Patanjali Yoga Sutra — sa tu dīrghakālanairantaryasatkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ||1.14|| स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः||१.१४||
Protracted, non-stop and dedicated practice renders the Sādhaka with a strong base.
Sādhana becomes a solid foundation when it is long, dedicated, ardent and uninterrupted. Only that soil, strongly holding the rock, can stop the latter from falling down the mountain! Uninterrupted Sādhana is the only means that can prevent a yogi from crumbling down. It is understandable that this holds good for any other kind of art one tries to master. Many successful classical singers practice music for more than eight hours a day and one of the greatest hindustāni singers, śrī bhīmasena jośiji once said, ‘If I don’t practice for one day, I could make out; If I don’t practice for two days, my music-loving-audience could make it out; If I don’t practice for three days, even the non-music-loving-audience could make out that I am not practicing!’ Yes, the best of the sculptures were prepared by Michale Angelo in his 80’s.
Here Patañjali Maharṣi accentuates what kind of practice one should have in order to control the unpredictable, capricious, erratic, fickle mind. He says Sādhaka has a firm foundation when the sādhana is done for a long period, unceasing, with utmost devotion. Sometimes, one life is not sufficient for spiritual perfection or salvation (Kaivalya)! Bhagavān Buddha gets many lives before his final emancipation (Buddhism also believes in rebirth). Dear reader, Indian philosophy believes in reincarnation. Death is inbuilt in the very nature of the physical body. The signs of death are born with birth. There is no need for demotivation. Bhagavān says, when an honest or sincere sādhaka fails in a particular life (despite his devoted efforts), he continues his sādhana as a legacy in the next life from a point where he had stopped in the previous life (Bhagavad Gīta 6.40 to 6.46). Hence, no part of our spiritual or Yogic practice (sādhana) goes waste. The only thing expected of a man is, at his last breath, he should not feel, ‘Alas, I just wasted my precious life!’.
A droplet of water fell on a mountain from a cloud. The moment it fell, it started flowing down very vigorously. The only eager thought the droplet of water had was, “I should reach the ocean as early as possible”. On its way, it gets changed to a stream as many other drops would also join. Later many such streams would join and slowly it becomes a small river. Many such tributaries would join and finally, it becomes a large river before joining the ocean.
A rock stops the droplet of water on its way and asks, “What is the matter? Why are you running so fast? Wait for a while, talk to me and take rest.”
The droplet of water says, “No please, I don’t want any rest. I want to get myself merged into the ocean as quickly as possible. Please don’t stop me.”
Surprised at the answer, rock asks “Is it so!? You are so tiny droplet. But I was told there is a very long way to reach the ocean. Do you know the road map or direction (trajectory) to reach the ocean?!
Water droplet says, “I need not know. My duty is to just keep rolling. On my way, I grow into a stream, a small rivulet, a large river and get momentum and I will definitely reach the ocean some or the other day. There cannot be any other possibility; I am confident of reaching the ocean. Every role I make takes me nearer and nearer to the ocean. I should keep rolling by overcoming the hurdles on my way. My duty is just to keep flowing to reach the ocean — the purpose of my life”.
It is said there are three kinds of hurdles in any one’s spiritual sādhana:
1. ādidaivika: These are God made, like earthquakes and other natural calamities, where man has very little or no control at all over them.
2. ādibhautika: These could be the threats from other creatures, wild animals, mosquitos, injuries due to accidents, diseases and disorders, bullying by fellow beings, intimidation of by asurās (demons), etc.
3. ādhyātmika: These could be one’s own inherent problems like laziness, lack of interest, distractions, craving for sense pleasure, etc. Even TVs and Mobile phones would have been considered under this head if they were present during the Vedic period!
पार्थ नैवेह नामुत्र विनाशस्तस्य विद्यते।
न हि कल्याणकृत्कश्चिद्दुर्गतिं तात गच्छति॥गीता ६.४०॥
Pārtha naiveha nāmutra vināśastasya vidyate.
na hi kalyāṇakr̥tkaściddurgatiṁ tāta gacchati ||Gītā 6.40||
Yogasādhaka will never be destroyed either in this loka nor in the next. This is because one who does virtuous deeds will never be shattered.
Arjuna is addressed as ‘tāta’ by Śrīkr̥ṣṇa, meaning, ‘most loved one’, thus encouraging him not to be scary. It is the upaniṣadic style of a successful teacher. Further, Śrīkr̥ṣṇa’s answer is very emphatic and clear. Death is not the end. It is the preamble for the next life. Hindu philosophy believes in rebirth. Just like having different phases in life, death is also a phase. Death is a celebration as yogi gets a new, disease-free body for resuming his sādhana. Vāmadeva possessed knowledge even while he was in his mother’s womb because of his sādhana in previous lives.
