through the same experiences over and over again owing to the failure to remember the
lessons of these experiences. If we could but retain such lessons in our memory per-
manently our evolution would be extraordinarily rapid. The capacity to retain such
lessons in our consciousness gives a finality to every stage which we cross in our on-
ward journey and prevents our sliding back again and again.
Samadhi-prajna means the peculiar state of the mind or consciousness which is
essential for the practice of Samadhi. In this state the mind is turned inwards habitu-
ally, bent on the pursuit of the Reality hidden within it, absorbed in the deeper prob-
lems of life and oblivious of the external world even though taking part in its activi-
ties. Samadhi-prajna cannot obviously mean the state of consciousness during
Samadhi because it precedes the state of Samadhi and Samadhi is the objective of
Yoga.
If Samadhi has been attained by following the regular Yogic technique (Upaya-
pratyaya) then it is real Samadhi in which the Yogi is vividly aware of the realities of
the superphysical planes and can bring down with him the knowledge of the higher
planes when he returns to the physical body. He is in full control of his vehicles all the
time and can pass from one plane to another without suffering any intervening loss of
consciousness. On the other hand if the Samadhi is the result of mere birth (Bhava-
pratyaya) then it is not the real Samadhi as pointed out previously. This spurious kind
of Samadhi may, at best, give fitful glimpses of the higher planes which are not reli-
able and under the control of the will, and even these may disappear as erratically as
they have appeared.
of those whose wish is intensely strong ‘sitting near’, near
at hand.
- It (Samadhi) is nearest to those whose desire (for Samadhi) is intensely
strong.
This Sutra and the next define the chief factors upon which depends the rate of
progress of the Yogi towards his goal. The first factor is the degree of earnestness. The