Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:26

In this sūtra we continue to understand the nature of Īśvara in Patañjali's yoga system. 

स पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् 

सः पूर्वेषां अपि गुरुः कालेन  अन्वच्छेदात् 

Being unconditioned by time, he is the teacher of the ancients

सः He Īśvara; nominative, masculine, singular.
पूर्वेषां of the ancients; genitive plural.
अपि also; indeclinable
गुरुः Teacher; nominative, masculine, singular.
कालेन  by time; instrumental singular.
अन्वच्छेदात् [on account of] not being limited, not being conditioned; ablative singular अनु+अ +√छिद् 

Coming next: Patañjali's yogasūtras 1:27-28 about the significance of  ॐ in the yoga system.

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:25 Īśvara the omniscient

तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम् 

tatra niratiśayam sarvajña bījam

In Him* is the highest limit of omniscience

तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञ+बीजम् 

In the previous sūtra we dwelled on the who/what Īśvara is. Now we consider his/her/its special characteristics. In this sūtra Patañjali says that in Īśvara we find a level of omniscience that is unsurpassed. 

तत्र - lit. there; in Īśvara

निरतिशयं adj; (निर् अति √शी) unsurpassed  

सर्वज्ञबीजम् - ṣaṣṭhī tatpuruṣa; the seed of omniscience

*Him is used for simplicity of translation here, as well as the undeniable fact that the spiritual principle puruṣa is conceived of as male and prakṛti, the material principle as female in sāṃkhya. However in actuality, in the Hindu tradition alone we have definitions of the Divine as female as well as the gender-less Brahman.

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:24 what/who is Iśvara?

In the previous sutra we read that one way of achieving samādhi was ईश्वर प्रणिधान (lit. by placing one's self in Iśvaraḥ)* And that raises the all important question - who or what is Iśvaraḥ? Hinduism allows for a wide range of beliefs on the Divine. For some he/she is a personal God, for others, it is a sub-stratum that is Reality. Some believe we are distinct from the Divine, but will merge into it. Still others believe that we are particles of the Divine; that the Divine exists in us.

All the more reason, that in studying a philosophical system ought to understand its ontology and beliefs clearly. Patañjali's yoga is based on Sāṃkhya which posits two ontological principles पुरुष (the spiritual) and प्रकृति (the material). In the yoga system,  Iśvaraḥ is a particularised unit of पुरुष. If the practice yoga  blends seamlessly into the most diverse belief systems, it is mostly because of it's definition of 'Iśvaraḥ' In fact  Patañjali's yoga system has universal applicability is because of this definition. Let's see how Patañjali defines Iśvaraḥ:

क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः 

Anvaya:

क्लेश-कर्म-विपाक-आशयैः अपरामृष्टःपुरुषविशेषः ईश्वरः 

kleśa karma vipākāśayair aparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣa viśeṣaḥ  Iśvaraḥ

Translation: 

Iśvaraḥ is a particular puruṣa who is untouched by the afflictions of  life, [untouched] by actions, their results and the impressions produced by these actions. 

क्लेश distress, pain, trouble, anguish, hardship; (क्लेशैः by क्लेश-s) instrumental plural, masc, noun in compound 

कर्म - act, deed, work; instrumental plural, neuter noun

विपाक - ripe, mature; adjective (कर्मविपाकैः by the ripening, maturation of deeds)

आशयैः - [by] the store, collection, resting place [of karma and it's fruits] 

अपरामृष्टः - not touch by or come into contact (root मृश्)

पुरुष: an individual unit of divine consciousness; singular, nominative, masculine noun

विशेषः  special, particular; adjective

ईश्वरः master, ruler, lord, very often translated simply as God. (root ईश्)

In short ईश्वरः as a special technical yogic term could represent anything you believe to be your governing divine principle. Whatever you have faith in - meditate on that intensely, and you will come closer to achieving samādhi. Be that Rabb, Shiva, Krishna, Rama, or Jesus, Wahe Guru, or God ... call the Divine what you will.

This sūtra always reminds me of Ramakrishna Paramahansa's view of the Divine. I'd like to thank @hchaturv for sourcing this picture for us all:

*See the range of meanings of  [ईश्वर] प्रणिधान here:

http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+pranidhaana&trans=Translate&direction=AU

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:23 Īśvara-praṇidhāna

In the last four sūtras we learned that samādhi is a result either of birth, certain qualities, the intensity of the practioner's desire as well as of the practices employed. Sūtra 1:23 is what is known in common parlance as a 'game-changer'. Yoga is based on sāṃkhya, which posits two ontological principles: the sentient puruṣa (spiritual) and the insentient prakṛti (material). There is no room for 'god' in this philosophical system* However yoga, allows for an Īśvara, complete surrender to whom can bring about or hasten the achievement of samādhi.

The Bihar School, Munger is at pains to explain that Īśvara is a generic term and is not limited to a Hindu god. You could focus your attention on an image of the baby Jesus, or a picture of Mecca Sharif as effectively as focusing on a shiva-linga, or an idol of Krishna, Rama, Ganesha, Durga etc. Going forward we will see that Patanjali allows various ways to center yourself and bring about single-pointedness (ekāgratā) in the mind. You can choose from a variety of methods depending on what suits your personality. For instance concentrating on a tantric yantra works for one, verbal recitation or silent contemplation of a mantra for another. Yoga is all about यथा शक्ति and यथा भाव. 

