Patanjali Yogasutra 3.39
(Udana vayu)
उदानजयाज्जलपङ्ककण्टकादिष्वसङ्ग उत्क्रान्तिश्च |
"By mastering the Udāna Vāyu, one is able to move without being affected by water, mud, thorns, etc., and gains the ability to rise (levitate) from the body."
This Sutra describes the power of Udāna Vāyu - one of the five vital energies (pancha prana) in the body. Udāna Vāyu governs upward movement, which includes speech, energy of the limbs, and upward movement of the subtle body. Mastery over this energy gives the yogi the ability to rise above physical constraints, such as being unaffected by water, mud, or thorns. It also bestows the ability to transcend the body, symbolized here as "utkrānti," which can be understood as levitation or even liberation from physical form. This control over the body represents advanced stages of yogic practice.
The Sutra points to the yogi's ability to transcend the limitations of the physical realm. Water, mud, and thorns represent obstacles and discomforts experienced in the material world. Through mastery of the Udāna Vāyu, a practitioner is no longer affected by these, signifying a higher level of control over the physical body and elements. This symbolizes detachment and non-attachment to material hindrances, an essential step in progressing towards spiritual enlightenment.
Additionally, the mention of "utkrānti" (rising) has deeper connotations. While it may literally refer to levitation or the ability to rise above the ground, it also implies Spiritual Ascension.
This yogic ability mirrors the larger theme of yoga philosophy where the soul seeks to transcend material existence and merge with the Divine. The Sutra illustrates that through intense focus and mastery over one's energies, the boundaries between the physical and spiritual realms become permeable, enabling the practitioner to rise beyond them.
Comparative Verses from Other Vedic Texts
Katha Upanishad 2.3.8
यदा सर्वे प्रभिद्यन्ते हृदयस्येह ग्रन्थयः।
अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्येतावद्ध्यनुशासनम्॥
"When all the knots of the heart are untied, the mortal becomes immortal, and this is the teaching."
This verse from the Katha Upanishad reflects a similar theme of transcendence. Here, the "knots of the heart" represent the attachments and desires that bind one to the physical world. When these are mastered or released, the soul becomes immortal, rising above the limitations of the material plane, much like the yogi who gains mastery over Udāna Vāyu and transcends the body.
Yoga Vashishta 6.1.48
चित्तं यदा न निर्बन्धं कञ्चित्कुरुते तदा।
विश्रान्तं वायुमात्रेण यात्यकस्मात्समं सुखम्॥
"When the mind ceases to attach itself to anything, it finds rest solely through the control of vital energy and effortlessly attains peace."
This verse from the Yoga Vashishta emphasizes the role of vital energy control in achieving liberation from the mind’s attachments, paralleling the Patanjali verse where control over Udāna Vāyu leads to transcendence of physical obstacles and liberation from bodily limitations.
Bhagavad Gita 8.6
यं यं वाऽपि स्मरन्भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम्।
तं तमेवैति कौन्तेय सदा तद्भावभावितः॥
"Whatever State of Being one remembers when he quits his body, that State he will attain without fail, O Arjuna, being always absorbed in that State."
This verse from the Bhagavad Gita speaks to the State of Consciousness at the time of death, which is shaped by one’s practices and attachments.
Mastery over the Udāna Vāyu could also be viewed as a state where the yogi can consciously choose their state of departure, rising above bodily limitations and achieving Realization.
These comparisons illustrate that mastery over internal energies, as described in the Yogasutra, is a recurring theme in Vedic literature, where detachment from material constraints leads to transcendence or liberation from the body. Each of these texts emphasizes the significance of controlling one's internal processes to rise above worldly limitations and achieve spiritual freedom.
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