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by
Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL
No. 132
December : 2012
CHAPTER 132
PATANJALIYOGASUTRA ANALYSIS OF DISTRACTION AND DETACHMENT
Based on lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty
Last month we were discussing about the distractions of mind and searching ways to control them through Yoga. Patanjali starts his suggestions first by saying:
abhyAsa vairagyAbhyAm tat nirodha.
Tatra sthitau yatnah abhyAsa (sutras 12and 13)
Nirodha or banishment of such disturbing thoughts is certainly possible by deliberate and constant practice if one tries. Sporadic practice once in a while will not discipline the mind. One has to be steadfast about it to gain lasting control. It must become the second nature of mind by practicing over a long period of time and by remaining committed to the discipline.
Patanjali says:
Sa tu dirghakAlanairantaryah satkArasevitah drudhabhumih
drstAnusravika visayavitrusnasya vasikAra sanjyA vairagyam(sutras 14 and 15)
When mind acquires the strength to switch off a particular thought at will then it has indeed acquired self mastery which is the lesson No 1 for yoga, this act of switching off the mind, to concentrate on one thought discarding all other thoughts.
To have a focus and maintaining that focus is like trying to have a steady flame of the lamp and at the same time wishing to enjoy some cool breeze. One thing has to be forgone to get another thing.
At this stage of yogasAdhanA many beginners as well as ignorant teachers whose main aim is to teach some Asana practices to earn some money make a crucial mistake. They enforce ruthlessly codes of strict discipline, going even to the extent of torturing the body in their attempt to shut out all entry of the distractions by force.
Such actions are highly dangerous and should never be resorted to.
Mind is a very delicate, sensitive, yet adamant tool. It has to be guided with compassion as any good school teacher will tell you. Only learned Gurus understand and provide this guidance. If not done in the right way, then with mounting frustration it turns violent. So violent that even suicides are not uncommon arising out of sheer frustration.
There are two paths always open to all of us. One is world-bound and the other is God-bound, variously described as preyas andshreyas.(Read Kathopanishad and elsewhere described in AHWAN).
We want mind to choose the God-bound path.
Why should it do that unless it has been explained convincingly why it is the right and desirable path? As a good teacher always takes pains in explaining the student what is good for him, so Fshould be the action of a yoga guru. A yoga guru who has not explained till voluntary conviction to a disciple the desirability of yoga, is no yoga guru at all. He is only after the disciple’s money for his own livelihood. A sAdhak should be under the tutelage of a true Guru who is shrotriyam( knows the scripturs) and brahmanistha(established in Brahman knowledge). Only he can guide you in the path of spiritualism. We discussed this subject if you will remember as early as April 2004 (see AHWAN issue ‘Attempts to describeBrahman Part 12’).
Talking about a true Guru being a shrotriyam brhamanistham let me digress a little to stress on this point’s importance in the yoga culture. Sri Aurobindo is a shining example. When one gets exposed to his writings – especially his “Synthesis of Yoga” and “The Life Divine” one cannot fail to notice how deeply influenced he was in the scriptural canons of our Vedas and Upanishads. All his inspiration and knowledge are derived from the tenets of our scriptures. He begins with the scriptures and then elaborates his understanding. Elaborates on what? It is Brahman and nothing butBrahman. He was truly a shrotriyam and a brhamnistham. That is the secret of Sri Aurobindo’s universal appeal as a true Guru.
In another plane of thinking you may also reflect on the universal appeal of srimad Bhagavad Gita. Scholars see Bhagavad Gita in three distinct sections. Six chapters devoted to “ Tat” signifyingBrahman, another six chapters devoted to “Tvam” dealing with scriptural advices the process through which one may realize Brahman, and six chapters dealing with “Asi”, the nature of the realized soul and the benefits of a realized soul. All these so clearly explained by the Guru of all Gurus, The Lord Krishna himself.
A sAdhaka must have the answer to the question “why he is to practice yoga?” firmly entrenched in his antahkarana. Blindly following the scriptural instructions or a Guru’s orders without getting mentally convinced will never be a sustainable endevour. Make no mistake about it.
So in the final analysis we conclude that if one is to venture into the path of yoga, then two things are needed to support him. One is an abiding faith in Brahman and the other is the knowledge from or scriptures. People often ask: which comes first? Can faith come even if you are not knowledgeable about the scriptures. Should one must first undertake study of scriptures so that faith develops?
That is not really a serious problem. Both the distinct activities can be embarked upon simultaneously as they are not exclusive and always complement and supplement each other. But creation of a degree of base faith is an essential prerequisite for yoga.
Here we have an interesting point to ponder over. How does the first seed of faith germinate in the human mind? Who is our first teacher? Have you ever sat down reflect as to who is the first teacher in your life? That is a very interesting question.
