual passes in the successive incarnations. And this is what IV-8 points out. If a person has a strong desire for being a champion athlete when he has inherited a weak and diseased body his desire cannot naturally be fulfilled in that life. If an individual A has strong Kārmic ties with another individual B who is not in incarnation at the time and those ties require physical expression they will naturally remain in abeyance for the time being and can be worked out only when both are present in physical incarnation at the same time. It will be seen, therefore, that only a limited number of Vāsanās, whether in the form of desire or Karmas, can find expression in a particular incarnation, firstly, because the span of human life is more or less limited, and secondly, because the conditions for the expression of different kinds of Vāsanās are frequently incompatible. That portion of the accumulated stock of Vāsanās (Sancita Karma) which can find expression and is ready to be precipitated in one particular incarnation is known as Prārabdha Karma of the individual. The life of an ordinary individual is confined within the framework thus made for him and his freedom to alter its main trends is extremely limited. But a man of exceptionally strong will, and especially a Yogi whose knowledge and powers are extraordinary, can make considerable changes in the plan of life thus marked out for him. In fact, the more the Yogi advances on the path of Yoga which he is treading the greater is his hand in determining the pattern of his lives, and when he is on the threshold of Kaivalya he is practically the master of his destiny.

In spite of the comprehensive sense in which the word Vāsanā is used it should be noted that emphasis in this Sūtra is on that aspect of Vāsanā which is expressed in the form of tendencies of which Karmas are merely secondary effects.

Jāti-deśa-kāla-vyavahitānām apy ānantar-yaṃ smṛti-saṃskārayor ekarūpatvāt.

(by) class (by) locality (by) time separated; divided even sequence; non-interruption; immediate succession of memory and impressions because of the sameness in appearance or form.

9. There is the relation of cause and effect even though separated by class, locality and time because memory and impressions are the same in form.

The seemingly irrauonai and disjointed manner in which Vāsanās have to work out in the successive incarnations may give rise to a philosophical difficulty in the mind of the student and Patañjali proceeds to remove this difficulty in this Sūtra. It happens very frequently that one personality of an individual does some particular action but because the Karma of that action cannot be worked out by that personality owing to the absence of the necessary conditions, it has to be worked out by another personality of the same individual in a later life. And this second personality has no memory of the particular action for which it is undergoing that experience. Of course, if this experience is pleasurable no question arises in the mind of the second personality as to the justice of the undeserved good luck. But if the experience is painful there is felt a grievance against Fate for the undeserved pain or suffering. A tremendous amount of this kind of resentment against ‘undeserved’ suffering poisons the minds of people who are ignorant of the Law of Karma and its mode of working and a wider understanding of this Law will do much to make people see things in their true light and to take the experiences of life as they come with patience and without bitterness.

Coming back to the philsophical difficulty we may ask: ‘Why should the second personality in the later life suffer for the wrongs done by the first personality in the previous life, and if it has to, how can the law of Karma be called just?’ The answer to this question is given in the Sūtra we are dealing with. Of course, in expounding a philosophical system or scientific technique in the Sūtra form much is left to the intelligence of the student who is supposed to be familiar with the general doctrines upon which the philosophy or science is based. Only the essential ideas which form, as it were, the steel frame of the mental structure are given and even these are stated as conscisely as possible. The doctrine of reincarnation which is an integral part of Yogic philosophy and which is taken for granted by Patañjali implies that the chain of personalities in the successive incarnations are temporary expressions of a higher and more permanent entity who is called by different names in different schools of thought such as the Jivātmā or the Immortal Ego or the individuality. It is this Jivātmā who really incarnates in the different personalities and the latter may be considered to be more or less outposts of his consciousness in the lower worlds during the period of the incarnations.

Now, the important point to note here is that the over-all memory embracing all the successive lives resides in the ‘mind’ of the Jivātmā and the different personalities which succeed one another do not share the over-all continuous memory. Their memory is confined only to the particular experiences gone through by them in each separate incarnation. This continuous memory embracing the chain of lives is due to the fact that the Saṃskāras of all the experiences gone through in these lives are present in the permanent higher vehicles of the Jivātmā. Just as the contact of the needle with the impressions on the gramophone record reproduces sound, just as the contact of the mind with the physical brain reproduces memory of experiences gone through in this life, in the same way, the contact of the higher consciousness with the Saṃskāras or impressions in the higher vehicles of the Jivātmā reproduces memories corresponding to the Saṃskāras contacted. The vehicle which is the repository of all these Saṃskāras is called ‘Kāraṇa Śarīra’ in Vedāntic terminology because it is the repository of all the germs of future experiences.

It will be seen from what has been said above how the experiences and the corresponding memories of the different personalities scattered in different conditions of class, time and space are integrated in the consciousness of the Jivātmā who has passed through all the experiences and is the real sower and reaper of the Karmas accruing from them. Seen in this light, reaping the bitter fruits by a personality for the wrongs done by another personality which has gone before does not involve any injustice because the different personalities are expressions, under different conditions, of the same entity though they may not be aware of the fact in their physical consciousness, A particular personality (Jiva) is not aware of the whole series of experiences and Saṃskāras but the Jivātmā is, and in the long uninterrupted series of actions and reactions sees the natural working out of the law of Karma and no favouritism or injustice whatsoever. We do not grumble when we find that the unpleasant experiences which we have to go through are the direct result of our own folly or wrong doing. And neither does the Jivātmā before whose vision all the past lives lie like an open book.

The manner in which the over-all memory of the Jivātmā enables him to see the perfect working out of causes are effects even though they are scattered over different lives in an irregular manner can be illustrated by a simple diagram given below:

FIG. 12

a, b, c, d, etc. represent the different causes set going by a particular Jivātmā in four lives represented by compartments A, B, C and D and a’ b’ c’ d’, etc. the corresponding Kārmic effects which ensue in the same or a subsequent life. If these letters are distributed in the four separate compartments in an irregular manner only keeping in mind that each effect follows its corresponding cause then it will not be possible for anyone whose vision is confined to only one compartment to correlate all the causes and the effects which are precipitated when the appropriate conditions present themselves either in the same life or in subsequent lives. But if anyone looks at the letters from a distance so that all the letters in the different compartments are visible simultaneously then every effect can be traced to its corresponding cause, and in spite of the irregular mixing up of the causes and effects in the different compartments, the law of cause and effect is seen to be strictly obeyed.

Tāsām anāditvaṃ cāśiṣo nityatvāt.

of them no beginning and; also of the (current of) desire or will to live because of the eternity or permanence.

10. And there is no beginning of them, the desire to live being eternal.

We have seen in the previous Sūtra that human life is a continuous series of experiences brought about by setting in motion certain causes which are followed sooner or later by their corresponding effects, the whole process thus being an uninterrupted play of actions and reactions. The question naturally arises: ‘When and how does this process of accumulating Saṃskāras begin and how can it be ended?’ We are bound to the wheel of births and deaths on account of Vāsanās which result in experiences of various kinds and these in their turn generate more Vāsanās. We seem to be facing one of those philosophical riddles which seem to defy solution. The answer given by Patañjali to the first part of the question posed above is that this process of accumulating Saṃskāras cannot be traced to its source because the ‘will to live’ or the ‘desire to be’ does not come into play with the birth of the human soul but is characteristic of all forms of life through which consciousness has evolved in reaching the human stage. In fact, the moment consciousness comes into contact with matter with the birth of Avidyā and the Kleśas begin to work, Saṃskāras begin to form. Attractions and repulsions of various degrees and kinds are present even in the earliest stages of evolution—mineral, vegetable and animal—and an individual who attains the human stage after passing through all the previous stages brings with him all the Saṃskāras of the stages through which he has passed, though most of these Saṃskāras lie dormant in a latent condition. Animal traits are recognized even by Western psychology as present in our sub-conscious mind, and the occasional emergence of these traits belonging to the lower stages is due to the presence within us of all the Saṃskāras which we have gathered in our evolutionary development. That is why, as soon as the control of the Higher Self temporarily disappears or slackens owing to heightened emotional disturbances or other causes, human beings begin to behave like beasts or even worse than beasts. That, incidentally, shows the necessity of keeping a rigid control over our mind and emotions because once this is completely lost there is no knowing what undesirable Saṃskāras which have been lying dormant through the ages may become active and make us do things for which we may have to repent afterwards. History provides many instances of the recrudescence of such traits in human beings and the temporary reversion to the animal stage. It is true that the human, animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms are clearly defined and are separate stages of evolution and there can be no retrogression, from one kingdom to another, but as far as Saṃskāras are concerned they may be considered to be continuous and the human stage may be considered as the summation and culmination of the previous stages.

As evolution progresses, Vāsanās become more and more complicated and in the human stage assume a bewildering variety and complexity owing to the introduction of the mental element. The intellect, though it is the servant and instrument of desire to a certain extent, plays in its turn an important part in the growth of the desire nature and the highly complicated and various desires of the modern civilized man bear an interesting contrast to the comparatively simple and natural desires of the primitive man. As evolution progresses still further and with the practice of Yoga subtler levels of consciousness are contacted, desires become more and more refined and subtle and thus more difficult to detect and transcend. But even the subtlest and most refined desire which binds consciousness to the bliss and knowledge of the highest spiritual planes differs only in degree and is really a refined form of the primary desire—‘will to live’ which is called Āśiṣaḥ. It will be seen that it is not possible to destroy Vāsanās and thus put an end to the life process by tackling them on their own plane. Even Niṣkāma Karma when practised perfectly can only stop generating new personal Karma for the future. It cannot destroy the root of Vāsanā which is inherent in manifested life. As Viveka and Vairāgya develop, the active Vāsanās become more and more quiescent but their Saṃskāras remain and like seeds can burst forth into active form whenever favourable conditions present themselves and appropriate stimuli are applied to the mind.

