we deliberately select some virtue and meditate upon it constantly. The rationale of
this law used in character-building has been discussed in dealing with III-24 and it is
unnecessary to elaborate the point here. But we should note that Patanjali recommends
meditation not on an abstract virtue but on the virtue as embodied in a human person-
ality. There is a definite reason for this. In the first place, a beginner who is still trying
to acquire steadiness of mind is not likely to derive much benefit from meditation on
an abstract virtue. The association of a beloved human or divine personality with a
virtue increases enormously the attractive power of that virtue and hence its influence
on our life. Secondly, earnest meditation on such a personality puts us in rapport with
that personality and brings about a flow of power and influence which accelerates our
progress. The object of meditation may be one's Master, or a great Spiritual Teacher or
one of the Divine Incarnations.
dream state state of dreamless sleep (and) knowledge
(having for its) support; that on which a thing rests or depends also.- Also (the mind) depending upon the knowledge derived from dreams or
dreamless sleep (will acquire steadiness).
This Sutra giving another method of overcoming Viksepa seems to have been
completely misunderstood and many commentators have tried to explain it away with a
lot of rigmarole. The clue to the meaning of the Sutra lies in the significance of the
two words Svapna and Nidra. If we interpret the Sutra as ‘meditating on the knowl-
edge obtained in dreams or dreamless sleep’ it seems to be meaningless. What useful
purpose will be served by meditation on the chaotic images which pass through the
brain in the dream state nobody has cared to enquire. And even if we concede the point
in relation to the dream state in which there are some images, though chaotic, what
shall we say about the dreamless state in which the mind appears to be utterly blank?
How is the Sadhaka troubled with Viksepa to utilize this blank condition of the mind
for developing one-pointedness?