Saturday, March 7, 2009

Prakasa - The Light Revealed YS II - 52

Yoga Sutra II- 52 - TATAH KSIYATE PRAKASAVARANAM - As a result, the veil over the inner Light is destroyed.

"Patanjali now comes to the benefit of pranayama. We destroy the veil that covers the inner light. Prakasa, the light within, is covered by a veil of mental darkness. What is the best way to remove a veil? By pulling the threads out, one by one, until it exists no more. The mind is a veil woven of thoughts. It has no substance by itself. If we pull the thoughts out one after the other, when they have all been removed, there is no mind left." - Swami Satchidananda

Swami Satchidananda gives a few analogies of different substances arranged in different ways and shapes, having different names and appearances, but still made of the same substance. " Our basis is the Self. As long as we identify with the body or mind, we feel we are mortal. Pranayama indirectly helps us to understand the Oneness, the never-changing One, because it removes the veil. And it is an easy practice. Not many people come to meditation class, but hundreds and thousands come for asanas and pranayama."

The following statement comes from "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood on this sutra:

" 'The Inner Light' is the light of spiritual discrimination between the Real and the unreal. 'The covering' is made up of ignorance produced by our past karmas. As the mind becomes purified through the practice of pranayama, this ignorance is gradually dispelled."

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3 comments:

C. Om said...

Once we have "no mind left," we can focus on what we like, manifesting a chosen experience. With a higher sense of Self, this would be a manifestation of light. The light revealed.

Anne Partain said...

"We destroy the veil that covers the inner light. Prakasa, the light within, is covered by a veil of mental darkness"

I love this word picture! And once all aspects of the mental darkness are worked out we are connected to who we really are....Indeed, we become ourselves.

Thanks!

bometernally said...

@ C.Om - You are definitely on! Definitely light revealing (:-)

@ Anne - You are welcome! Isn't it amazing! We are the Light!