Hetu-phalāśrayālambanaiḥ saṃgṛhitatvād eṣām abhāve tad-abhāvaḥ.

(with) cause effect substratum; that which gives support object because of being bound together of these on the disappearance disappearance of them.

11. Being bound together as cause-effect, substratum-object, they (effects, i.e. Vāsanās) disappear on their (cause, i.e. Avidyā) disappearance.

If the Vāsanās form a continuous stream and no release from bondage is possible without their destruction how can Liberation be attained? The answer to this question was given in the theory of Kleśas which has been dealt with already in Section II. We saw that the cyclic progress of manifested life for the Puruṣa begins with the association of his consciousness with Prakṛti through the direct agency of Avidyā. Avidyā leads successively to Asmitā, Rāga-Dveṣa and Abhiniveśa and all the miseries of life in bondage.

If Avidyā is the ultimate cause of bondage and the whole process of the continuous generation of Vāsanās rests on this basis it follows logically that the only effective means of attaining freedom from bondage is to destroy Avidyā. All other means of ending the miseries and illusions of life which do not completely destroy Avidyā can, at best, be palliatives and cannot lead to the goal of Yogic endeavour—Kaivalya. How this Avidyā can be destroyed has been discussed very thoroughly and systematically in Section II and it is not necessary to deal with this question here.

Atītānāgataṃ svarūpato ’sty adhva-bhedād dharmāṇām.

the past the future in reality; in its own form exists because of the difference of paths of properties.

12. The past and the future exist in their own (real) form. The difference of Dhartnas or properties is on account of the difference of paths.

This is one of the most important and interesting Sūtras in Section IV because it throws light on a fundamental problem of philosophy. That there is a Reality underlying the phenomenal world in which we live our life is taken for granted in all schools of Yoga, the aim of Yoga, in feet, being the search for and discovery of this Reality. The question arises: ‘Is this world of Reality absolutely independent of the phenomenal world in time and space which we contact with our mind or are the two worlds related to each other in some way?’ According to the Great Teachers who have found the Truth the two worlds are related though it is difficult for the intellect to comprehend this relationship. If there is a relation existing between the two worlds we may further enquire whether the manifested worlds in time and space rigidly express a predetermined pattern of Divine Thought, just as a picture on a cinema screen is the result of a mechanical projection of the photographs in the film roll. Or does the procession of events in the phenomenal world merely conform to a Plan which exists in the Divine Mind in the same way as the construction of a building follows the plan of the architect? The first view will imply Determinism in its most rigid form while the second will leave some room for Free Will.

The Sūtra under discussion throws some light on this philosophical problem. It is composed of two separate parts, the second part amplifying the first. The statement ‘the past and future exist in their own form’ means obviously that the succession of phenomena which constitute the world process or any part of it is the expression, in terms of time, of some reality which exists in the subtler realms of consciousness beyond the range of the human intellect. This reality transcends time and yet expresses itself as time in the world process.

As this question of time will be dealt with thoroughly in connection with IV-33 let us pass on and proceed to consider the second part of the Sūtra with which we are immediately concerned at this stage. ‘The difference of Dharmas is on account of the difference of paths.’ This is apparently an abstruse statement which does not seem to make sense and the existing commentaries do not throw any light on it. Let us see whether it is not possible to get at the meaning of the author in the light of what has been said with regard to the nature of the past and future in the first part of the Sūtra.

If the succession of phenomena which we cognize with our mind is the expression of some reality and if this expression is not a mere mechanical projection implying Determinism in its rigid form then it follows logically that the fulfilment of this reality in terms of time and space must be possible along a number of paths any one of which may be actually followed as a result of all the forces working in the realm of Nature. The series of events which have taken place already and become the ‘past’ represent the path trodden by the Chariot of Time so far and have become fixed—part of the memory of Nature in the Ākāśic records. What about the events which are still in the womb of the ‘future’? What shape are the events going to take in becoming the ‘past’ in their turn? As these events will not be the result of the working out of a rigid inexorable destiny but elastic adaptations to a Divine Pattern the path which they take must be at least to some extent indeterminate. There must be a certain amount of latitude for movement if there is freedom of choice and free will has any place in the scheme of things. Of course, there are forces working in the field which, to a certain extent, will determine the direction in which events will move; There is, for example, the pressure of evolutionary forces. There is the directing force of the Divine Plan and archetypes in every sphere of development. There is the tremendous pressure of the potential power of the Saṃskāras both in the realm of matter and mind. But within the limitations set by these different forces tending to mould the future there is, still, a certain freedom of movement which makes it possible for the future to develop along one of the many possible lines which open out from moment to moment. It is in this way, therefore, that in the world of the Relative, influenced by the Divine Pattern on the one hand and the momentum of the past on the other events move forward towards their final consummation.

Having understood the significance of the phrase ‘difference of paths’ let us now see how these different paths merely represent the emergence of different properties in the substratum, i.e. Prakṛti. The path taken by the course of events, if we analyse it carefully, is nothing else than a particular series of phenomena in a particular order, each element of this series, in its turn, being nothing more than a particular combination of properties or Dharmas which are all inherent in Prakṛti. If we represent, for the sake of illustration, these different properties by A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, etc.

FIG. 13

then different courses of events may be represented by different series of phenomena in the following manner:

FIG. 14

It will be noted that each element of this phenomenon is nothing but a particular combination of Dharmas which have become manifest at a particular moment of time. It does not matter whether we consider the phenomena within a limited sphere like our Solar system or within the unlimited sphere of the Universe for they all take place within the realm of Prakṛti It is thus possible, beginning with a particular situation, to arrive at another situation by two or more alternative paths.

These paths followed by the course of events in the phenomenal world are not of purely mechanical origin, as the materialists would have us believe. They, in some mysterious way, bring about the fulfilment of the Eternal as has been pointed out above. The lower phenomenal world does not exist for its own sake (being merely a law of mechanical necessity) but for the sake of fulfilling the Eternal. Its object is to bring about certain ‘changes’ in the higher spiritual worlds, these ‘changes’ being the very object of its existence. The use of the word ‘changes’ in connection with the Eternal is no doubt extremely incongruous but the student should understand that it is employed, for lack of a better term, to indicate that subtle and mysterious reaction which our life in the phenomenal world has on our eternal being. A specific instance will perhaps make the point clear. The unfoldment of the perfection which is latent in every human soul is the object of the reincarnations in the lower worlds through which it is made to pass. The different kinds of experiences through which the soul passes, life after life, stimulate gradually its spiritual nature and unfold the perfection which finds its consummation in Kaivalya. Now, the type and number of these experiences do not really matter as long as the objective is reached. A particular individual may go through a hundred lives of the most intense and painful experiences or he may take one thousand lives containing experiences of an entirely different nature to attain perfection. The path does not matter, it is the attainment of the goal which is important. The path lies in the world of phenomena which is unreal and illusory while the objective lies in the world of the Eternal which is Real.

It is this possibility of taking different paths that enables the Yogi to cut short the process of unfoldment in the phenomenal worlds and to attain perfection in the shortest possible time. He is not bound to go along the long and easy road of evolution which humanity as a whole is treading. He can step out of this broad road and take the short and difficult climb to the mountain top by following the path of Yoga. But if he is bent on breaking through the world of phenomena into the world of Reality he must first understand the nature of these phenomena and the manner in which they are perceived by the mind. That is why Patañjali has dealt with this question in IV-12.

Te vyakta-sūkṣmāḥ guṇātmānaḥ.

they manifest subtle; unmanifest of the nature of Guṇas.

13. They, whether manifest or unmanifest, are of the nature of Guṇas.

In the last Sūtra it was pointed out that all kinds of phenomena which are the object of perception by the mind are nothing but different combinations of Dharmas or properties which are inherent in Prakṛti. In this Sūtra the idea is carried one step further and it is pointed out that the Dharmas themselves are nothing but different combinations of the three primary Guṇas. This is a sweeping statement which is likely to startle anyone who is not familiar with the theory of Guṇas but to one who understands this theory it will appear as a perfectly logical conclusion which flows naturally from that theory. If the three Guṇas are the three fundamental principles of motion (inertia, mobility, vibration) and if motion of some kind or another lies at the basis of manifestation of all kinds of properties then these properties must be of the nature of Guṇas. Physical, chemical and other kinds of properties which modern Science has studied so far can be traced ultimately to motions and positions of different kinds and so the theory that properties are of the nature of Guṇas is in accord with the latest scientific developments as far as they go. But the statement in the Sūtra under discussion is of an all-embracing character and comprises not only physical properties which we can cognize with our physical senses but also subtle properties pertaining to the subtler worlds. Thoughts, emotions and in fact all kinds of phenomena involving Dharmas come within its scope. The word Sūkśma means not only properties related to the subtler planes but also those which are unmanifest or dormant. The only difference between manifest and dormant properties is that while the manifest properties are the result of particular combinations of Guṇas in action the dormant properties are those which exist potentially in Prakṛti in the form of theoretical combinations of Guṇas not yet materialized. Thousands of new compounds are being produced in the field of chemistry every year. Each of these represents a new combination of Guṇas which was latent so far and has only now become manifest. Prakṛti is like an organ having the potentiality for producing an innumerable number of notes. The manifest qualities are the notes which are struck and give their specific sound, the unmanifest qualities are the notes which are silent, lying in repose. But they are all there to emerge at any moment and play their part in the phenomena which are taking place everywhere, all the time.

