Kṣaṇapratiyogī pariṇāmāparāntanirgrāhyaḥ kramaḥ॥ ‘Krama’ is the moment by moment, series of subtlest mutations (changes) happening in an orderly way, but perceivable distinctly only at the end of sequence owing to the smallest changes taking place every moment. The change could mean and include: Jāyate: Dawn, birth, coming into existence Asti…

tataḥ kṛtārthānāṁ pariṇāmakramasamāptirguṇānām॥ Then such a yogi transcends the influences of triguṇas as their purpose is attained and transformation or mutation is just a thing of the past for him. The three Guṇas ‘cause’ the mutation (= effect) in prakṛti. In sūtra 4.2, we have understood that mutation from one…

tadā sarvāvaraṇamalāpetasya jñānasyānantyājjñeyamalpam॥ Having exterminated the heinous dirt, Dharmameghaḥ Samādhi brings infinite knowledge to the sādhaka and things to be known are just insignificant or virtually nil for such a yogi. Everything appears mysterious for a common man; so long as his quests are dealt to be solved by his…

tataḥ kleśakarmanivṛttiḥ॥ On attaining Dharmameghaḥ Samādhi, a yogi is free from all kinds of kleśas (miseries) and achieves complete freedom from karmas (becomes Jīvanmukta). A normal man can understand only two dimensions like good or bad, negative or positive, like or dislike, love or hate, etc. But there is a…

Prasaṅkhyāne’pyakusīdasya sarvathā vivekakhyāterdharmameghaḥ samādhiḥ॥ On remaining unalloyed and disinterested even after acquiring pinnacle of discriminative wisdom a yogi attains ‘dharmameghaḥ samādhi’. It is said, the saṁskāras (past impressions) are so powerful that they might make a yogi susceptible to a fall when he relaxes or loosens up his sādhana sloppily…

Hānameṣāṁ kleśavaduktam॥ The way to exterminate these subtlest (vestigial) saṁskāras is similar to the way adopted by sādhaka to eliminate the obstacles in the path of yoga. Vyāsa Maharṣi says in his Pātañjala Yogasūtra Bhāṣya: यथा क्लेशा दग्ध बीजभावा न प्ररोहसमर्था भवन्ति, तथा ज्ञानाग्निना दग्ध बीजभावः पूर्वसंस्कारो न प्रत्ययप्रसूर्भवति। ज्ञानसंस्कारास्तु…

Tacchidreṣu pratyayāntarāṇi saṁskārebhyaḥ॥ But the saṁskāras (past impressions) are so powerful that they might make a yogi susceptible to a fall when he is casual and relaxes or loosens up his sādhana carelessly even for a moment. That means, saṁskāras would be in subtlest (vestigial) form even in realized souls…

tadā vivekanimnaṃ kaivalyaprāgbhāraṃ cittam॥ When citta is endowed with the pinnacle of wisdom due to yogasādhana, sādhaka’s is pulled, propelled and attracted into the ultimate, i.e., liberation — kaivalya. All actions would bind the man unless they are done with a sense of offering to Paramātma. This is the highest…

Viśeṣadarśina ātmabhāva bhāvanānivṛttiḥ॥ Sādhaka’s yogasādhana gifts him a unique power of perception and enables him to identify the true difference between eternal ātman and citta of limited capabilities. Patañjali opines, so long avidyā (ignorance) exists, one might perceive the citta itself as eternal, as it shines with borrowed luminosity from…