Patanjali Yoga Sutras Samadhi Pada - 13
Katha Vivekananda Kendra
ॐ ॐ ॐ
The next two sutras, that is sutra number 13 and 14, are the definition and exposition on abhyāsa. What is abhyāsa? What is practice? When we say I am practicing, I should practice or I will practice, we should practice. Naturally, practice means yoga. So what does practice mean? And what actually practice is? What Patañjali defines, expounds, abhyāsa means.
Sutra number 13 and 14 gives a clear indication in the dimensions of abhyāsa, that is practice. Sutra number 13 is —,
त॒त्र स्थि॒तौ य॑त्नोऽभ्या॒सः ॥ १.१३॥
Tatra sthitau yatno’bhyāsaḥ ॥ 1.13॥
Tatra sthitau yatno abhyāsaḥ - there is tatra in abhyāsa or tatra also means there, in that state, at that state. Then sthitau, sthitau, sthiti - sthitau has two meanings. One is sthiratvam, stability. And also means a stage, a particular stage. That sthiti, that stage, that level. And sthita also means steadiness, sthiratvam. Yatnam is the effort, prayās, effort it is. abhyāsa is practice.So that is called as practice where steadiness is reached. Or a steady effort to reach that state. Or abhyāsa is defined as a state of stability. So that is yatna where we achieve stability. Also, that is abhyāsa where stability is attained. If we look into the word as steadiness, this also has two implications. Steady effort. And an effort to reach state of steadiness. A steady effort to reach a state of stability.
Anyway, in all these various dimensions, importance is practice, abhyāsa. And that is the dimension where it is said that an effort to secure steadiness in any state. That attaining stability, attaining steadiness. Of course, the steadiness is again, if it is taken as a stage, it has two dimensions. Physical steadiness and psychological, mental steadiness. An effort made, prayatna, yatna made to steady the body and to steady the mind. Or even an effort taken to steady the body, that is also abhyāsa. Or an effort to make the mind stable, steady mind, that is also an effort.
In both dimensions, physically or mentally, what effort we make, which brings this stability. What effort we make to attain a state of steadiness, that effort is abhyāsa.
Repetition at a particular effort, at a particular time and intensity, that is abhyāsa. That is why it is always said that fixing a particular time, a particular practice is very much helpful. That is how abhyāsa is seen.
And sthitau, as we have seen, sthitau as — when we say it is a stage of the mind, state of the mind — what type of state of the mind is called sthiti? A beautiful explanation, a beautiful experience it is. And that state where the mind is praśānta-vāhitā, a calm mind. An undisturbed flow of the mind, undisturbed, calm, serene. That stability, and to achieve that stability — praśānta-citta, praśānta-vāhitā-citta. And that praśānta-citta, praśānta-vāhitā-citta, where vṛttis are nirodha. And an effort made for that particular state, that is abhyāsa.
So we should be very clear. Everything and anything cannot be said as abhyāsa. Anything and everything cannot be said as practice. That effort alone can be termed as abhyāsa or practice by which the mind gets into a state of stability. And it should be calm and quiet.
If a particular practice makes us agitated, if a particular practice makes us excited, if a particular practice makes us disturbed, that practice cannot be termed as abhyāsa. Abhyāsa must produce, must give the result of praśānta-vāhitā. And that praśānta-vāhitā mind should be a steady mind.
And that is where the most important Tatra sthitau yatno’bhyāsaḥ — stabilizing in that particular state. A steady stable practice, that is termed as abhyāsa. How clearly Patañjali defines or gives the suggestion how our practice should be. Our practice should be stable, steady practice.
And what is the measuring rod that our practice is correct or good? The measuring rod is the mind should be stable. The mind is becoming stable. praśānta-vāhitā-citta it is called. And slowly vṛtti-nirodha is taking place. And that is how the suggestion for the practice, suggestion for the result of the practice, and what should be the aim and result of abhyāsa. We should remember that each and everything cannot be termed as abhyāsa. And it is a steady practice to take our mind into a state of steadiness - Tatra sthitau yatno’bhyāsaḥ. That is why I repeat. A specific time, a specific place, and a specific intensity may differ from person to person. But fixing is an important dimension of abhyāsa. That is how Patañjali in the sutra number 13 emphasizes, defines the importance of abhyāsa.
The next sutra is also a further extension of abhyāsa itself, which we shall see now.
Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ.
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः||
To Be Continued..
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These are transcription of session delivered by Vice-President of Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Vivekananda Kendra, Sri M. Hanumantha Rao Ji.
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मुक्तसंग्ङोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वित:।
सिद्धयसिद्धयोर्निर्विकार: कर्ता सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥१८.२६॥
Freed from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with courage and enthusiasm and unperturbed by success or failure, the worker is known as a pure (Sattvika) one. Four outstanding and essential qualities of a worker. - Bhagwad Gita : XVIII-26