The importance of the generalization contained in this Sūtra thus lies not only in the fact that it goes to the very bedrock in revealing the true nature of all kinds of phenomena but also in its extraordinary comprehensiveness. No generalization of modern Science can perhaps compare in its all-embracing nature with this doctrine of Yogic philosophy and as it is based upon a vision of the worlds of phenomena from the vantage-ground of Reality there is no doubt that the more Science advances into the realms of the unknown the more it will corroborate the Yogic doctrine.

Pariṇāmaikatvād vastu-tattvam.

transformation; change on account of the uniqueness of the object the essence; reality.

14. The essence of the object consists in the uniqueness of transformation (of the Guṇas).

What is the essential nature of any object or thing which is an object of mental perception? We can know of the existence and nature of anything only from the properties which it has at a particular moment. There is no other way. This ‘bundle of properties’ which in their totality constitute the thing must therefore be a unique combination of the three Guṇas since each property taken by itself is nothing more than a peculiar combination of the Guṇas. Anyone with some knowledge of modem Science can take up any physical object and break it up into its physical and chemical components—into molecules, atoms, electrons, etc. and these ultimately resolve into different kinds of forces and motions. Nothing material in the usual sense is left over if we take into consideration the fact that matter and energy are interconvertible. As far as we can see, it is all a play of different kinds of forces and motions of extraordinary variety and complexity. It is true we do not yet know exactly the nature of the nucleus of the atoms but from the trend of researches in this field it is very probable that this also will be found to be nothing more than a combination of different kinds of motions. So that, as far as it goes, modern Science corroborates the truth of the Yogic doctrine that every object which we perceive with our mind is merely a unique transformation of the three Guṇas. It should be noted that the clue to the meaning of the Sūtra lies in the word Ekatvāt which does not mean here ‘oneness’ but ‘uniqueness’. Interpreted in this way the Sūtra fits in perfectly in the chain of reasoning adopted by Patañjali to explain the theory of mental perception.

Vastu-sāmye citta-bhedāt tayor vibhaktaḥ panthāḥ.

object being the same because of there being difference of the mind of these two separate path; way of being.

15. The object being the same the difference in the two (the object and its cognition) is due to their (of the minds’) separate paths.

If each object is a unique transformation of the three Guṇas and has thus a definite identity of its own why then does it appear different to different minds? It is a matter of common experience that no two minds see the same thing alike. There is always a difference in cognition though the thing is the same. The reason for this difference, as pointed out in this Sūtra, lies in the fact that the minds which cognize the thing are in different conditions and thus naturally get different impressions from the same object. When one vibrating body strikes another vibrating body the result of the impact depends upon the condition of both the bodies at the time of the impact. The mental body which comes in contact with the object of perception is not a passive or static thing. It is vibrating in all sorts of ways and, therefore, must modify every impression received by its own rate of vibration. It is, therefore, not possible to obtain a true impression of the object as long as the mind itself is not free from its Vṛttis. The impression created will depend upon the condition of the receiving mind and as all minds are in different conditions, because they have followed different paths in their evolution, they must get different impressions from the same object. The student should keep in mind the distinction between the mental body which vibrates and the mind in which the Vṛttis are produced by these vibrations.

Is it possible to get a true impression of an object under any circumstances? Yes, when the mind has been freed from its Vṛttis and does not, in consequence, modify the impression made upon it by the object. When the Vṛttis have been eliminated the mind becomes one with the object (I-41), which is another way of saying that it receives an exact impression of the object without its own modifying influence. So it is only in Samādhi, when all the Vṛttis have been suppressed, that it is possible to know the object as it really is.

Even in our everyday life we find that the more a mind is influenced by different biases, prejudices and other disturbances the greater is the distortion produced in the impressions which are made upon it by men and things. A calm and dispassionate mind can alone see things correctly as far as this is possible under the limitations of ordinary life.

Na caika-citta-tantraṃ vastu tad-apramā-ṇakaṃ tadā kiṃ syāt.

not and one mind dependent on object that non-cognized; unwitnessed then what would be; would happen to.

16. Nor is an object dependent on one mind. What would become of it when not cognized by that mind?

If each object of mental perception is a mere bundle of properties which produce different impressions upon different minds, then, mental perception may be considered as a purely subjective phenomenon and it may be argued that the object need not have an independent existence apart from the cognizing agent, i.e., the mind. This purely idealistic theory of philosophy is disposed of by the objection raised in this Sūtra. If the object of mental perception is only a product of the mind which perceives it and has no independent existence of its own, then, what becomes of the object when the mind ceases to perceive it? If we accept the purely idealistic theory that objects in the external world have no real existence of their own but are mere creations of the mind then we are led to the absurd conclusion that the external world appears and disappears with the appearance and disappearance of objects in the mind of each individual, and it becomes difficult to account for the uniformity of experiences of different people with regard to different things and the harmonious co-ordination of observations made by different individuals.

No useful purpose will be served by going further into the implications of this theory. It is enough to note that Patañjali does not accept it. The Yogic philosophy recognizes the existence of ‘objects’ outside the mind. It is these objects which stimulate the mind in particular ways and produce impressions which are then perceived by the Puruṣa. It is true that the objects which produce the impressions are considered to be mere combinations of Guṇas. It is also true that the mind perceives not the objects themselves but the impressions made by them upon it. But still, there is something external to the mind which stimulates the mind to form images whatever its nature may be. It will be seen, therefore, that the theory of mental perception upon which the Yogic philosophy is based steers a middle course between pure idealism and pure realism and reconciles in a harmonious conception the essential features of both. The main postulates of the theory are given in the next few Sūtras.

Tad-uparāgāpekṣitvāc cittasya vastu jñātājñātam.

the colouring thereby because of needing for the mind; by the mind an object known unknown.

17. In consequence of the mind being coloured or not coloured by it, an object is known or unknown.

The first essential for the mind of an individual ‘knowing’ an object is that the object should affect or modify the mind in some way. The phrase actually used is ‘colouring the mind’. The use of the word ‘colouring’ for ‘modifying’ is not merely a poetic way of stating a scientific fact. It is used with a definite purpose in view. The word ‘modification’ would merely imply a partial change in the mind while the idea which has to be conveyed is a change which may vary in intensity from a mere trace to a depth of any intensity. The knowledge of the object may be extremely superficial or very deep and all these progressively increasing degrees of understanding can best be conveyed by using the word ‘colouring’, the depth of the colour indicating the degree of assimilation of the object by the mind. Besides, it is only by the use of the word ‘colouring’ that the complete fusion of the object and the mind referred to in Sūtra I-41 can be properly understood.

Those who have ever tried to study a subject which is entirely new to them and much beyond their mental capacity will be able to form some idea regarding the necessity of an object ‘colouring’ the mind before it can be understood. The subject is not assimilated by the mind at all, simply refuses to sink into the mind as a dye sometimes refuses to stain a tissue. The mind must ‘take in’ the object to a certain extent at least if it is to ‘know’ it and the extent to which it assimilates the object determines the degree of knowledge. This ‘colouring’ of the mind by an external object is found on deeper analysis to be nothing more than the capacity of the mental vehicle to vibrate in response to the stimulus provided by the object. The more fully the vehicle can vibrate in this manner the greater is the knowledge of the object which the mind acquires. Herein comes the necessity of evolution of the vehicles in the earlier stages.

Sadā jñātāś citta-vṛttayas tat-prabhoḥ puruṣasyāpariṇāmitvāt.

always (are) known the modifications of the mind of its lord of the Puruṣa on account of the changelessness or constancy.

18. The modifications of the mind are always known to its lord on account of the changelessness of the Puruṣa.

As soon as an object colours the mind the modification is at once witnessed by the Puruṣa and it is this witnessing by the Puruṣa which brings about the ‘knowing’ of the object. The use of the word ‘witness’ for the reaction of the Puruṣa to the modifications taking place in the mind is not appropriate but is resorted to in order to distinguish it from the simultaneous mental process which is generally called perception. All our words such as ‘knowing’, ‘perceiving’ are so closely identified with the activities of the mind that a new word is really needed to indicate this peculiar ultimate reaction of the Puruṣa to all mental processes. But, in the absence of such a word in the English language ‘witnessing’ will perhaps do for the present, provided we keep in mind its special significance. This ‘witnessing’ by the Puruṣa of the modification produced in the mind is the second indispensable condition of ‘knowing’ any object by the mind, the first being its ‘colouring’ by the object. Researches in psychology have shown that the mind is frequently modified by external objects even though it is not aware of them at the time, the proof of such modifications having taken place lying in the fact that such impressions can be recovered later from the mind by hypnotizing the person. So that, the ‘witnessing’ by the Puruṣa of the modifications produced in the mind is independent of the conscious activity of the mind. This is the significance of the word Sadā which means literally ‘always’ or ‘ever’. What is meant to be conveyed in the Sūtra is that the Puruṣa is aware, in an unbroken manner, of all the changes which are taking place in the mind and it is not possible for any change to escape his notice. This is so because he is eternal. It is only a changeless, eternal consciousness which can provide such a constant and perfect background for the continuous and complex changes which are taking place in the mind. If the background itself is changeable there is bound to be confusion. You cannot project a cinema picture on a screen which itself is changing constantly.

Another point to note is that the Puruṣa should not only provide a constant background for the modifications of the mind but that his consciousness should be the ultimate background in order that he may be able to notice modifications in the mind at all its levels. When the Yogi passes into Samādhi and dives into the deeper levels of the mind he is not conscious of any break in his experiences. The new consciousness which emerges at each level seems to take in, understand and co-ordinate experiences of all the previous stages and, therefore, there must really be the same consciousness illuminating the Citta at all these different levels. It is not only our ordinary experiences at the level of the concrete mind of which this ultimate consciousness is constantly aware but also all the supra-mental experiences through which the Yogi passes in Samādhi.

