Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:18 Asamprajñātaḥ Samādhi

{1:18}

विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषो Sन्यः 

virāmapratyayābhyāsapūrvaḥ saṃskāraśeṣo ’nyaḥ

विराम प्रत्यय अभ्यास पूर्वः संस्कार शेषः अन्यः 

I.K Tamini:

The remnant impression [left in the mind] after previous practice [and] on cessation of the content in the mind, is the other (type of samādhi)

The Bihar School:

The other (anya) samādhi is preceded by continued practice (abhyāsa) of stopping the content of the mind. In it the mind remains in the form of traces.

Trevor Leggett's translating Śankarācarya’s commentary:

The other [samādhi] follows on practice of the idea of stopping and consists of saṃskāra-s alone.

विराम -pause, stop, end; masc noun

प्रत्यय - idea, concept, content of mind; masc noun

अभ्यास - exercise, practice;drill; masc noun

पूर्वः - पूर्व as an adjective means initial, earlier, prior. Hhere, the visarga indicates it is being used as masc. noun, a kinship term like forefather or ancestor. Almost like the three that have gone before beget something, which in this case is संस्कार. It's a subtle difference. Even the adjective works, but use of the noun establishes a deeper link - 'born of'. 

संस्कार - impressions in the mind of deeds and activities performed in a former state of existence; masc noun.

शेषः - that which remains or is left behind; masc/neuter noun

अन्यः - the other, another. The fact that this adjective has a visarga clearly indicates that it refers to a masc noun, which is [another] samādhi.

In 1:17, we learned about samprajñātaḥ samādhi which is a state of mind accompanied by reasoning, reflection, bliss and a sense of individuality. All of these indicate some activity or content in the mind. Hence we can collectively call them प्रत्ययाः  When these contents are stopped. paused, ended, we have a state new state of samādhi which is called the 'other' i.e. not samprajñātaḥ therefore - asamprajñātaḥ.

I cannot stress enough that this is only a grammatically analysis and a translation based on commentaries by yogic experts. In no way does it intend to 'teach' you how to achieve samādhi. If at all, the only aim is to arouse your curiosity to find out more. Yoga has been a living tradition for longer than written History, and is transmitted through an unbroken chain of living gurus. You must learn from one such adept.

Bāṇabhatta: A passage from Harshacarita Dvitya ucchvāsaḥ

Bāṇabhatta was a poet in the court of the 7^th century King Harṣavardhana of Kannauj. He is considered one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of Sanskrit Kāvya and is best known for his prose work ‘Harṣacarita’ a biography  of the king; and Kādambari, which is one of the world’s earliest novels in the world.

Here I translate Bāṇa’s description of King Harṣa when he returns to the court after a hiatus. What is unique about this text is it is the first time the grandeur and royal grace of the king is not glorified by comparing him to mythological heroes and gods. Rather, Harṣa transcends them in his practice of the ‘rājadharma’. The faults of the gods are detailed to show what a good king he is. I must say I was pleasantly surprised, and believe it to be a testimony to the tolerance of 7th century Hindus. The translation starts from  "so 'yam..." at the end of line 1 and ends at śṛyaḥ:

The basic sentence is: 'This was [the] Lord, [the] king, Harṣaḥ.' And between the beginning and end of the sentence are a series of descriptions. He is: 

सुजन्मा - well born

गृहीतनामा - whose name is well received

तेजसां राशिः - a collection of splendour, radiance

चतुरुदधि केदार कुटुम्बी - [like] a farmer who's field is the [world with] four oceans

भोक्ता ब्रह्मस्तंभ फलस्य - enjoy-er of the fruit of all creation

सकलादिराजचरितजयज्येष्ठ मल्लो  - wrestler [who has bested] the doings [record] of the earliest kings (like Manu and Prithu) 

With/By him (etena) the earth was indeed (khalu) possessor of a good king (rājanvati)

The next basic sentence is: His glory is not... (न अस्य श्रियः), and in between नास्य and श्रियः we have a list of thing that his glory is not:

His childhood actions are not anti-dharma (vipravirodhini) like those of Krishna (hareriva) 

Nor like Shiva (paṣupateriva) whose state of being a mighty Lord was the cause of the distress (udvega) of Dakṣa 

Nor are words/reports [of his actions] like those of Indra [who was guilty of] killing a tribesman (might also refer to him battling a mountain, as gotra means mountain also)

Nor is he fond of wielding the danḍa [of punishment] the way Yama is

Nor does he guard his treasure(s) with fearsome monster[s] (nistrinśagrāh) like Varuṇa

Nor is an assembly with him fruitless as it is with Kubera

Nor is his philosophy (pl.) [about] void[ness] like that of Buddha [jina]

Nor is his splendour marked,  blotted like that of the moon.

