Patanjali Yoga Sutra — 1.32||Tatpratiṣedhārthamekatattvābhyāsaḥ||तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः||
‘Ekatatvābhyāsa’, that is, focused practice with complete surrender to Almighty Lord is the most effective solution to overcome all the barricades in the path of Yogasādhana.
Surrender is keeping aside one’s ego so that the universal mind functions through you. Patañjali Maharṣi imparts five ways to overcome the obstacles mentioned above. This sūtra divulges the first of its kind. Though the word ‘Bhakti’ is not used, this is the principle of “Bhakti yoga”, i.e., devotion to God advocated by Patañjali Maharṣi. Bhakti gives Midas touch! When bhakti is added to the water we drink, the latter becomes tīrtham; when added to the food we eat, it becomes prasādam; when added to the work we do, it becomes service (Seva); when added to the travel we do, it becomes tīrthakṣetra darśanam. Bhakti is like a queen where the rest of the virtues follow like maidservants. Nārada Maharṣi says, यल्लब्द्वा पुमान् सिद्धो भवति, अमृतो भवति तृप्तो भवति॥ — i.e., Bhakti can make a person an accomplished, immortal, and fully satisfied.
Bhagavān’s explanation on Bhakti (Devotion) is an eye-opener for sādhakas.
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ॥गीता ७.१६॥
caturvidhā bhajante māṁ janāḥ sukr̥tino’rjuna|
ārto jijñāsurarthārthī jñānī ca bharatarṣabha ||Gītā 7.16||
Bharatarṣabha, four kinds of devout people worship Me, viz., one who is severely suffering, the one who is seeking affluence, the one who is seeking insight (jñāna) and the one who is already a jñāni (knows ultimate truth).
तेषां ज्ञानी नित्ययुक्त एकभक्तिर्विशिष्यते।
प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनोऽत्यर्थमहं स च मम प्रियः॥गीता ७.१७॥
teṣāṁ jñānī nityayukta ekabhaktirviśiṣyate|
priyo hi jñānino’tyarthamahaṁ sa ca mama priyaḥ ||Gītā 7.17||
(In my view) The jñāni (who knows the ultimate truth), who is ever devoted to me unceasingly, wholeheartedly, unconditionally, is the finest of all. Such an elite jñāni considers Me dearest of all and I too consider him ‘the dearest one’ to Me. (For such a yogi, I am never lost and he is never lost to Me).
The essence of the above said two verses is like four children approaching the father with four different demands and that the fourth one wants father alone and nothing else.
मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः॥गीता १२.०८॥
mayyeva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṃ niveśaya|
nivasiṣyasi mayyeva ata ūrdhvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ||Gītā 12.8||
(Hence) just have one-pointedness of your mind on Me and dissolve your intellect in Me alone. There is no doubt henceforth that, you will reside in Me (or you will have communion with Me).
मां च योऽव्यभिचारेण भक्तियोगेन सेवते।
स गुणान् समतीत्यैतान् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥गीता १४.२६॥
Māṃ ca yo’vyabhicāreṇa bhaktiyogena sevate|
sa guṇānsamatītyaitān brahmabhūyāya kalpate||Gītā 14.26||
Sādhaka serving Me with a sense of total devotion or adoration would outdo and go beyond or transcend the influence of triguṇās. Such a Sādhaka is able-souled to be one with Brahman.
Such a yogi is also called as tritriguṇātīta. In such a state, being indifferent, he neither shows any dislike/aversion to triguṇās when they manifest nor displays any longing when they disappear (Gītā 14.22). Thus, he remains uninfluenced by triguṇās.
Once Lord Śrīkr̥ṣṇa was suffering from severe headache. All his kins anxiously assembled around Him. Lord Śrīkr̥ṣṇa himself gave the solution for his headache — “I need the foot-dust (pāda dhūli) of one of my earnest devotees. If the same is applied to my forehead, my headache would be cured”. Rukmiṇi said, “this is highly sinful. If my foot-dust is applied to Lord’s forehead, I will have to go to hell. I will not give”. So said all his wives and kins. The matter was brought to Gopikas. The Gopikas’ love and devotion for the Lord Śrīkr̥ṣṇa was so flawless that, they readily offered their foot-dust and said, “whether we go to hell or heaven, we are least bothered. Lord’s headache should be cured first!”
