No Meaning Without Purpose YS IV - 24

Yoga Sutra - IV- 24 - TAD ASAMKHYEYA VASANABHIS CITTAM API PARARTHAM SAMHATYA KARITVAT - Though having countless desires, the mind-stuff exists for the sake of another [the Purusha] because it can act only in association with It.

Swami Satchidananda translated this sutra without commentary.

"How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood says the following:

Every combination of individuals or forces in this world has to have a purpose for its action or existence; otherwise it would be just a meaningless, functionless collection of objects, brought together haphazardly. And this purpose must be external to itself. A congress or parliament would be just a collection of noisy individuals in a room, if it did not have a purpose of legislating for a community. A house is just a pile of materials, until an owner comes to inhabit and enjoy it. So with the mind-- that yelling parliament of conflicting interests and desires. It is nothing but a madhouse, until it is "called to order." It can only become purposive the external will of the Atman.

See preceding posts.

The Purusha/Atman is Luminous YS IV - 20

Yoga Sutra - IV - 20 - EKA SAMAYE COBHAYANAVADHARANAM - The mind-stuff cannot perceive both the subject and object simultaneously [which proves it is not self-luminous].

Swami Satchidananda - "The mind-stuff perceives objects outside. At other times, if is is clean enough, it can turn within and reflect the Purusha also. So, it can be either subject or object. As subject, it see other things. As an object, it is seen by the Purusha. But the Purusha can never be both. It is always the subject."

"How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood:

As we saw at the very beginning of this book (I, 2), the mind is not the seer, but the instrument of the Atman, which is eternally conscious. The mind is only intermittently conscious of objects, and its perceptions of them vary according to its own fluctuations. The mind is changing all the time, and so is the object of perception. The Atman alone, by remaining unchanged, provides a standard by which all perception can be measured.

We are given a partial quote from Swami Vivekananda that "Motion can only be perceived when there is something else which is not moving..."

We are given the statement - The mind is just as much an object of perception as any object it perceives in the external world. The mind is not self-luminous; that is to say, it is not a light-giver, like the sun, but a light-reflector, like the moon. The light-giver, the "sun," is the Atman, and the mind only shines and perceives by the reflected light of the Atman. The mind cannot perceive both itself and an external object simultaneously.

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.

Wisdom - Seven Stages - YS II - 27 (Part I)

Yoga Sutra II- 27 - TASYA SAPTADHA PRANTABHUMIH PRAJNA- One's wisdom in the final stage is sevenfold. [One experiences the end of 1) desire to know anything more; 2) desire to stay away from anything; 3) desire to gain anything new; 4) desire to do anything; 5) sorrow; 6) fear; 7) delusion.]

Swami Satchidananda comments at the end of the last sutra YS II - 26, that "Patanjali goes on to explain the Purusha's different stages of attainment as he gradually goes upward to rest in his own true nature. " This process is referred to as saptadha bhumi - the seven planes of understanding.

• Stage 1. - This is when we come to realize or conclude that all the running around, going here or there, does not give us the knowledge that we seek. "Knowledge is a thing to be obtained from within by tuning in". The tuning in is so we can understand ourselves and "know thyself" first. "If we do not know ourselves, we will make mistakes in knowing other things."
• Stage 2. - Understanding that all experiences of pleasure and pain come not from the outside, but from the interpretation of our own mind. "The mind makes these experiences and creates these feelings." When we realize this, we try to correct our mind instead of blaming others or the outside world. We will no longer need to seek after things or avoid them.
• Stage 3. - This is the stage where the mind becomes neutral, understanding it fully and attaining cosmic understanding (samadhi). No books can give this understanding and you don't need to study anything to get this phase. Satchidananda states many saints were illiterate. "There is wealth of knowledge inside." " This understanding without learning is the third level of consciousness."
• Stage 4. - This is the stage that we rise above all "doership" because we understand nature and its workings. In other words we understand the cosmic plan. As one is no longer bound to any particular duty, whatever a person appears to be doing it is done as the >akarta, the non-doer.
• Stage 5. - `This stage is the after-effect of the above understanding or just doing God's will. "Once we come to know there is nothing to be done, the chittam is completely free of impressions. It is liberated."
• Stage 6. - At this level the mind , the chittam loses itself. "This is called mano-nasa or chitta-masa and means the mind is completely chucked off. When the mind gets totally dissolved, the seventh and last plane remains."
• Stage 7. - This stage is when the Purusha alone remains, resting in his own svarupa [(Swarupa) self-form, true form, essential form or figure.] The Bhagavad Gita says "Beholding the Self by the Self, one is satisfied in the Self." This is the highest form of samadhi.

