Patanjali Yogasutra 3.50
तद्वैराग्यादपि दोषबीजक्षये कैवल्यम्
"Through dispassion (vairagya) that extends even to these (higher attainments), the seeds of defects (dosha) are destroyed, leading to absolute freedom (kaivalya)."
In this Sutra, Patanjali emphasizes the profound necessity of dispassion, not only toward ordinary desires but even toward the exceptional powers and achievements that can arise through yoga practice. As a practitioner progresses, they may experience
siddhis, or supernatural abilities, such as heightened perception or control over physical elements. However, even these must be viewed with detachment. Patanjali warns that
attachment to these powers can become a significant obstacle, potentially reinforcing the ego and maintaining the seeds of impurities, which hinder spiritual liberation. Thus, true dispassion must extend beyond ordinary worldly attachments to encompass every possible experience and power.
The concept of “dosha bija” or “seeds of defect” refers to the subtle impressions and tendencies within the mind that give rise to impurity, ignorance, and suffering. Even if a practitioner has mastered yoga, these latent seeds may remain dormant, capable of sprouting under certain conditions and drawing the mind back toward ego and attachment. By cultivating dispassion even toward spiritual achievements, a yogi can ultimately destroy these seeds, preventing them from arising again. This allows the mind to become pure and undisturbed, reaching a state of kaivalya, or absolute independence, where the Self is fully liberated from all binding conditions.
Kaivalya, often translated as "isolation" or "Oneness," is the Ultimate Goal of Patanjali's yoga philosophy. It signifies a state in which the Self remains in its True form, free from the entanglements of the material world and the mind's fluctuations. This complete liberation is not a passive state but the result of a disciplined journey of dispassion, self-knowledge, and mental purification. Patanjali suggests that only through the complete relinquishment of all attachments, even the most tempting spiritual attainments, can a yogi fully dissolve their karmic seeds, achieving the unconditioned freedom and clarity that is kaivalya.
Swami Vivekanand said:
"He attains aloneness, independence. Then that man is free. When he gives up even the ideas of omnipotence and omniscience, there will be entire rejection of enjoyment, of the temptations from celestial beings. When the yogi has seen all these wonderful powers, and rejected them, he reaches the Goal. What are all these powers? Simply manifestations. They are no better than dreams. Even omnipotence is a dream. It depends on the mind. So long as there is a mind, it can be understood, but the Goal is beyond even the mind."
Contextual Comparison with Other Vedic Texts
Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.9
यस्य ब्रह्म च क्षत्रं च उभे भवत ओदनः।
मृत्युर्यस्योपसेचनं क इत्था वेद यत्र सः॥
"For whom both the Brahman and the Kshatriya are but food, and death itself a mere seasoning – who truly knows where he is?"
In this verse, the Mundaka Upanishad presents the idea of complete detachment from worldly identities, including the highest societal and spiritual roles. This level of dispassion, where everything, even concepts of divinity and mortality, become meaningless before the Ultimate Realization, echoes Patanjali’s exhortation to renounce even yogic attainments. Just as Patanjali warns against the seeds of defect, the Upanishad suggests that such ultimate detachment alone can reveal the transcendent truth.
Bhagavad Gita 18.66
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।
अहं त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः॥
"Abandon all forms of dharma and take refuge in Me alone. I will liberate you from all sins; do not grieve."
Krishna’s advice to Arjuna about abandoning all notions of duty and seeking refuge in the Divine aligns with the essence of Patanjali’s teaching on vairagya. Here, Krishna indicates that Ultimate Realization requires a surrender that transcends all roles and achievements, paralleling Patanjali’s call to renounce even the fruits of yogic powers. Both emphasize a path where attachment to actions and their rewards is fully relinquished, thus clearing the path to Realization.
Yoga Vashistha
न कश्चिद्ब्रह्मणोऽन्यः स्यान्न बन्धो न च मोक्षणम्।
न साध्यं नापि साधनं केवलं ब्रह्म संस्थितिः॥
"There is nothing apart from Brahman, no bondage, no liberation, no goal, and no means to achieve it; only abiding in Brahman remains."
In the Yoga Vashistha, the Highest Truth is depicted as the Realization of Brahman, where concepts of bondage and liberation dissolve entirely. This teaching complements Patanjali’s idea of kaivalya, a state where all dualities are transcended. The Vashistha further aligns with Patanjali’s teaching by highlighting the futility of even spiritual practices if they lead to attachment, reinforcing the importance of absolute detachment for ultimate freedom.
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