Patanjali Yogasutra 1.51
तस्यापि निरोधे सर्वनिरोधान्निर्बीजः समाधिः
"When even this impression is restrained, there is the seedless Samadhi, which is the state of absolute absorption."
The Sutra 1.51 from Patanjali's Yogasutra refers to the highest state of meditation, known as Nirbija Samadhi or seedless Samadhi. This state is achieved when all mental modifications and impressions (samskaras) are completely restrained. In this state, the mind is free from all seeds of thought and potential disturbances, leading to a profound and absolute absorption in the Self.
In the context of yoga practice, this Sutra highlights the Ultimate Goal of yoga, which is to transcend all mental activities and reach a state of Pure Consciousness. This state is beyond the dualities of pleasure and pain, success and failure, and all other pairs of opposites. It represents the culmination of the yogic journey, where the practitioner experiences a deep sense of Unity with the universal Consciousness.
The concept of Nirbija Samadhi is significant because it denotes a state where the mind is not only quiet but also devoid of any latent impressions that could give rise to future thoughts or actions. This is considered the highest form of Samadhi, as it leads to liberation (moksha) and the Realization of one's true nature. It is a state of Pure Awareness, free from the limitations of the ego and the material world.
Swami Vivekanand says:
"Our goal is to perceive the soul itself. We cannot perceive the soul because it has got mingled up with nature, with the mind, with the body. The most ignorant man thinks his body is the soul. The more learned man thinks his mind is the soul, but both of these are mistaken. What makes the soul get mingled up with all this, these different waves in the chitta rise and cover the soul, and we only are a little reflection of the soul through these waves, so, if the wave be one of anger, we see the soul as angry: “I am angry,” we say. If the wave is a wave of love we see ourselves reflected in that wave, and say we are loving. If that wave is one of weakness, and the soul is reflected in it, we think we are weak. These various ideas come from these impressions, these samskaras covering the soul. The real nature of the soul is not perceived until all the waves have subsided; so, first, Patanjali teaches us the meaning of these waves; secondly, the best way to repress them; and thirdly, how to make one wave so strong as to suppress all other waves – fire eating fire as it were. When only one remains, it will be easy to suppress that also, and when that is gone, this samadhi of concentration is called seedless; it leaves nothing, and the soul is manifested just as it is, in its own glory. Then alone we know that the soul is not a compound, it is the only eternal simple in the universe, and, as such, it cannot be born, it cannot die, it is immortal, indestructible, the everliving essence of intelligence."
Similar Verses from Vedic Texts
Bhagavad Gita 6.19:
यथा दीपो निवातस्थो नेङ्गते सोपमा स्मृता।
योगिनो यतचित्तस्य युञ्जतो योगमात्मनः॥
"As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, so is the disciplined mind of a yogi practicing meditation on the Self."
Yoga Vashishta 6.1.32:
मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्धमोक्षयोः।
बन्धाय विषयासक्तं मुक्तं निर्विषयं स्मृतम्॥
"The mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation for human beings. Attached to sense objects, it leads to bondage; free from sense objects, it leads to liberation."
These verses from various Vedic texts emphasize the importance of a disciplined and focused mind in achieving Higher States of Consciousness and ultimately, Self-Realization. They resonate with the teachings of Patanjali's Yogasutra, highlighting the universal principles of yoga and meditation across different scriptures.
No comments:
Post a Comment