Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

AB is the screen. D is the source of light. O is an aperture which allows light from D
to fall on the screen. This aperture opens and closes alternately and its movement is
synchronized with the movement of the film. As the aperture opens, one of the series
of pictures in the film comes opposite to it and a beam of light shooting through the
picture projects it on the screen. The aperture then closes, the film moves, the next
picture comes into place and is projected on the screen as before.
It will be seen, therefore, that the apparently continuous picture produced on the
screen is really a series of separate images thrown on the screen in quick succession.
The time interval between the successive images is less than one-tenth of a second and
that is why we get the impression of a continuous picture.
According to Yogic philosophy the seemingly continuous phenomena which we
cognize through the instrumentality of the mind are not really continuous and like the
cinematographic picture on the screen consist of a series, of discontinuous states. Each
successive change in the phenomenal world which is separate and distinct produces a
corresponding impression upon the mind but these impressions succeed one another
with such rapidity that we get the impression of continuity. The interval of time corre-
sponding to each of these successive states is called a Ksana. So Ksana may be called
the smallest unit of time which cannot be broken up further.
The next word to be considered is Kramah. We have seen just now that the im-
pression of continuous phenomena in our mind is produced by a succession of discon-
tinuous changes in Prakrti around us. Kramah stands for this process consisting of a
relentless succession of discpntinuous changes underlying all kinds of phenomena.
This process is ultimately based upon the unit of time, Ksana, as the projection of the
cinematographic picture is based upon each opening and closing of aperture. As Ksana
succeeds Ksana the whole manifested world passes from one distinct state to another
distinct state, but the succession is so rapid that we are not conscious of the disconti-
nuity.
It will be seen, therefore, that according to the Yogic philosophy not only is the
whole basis of manifestation material—using the word material in its widest sense—
but also that the changes which take place in Prakrti and which produce all kinds of
phenomena are essentially mechanical, that is, based on a hidden, essentially mechani-
cal process. The whole manifested Universe and everything in it changes from moment
to moment by a relentless law which is inherent, in the very nature of manifestation.