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
66 (of 124)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
series of similar thoughts which is untouched or not disturbed by any other thought of opposite kind. 228 Different from concentration, meditation (dhy膩na) is the flow of a single thought which is not afflicted by any other divergent thought. 229 In meditation, the continuous flow of similar
230 thoughts gives up their nature as it were and shines with the form
of the object of meditation (dhyey膩k膩ra). Just as a clear crystal
shining like the object on which it is placed (sphatika-dravy-
mupadh膩n膩 vabh膩sam), in sam膩dhi mind gets the state of oneness
with the object of meditation. Just like the crystal gives up its
purity- the real nature, mind also assumes the nature of the object
of meditation. When these three limbs of Yoga viz., dh膩ra峁嘺,
dhy膩na and sam膩dhi are practiced in one object, then it is termed
as samyama.
When compared to the earlier five means, yama and
so on, these three are considered as internal means (antaranga
s膩dhana) to attain sabija-sam膩dhi. At the same time they are the
external means (bahiranga sadhana) to attain nirbija-sam膩dhi.
Vivara峁嘺k膩ra has given much importance to these three means.
Even without gaining perfection in the five-fold means of yama
etc. it is possible to attain yoga by the perfection of the three-
212