When the soul first enters into a life form, it comes to this world created by Brahman. Every single activity of our existence from birth to liberation- from janma to moksha- is preordained by the same divine power which has gifted us this life. When Brahmancreated this creation, people say, it is His leelA, His sport. This is not logical thinking. This creation or the prakriti is conceived and unfolded for no other purpose but to assist all the individual souls to evolve spiritually towards their final state of fulfillment. This creation or the prakriti is every soul’s first teacher which in many subtle ways and by its very nature or svabhava, guides our consciousness towards Brahman. If you simply contemplate over every activity around you, every happening that unfolds before you, every pain, every pleasure, every success, every failure, your mind will travel towards Brahman. Thus the faith germinates and grows.
This phenomenal creation which we tend to denounce as unreal and illusory- mAyA- is indeed our first teacher. What a wonderful divine concept this is! Does it not become abundantly clear that this entire cosmic design is there for the benefit of the soul created out ofBrahman’s compassion and love to assist the soul to reach its final state of perfection?
Everything is planned in such a way that leaves the soul no other alternative but to move only on the Godbound path. Right from the early childhood, assisted by our parents, our teachers, our relations we grow up in Brahman consciousness.
That is how the divine scheme of things are. With his unfathomable wisdom and compassion for our welfare Brahman has written our script of life, guiding us and is waiting for us with open arms at the end of our journey.
That faith has to be cultivated. That is the whole purpose of yoga.
If someone reflects on the design of one’s existence in life, he will not fail to understand, how everything in nature is organized to ensure and assist every one’s spiritual evolution. We have our parents to begin with, our relations in the family, our teachers, our acquaintances in the society, each and every element – if they truly understand their responsibilities- is all interwoven into a wonderful matrix, all with one purpose of helping each other to achieve the final goal. Remember the immortal words of Bhagavad Gita:parasparam bhAvayantah shreyah param avApsyatha- by helping and cherishing each other all will attain the ultimate. That is the kind of religion the sanAtandharma is.
We are all part of a single process that runs under the guidance and supervision of that supreme power- Brahman.
Unless one has a positive chittavritti, expressed as a genuine desire to know God, this base faith that we are talking about, is unlikely to develop. That is why while discussing astAnga yoga, Patanjali begins with imperativeness of control over desires.
Since all our desires have their origin in our exposure to the worldly objects and their influence over us, naturally to remain immune to their influence the obvious remedy would be to turn away from them. This turning away is generally understood as non-attachment or negation of all worldly objects.
The sanAtan philosophy makes a finer point of understanding here.
Is the world around us meant to be shunned and negated? If that were so why should Brahman go to great pains to create the world which has no utility?
The sanAtan philosophy says, that it is not so. It is all about a clearer understanding of the divine laws of creation. If the jiva or the individual soul did not have the world environment to be in, knowledge would not dawn upon it and it would have no opportunity for its evolution. The nature being the great teacher, the world is the only educational institution we have to acquire knowledge. The sadhaka must fully understand its utility, profit from it and then finally shun away or discard it. A boat is essential for crossing the river but after reaching the source one must turn away from the boat to proceed on the onward journey. If one remains attached to the boat no progress can take place. Trisna or hankering for and attachment to anything is detrimental toyogasAdhana.
So the next sutra says:
Tatparam purusakhyAteh gunavaitrushnam (sutra 16)
Here while discussing control over desires, the word used by Patanjali and also used in many scriptures of ours is vitrushnA, or non-hankering after an object of desire. Why we start hankering after an object? Because certain quality inherent in that object (itsguna) attracts us. We hanker after money for its power to buy worldly pleasures. We hanker after property for its security. We hanker after women for carnal pleasure. However if we could see clearly the futility of these for true and lasting happiness, we will stop running after them forgetting everything else.
How can that happen? That wisdom will come when we get exposed to that divine entity – the Brahman- who is the ultimate in happiness.
It is not that people do not understand the impermanency and lack of substance in worldly pursuits. But remaining under the grip of sense organs, this conviction does not get a chance to be firm rooted. Mind time and again returns to the pleasure of the senses for fleeting pleasures and regret thereafter. Similarly every time there is frustration and remorse the mind also understands that perhaps the other alternative, Brahman is the right answer.
Here when we talk of moving away from objects of sense gratification, all sadhakas bring in the subject of sanyAsa or renouncement.. Here again lies a great misconception. Generally we equate sanyAsa with shutting out or denial of the objects and their nature. We understand vitrushna as synonymous with sanyAsa.Where a complete understanding is called for, we apply a complete refusal to be drawn in. We must understand that each object of sensual attraction also has a purpose. Otherwise they would not have found a place in the creation. . They also teach us a valuable lesson, a clearer pointer to select the path towards our ultimate good.
