Chapter-2, Sutra 20

Patanjali Yogasutra 2.20

द्रष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः ||

"The seer (Draṣṭā) is nothing but the power of seeing (dṛśimātraḥ), although pure (śuddhaḥ), it appears to perceive (anupaśyaḥ) through the modifications of the mind (pratyayān)."

In this Sutra, Patanjali describes the nature of the Draṣṭā, or the Seer, which refers to the Puruṣa, the True Self or Pure Consciousness. Patanjali states that the Seer is dṛśimātraḥ - it is Pure Consciousness, whose essential function is to see or witness. The term suddhah emphasizes that this Seer is pure and unaffected by anything that it witnesses. However, despite its purity, it seems to experience or perceive the world through the mind's modifications, referred to as pratyayān. This suggests that while the Seer itself remains untainted, it appears to be involved in the experiences due to the association with the mind's activities.

The distinction between the Seer and the mind's modifications is crucial in understanding the yogic philosophy of duality between Puruṣa (Pure Consciousness) and Prakriti (nature or matter). While the mind undergoes various transformations and takes on different forms, these are only reflections on the Consciousness that is inherently free from these changes. The Seer's role is merely to observe; it is the mind that actively engages in perception, thought, and emotion. This Sutra underscores the idea that the Seer remains an unaffected witness, even though it may appear to participate in worldly experiences due to its proximity to the mind.

The key takeaway from this Sutra is the Realization of the separateness of the Self from the mind's workings. This Realization is central to the practice of yoga, where the goal is to de-identify from the mind's fluctuations (vṛttis) and return to the pure state of the seer. By understanding that the Seer is pure and untouched by the mind's movements, a practitioner can begin to cultivate detachment and move toward the state of kaivalya or Realization, where the Seer remains in its true nature, free from the illusions of the mind.

Swami Vivekanand said:

"This is again Sankhya philosophy. We have seen from this philosophy that from the lowest form up to intelligence all is nature, but beyond nature are Purusas (souls), and these have no qualities. Then how does the soul appear to be happy or unhappy? By reflection. Just as if be piece of pure crystal be put on a table and a red flower be put near it, the crystal appears to be red, so all these appearances of happiness or unhappiness are but reflections; the soul itself has no sort of colouring. The soul is separate from nature; nature is one thing, soul another, eternally separate. The Sankhyas say that intelligence is a compounds, that it grows and wanes, that it changes, just as the body changes, and that its nature is nearly the same as that of the body."

Contextual Comparison with Similar Verses:

Katha Upanishad 2.1.1

आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु।

बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च॥

"Know the Self as the rider in a chariot, and the body as the chariot. Know the intellect as the charioteer, and the mind as the reins."

This verse from the Katha Upanishad also distinguishes between the Self (Ātman) and the mind-body complex. It metaphorically describes the self as the rider, separate from the body and mind, which are merely instruments for experiencing the world. Similar to Patanjali’s concept, the Self is portrayed as a passive observer or rider, while the mind and intellect drive the interactions with the external world.

Bhagavad Gita 13.34

यथा प्रकाशयत्येकः कृत्स्नं लोकमिमं रविः।

क्षेत्रं क्षेत्री तथा कृत्स्नं प्रकाशयति भारत॥

"Just as one sun illumines the entire solar system, so does the individual soul illumine the entire body with Consciousness."

In this verse, Krishna explains the relationship between the Kṣetra (field, representing the body and mind) and the Kṣetrī (knower of the field, representing the Self or Consciousness). Similar to the Yogasutra 2.20, the Kṣetrī is likened to the sun, which merely illuminates or observes without being affected by what it illuminates. The Self is described as the passive illuminator of all experiences within the body and mind, remaining detached and pure.

Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.1

द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते।

तयोरन्यः पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्नन्नन्यो अभिचाकशीति॥

"Two birds, united always and known by the same name, closely cling to the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit, the other looks on without eating."

This verse metaphorically describes two aspects of the Self - the individual soul (Jīva) and the Supreme Self (Ātman or Brahman). The bird that eats the fruit represents the Jīva, engaged in worldly experiences (similar to the mind's modifications in the Yogasutra), while the other bird represents the Pure Witness, the Ātman, which remains untouched by the experiences. This aligns with Patanjali's notion of the Draṣṭā being the Pure Observer, unaffected by the activities of the mind.