{1:23}

ईश्वर प्रणिधानाद्वा 

Or, [samādhi can be achieved] as a result of fixing one's mind on the Lord

ईश्वरः प्रणिधानात् वा 

ईश्वरः - Lord, Master, Supreme Being

प्रणिधानात् - from, as a result of प्रणिधान - fixing/placing [attention], profound religious meditation; प्रणिधान is from the Sanskrit root धा - to place. निधान and निधि are also from this root.
वा - or (this 'or' relates 1.23 to the previous four sutras)

*I refer to the original sāṃkhyakārika. Subsequently this philosophy was reinterpreted and re-presented in the epics etc. with theistic content.  Read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samkhya or if you're really keen and money is not an issue, get a copy of the sāṃkhyakārika from mlbd.com --> http://mlbd.com/BookDecription.aspx?id=14602

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:22 Nature of our pursuit

{1:22}

मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्  ततो sपि  विवेषः 

mṛdumadhyādhimātratvāt tato’pi viśeṣaḥ

Further differentiation arises by reason of mild, medium [and/or] (nature of the pursuit)

मृदु मध्य आधिमात्रत्वात्  ततः अपि विशेषः 

मृदु - soft, tender, moderate 

मध्य - middling, medium, moderate 

आधिमात्रत्वात्  - आधिमात्र= above measure, excessive; त्वात् ending gives a sense of 'resulting from' 

ततः that, due to that

अपि -also, even

विशेषः - gradation, distinction, differentiation, particularity

This sūtra is to be read in conjunction with the last three [1.19-21], which outlined birth, qualities and intensity of desire for samādhi as factors which determined the achievement of samādhi. Now we are told that the nature of our effort, the intensity of the means that we employ is also a determining factor. 

Taimini speculates that this injects a certain elasticity into the rigid super-structure of techniques, so that each one of us can adapt them to our personal temperament and need.

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:21 Intense desire for Samadhi

Having described the qualities or qualifications needed to bring about Samadhi in the two previous verses, 1:21 adds a qualifier. The speed with which one attains Samadhi depends on how intense the desire for it is. You could be anyone. Even a backpacker.

{1:21}

तीव्रसंवेगानामासनः

For those who desire it intensely, [Samadhi] is nearest

तीव्र+संवेगानाम् आसनः  

तीव्र - quick, fast, intense, ardent 

संवेगानाम् - of those who have intensity, desire for emancipation; genitive plural of संवेग masc. noun from  सम् + विज् . Here the genitive is functioning as a dative (for them)

आसनः obtained, set down; passive past participle from आस् (2A) If you're wondering why it has a visarga, it's because it refers to Samadhi, which is a masculine noun.

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:19 & 20

Ramanna Maharshi: a bhavapratyaya yogi

Sūtras 1:19 and 1:20 inform us of the differentiation between two kinds of yogis. Those who reach samādhi as a result of self discipline and regular practice, and those to whom it comes naturally, i.e. by virtue of birth. They are bhavapratyaya (from birth) and upāyapratyaya (through practice) yogis. 

I am not completely clear as to what videha means in the context of samādhi and invite comment on it. 

{1:19}

भव प्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम्

bhavapratyayo videhaprakṛtilayānām

भव: प्रत्ययः विदेह प्रकृतिलयानाम् 

Birth is the cause of those who are 'videha' and those who are mergeg in 'prakṛti'

भव: - being, birth; masc noun from √bhū (1P)

प्रत्ययः - ground, cause (hetu) masc noun 

विदेह - bodiless, incorporeal; adjective

प्रकृतिलयानाम् - of those who are merged, dissolved, absorbed in prakṛti; layānām genitive plural of  laya from √lī - to cling, to stick, to disappear into. 

Some practitioners possess the capacity to pass into a yogic trance effortlessly, as a result of their physical and mental constitution - i.e. what they are born with.  

{1:20}

श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्

śraddhavīryasmṛtisamādhiprajñāpūrvaka itareṣām

श्रद्धा वीर्यम् स्मृति: समाधि प्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम् 

For these [the others] samādhi is preceded by faith, energy, memory and higher intelligence.

श्रद्धा - faith, belief, trust; fem noun

वीर्यम् - virility, bravery, power, valour, energy; neuter noun

स्मृति: - memory, mindfulness, thinking upon; fem noun

समाधि: - intense contemplation, trance; masc. noun

प्रज्ञापूर्वक - preceded by prajñā viz. keen intellect, higher knowledge, insight; fem noun

इतरेषाम् = इतः एषाम्  इतः - this, here; एषाम् genitive plural of इदम् = of these [people, persons] Here the genitive operates as the dative - 'For these' i.e. the others with reference to the previous verse.

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.

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.

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

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 

Patañjali's yogasūtra 1:14

{1:14} 

स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः 

sa tu dīrgha kāla nairantaryasatkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmi

स: तु दीर्घ काल नैरन्तर्य  सत्कारः आसेवितः दृढ+भूमिः 

It (abhyāsa)* becomes firmly grounded [in being] continued for a long time, without interruption and with reverent devotion.

स: - That; masc. nominative singular of pronoun तत्

तु - indeed, verily; indeclinable

दीर्घ - very long; adjective

काल - time; era; masc. noun 

नैरन्तर्य - uninterrupted, without a gap 

सत्कारः - reverence, devotion, earnestness

आसेवितः - practised assiduously; past participle from ā√sev (1Ā)

दृढ - firm, fixed, strong, resolute, established

भूमिः - ground

In order for the practitioner of yoga to be firmly established on the path of yoga, three conditions need to be fulfilled, as outlined in this sūtra:

a) it must be practised for a long time
b) it must be uninterrupted
c) the endeavour must be accompanied by devotion, in a spirit of reverence

* BKS Iyengar reads this as: 

Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation (for restraining the fluctuations). 

While the sentence is perfectly valid, I don't agree with his translation because भूमिः which he is reading as foundation (that's fine) is a feminine noun. So it would have  been सा instead of सः at the beginning of the sūtra.