Yogsutras Of Patanjali – 48, 49, 50 and 51

48

Patanjali continues to describe the state of nirvichaar samadhi which leads to etheric purification,

Ritambhara tatra pragya

Ritambhara: Filled with truth

Tatra: There (at that time)

Pragya: Intellect

In that state (of etheric purity), the intellect is filled with truth or, the gyan of truth dawns.

There is just one truth, reality, that which is eternal, or constant. Rest everything around, all that we see, touch, smell, taste, hear or think is unreal, the body too is unreal, it is temporary and constantly fading away.

When the etheric layers are purified, then the intellect reflects upon that truth or reality.

The difference between a yogi and others is that the yogi is stilled on the real, others are immersed in unreal.

49

Patanjali describes the quality of ritambhara pragya,

Shrutanumaan pragyabhyaam anyavishaya vishesharthatvaat

Shrut: Oral, heard

Anumaan: Deduction, inference

Pragyabhyaam: Intellect

Anya: Other

Vishayaa: Subject

Vishesh: Special, characteristic, exceptional

Arthatvaat: Meaning

Its (Ritambhara pragya’s) subject is different from that of the intellect emerging from reading the scriptures, listening to lectures or drawing inference, as this corresponds to an exceptional/unique meaning.

Yoga is a subject of experience. To get the experience, practice has to be done by you, no amount of reading, listening to lectures or thinking can grant you the experience. To fathom the depths of the ocean, you need to take the plunge, sitting on the shore you cannot understand it. Similar is the experience of truth. It cannot be had by listening or inferring, for it is an entirely different subject matter altogether which cannot be understood by the brain, which is limited.

50

Patanjali describes another quality of ritambhara pragya,

Tajjah sanskaar anyasanskaar pratibandhi

Tajjah: Emerging from that (ritambhara pragya)

Sanskaar: Impressions

Anya: Other

Pratibandhi: Stops

The sanskaar emerging from ritambhara pragya, causes other sanskaars to cease.

All our experiences leave some impressions on us, it is these impressions which tie us to the physical creation and cycle of karmas. The impression emerging from Ritambhara pragya has the effect of stilling all other impressions.

51

Patanjali describes the state of nirbeej samadhi,

Tasyaapi nirodhe sarvanirodhaat nirbeejah samadhi

Tasya: Its (sanskaar of ritabhara pragya)

Api: Also

Nirodhe: Upon cessation

Sarvanirodhaat: Due to cessation of all

Nirbeejah: Seedless

Samadhi: Samadhi

When the sanskaar of Ritambhara pragya also dissolves, then due to the cessation of all sanskaars, the state of samadhi becomes seedless, nirbeej.