Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

lead him on the path of Yoga and to provide him with the necessary guidance in the
mysterious realm of the Unknown. Where is this guidance to come from? According to
this Sutra guidance on the path of Yoga comes from within in the form of spiritual il-
lumination. This light of spiritual consciousness which is akin to intuition but more
definite in its working appears only when the impurities of the mind have been de-
stroyed to a great extent as a result of practising Yogic discipline. This inner light of
wisdom has been given many beautiful and suggestive names such as ‘The Voice of
the Silence’, ‘Light on the Path’ and perhaps the most graphic and illuminative de-
scription of its nature and mode of expression is found in the little book Light on the
Path by Mabel Collins.
There are two points which the Sadhaka must note with regard to this Jnana-
dipti. The first is that this light comes from within and makes him, to a great extent,
independent of external guidance. The more we penetrate into the deeper recesses of
our consciousness the more we have to rely upon our own inner resources since noth-
ing outside can help us. In a way, a Sadhaka becomes really qualified to tread the path
of Yoga only after this inner light appears within his mind. All preliminary training in
Yoga is meant to provide him with this inner source of illumination. All teachers who
help him in the early stages have this as their main objective so that he may be able to
stand on his own legs.
The second point to note in this connection is that this inner light of wisdom
continues to grow and provide guidance until the stage of Viveka-Khyati is reached.
That is the significance of the word A preceding the word Viveka-Khyati in the Sutra.
The light grows stronger and stronger as the Sadhaka makes progress on the Path and
draws near to his goal, until he gains his first experience of Reality. Then, of course,
the light of spiritual wisdom becomes unnecessary as far as he is concerned because he
is now in the primary source of inner Illumination, the Enlightenment of Reality itself.
It will be seen that ordinary Viveka, Jnana-dipti, Viveka-Khyati are manifestations in
different degrees of the same Light which shines in its fullest and uninterrupted splen-
dour in Kaivalya. Viveka enables the Sadhaka to enter the path of Yoga, Jnana-dipti
enables him to tread it safely and steadily, Viveka-Khyati gives him the experience of
Reality and Kaivalya sees him established in that Reality permanently.
The philosophy of Klesas which has been expounded by Patanjali in such a
masterly manner in the first portion of Section II deals with the great problem of hu-
man life completely and effectively. It goes to the root-cause of human bondage and