Chapter 96POWERS THAT ACCRUE IN THE PRACTICE OF SAMYAMAThe aphorisms of the Vibhuti Pada that follow, henceforward, pertain mainly to the
powers that one acquires by the practice of samyama. These themes are of
practically no help to a beginner or a novitiate in yoga because Patanjali is only
describing the consequences of certain practices. The methodology of these different
types of practices is also kept a great secret by the sutra itself, so that merely by a
casual reading we cannot make sense out of it. Perhaps this secret has been kept in
check deliberately by the author, so that people may not misconceive the meaning of
the admonition given in the sutras and get into trouble. Very guarded words have
been used, whose meanings will not be clear on a mere linguistic study or the making
out of a grammatical meaning of the words. They are all connotative of deep essences
of practice.
We need not go into the details of every one of these sutras because not only will they
be of no help to anyone here who is attempting to practise yoga, but also it may stir
up some kind of unnecessary enthusiasm in the minds of some people which may not
be to their advantage, since it cannot be pursued under the existing conditions of
these days. However, I shall try to give a general idea as to what is at the back of this
system which the author of the sutras is trying to explain as a philosophical and
psychological background.
As I mentioned previously, these powers are of three kinds, or categories: the
objective, the subjective and the Absolute, or we may call it the Universal. Powers
that one gains in respect of the objective world are of one kind; those pertaining to
the subjective faculties are of a different kind; and those that are intended to bring
about the salvation of the spirit, ultimately, are of a third kind altogether. The secret
of this practice, or rather the technique behind this samyama in respect of any
chosen object, is given in a sutra in the Samadhi Pada itself, which we studied long
ago.
How is it that we come to acquire power at all? What is the secret behind it? Why is it
that we do not simply have any power now, at this present moment? Why has this
power come now? Where was it hidden up to this time? This has been made clear in a
sutra in the Samadhi Pada which goes as follows: kṣīṇavṛtteḥ abhijātasye iva maṇeḥ
grahītṛ grahaṇa grāhyeṣu tatstha tadañjanatā samāpattiḥ (I.41). This requires the
meditating mind to become consubstantial with the object—the subject united with
the object so that it gains insight into the nature of the object. Then it is that the gulf
separating the mind from the object is bridged by the practice of samyama, and the
powers inherent in the object flow into the subject. That is the secret. Whatever is
your power becomes my power when I become one with you. This is to state the
whole method in simple terms. That which is outside our capacity comes within our
capacity when that in which this capacity is inherent comes under our control. And
this control is not an ordinary type of authority that we exercise over an object, as a
master exercises authority over a servant. It is not like that. It is a complete mastery
where that which is to be controlled does not stand outside the subject controlling it.
It has become one, organically. This is the meaning of this sutra which has been
given to us in the Samadhi Pada.