59030 eb i-224 .pdf

1. Discriminative knowledge permitting discernment of the true Self as
   puruÓsa.


2. Disentanglement from materiality and from materially oriented de-
   sire and aversion that cause suffering and impede self-realization.

Sva-sv ̄ami- ́saktyoÓh svar ̄upopalabdhi-hetuÓh samyogaÓ Óh

The purpose of the conjunction (samyogaÓ ) of the master [i.e.,the

Seer or experiencer: puruÓsa] and the experienceable world (prakÓrti) is

the experiencer’s recognition of the Self-natures of the two powers.

YS 2.23

Tasya hetur avidya ̄

The cause [of their conjunction] is ignorance [i.e., puruÓsa’signor-

ance of its own real nature].

YS 2.24

Tad-abhvat sa ̄ myogÓ ̄abh ̄avo h ̄anaÓm tad dÓr ́seÓh kaivalyam

By elimination of ignorance, the conjunction of materiality and

consciousness is eliminated, and this is the Seer’s liberation [kaivalyam:

‘independence’ from prakÓrti ].

YS 2.25

Discernment of puruÓsais Yoga’s principal soteriological effort. Discern-
ment or discriminative knowledge is called khy ̄ati(√khya ̄, ‘to see,’ ‘to
know’). Discriminative knowledge of puruÓsa, the true Self of each per-
son—which is of the nature of God—conditions attainment of vairagya ̄ ,
‘dispassion’ or ‘non-attachment’ (vi, ‘without’; √raj, ‘to enjoy’). Vairagya ̄
is the state of cessation of desire for the guÓnas.

Tat param puruÓ Ósa-khy ̄ater guÓnavaitÓrÓsÓnyam

Dispassion (vairagya ̄ ) is highest when, owing to discrimination

between consciousness and materiality, there is no thirst for the guÓnas

[i.e., no thirst for material objects and experiences, which are formed of

guÓnas, the three basic constituents of matter].

YS 1.16

Cessation of desire for the products of the guÓnasis equivalent to freedom
from entanglement in materiality. Entanglement in materiality results
from ignorance of one’s Self-nature as independent of materiality. Ignor-
ance, avidya ̄, is the root cause of bondage and suffering. PuruÓsa-khy ̄ati,
discernment of Self, is the remedy for ignorance, and the means of libera-
tion from passion and suffering. Thus puruÓsa-khayti ̄ is the principle med-
icament in Yogic religious therapeutics.

96 religious therapeutics