Patanjali Yoga Sutra - viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī||1.36||
विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मति ||
Mastery over the mind is also possible by contemplation on antarjyoti- the inner light, which helps sādhaka transcend all kinds of sorrows that arise from worldly desires and attain eternal bliss.
All religions consider Jyoti or light as a symbol of Divinity, intellect, holiness, Supreme and Highest. “Among the luminaries, I am the radiant Sun,” says Bhagavān in Gītā (jyotiṣāṃ raviraṃśumān — Gītā 10. 21).
असतोमा सद्गमय तमसोमा ज्योतिर्गमय मृत्योर्मा अमृतङ्गमय
ओम् शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्||
asatomā sadgamaya tamasomā jyotirgamaya mṛtyormā amṛtaṅgamaya
om śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ ||Bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣad||
(Yogi prays to Almighty) Oh Lord, lead me from unreal to Ultimate Reality, from darkness to light and from death to immortality. AUM peace to ādidaivika (phenomenal) obstacles, peace to ādibhautika (animal world) obstacles, peace to ādhyātmika (one’s own inherent) obstacles.
According to Kunḍaliniyoga, there are many spiritual centers or energy centers in our body and the eye brows-center is called trikūti or ājñācakra kendra or jñānacakra kedra or jyotircakra kendra (Divine light center or third eye centre). Some yogis focus on this point to contemplate and rise above all sorrows (śokātīta) and attain eternal bliss.
Eternal bliss, according to Bhagavān is, when yogi transcends the dualities through his sādhana and attains non-dual state:
तत्रैकाग्रं मनः कृत्वा यतचित्तेन्द्रियक्रियः।
उपविश्यासने युञ्ज्याद्योगमात्मविशुद्धये॥गीता ६.१२॥
tatraikāgraṁ manaḥ kr̥tvā yatacittendriyakriyaḥ|
upaviśyāsane yuñjyādyogamātmaviśuddhaye ||Gītā 6.12||
निर्मानमोहा जितसङ्गदोषा अध्यात्मनित्या विनिवृत्तकामाः।
द्वन्द्वैर्विमुक्ताः सुखदुःखसञ्ज्ञैर्गच्छन्त्यमूढाः पदमव्ययं तत्॥गीता १५.५॥
nirmānamohā jitasaṅgadoṣā adhyātmānitya vinivṛttakāmāḥ|
dvandvairvimuktāḥ sukhaduḥkhasañjñairgacchantyamūḍhāḥ padamavyayaṃ tat ||Gītā 15.5||
Having seated on a (suitable) place, having controlled senses and concentrated mind, sādhaka should do his sādhana for self-purification. Sādhaka who is free from ego and attachment and engrossed in divine sādhana, and who has overcome the desires of the material world and indifferent to the dualities of pleasure and pain, being free from ignorance, attains pinnacle seat of Paramātma.
A good old saying goes –‘Boat should be in the water, but not the water in the boat’. One could be in ‘Saṃsāra’ (worldly life), but ‘Saṃsāra should not be in one. Such a yogi transcends all kinds of ordeals and achieves Supreme bliss.