The extraordinary comprehensiveness which characterizes consciousness of the Puruṣa in the ultimate background, is, of course, due to the fact that it is eternal, beyond time and space, and contains simultaneously within itself everything that can ever manifest in the realms of time and space. It is only white light which is a harmonious synthesis of all possible colours which can be used in the projection of a coloured film on a cinematographic screen. Coloured light which is incomplete cannot be used for such a purpose.

Na tat svābhāsaṃ dṛśyatvāt.

not it self-illuminative because of its knowability or perceptibility.

19. Nor is it self-illuminative, for it is perceptible.

After stating in IV-18 that the Puruṣa is the sole eternal witness of all modifications in the mind at whatever level they may take place, Patañjali proceeds to substantiate this statement by a chain of reasoning developed in the next four Sūtras.

The first link in this chain is that the mind is not self-illuminative, i.e. capable of perceiving by its own power, because it is itself perceptible. It is not like the Sun which shines by its own light but like the moon which shines by the light of another heavenly body. The fact that the mind is perceptible follows from our ordinary experience of being able to watch its activities and modifications whenever we want to do so. It is true that when our attention is directed outwards we are not conscious of the changes which are taking place in our mind, but we can at any moment direct our attention inwards and observe these changes.

This fact of the mind being perceptible and performing its function of perception through the agency of some other power is brought home to the Yogi more vividly in Samādhi when he transcends different levels of the mind one after another. At each critical stage of this process of diving inwards towards the centre of his being, as he leaves one level of the mind for another, the perceiver seems to become the perceived. This continuous shifting of the boundary between the subjective and the objective proves to the Yogi that not only the lower concrete mind but even its subtlest grades are mere mechanisms of perception. The source of illuminating power of consciousness is somewhere else—in the Puruṣa.

Eka-samaye cobhayānavadhāraṇam.

at the same time; simultaneously and both (opposite sides) absence of cognizing; non-comprehending.

20. Moreover, it is impossible for it to be of both ways (as perceiver and perceived) at the same time.

The fact that the mind is perceptible is a matter of experience. Now, if the mind is perceptible it cannot at the same time be the perceiver. The same thing cannot be the perceiver and the perceived. If the mind is perceptible it follows that there must be a power, of the nature of consciousness, which enables the mind to perform its functions of perception. Since the mind seems to perform its function of perception through the power of consciousness it cannot perceive consciousness itself, or to put it in other words, consciousness cannot be the object of perception by the mind. That is why it is impossible for us to know what consciousness is in itself as long as we are within the realms of the mind. As long as the cognitive aspect of consciousness acts through the medium of the mind it is turned outwards, as it were, and cognizes other things in the realm of the mind. It is only when it is released from the bondage of the mind and turns inwards upon itself that it can cognize itself, as explained in IV-22.

Cittāntara-dṛśye buddhi-buddher atiprasangaḥ smṛti-saṃkaraś ca.

in (one mind) being cognizable by another mind cognition of cognitions superfluity of proving too much; reductio ad absurdum of memories confusion and.

21. If cognition of one mind by another (be postulated) we would have to assume cognition of cognitions and confusion of memories also.

Here a philosophical objection may be raised. Instead of postulating the existence of the one Puruṣa whose consciousness illuminates the mind at all its levels, we may suppose that each individual possesses a number of minds each subtler than the one which has been transcended. These different minds instead of being illuminated by one source of consciousness may be supposed to be independent of each other and the Yogi in Samādhi may be supposed to be merely passing into the realms of these different independent minds one after another. Such a supposition would dispense with the necessity of postulating the existence of the Puruṣa whose consciousness according to Yogic philosophy is the source of illumination for all the different grades of mind. But this hypothesis while doing away with the Puruṣa will lead us into all kinds of intellectual difficulties. For example, if we suppose that there are a number of independent minds, each mind perceiving those which are denser than itself and being perceived by those which are subtler, then there should be a corresponding number of Buddhis. According to the Yogic philosophy the mind is a mere instrument and the function of cognition which is a reflection of the cognitive aspect of Reality, Citi, is quite different from it though necessarily associated with it in all acts of mental perception. It follows, therefore, that if there are a number of independent minds then there must be a corresponding number of Buddhis also, for each mind must have its own separate Buddhi without which it cannot function. So, on the basis of this hypothesis, we would have not only a number of minds but also a corresponding number of Buddhis functioning simultaneously within the same individual which will mean cognition of cognition. The phrase Atiprasaṅgah means not only ‘too many’ but also ‘reductio ad absurdum’. So both the meanings are applicable to the logical conclusion to which we are led from the original supposition. The absurdity lies in having to postulate the existence of a number of Buddhic functions where only one can exist. Just as the mind integrates the reports of the various sense-organs into one harmonized mental conception, so our Buddhi is supposed to integrate into one co-ordinated understanding the knowledge received through the different levels of the mind and it is impossible, therefore, to conceive that a number of Buddhis can function simultaneously within the same individual. It is possible to assume multiplicity of instruments for obtaining knowledge or experience but no multiplicity can be assumed with respect to the agency which co-ordinates and harmonizes all the knowledge gathered through different sources or instruments. This, by its very nature, must be one, otherwise there is bound to be chaos.

Besides this difficulty, another will be the confusion of memories. If there are a number of minds, each with its own set of memories, and there are also many independent Buddhis, the co-ordinating agency which integrates all these memories into one harmonious whole will be absent and the result must be chaos within our mind. The most remarkable fact with regard to our mind is the existence of perfect co-ordination and harmonization in the midst of the most complicated and multifarious mental phenomena and experiences. This is especially noticeable in the practice of Yoga when we dive into the deeper levels of the mind and traverse the subtler worlds with all their exquisitely fine and extraordinary experiences. It is the Buddhic principle within us which enables this co-ordination to be effected and the hypothesis of many independent minds which requires the elimination of this co-ordinating factor has therefore to be rejected.

Citer apratisaṃkramāyās tad-ākārāpattau sva-buddhi-saṃvedanaṃ.

of the consciousness of such as does not pass from place to place its form on the assumption (of) self-cognition knowing (of).

22. Knowledge of its own nature through self-cognition (is obtained) when consciousness assumes that form in which it does not pass from place to place.

If cognition takes place through the agency of the mind and in the subtlest cognitions pertaining to the deepest levels of the mind we can know only the mind thus illuminated by consciousness, the question naturally arises “How are we to know consciousness itself or that light which illuminates the mind at all its levels?” The answer to this important question is given in the Sūtra under discussion, but before we can understand its meanings it is necessary to consider carefully the various expressions used in it.

Citeḥ means ‘of consciousness’ and is derived from Citi and not Citta which means the mind. Apratisaṃkramāyāh means ‘not passing from one to another’, i.e. not passing from one level of Citta to another or from one vehicle to another. In Samādhi consciousness passes from one level of Citta to another and the phrase refers to the stage when this process stops or is brought to its limit. Tad-ākārāpattau means ‘on the accomplishment or assumption of its own form’. Consciousness normally functions through the mind. This phrase refers to the condition in which it is freed from the limitations of the mind and is functioning in its own form. Sva-buddhi means Buddhi as it really is and not as it functions through the medium of the mind. We know only this function of perception as it appears in association with Citta. Sva-buddhi is the function of perception as it is when exercised upon itself. Saṃvedanaṃ means ‘knowing of’. Knowing is really a function of consciousness but when exercised through the mind becomes knowing something outside or external to pure consciousness. The phrase Sva-buddhi-saṃvedanaṃ therefore means the knowledge which results when the faculty of Buddhi is turned upon itself. Normally, Buddhi functions through Citta and helps the mind to perceive and understand objects in its realm. But when it is freed from the association of Citta it automatically turns upon itself and illuminates its own nature, i.e. consciousness. It is because the power of illumination is inherent in it that it illuminates Citta when it functions through Citta. If a light is enclosed within a translucent globe it reveals the globe. If the globe is removed the light reveals itself. From the meanings and explanations of the different phrases given above the inner significance of the Sūtra should now be quite clear. Buddhi, as has been pointed out before, is that faculty which enables the mind to perceive and understand objects in the phenomenal worlds, the mind being inert and incapable of performing this function. As long as Buddhi is functioning through the medium of the mind it is not possible to know pure consciousness. It is only when it assumes that form in which all movement from one level of Citta to another has been eliminated that it reveals its real nature. As has been pointed out before, Citta or the mind has many levels corresponding to the different vehicles of consciousness and in Samādhi consciousness moves up and down from one level to another between the centre and periphery. In this kind of movement of consciousness there is no movement in space but only movement in different dimensions, the centre from which consciousness functions always remaining the same. When consciousness, in the state of Samādhi, has penetrated into the deepest level of Citta and then finally transcended even this level it is quite free from the limiting and obscuring action of Citta and it is only then that its true nature is realized. In this state the perceiver, perceived and perception all merge into one Self-illuminated Reality. So the answer to the question ‘How are we to know consciousness itself?’ is ‘By diving in Samādhi into our consciousness until the mind in its subtlest form is transcended and the Reality hidden beneath it is revealed’.

