Essay name: Yoga-sutra with Bhashya Vivarana (study)
Author:
Susmi Sabu
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Department of Sanskrit
This essay studies the enduring and relevance of Yoga in India, highlighting its evolution from a comprehensive philosophy to primarily a physical practice. It further underscores the importance of studying Yoga texts to understand its historical trajectory. Special attention is given to the Patanjala Yogasutra Bhashya Vivarana, a significant work attributed to Adi Shankaracharya.
Chapter 4 - Textual Examination of the Text
64 (of 124)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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(dirgha). As the airs extend for long period are slow, this prāṇāyāma is also called subtle (sūkṣma). Withdrawal of senses (pratyāhāra): Pratyāhāra, is the withdrawal of sense organs from their respective sense objects. Senses such as ear, etc., of the yogin withdraw from their respective sense objects by seeing the defects in them and imagine as it were the nature of mind. 225 Just like bees fly when king bee flies and sit when king bee sits, senses also restricted by the restriction of mind. This is called pratyāhāra. 226 Concentration (dhāraṇa), meditation (dhyāna) and oneness
with the object of meditation (samādhi): The definition of
dhāraṇa according to Y.S. is-'fixing mind in one place'.
Vivaraṇakāra explains it as mind fixed on certain objects like
place etc. without any unsteadiness is called concentration
(dhāraṇa).227 The word place (deśa) is described as different
regions such as the region of the navel-circle (nābhicakra), the
heart-lotus (hṛdayapuṇḍarika), the light in head (mūrdhajyotis),
the tip of nose (nāsikāgra), the tip of tongue (jihvāgra) and other
Vivaraṇakāra gives clarification to these different
such areas.
regions.
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