Aparokshanubhuthi – 10

Nitidyasanam – 2

Verse 112

Sukhenaiva bhavedyasminnajasram brahmachintanam I

Asanam tadvijaniyannetaratsukhanasanam II

One should know that to be real posture in which meditation of Brahman flows spontaneously and unceasingly, and not any other that destroys one’s happiness.

Verse 113

Siddham yatsarvabhutadhi visvadhisthanamavyayam I

Yasminsiddhah samavistastadvai siddhasanam viduh II

That which is well known as the origin of all beings and the support of the whole universe, which is immutable and in which the enlightened are completely merged, that alone is Siddhasana.

Seventh anga of Nitidyasana is described in the above two verses.  Asanas are not exercises; they are steady postures, not moving postures.  Here two Asanas are defined and Sri Sankara does not confine the meaning to what is stated in Yoga sutra. He defines both Sukhasana and Siddasana as Brahman.  Asanam, Sri Sankara interprets as that on which anything rests i.e. support.  Sukhasanam means that Brahman who is of the nature of Bliss i.e. Sukha means happiness and Asanam means support and Brahman is the support for the whole universe and is of nature of infinite Bliss.  Siddasanam also means Brahman as Siddha means Swayam-prakasa i.e. self-evident and Asanam means support and Brahman is Self-evident and support for the universe. Siddha also means a Jnani and Brahman is the seat of Jnanis as they always abide in Him as Brahma-nishtas.

Verse 114

Yanmulaṃ sarvabhutanam yanmulam chittabandhanam I

Mulabandhah sada sevyo yogyo'sau rajayoginam II

That (Brahman) which is the root of all existence and on which the restraint of the mind is based is called the restraining root (Mulabandha) which should always be adopted since it is fit for Raja-yogis.

As a Yoga technique, Mulabandha is the closure of the anus so that the downward Apana, an aspect of Prana, is turned upward. This practice is combined with breath retention to arrest the flow of thoughts in the mind and render the mind peaceful. Mula, whose normal meaning is root, in Nitidyasanam refers to the ultimate cause Brahman or sarva-karanam Brahman.  Bandha means reason for mental discipline and so Sri Sankara interprets Mulabandha as Brahman only.  The purport of the interpretation in verses 112,113, and 114 is that in Nitidyasanam one should try to devote one’s whole attention to the meditation of Brahman, without bothering about the postures.

Verse 115

Anganam samatam vidyatsame brahmani linatam I

No chennaiva samanatvamrjutvam sushkavrkshavat II

Absorption in the uniform Brahman should be known as the equipoise of the limbs (Dehasamyam).  Otherwise mere straightening of the body like that of a dried up tree is no equipoise.

The definition in Yoga sastra of Dehasamyam, is holding the body steady and straight. Sri Sankara gives a new different meaning.  In his Vedantic vision all the limbs of the body are to be seen as nama+rupa+Brahman.  So seeing Brahman in the different parts of the body itself is Dehasamyam, as even a dried-up tree is straight only.  Sri Sankara’s comment is only aimed against giving over-importance to Yoga sastra in Nitidyasanam which being pursuit of Self-knowledge is more of an intellectual process only.

Verse 116

Drstim jnanamayim kṛtva pasyedbrahmamayam Jagat I

Sa drstih paramodara na nasagravalokini II

Converting the ordinary vision into one of knowledge, one should view the world as Brahman itself.  That is the noblest vision, and not that which is directed to the tip of the nose.

Verse 117

Drastrdarsanadrsyanam viramo yatra va bhavet I

Drstistatraiva kartavya na nasagravalokini II

Or one should direct one’s vision to That alone where all the distinction of seer, sight and seen ceases and not to the tip of the nose.

 10^th limb of Nitidhyasana, Drk sthithi is discussed in the above two verses. In Yoga sastra eyes are to be kept steady through fixing the vision on the tip of the nose during meditation. Sri Sankara says Drk sthithi is nothing but Brahma-darsana and gives two definitions.  One is being aware of Brahman in and through all the transactions in the background of the mind. Even though external eyes see outside, one inwardly should concentrate on Brahman. This Brahma-nishta during transaction is called Drk-sthiti and this definition number one is given in verse 116.  This is an open-eye meditation and is called noblest vision because there is no distinction of high or low, great or small in it since everything is seen as Brahman.  Second definition is given in verse 117 and is one of abiding in Brahman after resolving the triputi of seer, sight, seen division.  This is a closed-eye meditation wherein one concentrates on Brahman that is pure Consciousness in which ceases the distinction of seen, seer and sight. 

