Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

takes place when the capacity for Pratibha perception is born as indicated in III-37. In
this type of perception it is not the sense-organs of the subtler vehicles but the spiritual
faculty of intuition which is used. This faculty works within the realm of Prakrti
though without the aid of sense-organs of any kind. In the stage to which the present
Sutra refers even this spiritual faculty is transcended and the Purusa perceives by his
own, over-all and all-inclusive power of perception. He has conquered the illusion
which Prakrti imposes on his consciousness and the whole of her vast realm lies be-
fore him like an open book.
The second result or rather aspect of Indriya-Jaya is the mastery of Pradhana.
In transcending the limitations of instrumental perception the Purusa has really tran-
scended Prakrti and is, therefore, now master of Prakrti. The secret of mastering any-
thing completely lies in transcending it. Karma is mastered when we pass beyond its
operation. The physical body is mastered completely when we can pass out of it at will
and use it as a mere vehicle of consciousness.
From the results which follow the mastery of Bhutas and Indriyas it should be
clear that these words do not refer only to the Bhutas and Indriyas as they function on
the physical plane but as they function on all the planes. For there is cognition through
the sense-organs also on the superphysical planes, though the mechanism of cognition
differs from plane to plane. The Bhutas and Indriyas are, therefore, to be taken as
principles which are applicable to the phenomena of cognition on all the planes. As
consciousness penetrates from one plane into another the essential process of cognition
remains the same, only the mechanism changes from plane to plane. The Bhutas
change, the Indriyas change and the Drasta changes (the Drasta on each plane being
the Purusa encased in all the vehicles not yet transcended) but the mutual relationship
of the three remains the same. That is why the words used in Yogic philosophy for the
trio are of a most general nature: Grahya, Grahana and Grahitr. It will be seen, there-
fore, that the cognition of the Not-Self by the Self on the physical plane is the lowest
manifestation of this process of cognition involving the subject-object relationship and
the process becomes more and more subtle until the Bhutas and Indriyas are com-
pletely mastered and the Purusa becomes independent of Prakrti.
Another important point which should be borne in mind is that the phrase Vi-
karana Bhava means not only cognition without the use of any instrument but also ac-
tion without the use of any instrument. In attaining the power of cognition without any
instrument the Yogi transcends the Jnanendriyas. In attaining the power of action