THE KAIVALYA PADA BEGINS
Chapter 99THE ENTRY OF THE ETERNAL INTO THE INDIVIDUALWe are now at the Kaivalya Pada, which deals with various subjects as a sort of
explanation of some of the themes dealt with already in the earlier sections. The
Vibhuti Pada concluded with an enunciation of the perfection which one attains
through the practice of yoga. This subject is continued in the first sutra of the
Kaivalya Pada where it is stated that perfections, though not absolute, can come by
other means, and they remain only relative. There are various ways of disciplining
oneself, and even a little discipline can bring a corresponding perfection. In the first
sutra of the Kaivalya Pada it is said that there are five ways by which perfection can
be attained. Though the supreme method is yoga samadhi itself, known as
samyama, there are other methods which are of a simpler character and whose
results are temporal.
Janma auṣadhi mantra tapaḥ samādhijāḥ siddhayaḥ (IV.1). Siddhis are perfections or
attainments—achievements of powers. It is seen that certain created beings are born
with certain perfections. This accompaniment of a perfection, or a siddhi, with one’s
birth is due to previous practice. Many a time it so happens that the result of even a
protracted practice cannot be seen or visualised in one’s life due to various obstacles
in the form of impeding prarabdhas. This has been the case with many seekers. But,
when they give up their body without apparently having achieved any perfection or
having had no achievement at all, they are reborn with the manifestation of the
results of their earlier practice.
The celestials in the heavens are supposed to have perfections by birth itself, and
every other being in the higher realms has a power peculiar to that particular birth.
We have statements in the scriptures that above the level of the earth plane there are
planes of the Gandharvas, the Pitris, the celestials, and so on. These are all beings
who are superior to this human level, and they have certain capacities which
humankind does not have. This has come to them by birth—janma. It does not mean
that a person gets powers at the time of birth by freak or by chance; it is a result of
hard practice in earlier lives. It is only a manner of speaking when it is said that
perfection comes to some by birth. It does not mean that God is favourably disposed
to any person. These capacities are only an indication of hard and strenuous effort in
a previous existence.
Even here, in this world, we find people of various calibres. Some children are born
with special endowments, with precocious capacities—genius seen at a very early age.
It does not mean that all this happens by a fantastic freak of nature. They are the
result of a very systematic development of causes and effects. The causes are unseen;
only the effects are seen. But it does not follow thereby that the causes do not exist.
In a similar manner, Patanjali tells us that in some cases it will appear as if the
perfections manifest from the very time of birth itself. Also, there are cases where
certain powers are acquired by the use of medicinal herbs which are spoken about in
the yoga scriptures. We have, in India especially, some Himalayan herbs known as
Sanjivini, etc., which are supposed to enliven even a corpse. Other herbs create