Swami Satchidananda informs us that we should know these stages so we will not be frightened, "because one day we will certainly all reach that state." He points out that once we achieve the first stage, we will learn to turn within without expectations from externals.

To be continued....

Samyoga - Union YS II - 23

Yoga Sutra II- 23 - SVA SVAMI SAKTYOH SVARUPOPALABDHI HETUH SAMYOGAH - The union of Owner (Purusha) and owned (Prakriti) causes the recognition of the nature and powers of them both.

"Samyoga (union) is necessary for the Purusha to realize himself with the help of nature." - Swami Satchidananda further comments that this union is not of the individual self with the higher Self, but union of the Purusha and Prakriti, Self and nature. Separately they don't express themselves, however, connected they become known. "They help each other." An analogy is given that in order to print white letters a black background is needed for contrast as you can't see white on white. It is through the Prakriti (black background or nature) that the Purusha (the white letters or Self) is realized. It is through nature that we realize the higher Self. "If not for the Prakriti, we could not know ourselves. So Prakriti isn't just bondage as many people think. It is necessary."

See related posts:

• The Seen - Nature of the Gunas YS II - 18
• The Four Stages of the Gunas YS II - 19
• The Seer or Purusha YS II - 20

The Witness - YS II - 21

Yoga Sutra II- 21 - TADARTHA EVA DRSYASYATMA - The seen exists only for the sake of the Seer.

Swami Satchidananda reminds of the previous sutras that tell us that "nature is here to give experience to the Purusha and so we think the Purusha is doing the experiencing." We are informed that the Purusha is just a witness. We can only understand this from our level, however as we go further, will realize this truth. We can only see from where we are presently in our understanding. Each person has their own understanding as we are each on different levels, with different capacities, tastes and temperaments. As our understanding deepens, we will eventually "know that the true Self never does anything nor will it ever enjoy anything."

Related post:

The Seen - Nature of the Gunas YS II - 18

The Seer or Purusha YS II - 20

Yoga Sutra II- 20 - DRASTA DRSIMATRAH SUDDHO'PI PRATYAYANUPASYAH - The Seer is nothing but the power of seeing which, although pure, appears to see through the mind.

In this sutra Patanjali talks about the Seer, or Purusha. Swami Satchidananda says "Even though the light is pure and never-changing, it appears to change because of the medium of nature." He illustrates that the sun's rays appear to bend when it passes through a section of water. "A filament gives pure light but appears to be red because of the red glass that surrounds it." In the same way, he further illustrates that we are all of the same light. Externally we don't look, act or think alike because of the nature of our bodies and minds, we appear different, but we are made of the same substance.

Swami Satchidananda says that "Through Yogic thinking we can see the entire humanity as our own." and "We can embrace all without exceptions." We are informed that we would not criticize others of doing wrong as we were once in the same boat; "Today's sinners tomorrow's saint." Finally he says that "Yoga helps in every aspect of our lives, from the White House to the outhouse. It's not something to be experienced only after sixty years of practice, but something that can benefit everyone now."

See related post:

• Yoga as Inspiration
• Staying Connected

The Seen - Nature of the Gunas YS II - 18

Yoga Sutra II- 18 - PRAKASA KRIYA STHITI SILLAM BHUTENDRIYATMAKAM BHOGAPAVARGARTHAM DRSYAM - The seen is of the nature of the gunas: illumination, activity and inertia; and consists of the elements and sense organs, whose purpose is to provide both experiences and liberation to the Purusha.


The seen? The gunas? What is this sutra talking about? The seen is the past participle of the word see according to Merriam- Webster Online dictionary - "1 a: to perceive by the eye b: to perceive or detect as if by sight". The gunas are defined in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda as the qualities of nature (sattvva, rajas and tamas or balance, activity and inertia).



Swami Satchidananda says that in this sutra Patanjali talks about the drisya, or seen. The Purusha or Seer, is who we truly are. According to Satchidananda, "Patanjali tries to analyze what this 'seen' is that gives us experience. He says it is a combination of different elements and organs controlled by the three gunas." The term used in the beginning of the sutra is prakasa kriya sthiti. Prakasa means illumination which stands for sattva; kriya is action representing rajas and sthiti is inertia or tamas. The question is why is there the "seen" (outside of ourselves) and why does Prakriti (nature, or environment) exist?


