Object of Perception YS IV - 19

Yoga Sutra - IV- 19 - NA TAT SVABHASAM DRSYATVAT - The mind-stuff is not self-luminous because it is an object of perception by the Purusha.

Swami Satchidananda informs of this sutra that "The mind-stuff is not the subject. It is the object to the one subject who is the Purusha. The mental functions are what you, as Purusha, perceive. The perceived can never become the perceiver, nor vice-versa. If the perceiver is perceived by something, then he is no longer a perceiver, but, rather, the perceived. To really have this awareness, this isolation of perceiver and perceived, is Yoga."

Swami Satchidananda states that it seems that this should be easy, however, because of the quality of the mind is not that clear. The unclear mind drags us down and doesn't allow us to stay separated from the mind. "Maya (illusion) tricks us." We are given an example how we want something one day and then say we don't, then maybe two days later we want it again. We become convinced because of Maya that what we didn't want yesterday will be wonderful today. And this is because of our ego which is based in the mind. The ego doesn't allow us to know our true self, that we are the Purusha.

He finally ends the commentary on how when we do something we blame the mind and when someone does something to us we blame them, instead of their mind. A great example given is in Hatha Yoga when we lay in the corpse pose (savasana) we say we are not the body, the body is just lying there. However, when we get up and someone calls us plump, we get disturbed identifying with the body and not our true nature, the Self. So because of this constant slipping of awareness, we have to bring it back again and again and that is spiritual practice.

Independence of the Seer YS II - 25

Yoga Sutra II- 25 - TAD ABHAVAT SAMYOGABHAVO HANAM TAT DRSEH KAIVALYAM - Without this ignorance, no such union occurs. This is the independence of the Seer.

Swami Satchidananda says "More simply, once the junction created by ignorance is removed, the Seer rests in his own true nature. The Purusha is always like that; although temporarily it appears to be bound by Prakriti." In other words, the Self appears to be bound by nature. "We should not only understand this theoretically" but also understand this in all our experiences, our actions, our ups and downs. We should keep asking ourselves, "Who am I?" "Who is happy?" "Who is unhappy?" When we keep this in mind, ask the questions and be vigilant, we will see that we are the knower and who we really are is not diminished by the outer circumstances.


In the continuation of the summary, Swami Satchidananda says "The Vedantins say, "Aham sakshihi." This means "I am the eternal witness." Just knowing this will help us out on many situations in life. If we are upset over something, we can ask who is upset? Even with pain we can have this attitude like if our finger gets burned, who is burned? This process becomes a meditative focus that helps us to see "Who" is at the effect in these situations.

Swami Satchidananda humorously gives an example of telling us he used to treat scorpion stings, which are very painful. He said the quickest way relieve someone from the pain was to put a few drops of salt solution in their eyes. Even though it had nothing to do with the sting, it diverted the attention away from the sting to the eye. And by the time the stinging eye was relieved, the scorpion sting was forgotten. "The attention is instantly transferred. So everything is relative." Once our minds, or attention is shifted, whatever was focused on before is forgotten. "A man is according to his mind", therefore, bondage and liberation is our own minds. It is only when we transcend the mind that we are free from all these troubles. The commentary ends where even if we reach that transcendence of mind and becoming free that instead of being idle, we can help others who are still bound.


In "How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood says that they are bewildered by what Patanjali is saying in this sutra. To them, Patanjali appears to be accepting and even approving of this ignorance. "Surely, ignorance is undesirable? Surely, it would have been much better if we had never become alienated from the Atman, never ceased to be aware of our real nature?" They further comment that this bewilderment they are experiencing is another product of this same ignorance. "Rooted in maya, we cannot hope to understand maya or judge the "justice" or 'injustice" of its bondage by our little relative, ethical standards."

They continue on commenting that all they can see for certain is that great saints who became liberated did not look back on their struggles lamenting with bitterness and regret. Instead of looking at maya with horror, they looked at it as fascinating and as an amusing play. The final conclusion is that instead of wasting time on reasoning and philosophizing, it is better to keep our eyes on those that have gone before us reaching the end of the journey. They are "beckoning us on to follow them." Their triumph is our reassurance that ultimately all is for the best.

See related posts:

• The Seer or Purusha YS II - 20
• The Witness - YS II - 21
• Maya - Illusion YS II - 22
• Samyoga - Union YS II - 23
• Because of Ignorance - YS II - 24
  
  
  
  
  

Maya - Illusion YS II - 22

Yoga Sutra II-22 -KRTARTHAM PRATI NASTAM APY ANASTAM TAK ANYA SADHARANATVAT - Although destroyed for him who has attained liberation, it [the seen] still exists for others, being common to them.

"According to the Vedantic term, nature is called Maya or illusion. To whom is it maya? To the person who has understood it. To others it is still real." -Swami Satchidananda. An analogy is given of a factory operation with raw materials coming in (like wood, or iron) and it coming out as a finished product to be sold. This analogy is likened to the world being our factory. We are passed through the "world factory " being shaped continuously by the different experiences we have. Swami Satchidananda says that "Eventually we understand the world completely and have no business in the factory any longer." When this understanding arises, we no longer run after the worldly pleasures. "When we stop running after the world, the world says, 'All right, sir, I won't bother you any more. But whenever you wish to make use of me, I'm ready to serve you.' Then the world runs after you."

We are further informed that "We can't shape ourselves without the of the factory's help. We should know nature first." This is why nature is called the Mother and only through her can we know the Father. We are told to know nature well, don't run from it and ultimately we cannot escape it. If we do, "we will have to face a more difficult form later on." As Swami Satchidananda concludes the commentary, we are told to be alert and aware with maya as it will come from all directions. We must have eyes everywhere as well as "face it, understand it, analyze it, and solve its test." Once we understand and solve our problems, we become masters and are no longer bound by nature. "It becomes our slave."