Patanjali Yog Sutra Curated
Patanjali Yog Sutra | EP #21 | समाधि की सूक्ष्म अवस्थाएं
July 26, 2022
The sole purpose of this human life is to experience that state of Oneness (Samadhi). Yogic meditation practices received from an enlightened master are essential in attaining this ultimate goal. In our scriptures, including the Patanjali Yog Sutra, the concept of Samadhi is broadly classified into two categories – Savikalpa Samadhi (सविकल्प समाधि) and Nirvikalpa Samadhi (निर्विकल्प समाधि).
Through the final verses of Samadhipada (the first chapter of Patanjali Yog Sutras), Sri Guru outlines the four types of Savikalpa Samadhi. Later in the episode, we get to learn about an important outcome of Samadhi i.e. Pragya. Here, Sri Guru explains about Satyam Pragya (सत्यम प्रज्ञा), Ritambhara Pragya (ऋतंभरा प्रज्ञा), and the role of Satsang as well as Sadhana in cultivating Pragya within a seeker.
The teachings of Yoga that had been handed down in an oral tradition over thousands of years from ancient times, are said to have been synthesized and compiled by Maharishi Patanjali in the form of ‘Yog Sutra’— one of the foundational texts of classical Yogic Philosophy. The Patanjali Yog Sutras explain about the अष्टांग योग (Ashtanga Yog) illustrating the 8 Elements for a Holistic Life, i.e. यम (Yama), नियम (Niyam), आसन (Aasana), प्राणायाम (Pranayama), प्रत्याहार (Pratyahara), धारणा (Dharaana), ध्यान (Dhyana), समाधि (Samadhi). The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali consist of 196 Sanskrit Sutras organized in 4 Adhyaya (chapters) — समाधिपाद (Samadhipadah), साधनापाद (Saadhanpadah), विभूतिपाद (Vibhutipadah) and कैवल्यपाद (Kaivalyapadah). He defines Yoga as that which restrains the mind-stuff (Chitta) from taking various forms (Vrutti).
At SRM, Sri Guru has always emphasized the subtler spiritual objective of Yoga; hence, the term ‘YogaYog’ was coined— experiencing Union (Yog) through Yoga. Through this Satsang series on the Yog Sutras of Maharishi Patanjali, Sri Guru takes the seekers deeper into the understanding of ‘Union’ through physical, mental, and intellectual evolution.
