Patanjali Yoga Sutra — द्रष्ट्र्दृश्ययोः संयोगो हेयहेतुः ॥पतञ्जलि योग सूत्राः 2.17॥
Draṣṭrudṛśyayoḥ saṃyogo heyahetuḥ॥
Cause of pain is the identification of ‘seer’ (draṣṭa) with ‘seen’ (dṛṣya) owing to ignorance. Obviously, remedy for pain is to avoid this and understand the difference between these two.
There is a difference between sūtra 2.6 and this sūtra. In sūtra 2.6, it is said the ‘egotism’ is due to wrong identification of ‘seer’ with the tools (Senses or karaṇas) which merely reveal the ‘seer’. But in this sūtra, the message is, cause of pain is due to identification of ‘seer’ with ‘seen’. As explained in sūtra 2.6, ‘seer’ is ātman also called Consciousness or Puruṣa or dṛk or sat or Experiencer. ‘Seen’ is the visible universe (brahmānḍa or prakṛti) around us. When the ‘Seer’ or the ‘Experiencer’ is illusorily identified with the ‘Seen’ (owing to ignorance), the true nature of Self is not revealed to us, as the ignorant buddhi misguides due to the false bondage with the world around (avidyā).
Bhagavān’s message clarifies us further. prakṛti, being different (from Paramātma) but inseparable Māya and executing power (of Paramātma) alone functions and does karmas. But Paramātma is always a detached witness and never executes.
प्रकृत्यैव च कार्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वशः।
यः पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति॥गीता १३.२९॥
prakṛtyaiva ca karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśaḥ|
yaḥ paśyati tathātmānamakartāraṃ sa paśyati॥Gītā 13.29॥
One who knows that all the karmas are being executed by prakṛti alone and the indwelling ‘ātman’ does nothing but remains passive (witness) ever, is said to have seen.
sādhaka identifying himself with Paramātma and experiencing such severance or detachment from the karmas is true jñāni and remains untouched by its fruits. Such an attitude is a combination of ‘execution’ of one’s karmas in a duty-bound way and ‘detachment from the karmaphalas’.
A Guru was addressing a group of disciples. Holding a glass of water, he raised his hand and asked:
‘Do you see what I am holding?’
Disciples — ‘Glass of water’.
Guru — ‘What could be the weight of this glass filled with water?’
Disciples — ‘Could be anywhere between 50 to 100 grams.’
Guru — ‘What happens if I hold it like this for a minute?’
Disciples — ‘Perhaps nothing happens.’
Guru — ‘What happens if I hold for an hour?’
Disciples — ‘Pain starts in your hand.’
Guru — ‘If I hold for a whole day?’
Disciples — ‘You will have cramp or numbness in your shoulder and you will moan with pain.
Guru — ‘If I hold for three days?’
Disciples — ‘Your shoulder will be frozen and someone will have to release your frozen arm.’
Guru — ‘The weight of this water-filled-glass has not changed. But why the intensity of pain changes?’
Disciples — ‘Guruji, it is because of duration. Longer you hold, more intense the problem is’.
Guru — ‘Yes, very good! So do the problems we face in our life. Problems come and go likes tides of a sea. But we keep them unnecessarily in our minds longer and longer and continuously hang on them. Thus, though the problem is the same, its intensity increases and becomes unbearable.
