Chapter-1, Sutra 3

Patanjali Yogasutra Verse 1.3

तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्

Then the seer abides in its own Nature.

This Sutra explains the result of yoga, which is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind (verse 1.2). When the mind is calm and free from distractions, the seer (of the Self or Consciousness) rests in its own True Nature, which is Pure Awareness. This is also known as Self-Realization or enlightenment, the Ultimate Goal of yoga.

The meaning of this Sutra is that the seer is not the same as the seen, which are the objects of perception, such as the body, the senses, the thoughts, the emotions, etc. The seer (or soul) is the Witness of all these phenomena, but not affected by them. The seer is the unchanging, eternal, blissful Reality that is the essence of our being. However, due to the ignorance and attachment to the seen, we identify ourselves with the changing and limited aspects of our existence, and thus suffer from pain and sorrow.

The purpose of Yoga is to remove this ignorance and attachment, and to reveal the True Nature of the seer, which is beyond all duality and diversity. By practicing the various aspects of yoga, such as ethical conduct, self-discipline, physical postures, breath control, sensory withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and absorption, we gradually purify our mind and detach ourselves from the seen. When the mind becomes completely still and clear, we experience the seer in its own nature, which is the state of Supreme Peace and Joy.

There are many verses from other Vedic texts that convey a similar message as the Patanjali Yogasutra Verse 1.3.

- From the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6, Verse 25):

शनैः शनैरुपरमेद् बुद्ध्या धृतिगृहीतया|

आत्मसंस्थं मनः कृत्वा न किञ्चिदपि चिन्तयेत् ||

Slowly and steadily, with conviction in the intellect, the mind will become fixed in the Self (God) alone, and will think of nothing else.

- From the Mundaka Upanishad (Chapter 3, Section 2, Verse 9):

ब्रह्म विद् ब्रह्मैव भवति|

The Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman.