- By (or from) self-study union with the desired deity.
Svadhyaya attains its acme in communion with the Ista-Devata because that is
its ultimate purpose. As has been shown in II-32 although Svadhyaya begins with the
study of problems relating to spiritual life its main purpose is to open up a channel
between the Sadhaka and the object of his search. The nature of this communion will
differ according to the temperament and capacity of the Sadhaka and the nature of the
Ista-Devata. The essential element in such a communion is the free flow of knowledge,
power and guidance from the higher to the lower consciousness.
- Accomplishment of Samadhi from resignation to God.
The fact that Isvara-Pranidhana can lead ultimately to Samadhi is a startling
revelation. This fact has already been referred to in I-23 where Patanjali not only
points out the possibility of attaining Samadhi through Isvara-Pranidhana but also in
subsequent Sutras shows that the path of Isvara-Pranidhana is practically an alternate
and independent path of achieving the goal which is attained by following the As-
tanga-Yoga with its eight stages or parts. We have seen previously in other cases that
extraordinary results can be achieved by pushing the development of a virtue or qual-
ity to the extreme limit, but perhaps the attainment of Samadhi through Isvara-
Pranidhana alone is the most remarkable instance of such an achievement. That, by
refining and intensifying progressively and systematically an attitude of self-surrender