Yoga Sutra II- 40-SAUCAT SVANGA JUGUPSA PARAIR ASAMSARGAH - By purification arises disgust for one's own body and for contact with other bodies.Swami Satchidananda has such an interesting commentary on this sutra which is now the beginning of the second limb of yoga - the niyamas (observances). Just covering the basic parts of it, he begins with "When saucha, or purity, is observed, it makes you feel that even your own body is impure.* Every minute there are secretions. Impurities are eliminated every second." He continues describing what the the skin does - like sweat, dirt, and how we attempt to hide the dirt. He says that once we begin realize that we are not the body, "we won't be interested in bringing two bodies together any more." Swami Satchidananda gives us an analogy of "there being no difference between the body and a cloth. One is a skin shirt; the other, is a cotton shirt".
It is pointed out that "The real union is not the union of two bodies, one masculine and one feminine. " Tantric Yoga is misinterpreted as pertaining to sexual union. "The Tibetan Tantric system speaks of Siva and Shakti--Siva being the masculine aspect; Shakti, the feminine. This doesn't refer to physical forms but to the positive and negative forces within each individual." Swami Satchidananda says "We should be sure of the esoteric meaning in the scriptures. If we take only the surface meaning we might be misled. " He elaborates that " offering fruits at the alter" refers our offering the fruits of our actions to God. In addition, he says that in ancient times every scripture had esoteric meanings purposely so that not everyone understood them. Once purity of mind obtained, then the meanings of these things will be revealed to us. "When the disciple is ready, the guru comes." So when we have that purity we will become ready to tune into our true nature.
*[part of the Editor's Note of this sutra referring to the "disgust" of the body is that it is not the same as "aversion" and that the human birth, according to sages and scriptures, is essential so that the soul can attain spiritual realization. "With realization, comes the percepti0n that the body is the temple of the Divine Consciousness and is, in fact, nothing but that same Divine Consciousness."]
"How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood states:
" The physical body is the grossest and the most outward manifestation of our consciousness. As a man's mind becomes purified, he naturally loses his sense of identification with his body. Therefore he grows indifferent to it, regarding it as a mere external garment which is neither new or clean." The desire for the bodies of others ceases as he no longer associates their bodies with the consciousness that inhabits them. When the Atman is known to be everywhere and in everything, " why should two outer coverings embrace?"
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