From what has been said above it is apparent that we cannot understand the real nature of consciousness by applying the ordinary methods of modern psychology. What is known as consciousness in terms of modem psychology is only consciousness veiled by many layers of the mind, each of which increasingly obscures and modifies its nature as it infiltrates into the outermost physical mechanism, namely, the human brain. We thus observe consciousness in its ordinary manifestations through the physical brain under the greatest possible limitations and it is not possible to form any idea with regard to its true nature from these extremely partial and distorted manifestations. As well might a person who had always lived in a dungeon situated in a land where it was perpetually cloudy, try to form an idea regarding the light of the Sun from the gloom in which he lived. It will be seen, therefore, that not only is it impossible to know the true nature of consciousness by adopting the ordinary means available to the modern psychologist but also that the only effective means of doing so is to adopt the Yogic method. This is a subjective method, no doubt, and beyond the capacity of the ordinary man but it is the only method available. No amount of dissection of the brain and the nervous systems and study of human behaviour can unravel for us the mystery of consciousness itself. A great deal of research in this field of psychology is being carried on in very imposing laboratories in the West, a vast amount of so-called scientific data is being accumulated but all this effort is bound to prove futile from the very nature of the problem being tackled. The modem craze of submitting everything to physical examination may succeed with physical things but no physical instruments can ever be devised which will reveal the nature of consciousness which is of the nature of Spirit. All this waste of effort can be avoided and the whole field of modern psychology illuminated in the most effective manner if the facts of Yogic philosophy are properly understood and used in the study of psychological problems.

The student will have noticed that in the ideas set forth in the above pages no effort has been made to link up the facts of Yogic philosophy with doctrines which are considered to be religious. But this does not mean that there is no relation between them. In fact, a religious man can see, if he studies the subject of Yoga with an open mind, that all the ideas of Yogic philosophy can be interpreted in religious terms, and the consciousness which the Yogi seeks to uncover within the folds of his mind is nothing but that Supreme Reality which is commonly referred to as God. God is recognized by every religion with any philosophical background to be a Mighty Being whose consciousness transcends the manifested Universe. He is considered to be hidden within every human heart. He is supposed to transcend the mind. Basically, these ideas are the same as those of Yogic philosophy. The main difference lies in the assertion by Yogic philosophy that this Supreme Reality or Consciousness is not merely a matter for speculation or even adoration but can be discovered by following a technique which is as definite and unfailing as the technique of any modern Science. Yoga thus imparts a tremendous significance to religion and places the whole problem of religious life and endeavour on an entirely new basis and it is difficult to understand how any religious man can reject its claims without giving them due consideration.

Draṣṭr-dṛśyoparaktaṃ cittaṃ sarvārtham.

the knower and the knowable or known coloured (by) the mind all-apprehending; all-including.

23. The mind coloured by the Knower (i.e., the Puruṣa) and the Known is all-apprehending.

This Sūtra apparently sums up what has been said about the modus operandi of mental perception in the previous Sūtras. Its real importance will, however, be seen only if we understand the significance of the phrase Sarvārtham. The mind, in order to know any object, has to be affected in two ways. Firstly, it must be modified or coloured, at least to some extent, by the object which is to be known, and secondly, it must be simultaneously illuminated by the consciousness of the Puruṣa which is eternally present in the ultimate background. Modified in this double manner the mind is capable of knowing everything in the phenomenal world, using the word ‘knowing’ in its most comprehensive sense. The significance of the word Sarvārtham which means literally ‘all-including’ or ‘all-apprehending’ lies in the fact that the word Citta does not stand merely for the medium through which the human intellect finds expression. It stands definitely for the all-inclusive medium through which phenomena of every kind, right from the physical to the Ātmic plane, are perceived. Even the thinnest veil of ‘matter’ which on the Ātmic plane obscures the consciousness of the Puruṣa and involves him in manifestation is associated with the finest grade of mind. Citta is thus co-extensive with Prakṛti and both are transcended simultaneously when Puruṣa attains Self-realization in Kaivalya.

Tad asaṃkhyeya-vāsanābhiś citram api parārthaṃ saṃhatya-kāritvāt.

that innumerable by Vāsanās variegated although for the sake of another by reason of acting in collaboration or association.

24. Though variegated by innumerable Vāsanās it (the mind) acts for another (Puruṣa) for it acts in association.

This Sūtra goes with the preceding one and should be studied along with it. Just as Citta is universal and embraces all vehicles through which the consciousness of the Puruṣa functions in the manifested worlds, in the same way Vāsanā is universal in its import and is associated with all the vehicles of consciousness and grades of Citta. The word Vāsanā is generally translated by the word desire but this is restricting its scope in the same manner as when we confine the meaning of the word Citta to that of the medium of the intellect. The clinging to the enjoyments of the lower worlds binds the soul to these worlds and produces all kinds of attachments and consequent suffering. Such clinging is generally known as desire or Kāma. But this clinging is not confined to the lower worlds. In its subtler forms it exists even in the higher worlds. In fact, wherever there is Asmitā or identification with a vehicle of consciousness there is clinging to the vehicle, however subtle this clinging may be and however spiritual may be the object of this clinging. If there were no clinging or attachment but perfect Vairāgya there would be no bondage but Liberation or Kaivalya. It is this clinging to the higher modes of existence which constitutes many of the ‘fetters’ which have to be broken on the path of Liberation.

It is only when Vāsanā is understood in this wider sense and not only in the sense of desires pertaining to the lower worlds that we can grasp the significance of the Sūtra under discussion. Vāsanā permeates life at all its levels including the highest. It has for its objectives things of the most varied nature, from the crudest physical indulgences to the most refined knowledge and bliss of the spiritual planes. But when we pursue these multifarious objectives—and the nature of the objects we seek continually changes as we evolve—what are we really seeking? Are we pursuing these objectives for their own sake? No! We are merely seeking the Puruṣa who is our real Self hidden beneath all these attractive objects of pursuit. It is for his sake that we are going through this long and tedious process of evolution. It is really not for the sake of these objects which promise to give us happiness that we pursue them but for the sake of someone else (Parārthaṃ) and that is the Puruṣa.

How do we know that it is the Puruṣa whom we are seeking in all these multifarious objectives? Because while the objectives keep changing all the time and never satisfy us he always remains in the background. He is the common factor in all our efforts to find happiness through ever-changing forms and, therefore, he must be the real object of our search. Simple reasoning, is it not? He is thus not only the constant background of consciousness (IV-18) which illuminates the mind in all its activities but also the hidden drawing force of desire in all its forms and phases.

One important consequence of the Puruṣa being the ultimate goal amidst all the changing objectives which we pursue is that no condition of existence attained by the Yogi, however exalted it may be, can give him abiding peace. The Divine urge within him will, sooner or later, assert itself and make him dissatisfied with the condition he has attained, until he has found the Puruṣa in Self-realization. For the consciousness of the Puruṣa alone is Self-sufficient, Self-contained and Self-illuminated and until this is attained there can be no real security, no real freedom and no abiding peace.

Viśeṣa-darśina ātma-bhāva-bhāvanā-vinivṛttiḥ.

the distinction of him who sees consciousness of the Ātmic plane dwelling in or upon (in mind); reflection complete cessation (because of satisfaction). [Some editions read .]

25. The cessation (of desire) for dwelling in the consciousness of Ātmā for one who has seen the distinction.

When this fact is realized even the subtle Vāsanā which binds the Yogi to the transcendent bliss and spiritual illumination of the Ātmic plane ceases and he bends all his energies to tear down the last and the finest veil which hides the face of the Beloved. The distinction indicated by Viśeṣa has already been discussed in the previous Sūtra. It is the distinction between our true objective which is Self-realization and the innumerable and ever-changing objectives which we pursue in our search for happiness. The phrase Ātma-Bhāva is used for the exalted consciousness functioning on the Ātmic level—the last stage before Kaivalya is attained. The word Bhāva is a technical term used in Yoga for denoting the functioning of consciousness on the spiritual planes where perception is synthetic and all-inclusive and not of particular objects as on the lower planes. Bhāvanā is another technical term which means ‘dwelling in mind upon’ but used in conjunction with Ātma-Bhāva it will naturally mean living in and experiencing the transcendent knowledge and bliss of the Ātmic plane.

It may appear to the student that the renunciation of the attractions which bind the Yogi to the exalted condition of the Ātmic plane should be a comparatively easy matter considering the wisdom he has acquired and the Vairāgya he has developed. But, in judging of the effort required he should remember that the consciousness of this plane represents the acme of power, bliss and knowledge which is utterly beyond human comprehension and cannot be compared with anything with which we are familiar on the lower planes. Besides, the transcending of the Ātmic plane which he has now to attempt really means the destruction of his very individuality since the Ātmā is the very core of his separate existence in the realm of manifestation. It is true that a still higher and subtler kind of individuality emerges when the separate individual life of Ātmā is given up, but tremendous faith is needed for taking that final plunge into the void which now opens before him. And the basis of this faith is the realization that attachment to the transcendent consciousness of the Ātmic plane is still attachment to something which is not the Supreme Reality, which is still in the domain of Citta and Vāsanā and, therefore, subject to illusion, however subtle that illusion might be.

The desire for this transcendent bliss and knowledge which is inherent in the consciousness of the Ātmic plane destroys and eliminates the lower desires and brings the Yogi to the highest level of enlightenment which is possible within the realm of Prakṛti, but even this knowledge and bliss when they are acquired become, in their turn, the means of bondage and must be given up before the final objective is achieved. This is a fundamental law of life—the lower must be given up before the next higher can be gained.

Tadā hi viveka-nimnaṃ kaivalya-prāgbhāram cittam.

then verily inclined towards discrimination heading or gravitating towards Kaivalya the mind.

26. Then, verily, the mind is inclined towards discrimination and gravitating towards Kaivalya.

When the realization of the inadequacy of Atma-Bhāva dawns upon the Yogi he determines to break this last fetter by renouncing the bliss and knowledge of the Ātmic plane. Thenceforward all his efforts are directed towards the attainment of Kaivalya by the constant exercise of that intense and penetrating discrimination which alone can pierce through the last veil of Illusion. This and the next three Sūtras throw some light on this last struggle of the soul to free itself completely from the bondage of matter before attaining Kaivalya.