"Nature is here to give you experience and ultimately to liberate you from its bondage. Even if people do not want to be liberated, it educates them gradually so that one day they will feel, "I'm tired of the whole thing. I don't want it anymore. I've had enough." Swami Satchidananda says that we will feel this way only after we've gotten kicked and burned enough. The purpose of Prakriti or nature is to give us those experiences. He said "So, we should never condemn nature."

The commentary continues to tell us that Nature, Prakriti is a combination of elements and organs. The organs are the intellect, mind, senses and the body. Even though one might think of nature being outside of us, the body is nature too as it is comprised of the elements (IE. -air, fire, water, earth). We are reminded that nothing in nature can bring our minds unchanging happiness because the mind always changes. If this were not the case we would not always look for change. Think about it. At one time you liked something or someone. Then after a time, you no longer liked the something or someone. Then there is an analogy of how we like to hold on to things and with that comes struggle, tension. We are informed that "All life is a passing show. If we want to hold it, even for a minute, we feel tension." It is pointed out that even with our bodies, we don't want it to change (get older) and the extremes we go to prevent it. "If only we learn to enjoy each change, we can recognize the beauty even in aging." " When we allow things to pass, we are free." By doing this we keep our peace.

Another analogy is given of a silk worm and some of the questions we can ask ourselves are:

• Where are we now?
• Are we still eating?
• Are we in the cocoon?
• Are we meditating?
• Are we growing wings?

So the more we enjoy and we don't listen to wisdom (unless we have extraordinary intelligence), we are then taught by nature that puts us in a tight corner as a lesson. When we finally learn our lesson we no longer cling to that and thus become liberated. "After liberation, although we are still in nature, we are no longer bound by it as we grown the wings of viveka (discrimination of real and unreal) and vairagya(dispassion, detachment or unattachment). Like the silk worm, we slip out of the cocoon, we fly out never to return there again.

Swami Satchidananda ends the commentary with "When you've learned nature's lessons she no longer has any business with you, but she continues to exist to teach the many others who have not yet learned. " He says you have graduated from the university and you may go back as an alumnus, but you are no longer attached to the world. As a liberated person you can be useful in the world but not affected by it.

Omniscience YS I -25; The Guru YS I-26

Yoga Sutra I-25- TATRA NIRATISAYAM SARVAJNA BIJAM - In Him complete manifestation of the seed of omniscience.

Swami Satchidananda uses the word omniscience in his translation of the the word sarvajna. From the Wikipedia omniscience is defined as "the capacity to know everything infinitely, or at least everything that can be known about a character including thoughts, feelings, life and the universe, etc. In monotheism, this ability is typically attributed to God".

Swami Satchidananda commented "He" is all-knowing and knowledge itself. "The cosmic knowledge is called the supreme soul, or Purusha". Then he asks us how we can imagine this. He gives the example of a circle stating that the space within the circle is finite and the space outside it is infinite. "If you accept the existence of a finite space, automatically you have to accept an infinite one. Without infinite there can be no finite." If we feel we are limited and finite (our minds and knowledge), then there must be a source of infinite knowledge beyond.

Yoga Sutra I- 26- SA PURVESAM API GURUH KALENAANAVACCHEDAT- Unconditioned by time, He is the teacher of even the most ancient teachers.

Here Swami Satchidananda says "Although all knowledge is within you and you need not get it from the outside, somebody is still necessary to help you understand your own knowledge." This is why we need a teacher or guru to help us to go within and understand ourselves. From the Wikipedia - A guru (Sanskrit: गुरु, Hindi: गुरु, Bengali: গুরু) is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others.

Swami Satchidananda asks "where did your guru get that knowledge?" "Then who is the first guru?" He speaks about there being a reservoir of knowledge from which all knowledge comes from and "That's why Patanjali says the supreme Purusha, or Isvara, is the Guru of the gurus." And devotion to the all knowing Isvara is another method for obtaining samadhi. This devotion is an emotional path and is a method easier than the others mentioned to attain the different levels of samadhi. Surrendering to"Him" and "The moment you have resigned yourself completely, you have transcended your own ego."

Satchidananda speaks about how we try to practice yoga with our egos, saying "I" can., for example, empty the mind. It is when we realize that it is not "I", but "You, Lord" (that is doing the action), then we have risen above nature. The bottom line is that nobody can obtain eternal peace by doing something with the mind, which is a part of nature. The supreme joy we seek can only be acquired by rising above nature by complete surrender.

To go to the sutra you can check with the post for December 16, 2008. This post wraps up book I of the Yoga Sutras. I will periodically come back and revisit this section.