Chapter-2, Sutra 24

Patanjali Yogasutra 2.24

(Avidya)

तस्य हेतुरविद्या।

"The cause of this (the identification of the Seer with the Seen) is Ignorance (avidya)."

In this Sutra, Patanjali succinctly identifies avidya or ignorance as the primary cause of the fundamental misidentification of the Seer (drashta) with the Seen (drishya). This ignorance is not merely the absence of knowledge but rather a misunderstanding or misperception that veils the true Nature of the Self. Avidya causes the individual to mistake the transient, material world for reality and identify with it, leading to attachment, desires, and ultimately, suffering. The Sutras outline that dispelling this ignorance through knowledge and discernment is essential for spiritual liberation.

This Sutra underscores the concept that the root of human suffering and bondage lies in the misidentification of the Self with the body, mind, and the external world. The Seer, which is Pure Consciousness, becomes entangled in the fluctuations of the mind and the illusions of the material world due to avidya. This ignorance perpetuates the cycle of karma, binding the soul to the cycle of birth and death. The practice of Yoga, as described by Patanjali, is the means to overcome avidya and Realize the True Nature of the Self, which is pure, unchanging, and beyond all dualities.

The emphasis on avidya as the root cause of suffering is central to various philosophical systems in Indian thought, particularly in the context of the Yoga Sutras. By recognizing and removing ignorance through the practices of viveka (discrimination), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (absorption), the practitioner can transcend the illusion of the material world and attain kaivalya (Realization). This process involves a deep internal transformation where the true self is realized as distinct from the mind and the sensory world, leading to the cessation of all forms of suffering.

Swami Vivekanand said:

"Through ignorance we have joined ourselves with a particular body, and thus opened ourselves to misery. This idea of body is a simple superstition. It is superstition that makes us happy or unhappy. It is superstition caused by ignorance that makes us feel heat and cold, pain and pleasure. It is our business to rise above this superstition, and the Yogi shows us how we can do this. It has been demonstrated that, under certain mental conditions, a man may be burned, yet, while that condition lasts, he will feel no pain. The difficulty is that this sudden upheaval of the mind comes like a whirlwind one minute, and goes away the next. If, however, we attain it scientifically, through Yoga, we shall permanently attain to that separation of Self from the body."

Comparison with Similar Verses from Vedic Texts:

Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.12

   

प्लवा ह्येते अदृढा यज्ञरूपाः अष्टादशोक्तमवरं येषु कर्म। एतच्छ्रेयो येऽभिनन्दन्ति मूढा जरामृत्युं ते पुनरेवापि यन्ति।।

"These rituals are frail rafts for crossing the sea of life, and they are inferior. Those who consider them as the highest good are deluded and subject to birth and death again."

This verse from the Mundaka Upanishad emphasizes that ignorance leads individuals to cling to rituals and material pursuits, mistaking them for Ultimate Truth. Like Patanjali's emphasis on avidya, the Upanishad underscores that true knowledge lies beyond ritualistic practices and that ignorance keeps individuals trapped in the cycle of birth and death.

Bhagavad Gita 5.16

ज्ञानेन तु तदज्ञानं येषां नाशितमात्मनः। तेषामादित्यवज्ज्ञानं प्रकाशयति तत्परम्।।

"But when one is enlightened with the Knowledge by which avidya is destroyed, then his Knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime."

The Bhagavad Gita similarly highlights the role of Knowledge in dispelling ignorance (avidya). Once ignorance is destroyed by True Knowledge, the Self is revealed in its True Nature, just as the sun illuminates everything. This verse aligns with Patanjali's teachings, emphasizing the transformative power of Knowledge in overcoming the delusions of avidya.

Yoga Vashistha 2.18.24

मोहकालकलुषिता कालरात्रिर्महानिशा। नष्टेऽविद्यतमे भूते प्रादुर्भूतं महत्तमः।।

"The night of delusion, darkened by ignorance, is the great night. But when the darkness of Ignorance is destroyed, the supreme light of Wisdom dawns."

In the Yoga Vashistha, avidya is depicted as a dark night that envelops the mind in delusion. When ignorance is destroyed, the light of Wisdom emerges, similar to the dawn after a dark night. This metaphor reinforces Patanjali's assertion that avidya is the fundamental cause of spiritual blindness, and only through Knowledge can one achieve Realization.