In this context the words of Swami Prabhavananda of Sri Ramakrishna Math is very apt. He says “…we shall see that we are renouncing nothing that we really need or want, we are only freeing ourselves from imaginary needs and desires.” No one renounces anything that is essential in life. No one renounces water that we quench our thirst with. No one renounces sleep that we need to rejuvenate ourselves. No one renounces air that we breathe. But there are many things in the world that we imagine that we cannot live without, but we can certainly do away with. In a critical analysis you will see that they are only capable of momentary sensual pleasure and distractions and by renouncing them life do not stop. They are really unnecessary and we are always better off by renouncing them.
But here again the conviction does not come easily and the jivakeeps on alternating between pleasure and pain.
Patanjali then says that if one applies four tests then this conviction will eventually come. These tests are, weighing the pros and cons, conclusion through discrimination, savouring the ensuing bliss orAnanda and losing one’s ego-self in that bliss or in other wards becoming one with that Ananda, That is, when the soul cries outsivoham sivoham. I am that happiness.
vitarkavicAra Ananda asmitAanugamAt samprajnAtah.(sloka17)- These are the four tests.
Earlier you may recall, we understood in our discussions thatyogasAdhanA according to sanAtan philosophy is not a blind reiteration of faith or mindless exercise. It is a conscious, intelligent approach to self development and fulfillment of our ultimate objective of existence. The above sloka amply comfirms that theory. You analyse, come to a conclusion, realize and be a part of the solution itself.
These tests indeed give a great management theory to be applied in all decision making. In life whenever one finds himself at a cross road, it calls for a proper evaluation of all pros and cons or the alternatives and not to come to any hasty decision. When evaluated logically, a solution always presents itself.
But while doing so egoistic preferences should never come into play and override the viveka or the conscience. When ego is restrained, the higher mind which is always linked with Brahman takes over and we end up with the right decision most of the time and feel happy when a problem is successfully tackled and solved.
The real practice of Yoga should start after one has prepared himself for undertaking the sAdhanA, to be able to remain in single minded concentration. Many yoga teachers who teach yoga as merely a physical training or advocate various types of commercial yoga, do not teach their students in this aspect. Unprepared students do not cultivate a sustained interest and often end up in great disillusionment.
When we talk of preparing oneself for yoga, we ofcourse mean preparation for the real objective of yoga, which is to become fit to get united with Brahman. Who is fit to achieve this union?
The answer comes from The Bhagavad Gita:
AhamkAram balam darpam kAmam krodham parigraham
Vimucya nirmamah shAntah BrahmabhuyAya kalpate.
When the false ego of ‘i-ness’ has been eschewed, vaniy of strength, arrogance, lust, anger, covetousness are transcended only then a person becomes fit for Brahman realization. That is what Patanjali also says when he suggests applying the above four tests as in sutrais 17. Vitarka or thorough application of one’s mind and intellect, vicAra or final conclusion arrived after vitarka, Anandaor happiness about the decision taken and finally asmitAnugamAt samprajnAna i.e elimination of complete sense of ego and surrendering and delivering himself totally to Brahman one becomes truly fit for yoga.
So to cultivate concentration of mind, one must first cultivate a sense of detachment from the thought or object whichever at that moment is creating agitation in the mind. Supposing a situation has developed in your life which has great impact on you, your family or your surroundings it will obviously occupy the mind and will not allow any other thought to enter. In such a situation what one should do?
Here the feeling of Vitrsna as we read in sloka 16 is our solution. Most of our disturbing thoughts are indeed passing thoughts floating across our mind’s sky. In actuality they have very little impact on our mental wellbeing. This can be understood when we assume a state of detachment from them from a distance as a witness to an event. This is what is known as sAkshibhAva. When we make ourselves a sAkshi and not a part of our thoughts we are in a better position to judge them. This detachment is indeed Vitrsna. When the triviality of these thoughts which come and go is understood their power to influence our mind greatly diminishes. Then it is easy to discard them or set them aside to be tackled at an appropriate time.
This is ofcourse by no means easy. But when we practice this on a regular basis the mind develops the strength to move away from the mundane thoughts to concentrate on yoga with Brahman.
There will obviously be some thoughts which may not be so trivial and cannot be wished away. They demand a solution. That is life. How should we tackle them?
We should understand that when we are talking of discarding the thoughts, we do not mean wishing them away. We have to analyse them to find a solution. This analysis can be done effectively only when we witness them from a distance as a sAkshi and not being a part of these thoughts. If we are immersed within our thoughts we cannot shake off their influence. This will surely cloud our judgement. If one is within water how can he shake off water from his body? To that he has to come out of water. This how Vitrsnaand sAkshibhAva are used to tackle life’s problems.
