Chapter-4, Sutra 5

Patanjali Yogasutra 4.5

प्रवृत्तिभेदे प्रयोजकं चित्तमेकमनेकेषाम्।

"In the diversity of activities, the directing Consciousness remains one amidst many."

In this Sutra, Patanjali addresses the concept of unity within multiplicity. He states that even though various individual minds seem to function independently, they are all directed by a single underlying Consciousness, or citta. This suggests that while each person may experience thoughts, perceptions, and actions individually, the fundamental Consciousness is unified and orchestrates these diverse activities across all beings. The Sutra implies a higher unity behind the apparent individuality of human experiences, pointing toward a shared essence that transcends personal identity.

Patanjali's insight here is profound because it emphasizes that diversity in human activities—ranging from daily tasks to spiritual pursuits—is merely a manifestation of a single Consciousness. Each individual mind (or personal chitta) is influenced by this singular Universal Consciousness, which serves as the prayojaka, or the cause, behind all actions. This interpretation aligns with the Advaita Vedanta philosophy, which posits that the individual self (jiva) and the Universal Self (Brahman) are ultimately one. By recognizing this underlying unity, individuals can move towards a more harmonious and less ego-driven perspective of the Self, shedding attachment to individuality.

This Sutra’s teaching has practical implications for spiritual practice and personal growth. By understanding that there is a unifying Consciousness connecting all beings, individuals may experience less separation and a deeper sense of connection with others and the universe. Such awareness fosters compassion and a reduced sense of competition or separation, encouraging practitioners to view others not as distinct and separate entities but as expressions of the same underlying awareness. This understanding can lead to a deep state of inner peace, as one learns to see beyond the ego's isolation.

Swami Vivekanand said:

"These different minds, which will act in these different bodies, are called made-minds, and the bodies, made-bodies; that is, manufactured bodies and minds. Matter and mind are like two inexhaustible storehouses. When you have become a yogi, you have learned the secret of their control. It was yours all the time, but you had forgotten it. When you become a yogi, you recollect it. Then you can do anything with it, manipulate it any way you like. The material out of which that manufactured mind is created is the very same material which is used as the macrocosm. It is not that mind is one thing and matter another, but they are different existences of the same thing. Asmita, egoism, is the material, the fine state of existence out of which these made-minds and made- bodies of the yogi will be manufactured. Therefore, when the yogi, has found the secret of these energies of nature he can manufacture any number of bodies, or minds, but they will all be manufactures out of the substance known as egoism."

Comparison with Similar Verses from Vedic Texts

Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.10

स यो ह वै तत्परमं ब्रह्म वेद ब्रह्मैव भवति नास्याब्रह्मवित्कुले भवति।

"He who knows that Supreme Brahman becomes verily Brahman; none in his lineage who does not know Brahman."

This verse from the Mundaka Upanishad aligns with Patanjali’s emphasis on the unity behind diversity. The individual who Realizes Brahman, the Universal Consciousness, merges with it, transcending the notion of separate Self. This reinforces the Yogasutra’s teaching that multiplicity is an expression of a singular, unifying consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita 13.31

अनादित्वान्निर्गुणत्वात्परमात्मायमव्ययः। शरीरस्थोऽपि कौन्तेय न करोति न लिप्यते॥

"Though dwelling in the body, the Self, being immutable and without attributes, does not act or get affected."

Here, Krishna explains that the Supreme Self, while present within all beings, remains unaffected by individual actions and states. Similar to Patanjali’s description, this Self directs all activities without being altered by them. The Gita, like the Yogasutra, conveys the idea that a singular, unchanging Consciousness resides within all, directing diverse expressions.

Yoga Vashistha 6.1.14

चिच्छक्तिरेका परमोऽद्वयानन्दा, तया प्रजालं भवतीह सर्वम्।

"The one Supreme Consciousness -power, the non-dual bliss, manifests as all beings here."

In the Yoga Vashistha, we see the concept of chitta shakti or Consciousness as the singular power manifesting in all forms. This reinforces the notion that while the manifestations may seem many, the source is one. Patanjali's Sutra and the Yoga Vashistha both teach that the diversity we perceive in the world is an expression of a single underlying consciousness.

Each of these verses, similar to Patanjali’s Sutra, emphasizes the idea of a unified Consciousness as the foundation of all individual expressions, revealing an ancient Indian philosophical vision of Oneness underlying apparent multiplicity. This oneness points to a profound interconnectedness of all life, encouraging a perspective that transcends individuality and fosters harmony.