Patanjali Yoga Sutra — vitarkavicārānandāsmitārūpānugamāt samprajñātaḥ||1.17॥वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितानुगमात् सम्प्रज्ञातः||१.१७|||

The above-said sādhana and renunciation enables the Sādhaka to experience four kinds of samādhis namely, Logical Self examination (vitarka), Insight (Vicāra), Bliss (ānanda) and Pure ability to be within oneself (asmitā).

Before we understand this particular sūtra, it is better to understand the extensive classification of Samādhi as follows:

1. Sabīja samādhi (sabīja = Sustain, support, maintain or Seed)

1. Samprajñāta samādhi: In this case, Sādhaka retains profound or indepth knowledge.

a. Vitarka Samādhi (Logical analysis)

i. Savitarka Samādhi (Logical reflection)

ii. Nirvitarka Samādhi (Non-logical reflection)

b. Vicāra Samādhi (Discriminating or judicious wisdom)

i. Savicāra Samādhi (with due analysis)

ii. Nirvicāra Samādhi (without due analysis)

c. Ānanda Samādhi (Unparallel Blissful state)

d. Asmita Samādhi (Establishing within oneself)

1. Asamprajñāta samādhi (Also called virāma pratyaya) (Intermittant, transitory, tranquilising phase between Sabīja and Nirbīja samādhi)

2. Nirbīja samādhi (Also called Dharma Megha) (Nirbīja = Without seed)

1. Bhava pratyaya: Complete absorption in forces of nature.
2. Upāya pratyaya: Full of faith, vitality, assimilation and elucidation (See Sūtra №1.20 below for explanation).

However, this sūtra (1.17) defines four kinds of Samprajñāta samādhi, that are in fact progressive stages (from gross to subtle, to effect, and to causal state), a sādhaka attains in his quest for realization.

In the first case (Vitarka samādhi), investigative in approach, the mind dwells unceasingly on the gross appearance (The effect) of the object concentrated upon with logical analysis, in its quest to find out the truth. As the external appearance is gross, the experience of the Sādhaka is also gross.

But the prolonged practice gives the sādhaka a logical conclusion (where logic ceases) and he has a deeper insight into subtler aspects (tanmātras namely śabda, sparśa, rasa, rūpa, gandha) and it leads him to know the cause behind the effect’ (could be the material cause or the efficient cause), that is the stage of vicāra samādhi. Vicāra means discriminating wisdom of sādhaka. Here, the causal secrets are revealed to the Sādhaka.

The sustained vicāra samādhi gives way to the next phase namely ‘ānanda’, the uncomparable bliss accompanied by divine peace. This is due to amplified wisdom owing to sustained vicāra samādhi sādhana.

In the next phase, tranquilized Sādhaka, being aware of the causal aspects of creation, understands his integral, inseparable oneness with the universe and establishes in “ONESELF” (Asmita samādhi). He experiences the nucleus of sṛṣṭi, that is, the secrets of creation are revealed to him.

You will materialize what you visualize unswervingly. Read the following:

A Sādhaka sat closing his eyes, and started reflecting on questions like: is there God? Where is He? How is He? How do I realize Him? What kind of Sādhana do I need to practice to realize Him? Sādhaka is in Vitarka samādhi.

After a prolonged reflection, he logically concluded and zeroed in on one vichāra and started saying, He must be there. He must be everywhere. All scriptures say He can be both with attributes and without attributes. All yogis say He is realizable with yogamārga. Sādhaka is in Vicāra samādhi.

Sustained contemplation on a single vicāra starts to yield blissful experience beyond comparison and now he is in ānanda samādhi.

Prolonged protracted evidence in ānanda samādhi, reveals to him his integral, inseparable oneness with the universe and he gets established in “ONESELF”. He experiences nucleus of sṛṣṭi, and the secrets of creation are revealed to him. He is in Asmita samādhi. In simple terms, Dyāna is a prolonged visualization of what one wishes to be. You wish, you become!

Such a Sādhaka’s freedom is explained by Bhagavān:

यस्त्वात्मरातिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।

आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विध्यते॥गीता ३.१७॥

yastvātmaratireva syādātmatṛptaśca mānavaḥ|

ātmanyeva ca santuṣṭastasya kāryaṃ na vidyate॥Gītā 3.17॥

One who enjoys being in the Self, completely contented and fulfilled, has no karmās (duties or obligations) to be carried out.

Śrī ramaṇa maharṣi, one of the greatest yogi’s India has ever seen, was a jīvanmukta. He was above all societal obligations and responsibilities! Being eternally established in ātman, he was accountable to none! But there are great Karmayogis, serving the society, selflessly, ever after realisation of ātman. One of the best examples is mātā amṛtānandamayi. Headquartered in Kerala (India), ‘Amma’ (Her nickname by devotees worldwide) has spread her service activities to more than 100 countries! Draught affected, flood-affected, the poor, the downtrodden, the homeless, anywhere in the world, would get the selfless helping hand of ‘Amma’. Worldwide, she has donated more than 100,000 homes to homeless! She says, by helping the needy, the power within gets multiplied thousand times. She says ‘the sweet fruit may not offer anything to the mother tree, but still the tree never stops offering sweet fruit to the world’.