Patanjali Yoga Sutra
Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.
Chapter 1, Sutra 15
Drsta – Anusravika – Visaya – Vitrsnasya – Vasikara samjna – Vairagyam
When the Mind Loses All Desire For Objects Seen Or Described In The Scriptures. It Acquires A State Of Utter Desirelessness Which is Called Detachment.
Drsta : seen, perceived
Anusravika : revealed, heard in tradition
Visaya : matters of experience
Vitrsnasya : of one who is free from desire or craving
Vasikara : mastery, total control
Samjna : awareness, consciousness, knowing
Vairagyam : non – attachment; desirelessness, dispassion, without attraction or aversion.
“The main pillars of yoga are Abhyasa and Vairagya. Perseverance – practically keeping in mind all the day, the role of controlling the mind and Vairagya – disinterest in physical objects, thoughts about them, desires and all. Only when this kind of thorough job is done – where a person has no interests, no thoughts, can one concentrate; otherwise distractions happen. We do believe in yoga, we are trying to follow, but deep seated interests are there and they are not there for a little while, they come again. The result – no progress. So we struggle all our life. That is what the Sutra tells us – the object that you see – no interest, the things that you hear – no interest – there is a total disinterest – no thoughts, no feelings, no desires, no memory. This is called complete control – Vashikara – that is Vairagya.
These are very difficult goals. One has to strive in that direction. The efforts can go on right till the end. All that we understand is that this path of yoga is for those who are really interested – not for those who cursorily read and listen and think. It is about application throughout your life. We will have to do something. If we take up a big job, we may fail. So take up a small thing – that is the point worth considering. In our day to day life, thousands of events are occurring. Are we able to keep the mind away, even for a little time from everything else, except for what we have taken up? This is a simple test. We don’t give that kind of importance to that simple thing we have decided on. We think we are clever, capable and do the other things also. In the process nothing starts. If you take up one little thing and go on after it, it is likely that some success can occur.
There is a story of Kauravas and Pandavas learning and the teacher asks if they can shoot a bird on a particular tree? He asks what is it that they see? All Kauravas and Pandavas had many many things to see. The tree was a big one. Only Arjuna sees only the eye of the bird. He is the successful person. We need not immediately go into the whole thing, even the little ‘I’ if we can see, it can be a good beginning.”
“First type of knowledge is what you have seen, what you have heard, whatever knowledge the sensory organs are giving. Second type of knowledge is Anusravika, knowledge from Vedas, Shastras, Gurus, from all all wise people who have experience. The entire material world’s experience has continuous impressions on your mind and it continuously bothers you. You sit and all the past comes back; you think about the future. We have to understand the essence and leave it. In life, we have to learn to gain knowledge, experience and leave it. The receiving should stop – continuously seeing, hearing is not right. The feeling should come that I have seen enough, read enough, heard enough, I have understood, now we have to put in efforts. Effort should be made in this direction. So many people suffer because of something in the past – someone near and dear has passed away, someone has cheated them – those thoughts come, that feeling comes. You should be alert and agile to see that you don’t think. Let go. Remain with very few thoughts, which are not there to disturb you but are there to take you further in life. We should be clear on what is worthwhile and what is worthless. Unfortunately this word, Vairagya is taken negatively by people – do we have to leave everything? No, leave the wrong ,worthless things, hold on to the essence and move ahead. We become free from all entanglements, fixations – Vairagya works wonders. Learn to be detached, objective. Don’t create new impressions in mind. Have an objective attitude.”
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