If you wish to read this masterpiece of Sanskrit prose, you can buy it here:

http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/The_Harshacharita.html?id=91yI040vbT8C&redir_esc=y (links are on the side)

If you are in India you can also buy it from mlbd.com and Flipkart.

Building words from verbal roots: Primary Suffixes (कृत् प्रत्यय) 2

क्विप्, अ, आ, अन, अ:, ति, मन्, त्र,  तृ, अक  

सेव् (1A) to serve => सेवा (f) service 

कृत्  प्रत्यय  'आ'  

A number of roots for feminine action nouns with the suffix आ। For instance:

सेव् (1A) to serve => सेवा (f) service 

भाष् (1A) to speak => भाषा (f) speech, language

क्रीद् (1U)  to play => क्रीडा game, sport  

चिन्त्(10P) to think  => चिन्ता (f) thought, anxiety

वि+भूष् (1P) adorn  =>विभूषणम् ornament, adorning

कृत्  प्रत्यय  'अन' 

The suffix अन is one of the most important and productive suffixes. Like अ it forms action nouns freely from many roots, but unlike अ which forms mostly masculine nouns, this suffix forms mostly neuter nouns, a good way to recognise which is - the nominative singular will end in म् rather than a visarga. The root vowel often [but not always] takes गुण before it. 

गम् (1P) to go => गमनम् going 

हन् (2P) to kill => हनहम् killing 

दा (3P) to give => दानम्  giving, gift

भुज् (7P) to eat/enjoy => भोजनम् enjoyment, food

वद् (1P) to speak => वदनम् mouth, face 

वि+भूष् (1P) adorn  =>विभूषणम् ornament, adorning

स्था (1P) to stand  => स्थानम् place 

श्रु (5P) to hear  => श्रवणम् hearing

आस् (2A) to sit  => आसनम् seat, posture

वह् (1P) to carry  => वाहनम् carrying, mount, carriage

Read & Revise: Rama goes to the forest

When he obtained the permission of the King, Rama went along with the muni to the forest. There, in the forest, many rishis lived in ashrams. They always meditated and did sacrifices. During that time many demons obstructed them. To protect the munis from the demons, came Rama. Even though he was a boy, that brave [Rama] killed many demons with arrows. Wherever Rama went, [from] there the demons were scared and fled. Wherever Rama and Lakshmana saw [the] demons (there) they cut off their limbs. When all the demons were killed or departed, then Rama leaves the forest and goes to Mithila. In that country a very wise king named Janaka ruled. Janaka [had an] extremely charming daughter named Sita. The people think she is the foremost amont all women. All [the] kings thought 'I will marry Sita' Therefore they assembled in Mithila. 

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:17 samprajñātaḥ samādhi

The Yoga Publications Trust, Mungher, Bihar begins it's commentary on Patañjali’s Yogasūtras with a delightful story in which a heated debate is going on between some pundits on the definition and correspondence of the types, or stages of samādhi. Of savitarka, nirvitarka, nirbīja, sabīja saṃprajñatā asaṃprajñatā and so on. The pundits start yelling at each other and nearly come to blows. Just then a fat, contented cow ambles into the lawn, sits behind them and suddenly bellows M-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- making them jump in fright. The author says that the moo-ing of the cow was the most intelligent contribution to the debate - because Patañjali’s Yogasūtras are meant to be experienced rather than intellectualised. 

I.K. Taimini adds another insight. He says, reading Patañjali’s Yogasūtras is like holding a paper map in your hand. Everything is marked out - the hills, the rivers, the boundaries, the distances - but till you visit that land and see it for yourself, you'll never know what it's really like.

With this in mind, we move to one of the most complex couple of sūtras, regarding the nature of samādhi.Difficult in themselves, and difficult because we have to understand them without the support of key yogic concepts which we will only meet in Chapter 2, the Sādhanā Pāda. 