It should be noted that the word used in this Sūtra for the agent which carries on this struggle is Citta. “The Citta is gravitating towards Kaivalya”. But how can Citta, which is sought to be transcended in the process, struggle to attain liberation from itself? It would be like a person trying to lift himself up by his bootstraps. The resolution of this paradox lies in the fact that it is not the mind really which is struggling to free the consciousness from the limitations in which it has got involved. Hidden behind the mind is the Puruṣa, who all along in the entire cycle of evolution is the real driving force behind the struggle to attain Self-realization. When the iron filings are attracted by a magnet it is the filings which appear to move but in reality it is the magnet which has induced magnetism in the filings and is the cause of the movement.

The weapons used in this last stage of the struggle for Liberation are Viveka and Vairāgya. The Yogi has obtained a glimpse of the Reality within him. He has to try and gain the awareness of Reality, again and again, through Viveka so that this awareness can be maintained without interruption (II-26). And, at the same time, he has to intensify his Vairāgya to such an extent that he passes into Dharma-Megha-Samādhi (IV-29). It is interesting to note that the weapons used in the last stage are the same as those used in the first stage. The Yogi enters the path of Yoga through Viveka and Vairāgya and he also leaves this path through Viveka and Vairāgya.

Tac-chidreṣu pratyayāntarāṇi saṃskāre-bhyaḥ.

in the breaks in it (discrimination) other Pratyayas from the force of impressions.

27. In the intervals arise other Pralyayas from the force of Saṃskāras.

This Sūtra describes the swaying, to and fro, of consciousness in the borderland which separates the Real from the unreal. The Yogi is trying to maintain his foothold in the world of Reality but he is thrown back again and again into the realm of Illusion, though this Illusion is of the subtlest kind. He cannot maintain steadily that condition of consciousness which is indicated by Viveka Khyāti and each relaxation in effort is followed instantly by the appearance of a Pratyaya which characterizes the functioning of consciousness through the medium of Citta. Pratyaya, as we have seen already, is a word used generally for the content of consciousness when it is functioning normally through a vehicle of any degree of subtlety. Emergence of a Pratyaya, therefore, means that the consciousness has temporarily receded from the Reality realized in Nirbīja Samādhi and is functioning at one or another level of Citta. It may be worthwhile pointing out here again that the word Pratyaya like Citta or Vāsanā is of universal import and is co-extensive with them. Wherever consciousness is functioning normally through any level of Citta in a vehicle there must be a content of consciousness which is called Pratyaya in Yogic terminology. It is only in Asaṃprajñāta Samādhi that there is no Pratyaya but this is so because consciousness is passing through a critical phase and is really hovering between two vehicles. Even on the highest level of Citta corresponding to the Ātmic plane there is a Pratyaya although it is impossible for us to visualize what it is like. When consciousness is thrown back into the Ātmic or any other lower vehicle owing to the relaxation of Viveka, Pratyaya of the corresponding plane emerges at once into the field of consciousness.

Why is the Yogi’s consciousness thrown back into the vehicles which he has transcended and why do these Pratyayas appear, again and again, in this stage of his progress towards Self-realization? Because the Saṃskāras which he has brought over from his past are still present in his vehicles in a dormant condition and emerge into his consciousness as soon as there is relaxation of effort or a temporary interruption of Viveka Khyāti. As long as these ‘seeds’ are present merely in a dormant condition and have not been ‘burnt’ or rendered quite harmless by Dharma-Megha-Samādhi they must sprout into his consciousness as soon as a suitable opportunity presents itself.

Hānam eṣāṃ kleśavad uktam.

removal of these like that of the Kleśas or afflictions has been declared or described.

28. Their removal like that of Kleśas, as has been described.

The problem before the Yogi therefore is: How to prevent the emergence of these Pratyayas which have their source in the Saṃskāras brought over from the past? The activation of the Saṃskāras is to be prevented by the method which has been prescribed for the removal of Kleśas in Section II (10, 11 and 26). The reason for this should be obvious to the student if he has understood the nature of Kleśas, their relation to Karmas and the method of their removal as outlined in Section II. The Karmas or Saṃskāras which are rooted in Kleśas cannot become active if the Kleśas are quiescent. The Kleśas must remain quiescent in the absence of Avidyā from which they are all derived (II-4). Avidyā cannot manifest as long as the Yogi is able to keep undimmed his discriminative faculty and to maintain that awareness of Reality which is known as Viveka Khyāti (II-26). It follows logically, therefore, that the only way to prevent the dormant Saṃskāras from becoming active is to maintain undimmed Viveka Khyāti as indicated in II-26. The moment this is interrupted the door opens for the emergence of Pratyayas which are sought to be excluded completely at this stage. The chief effort of the Yogi in this last stage of his struggle to attain Kaivalya is thus to acquire the capacity to maintain undimmed and unbroken this high and penetrating state of discrimination which keeps the force of Avidyā in abeyance. Upon his capacity to maintain this condition indefinitely depends the possibility of his entering Dharma-Megha-Samādhi which burns the seeds of Saṃskāras and makes their re-activation impossible.

Prasaṃkhyāne ’py akusīdasya sarvathā viveka-khyater dharma-meghaḥ samādhiḥ.

in the knowledge of the highest meditation even of one who has no interest left in every way; by all means discrimination leading to awareness of Reality showering the Dharmas; relating to properties trance.

29. In the case of one, who is able to maintain a constant state of Vairāgya even towards the most exalted state of enlightenment and to exercise the highest kind of discrimination, follows Dharma-Megha-Samādhi.

By the uninterrupted practice of Viveka Khyāti the Yogi keeps Avidyā at bay and prevents the emergence of Pratyayas in his exalted consciousness. To this is added the practice of that highest kind of mental renunciation which is known as Para-Vairāgya. In spite of the overpowering attraction of the high state of illumination and bliss which he has attained he renounces completely his attachment to it and maintains uninterruptedly this attitude of supreme non-attachment towards it. In fact, Para-Vairāgya which he is now practising is nothing new but is merely the culmination of the renunciation which he has been practising since his entry into the path of Yoga. Just as Viveka Khyāti has its beginnings in very simple forms of Viveka and is developed by prolonged and intensive practice during his progress, in the same way Para-Vairāgya develops from simple acts of renunciation and reaches its culmination in the renunciation of the bliss and illumination of the Ātmic plane. It should also be borne in mind that Viveka and Vairāgya are very closely related to each other and are really like two sides of the same coin. Viveka, by opening the eyes of the soul, brings about non-attachment to the objects which keep it in bondage and the non-attachment thus developed, in its turn, further clarifies the vision of the soul and enables it to see more deeply into the illusion of life. Viveka and Vairāgya thus strengthen and reinforce each other and form a kind of ‘virtuous circle’ which accelerates in an ever-increasing degree the progress of the Yogi towards Self-realization.

The combined practice of Viveka Khyāti and Para-Vairāgya when continued for a long time reaches, by a process of mutual reinforcement, a tremendous degree of intensity and culminates ultimately in Dharma-Megha-Samādhi, the highest kind of Samādhi which burns up the ‘seeds’ of Saṃskāras and unlocks the gates of the World of Reality in which the Puruṣa lives eternally. Why this Samādhi is called Dharma-Megha-Samādhi is not generally understood and the statements usually made are forced explanations which do not make sense. In most of these explanations the word Dharma is interpreted as virtue or merit and Dharma-Megha is taken to mean ‘a cloud which showers virtues or merit’ which, of course, explains nothing. The significance of the phrase Dharma-Megha will become clear if we assign to the word Dharma the meaning which it has in IV-12, namely that of property, characteristic or function. Megha, of course, is a technical term used in Yogic literature for the cloudy or misty condition through which consciousness passes in the critical state of Asaṃprajñāta Samādhi when there is nothing in the field of consciousness.

Now, Nirbīja Samādhi which is practised in this last stage which we are considering is a kind of Asaṃprajñāta Samādhi in which the consciousness of the Yogi is trying to free itself from the last veil of illusion to emerge into the Light of Reality itself. When this effort succeeds the consciousness of the Yogi leaves the world of manifestation in which Guṇas and their peculiar combinations, namely, Dharmas, operate and emerges into the world of Reality in which they no longer exist. His condition may be compared to the condition of a pilot in an aeroplane who comes out of a cloud bank into bright sunlight and begins to see everything clearly. Dharma-Megha-Samādhi, therefore, means the final Samādhi in which the Yogi shakes himself free from the world of Dharmas which obscure Reality like a cloud.

The passage through Dharma-Megha-Samādhi completes the evolutionary cycle of the individual and by destroying Avidyā, completely and for ever, brings about the end of Saṃyoga of Puruṣa and Prakṛti referred to in II-23. No more can Avidyā again obscure the vision of the Puruṣa who has attained full Self-realization. This process is irreversible and after reaching this stage it is not possible for the Puruṣa to fall again into the realm of Māyā from which he has obtained Liberation. Before this final goal was reached it was possible for the Yogi to fall even from a very high stage of enlightenment, but not after he has passed through Dharma-Megha-Samādhi and attained the Enlightenment of Kaivalya.

The next five Sūtras merely describe the results of passing through Dharma-Megha-Samādhi and attaining Kaivalya. It should be noted here that no effort is made to describe the experience of Reality. That would be futile for no one can imagine the transcendent glory of that consciousness into which the Yogi passes on attaining Kaivalya. Mystics have sometimes tried to convey in rapturous language the glorious visions of the higher planes which they have reached in Samādhi. These descriptions, though very inspiring, yet fail utterly to give to those who are still blind any idea of the beauty and grandeur of those planes. How can, then, anyone convey through the crude medium of language even a hint regarding that Supreme experience which the Yogi gains on attaining Kaivalya and Patañjali, knowing the futility of such a task, has not even attempted it. But he has given in a few Sūtras some of the results which accrue from the attainment of Kaivalya.