{1:17}

वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितानुगमात् संप्रज्ञातः  

vitarkavicārānandāsmitānugamāt samprajñātaḥ

वितर्क विचार आनन्द अस्मिता अनुगमात् संप्रज्ञातः 

saṃprajñatā is [that state of mental concentration] which is accompanied by reasoning, reflection, bliss and a sense of individuality. 

वितर्क:  -  deliberation, consideration, reasoning; masc noun
विचार: -thought, idea; masculine noun 
आनन्द: - pleasure, delight, happiness; masc noun
अस्मिता - ego, sense of self; fem noun 
अनुगमात्  - going after, following, accompanying; ablative singular of अनुगम masc. noun
संप्रज्ञातः - state of samādhi ; lit. accompanied by intelligence, insight, wisdom.

Read & Revise: A troubled muni visits Daśaratha

I do apologise for all the pencil markings!! Trust it's still good to read. Please write in if you have any specific problems with the text.

Whenever Daśaratha saw his eldest son, he experienced (anubhavati) the highest joy. Rāma too was endowed with intelligence. (lit. joined with). He understood (avagachati) all the vedās. And excelled (lit. went beyond) at bowmanship (dhanuraveda). When he lifted an arrow (uddharati) the gods also trembled in heaven. Once, some muni came to Ayodhyā and said to  Daśaratha."O King! We munis are troubled by rākṣasas. You only are the protection of your subjects. If you don't send (preṣyasi) some brave [person] then we are all doomed" (lit. destroyed).Daśaratha said: " O Muni! Such demons who [can] cause ṛṣis to tremble, who is capable of killing them?" The muni said: Two such capable brave [men] are (lit. exist vartate) in Ayodhyā. Who are they, asked  Daśaratha."Your sons Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa said the brahmin. When Daśaratha heard the words of the muni, was was very unhappy. Since [a] brahmin is [a] gods amongst men, therefore even the king must do what he says. Therefore he sent his beloved sons to the forest with the muni.

Read and Revise: Dashratha's life carries on...

Even if you read for 5-10 minutes everyday, very soon it will become second nature. Please write in if you have any queries about specific sentences or grammatical construct.

We read elsewhere about the accidental killing in the forest of the young boy by King Daśaratha. The brahmin father of the dead boy curses the king, and immolates himself on his son's pyre. Daśaratha is understandably distraught:

Daśaratha hears the the words of the angry (kupita) brahmin. But in time, he forgets that curse. He lives in Ayodhyā happily (sukham) along with his wives and rules also. The happy king had only one sadness. (lit. of the happy king there is only one sadness). He has no son. Then along with brahmins, for a child, he does a yajña. Then in time, four sons are born (udbhavati). They are named ( nāmadheya) Rāmaḥ, Lakṣmaṇaḥ, Bharataḥ and Śatrughnaḥ. the sons of the king (pārthiva) are handsome, peaceful and brave. Of them, the eldest, Rāmaḥ is the most superior in good qualities. Therefore the king loves Rāmaḥ especially.

Building words from verbal roots: Primary Suffixes (कृत् प्रत्यय)

Pāṇini

One of the reasons for the extraordinary richness of the Sanskrit lexicon is the derivation of nouns and adjectives from verbal roots. By using prefixes (उपसर्ग-s) , and  derivational suffixes (प्रत्यय-s) it is possible to generate upto 2,500 words from a single root.* For those of you who have shown a keen interest in learning Sanskrit, I'm happy to share pure grammar lessons, which will help you recognise and analyse words  you encounter in the texts you are reading. All the material for these lessons come from textbooks cited at the bottom of this article.

Derivational suffixes (प्रत्यय-s) fall into two broad categories - primary (कृत्  प्रत्यय), when they are added directly to the root, and secondary (तद्धित प्रत्यय) if they are added to a form already derived by कृत् . Before we move further though, you must know or revise grades of vowel strength (गुण and वृद्धि) of which I am posting a table here for your convenience:

if this is blurred or not clear, please leave a comment. I'll re-post.

Let us now look at major primary (कृत्  प्रत्यय) suffixes.** What we are discussing here is the creation of "nouns", words which lose their verbal character, despite being 'raised' from a verbal root.

क्विप् or the zero suffix: A few mainly feminine nouns are created by this method, where the root itself is used as a noun. There may or may not be a prefix. What matters is the treatment of the verbal root.

E.g: 

√दृश् (4P)*** => दृश्  sight; fem noun 

√युध् (4A) => युध् fight, battle; fem noun 

उप+नि +√सद् (1P) => उपनिषद् to sit down near; fem noun  

सम्+√सद् => संसद् to sit down together, assembly

परि+√सद् => परिषद् to sit around; assembly 

आ+√पद् (1P)=> आपद् calamity, misfortune; fem noun  

The 'अ' कृत्  प्रत्यय:      

This is the most important suffix in Sanskrit. It is added to roots to form 'action' nouns, mostly masculine. Before this suffix, the root vowel (e.g. the उ in युज्) will take गुण  and become an ओ (see table above). A medial अ (e.g. in  त्यज्) could take वृद्धि (त्याग), as can some final vowels. Let's look at some examples to see what this means:

जि (1P) to conquer=> जयः conquest, victory; masc noun

So the इ of जि becomes an ए। When the ए is followed by the अ suffix, we get जय [if you remember, ए  is अ+ इ and by rules of vowel sandhi, the इ becomes a य् before the अ] Since it is a masculine noun, there is a visarga. Likewise:  

कुप् (4P) to be angry=> कोपः anger; masc noun

क्रुध् (4P) to be angry=> क्रोधः anger; masc noun

उद्+√इ (2P) to go up => उदयः ascension, the rising; masc noun

भिद् =>(7P) to split भेदः separation, a split, to make a distinction; masc noun

शुच् (1P) to grieve => शोकः grief; masc noun

युज् (7P) to join, to yoke => योगः union; masc noun 

लुभ् (4P) to be greedy => लोभः greed; masc noun

विद् (2P) to know => वेदः sacred knowledge; masc noun

भुज् (7P) to enjoy => भोगः enjoyment; masc noun

वृ (9A) to choose=> वरः boon; masc noun  

Sometimes we get a neuter noun like भयम् from √भी (3P). And from the root कृ we can get agent nouns by the same process. E.g. भास्करः maker of light, the sun.

Next post: the suffixes आ and अन. Please send requests if you have doubts or problems. Will help the best I can.     

Material for these grammar lessons is taken from the following books. Providing links in case you wish to buy them:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Devavanipravesika-An-Introduction-Sanskrit-Language/dp/0944613004

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samskrta-Subodhini-Sanskrit-Primer-Michigan-Southeast/dp/089148079X

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Primer-Sanskrit-Language-A-F-Stenzler/dp/0728601931

*This refers to commonly used words. I don't even want to hazard a guess of what the real number is!

** [Participial, infinitive, gerundives and gerund suffixes like -त, -न, -तुम्, -तव्य, -य, -अनीय, -त्वा & -त्य will be discussed separately]. 

*** All roots will be marked by a number, which indicates which group it belongs to - there are 10 groups assigned by grammarians. And the P, A or U indicates whether a verb is parasmaipada, aatmanepada or ubhayapada.

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:16 Vairāgya

{1:16}

तत् परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्

tat param puruṣakhāterguṇavaitṛṣṇyam

Analysis of the sūtra:

तत् परम् [अस्ति, यत्] पुरुषस्य ख्यातेः गुणानाम् वैतृष्ण्यम्  

That is the highest [Vairāgya] where from the knowledge of puruṣa, there is freedom from the desire of [even] the guṇas.

तत् - That

परम् - highest

पुरुषस्य - of the Self, the spiritual element

ख्यातेः  - from the knowledge of; ablative singular of ख्याति fem. noun 

गुणानाम् - of the guṇas; genitive plural

वैतृष्ण्यम्  - freedom  from desires; indifference to; quenching of thirst

1:16 refers to what is called para-vairāgya which has been explained from a Bhakti perspective in Bhagvad Gita (BG 2:59)*. There are two levels of detachment - the lower, which involves cultivating detachment by suppressing desires. In the higher form of vairāgya, due to the perception, the knowledge of the spiritual principle, puruṣa, even the elements that constitute the material principle  prakṛiti hold no charm for the adept yogi. It stands to reason, since puruṣa is now 'known' or perceived, this form of vairāgya appears only on the attainment of Kaivalya. But more about that when we get to Kaivalya....

*Taimini translated BG 2:29 as "The objects of sense, but not the relish for them, turn away from an abstemious dweller in the body; and even relish turns away from his after the Supreme is seen."