Tataḥ kleśa-karma-nivṛttiḥ.

thence afflictions action and its reactions cessation; freedom from.

30. Then follows freedom from Kleśas and Karmas.

The first result of attaining Kaivalya is that the Yogi cannot thenceforward be bound by Kleśas and Karmas. The attainment of Kaivalya follows the destruction of Kleśas and Karmas. What the Sūtra, therefore, means is that the very potentiality for the re-emergence of these two instruments of bondage is destroyed. The Jivanmukta cannot, after passing through Dharma-Megha-Samādhi and attaining Kaivalya, again fall into Avidyā and start generating Karmas which bind.

The relation of Kleśas and Karmas should always be borne in mind by the student, for on this is based the technique of attaining freedom from the binding action of Karma. Kleśas and Karmas are related to each other as cause and effect, as has been thoroughly explained under II-12 and no Karma can bind where there is no Avidyā but awareness of Reality. All action in this state is necessarily done in complete identification with the Divine Consciousness without the slightest identification with the individual ego. That is why no result accrues to the individual. The illusion of a separate life has been destroyed and no separate individual, in the ordinary sense, really exists under these conditions. It is true that according to the Yogic philosophy each Puruṣa is a separate individual but the separate individuality of each Puruṣa means merely that He is a separate centre of consciousness in the Supreme Reality and not that his consciousness is separated from that of other Puruṣas and pursues its separate individual ends as in the case of ordinary individuals blinded by illusion of a separate life. Separate individuality is perfectly compatible with the closest unification of consciousness, as every mystic or occultist who has experience of the higher spiritual consciousness definitely knows. In Kaivalya this paradoxical simultaneity of Individuality and Oneness reaches its utmost perfection.

Tadā sarvāvaraṇa-malāpetasya jñānasyā-nantyāj jñeyam alpam.

then all that which covers up, veils or distorts impurities devoid of; from which is removed of knowledge because of the infinity of the knowable but little.

31. Then, in consequence of the removal of all obscuration and impurities, that which can be known (through the mind) is but little in comparison with the infinity of knowledge (obtained in Enlightenment).

The second consequence of attaining Kaivalya is the sudden expansion of consciousness into the realm of infinite knowledge. When the last veil of illusion is removed in Dharma-Megha-Samādhi the Enlightenment which comes is of an entirely new kind. In the different stages of Sabīja Samādhi the knowledge which comes at each successive expansion of consciousness into a higher realm of Citta appears tremendously greater than in the preceding stage. But even the transcendent knowledge of the Ātmic plane which represents the highest reach of the mind in the realm of manifestation sinks into insignificance when compared with Viveka-jaṃ-Jnānam (III-55) which comes in the state of Enlightenment of Kaivalya. A million and a billion are increasingly tremendous magnitudes as compared with one, but they all sink into insignificance when compared with infinity as the following mathematical equations will show

When we are in the realm of Infinity we are not in the realm of magnitudes at all. So the Jivanmukta is not really in the realm of knowledge but has transcended knowledge and passed into the realm of pure consciousness. Knowledge is produced by the imposition of mental limitations on pure consciousness, and so even the highest kind of knowledge cannot be compared with the Enlightenment which comes when all these limitations are removed and the Yogi passes into the realm of pure consciousness. The relation of knowledge and Enlightenment is analogous to the relation of Time and Eternity. Eternity is not time of infinite extent but a state which transcends Time altogether. The two states do not belong to the same category.

It may be pointed out here that all the real mysteries of Life which we try to unravel by the help of the intellect are really rooted in the Eternal and are expressions in terms of Time and Space of realities which exist in their true form (Svarūpa) in the Eternal. That is why it is not possible to solve any real problem of Life as long as our consciousness is confined within the realm of the unreal, and much less so, while it is still confined within the narrow and cramping limitations of the intellect. The so-called intellectual solutions of our problems which academic philosophy seeks to provide are no solutions at all but merely statements of the same problems in different terms which really push back the problems to a deeper level. The only effective way to solve all these problems is to dive into our own consciousness by the help of the technique outlined in the Yogic philosophy and to free our consciousness from all limitations which obscure its Self-illumination. In the Light of the Eternal alone can all problems of Life be solved, because as said above, they are all rooted in the Eternal. To be more exact, the problems are not solved in the Light of the Eternal consciousness, solution being a process characteristic of the illusion-bound intellect. They are resolved. They are no longer there, for they were shadows cast by the intellect in the realm of the unreal and naturally cannot exist in the domain of the Real.

It also follows from what has been said above that the Mystery of Life cannot be unravelled piecemeal. We cannot break up this Great Mystery into a number of component problems and then proceed to solve these problems, one by one, although this is what modern philosophy attempts to do. The resolution of the Mystery depends upon obtaining the synthetic vision of the Eternal and not upon putting together the separate and partial solutions obtained by the analytical processes of the intellect. It is a question of ‘All or none’.

That is why the Yogi does not make any serious effort to solve the so-called problems of Life by the intellectual processes, knowing as he does that the best solution which he can get in this manner is not a real solution. Not that he despises the intellect, but he knows its inherent limitations and uses it only to transcend those limitations. He holds his soul in patience and bends all his energies in attaining the goal pointed out by the Yogic philosophy. This philosophy does not hold out any promise of solving the problems of Life but provides the key which unlocks the World of Reality in which all these problems are resolved and seen in their true nature and perspective.

Tataḥ kṛtārthānāṃ pariṇāma-krama-samāptir guṇānām.

by that; therefore having fulfilled their object of the changes process the end of the Guṇas or the three fundamental qualities.

32. The three Guṇas having fulfilled their object, the process of change (in the Guṇas) comes to an end.

In order to understand this Sūtra it is necessary to recall the theory of Kleśas discussed in Section II, especially II-23-24 which indicate the purpose and the means of bringing together Puruṣa and Prakṛti. That purpose having been fulfilled through the destruction of Avidyā and the attainment of Kaivalya, the compulsory association of Purusa and Prakṛti dissolves naturally and automatically and with this dissolution comes to an end the transformations of the Guṇas.

According to the Yogic philosophy the quiescent condition of Prakṛti which is known as Sāmyāvasthā is disturbed and the incessant transformations of the three Guṇas begin when Puruṣa and Prakṛti are brought together. These transformations continue as long as the association lasts and must come to an end when the association is dissolved, much in the same manner as the electric current stops when the magnetic field is removed in a dynamo. The subsidence of the disturbance in Prakṛti and the reversion of the Guṇas to the harmonized condition follows as a natural result of the dissociation of Puruṣa and Prakṛti.

What does this reversion of Prakṛti to the Sāmyāvasthā mean? Does it mean that Puruṣa and Prakṛti have reverted to their original state and the valuable fruits of the long evolutionary process are lost? No! The Puruṣa retains his Self-realization and Prakṛti retains the capacity to respond instantaneously to his consciousness and to serve as an instrument of his will through the efficient and sensitive vehicles which have been built up during the process of evolutionary development. But henceforth, the Puruṣa is not bound by the vehicles as he was before the attainment of Kaivalya. The vehicles on the different planes of manifestation may be retained or allowed to dissolve but they always remain in their potential form, to spring forth into activity whenever the Puruṣa wants to use them. He uses them as mere vehicles for his consciousness without any self-identification and, therefore, without gathering any new Karmas or Saṃskāras, and he is free to dissociate himself from them and retire into his Real form whenever he so wills. The association between Puruṣa and Prakṛti is now a completely free and perfect association involving no bondage or compulsion for the Puruṣa. He has destroyed Avidyā and there are no Saṃskāras to keep him bound to the world of manifestation as in the case of the ordinary Jivātmā. The equilibrium of the Guṇas now evolved is so stable that they revert to it instantaneously and automatically the moment Puruṣa withdraws his consciousness into himself. Not only is it perfectly stable but it contains within it the potentiality of assuming instantaneously any combination that may be required for the expression of consciousness. The student should also read in this connection what has been said in dealing with II-18.

Kṣaṇa-pratiyogī pariṇāmāparānta-nirgrāhyaḥ kramaḥ.

moments corresponding change (at) the final end entirely apprehensible process; succession.

33. The process, corresponding to moments which become apprehensible at the final end of transformation (of the Guṇas), is Kramaḥ.

This is one of the most important and interesting Sūtras in this Section because it throws some light on the nature of the manifested world and Time. In this Sūtra we have a remarkable illustration of the condensation in a few words of a whole theory of a scientific nature which would be dealt with in a volume by a modem writer.

Before we discuss the profound implications of this Sūtra it is necessary to explain the significance of some of the words which compose it. For these words stand for definite philosophical concepts and without a knowledge of their connotations it is not possible to appreciate the significance of the Sūtra. It is only with the help of such words which stand for a whole set of ideas and are pregnant with profound meanings that a Sūtra can be constructed.

Let us take the word Kṣaṇa. Literally it means a moment; but behind this simple meaning there is hidden a whole philosophy of Time which throws much light on our modern conception of Time. According to this philosophy, Time, contrary to our impression and belief, is not a continuous thing but discontinuous. Before the advent of modern Science matter was generally considered to be continuous, but investigations in the field of Chemistry showed that it was not continuous but discontinuous, being composed of discrete particles separated from one another by enormous empty spaces. In the same way investigations by Yogic methods showed that the apparently continuous series of changes which are taking place in the phenomenal world and by which we measure time, are not really continuous. The changes consist of a number of successive states which are quite distinct and separate from one another.

The mechanism for projecting a cinematographic picture on a screen provides an almost perfect illustration of this actual discontinuity hidden beneath apparent continuity. The following diagram will give some idea of the apparatus which is employed in projecting such a picture.

FIG. 15

AB is the screen. D is the source of light. O is an aperture which allows light from D to fall on the screen. This aperture opens and closes alternately and its movement is synchronized with the movement of the film. As the aperture opens, one of the series of pictures in the film comes opposite to it and a beam of light shooting through the picture projects it on the screen. The aperture then closes, the film moves, the next picture comes into place and is projected on the screen as before.

It will be seen, therefore, that the apparently continuous picture produced on the screen is really a series of separate images thrown on the screen in quick succession. The time interval between the successive images is less than one-tenth of a second and that is why we get the impression of a continuous picture.

According to Yogic philosophy the seemingly continuous phenomena which we cognize through the instrumentality of the mind are not really continuous and like the cinematographic picture on the screen consist of a series of discontinuous states. Each successive change in the phenomenal world which is separate and distinct produces a corresponding impression upon the mind but these impressions succeed one another with such rapidity that we get the impression of continuity. The interval of time corresponding to each of these successive states is called a Kṣaṇa. So Kṣaṇa may be called the smallest unit of time which cannot be broken up further.

The next word to be considered is Kramaḥ. We have seen just now that the impression of continuous phenomena in our mind is produced by a succession of discontinuous changes in Prakṛti around us. Kramaḥ stands for this process consisting of a relentless sucession of discontinuous changes underlying all kinds of phenomena. This process is ultimately based upon the unit of time, Kṣaṇa, as the projection of the cinematographic picture is based upon each opening and closing of aperture. As Kṣaṇa succeeds Kṣaṇa the whole manifested world passes from one distinct state to another distinct state, but the succession is so rapid that we are not conscious of the discontinuity.

It will be seen, therefore, that according to the Yogic philosophy not only is the whole basis of manifestation material—using the word material in its widest sense—but also that the changes which take place in Prakṛti and which produce all kinds of phenomena are essentially mechanical, that is, based on a hidden, essentially mechanical process. The whole manifested Universe and everything in it changes from moment to moment by a relentless law which is inherent in the very nature of manifestation.

If we have grasped the nature of the process indicated by the two words Kṣaṇa and Kramaḥ it should not be difficult to understand the meaning of the Sūtra under discussion. It means simply that the Yogi can become aware of the Ultimate Reality only when his consciousness is liberated from the limitations of this process which produces Time, by performing Saṃyama on this process as indicated in III-53. As long as his consciousness is involved in the process he cannot know his Real nature. It is only when he steps out of the world of the unreal into the Light of Reality that he realizes not only the true nature of Reality but also of the Relative world of Time and Space which he has left behind.

The thoughtful student may find in the profound idea adumbrated in this Sūtra the clue to the nature of Time and Energy and the Quantum Theory which has proved so helpful in the development of modern Science. It is not possible to go into these profound and fundamental problems here but the following two ideas should prove suggestive to the student who is interested in these subjects.

If the fundamental process underlying the phenomenal world is discontinuous then all apparently continuous processes which we can observe and measure must also be discontinuous. Take for example, the radiant energy which comes to us from the Sun. Does this energy flow to us continuously or does it come in discrete portions or quanta? If all the changes in the Solar system are discontinuous and the Solar system, as it were, comes into being and then disappears alternately from moment to moment, then the flow of energy from the Sun must be a discontinuous process. This conclusion which follows from the doctrines of the Yogic philosophy is in general accord with the basic idea underlying the Quantum Theory.

The two Sūtras III-53 and IV-33 also throw some light on the nature of Time. As the perception of phenomena is the result of the impressions produced in consciousness by a succession of mental images it is the number of mental images which will really determine the duration of the phenomenon which we call Time. There cannot thus be an absolute measure of Time. Time must be related to the number of images which pass through the mind. This idea will throw some light on the different measures of Time which are known to exist on the different planes of the Universe.

Puruṣārtha-śūnyānāṃ guṇānāṃ prati-prasavaḥ kaivalyaṃ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śakter iti.

aim of the Puruṣa devoid of of the Guṇas or the three fundamental qualities re-absorption; recession; re-mergence Liberation (in) Real or own nature establishment or of the power of pure Consciousness Finis.

34. Kaivalya is the state (of Enlightenment) following re-mergence of the Guṇas because of their becoming devoid of the object of the Puruṣa. In this state the Puruṣa is established in his Real nature which is pure Consciousness. Finis.

We now come to the last Sūtra which defines and sums up the ultimate state of Enlightenment which is called Kaivalya. The meaning of the Sūtra may be expressed simply in the following words: “Kaivalya is that state of Self-realization in which the Puruṣa gets established finally when the purpose of his long evolutionary unfoldment has been attained. In this state the Guṇas, having fulfilled their purpose, recede to a condition of equilibrium and therefore the power of pure Consciousness can function without any obscuration or limitation.”

It should be noted that this is not a description of the content of Consciousness in the state of Kaivalya. As has been pointed out before, no one living in the world of the unreal can understand or describe the Reality of which the Yogi becomes aware on attaining Kaivalya. This Sūtra merely points out in a general way certain conditions which are present in Kaivalya and which serve to distinguish it from the exalted conditions of consciousness which precede it.

It is natural that vagueness should exist and a large number of misconceptions be prevalent about a state of consciousness and a goal of human achievement which is so utterly beyond human comprehension. But some of these misconceptions are so obvious that it would be worthwhile pointing them out before bringing this chapter to a close.

Does Kaivalya mean complete annihilation of the individuality and the merging of the Yogi’s consciousness in the Divine Consciousness as implied by the well-known sentence ‘the dewdrop slips into the Shining Sea’? In considering this important question which has been partly dealt with in II-18 we have to bear in mind that Kaivalya is the culmination of a tremendously long evolutionary process extending over innumerable lives and involving enormous periods of time. In the last phase of this evolutionary development which is brought about by the practice of Yoga, power, knowledge and bliss unfold from within the Yogi’s consciousness by leaps and bounds and become so great towards the end that the human mind simply reels from its mere contemplation. At each stage of his progress the Yogi finds that the new consciousness which dawns within him is infinitely more vital and glorious than the preceding one and he seems to be progressively uncovering a tremendous Reality which is hidden within the deepest recesses of his own being. Kaivalya is attained by transcending the most transcendent state of consciousness which it is possible to attain within the realm of Prakṛti. Does it stand to reason that in the new consciousness which is attained his individuality is completely lost and the valuable fruits of evolution gathered at the cost of so much suffering and travail are washed away in one stroke?

It is reasonable to suppose that the experience of unity with the Divine Consciousness is so perfect and overwhelming that the Yogi seems to lose his own individuality for the time being but this does not necessarily mean that the individuality is dissolved and lost for ever in that glorious Reality. If the individuality is completely dissolved how do we then account for its reappearance in the lower worlds? For, it is an undoubted fact that these great Beings do return to the lower worlds after gaining Enlightenment. It is easy for the dewdrop to slip and be lost in the Shining Sea but it cannot be recovered from that Sea again. In the same way, if the individuality is merged and lost completely it cannot separate and manifest again. If it can do so, it simply means that a germ of individuality, however subtle it may be, still remains even in the perfect union of the Jivātmā with Paramātmā. So let us not make the mistake of supposing that the long and tedious evolutionary development of a human being ends merely in his disappearance into a Reality from which there is no return and the hard earned fruits of evolution are lost both for him and others. Let us trust that the Almighty who has created this wonderful Universe and devised the Evolutionary Scheme has more intelligence than ourselves!

Then again, from the literal meaning of Kaivalya many people are led to imagine that it is a state of consciousness in which the Puruṣa is completely isolated from all others and lives alone in solitary grandeur like a man sitting on the peak of a mountain. Such a state, if it did exist, would be a horror and not the consummation of bliss. The idea of isolation implied in Kaivalya is to be interpreted in relation to Prakṛti from which the Puruṣa is isolated. This isolation frees him from all the limitations which are inherent in being involved in matter in a state of Avidyā but leads him, on the other hand, to the closest possible unification with Consciousness in all its manifestations. Complete isolation from Prakṛti means complete unification with Consciousness or Reality, because it is matter which divides the different units of consciousness, and in the world of Reality we are all one. The more we transcend matter and isolate our consciousness from it the greater becomes the degree of our union with Parameśvara and all the Jivātmās who are centres in His Consciousness. And as Ānanda is inseparable from Love or the awareness of oneness we can see easily why this consciousness of Kaivalya which includes everyone in its vast embrace leads to the acme of Bliss.

The last question that might be dealt with in connection with IV-34 is whether Kaivalya represents the end of the journey. Although a study of the Yoga-Sūtras might give the impression that Kaivalya is the final goal, those who have trodden the Path and passed further along it, as well as Occult tradition, declare with one voice that Kaivalya is only a stage in the unending unfoldment of consciousness. When the Puruṣa attains this stage of Self-realization he sees opening before him new vistas of achievement which are utterly beyond human imagination. As Lord Buddha said ‘Veil upon veil shall lift, but still veil upon veil will be found behind.’ The Yoga-Sūtras give the technique for achieving the final goal as far as human beings are concerned. What lies beyond is not only not our concern for the time being, but is totally beyond our comprehension and therefore cannot be the subject of study. The further mysteries which we have to unravel and the stages of the Path we have to tread are hidden within the still deeper recesses of our consciousness and will reveal themselves in due course when we are ready for them. Enough for us, for the time being, is the goal of achievement which is implied in Kaivalya.