You can see an alternate translation of BG 2:59 here: 

*http://www.bhagavad-gita.org/Gita/verse-02-58.html

Kālidāsa’s Kumārasaṃbhava canto 5, selected verses

Fall in love with Shiva again through Parvati's penance to achieve him. If the clunky translation is so beautiful, imagine what the original Sanskrit must be like. Absolutely divine! Learn Sanskrit, and read Kālidāsa for yourself... 

8. She, of a never to  be shaken disposition, having given up her necklace, which used to rub away the sandal-paste (on her breast) by its tremulous threads, wore a bark garment, tawny like the morning sun, the close union of which with her body was prevented by her elevated breasts.

9. As her face looked pretty, by her decorated tresses, so it did by her matted hair also; a lotus does not look beautiful only by the swarms of bees, but even by its union with moss.

10. The place of her waist-band was made red by that string of muñja grass having three threads, which was fastened there for the first time on that occasion, - which (string) she wore for her penance and which (by its harsh touch) caused her hair to stand erect every moment.

11. She made her hand the friend of the rosary of akśa beads, the fingers of which were (now) pricked while plucking the tender blades of kuśa grass, (her hand) which was turned away from (i.e no longer employed in painting) her lower lip from which the red colour had disappeared; and from her (play) ball reddened by her unguent of her breast. (see 19 below)

12. She who would experience pain even by the flowers dropped down from her hair in the rollings on her costly bed, sat and lay down (on the bare earth platform), using her creeper like arm as a pillow.

13. By her, who was under a vow, two things  had been left, with the female deer,  as a deposit to be taken back, the two, viz. her sportive gesture with the slender creepers, (i.e. of her arms)  and her unsteady glances (viloladrishti).

19. She who was fatigued even by playing with the ball, entered upon the course of life of anchorites; verily her body was composed of gold lotuses, as it was delicate by nature, yet tough (full of substance).

20. In summer, she of sweet smiles and a delicate waist, sitting the midst of four blazing fires, gazed at the sun with her sight not directed to anything else, having got the better of (i.e. being accustomed to bear) the lustre that dazzles the eye.

22. Only the water that came to her without any effort on her part, and the rays of the moon, full of nectar, broke her fast, the means being not different from those by which trees.

26. Determinedly standing in the water, she passed the nights of Pauṣa (cold season) when the (winter) winds scattered around a thick mass of snowy sleet, pitying the pair of Cakravāka birds (which stood) before her, separated and crying for each other.

27. By her face which was as fragrant as the lotus (itself) and which shone with the quivering leaf of the nether lip, she at night restored the beauty of lotuses to the waters (of the stream); the wealth of lotuses of which was destroyed by the snow.

28. The sternest severity of austerities lies in subsisting on leaves fallen from the trees of their own accord; but that also she spurned; hence was that she, kind of speech  (Priyamvadā) was named Aparṇā by those conversant with history (purāvidaḥ)

This translation is based on M.R. Kale:

http://www.amazon.com/Kumarasambhava-Kalidasa-M-R-Kale/dp/8120801601

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:15 Vairāgya

{1:15}

Swami Brahmananda of the Ramakrishna Mission

दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम् 

dṛṣṭānuśravika viṣaya vitṛṣṇasya vaśikāra saṃjñā  vairāgyam

दृष्ट अनुश्रविक विषय वितृष्णस्य वशीकार संज्ञा वैराग्यम्

dṛṣṭa anuśravika viṣaya vitṛṣṇasya vaśikāra saṃjñā vairāgyam

[The state of] mastery [of] consciousness, of one who is not desirous of [those] objects which [are] seen and heard, is vairāgya

दृष्ट - seen; from √dṛś 

अनुश्रविक - heard; from anu+√śru

विषय - topic, matter, object, subject; masc. noun

वितृष्णस्य - of one who is not desirous; genitive singular of वितृष्ण

वशीकार - one who subjugates [in this case the object of the senses] to his will  

संज्ञा - (here) consciousness; fem noun

वैराग्यम् - freedom from worldly objects and desires; from राग, which in turn is from √रञ्ज् to gladden, charm, delight, enamour

At this stage we will leave the translation here. We will return to vairāgya after we tackle the concepts of  राग (rāga) द्वेष (dveṣa) and क्लेश (kleśa) in chapter 2. As mentioned before, all concepts will become crystal clear once we complete the text. But I think it's ok to leave this one for the moment, because the sutra is fairly clear.

I'd like to dedicate today's sutra to Swami Brahmananda, whose birthday it is, and who embodies the spirit of vairāgya:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swami_Brahmananda