Verse 118

Chittadisarvabhavesu brahmatvenaiva bhavanat I

Nirodhah sarvavrittinam pranayamah sa uchyate II

The restraint of all modifications of the mind by regarding all mental states like the Chittha as Brahman alone is called Pranayama.

Verse 119

Nishedhanam prapanchasya recakakhyaḥ samiranah I

Brahmaivasmiti ya vṛttih purako vayuriritah II

Verse 120

Tatastadvrittinaischalyam kumbhakah pranasamyamah I

Ayam chapi prabuddhanamajnanam ghranapidanam II

The negation of the universe is known as Rechaka (breathing out), the thought “I am verily Brahman” is called Puraka (breathing in) and the steadiness of that thought thereafter is called Kumbaka (restraining the breath).  This is the real course of Pranasamyama for the enlightened, whereas the ignorant only torture the nose. 

Pranasamyama i.e. Pranayama of Yoga sastra consists of three breathing techniques; inhalation, retention and exhalation termed Puraka, Kumbaka and Rechaka respectively.  The entire focus in Sri Sankara’s definition is spiritual.  While Sri Patanjali aims to achieve mind control through breath control, Sri Sankara maintains that the breath is entirely dependent on the mind and not vice versa.  So here he advises control of mind through focusing on mithyathvam of the world and on Brahman to enlightened student as Pranasamyama, a limb of Nitidyasanam.  In Rechaka he is to renounce the Reality of the world; in Puraka he is to raise the thought “I am verily Brahman” and in Kumbhaka he is to hold the thought “I am Brahman” alone in the mind.  This is the Pranasamyama which takes one to the highest spiritual state of Self-realisation that is also referred to as the state of enlightenment or illumination.

Verse 121

Visayesvatmatam drstva manasaschiti majjanam I

Pratyaharah sa vijneyo'bhyasaniyo mumukshubhih II

The absorption of the mind in the Supreme Consciousness by realizing Athma in all objects is known as Pratyahara which should be practised by the mumukshus. 

In this verse the 12^th limb, Pratyahara is defined.  As per Sri Patanjali complete withdrawal of the mind from senses constitutes Prathyahara.  Sri Sankara  defines Prathyahara as learning to see Athma i.e. Brahman in all subjects by discarding nama and rupa.  For the mumukshu has learnt through Drik-Drisya-Viveka that every object has five aspects: Existence, Consciousness, Bliss, nama and rupa. Of them the first three constitute Brahman, the substratum and the other two only the superimposition. Seeing in every object, the substance that is Brahman only, turning the mind away from the mithya nama, rupa is the open-eyed Prathyahara prescribed by Sri Sankara for a mumukshu sadhaka in Nitidyasanam.

Verse 122

Yatra yatra mano yati brahmanastatra darsanat I

Manaso dharanam chaiva dharana sa para mata II

The steadiness of mind through realization of Brahman wherever the mind goes, is known as the Supreme Dharana.

Dharana, in Yoga sastra, is focussing on a particular object, turning away the attention from other objects. Sri Sankara says one need not turn away from any object to focus on Brahman. Whichever object one sees, one sees it as Brahman plus nama, rupa and discarding mithya nama, rupa, concentrates on Sathya Brahman only. Then only one is said to have reached the culmination of Dharana.

Verse 123

Brahmaivasmiti sadvrttya niralambataya sthitih I

Dhyanasabdena vikhyata paramanandadayini II

Remaining independent of everything as a result of the unassailable thought, “I am Brahman” is well-known by the word Dhyana and is productive of Supreme Bliss.

“The continuous flow or stream of thoughts towards a particular object “is Dhyana i.e meditation as per Yoga sastra.  Sri Sankara defines Dhyana as merging all thoughts in Brahman and remaining with the steady thought “Brahmaivasmi (I am verily Brahman)’’ with the understanding that “I am Brahman” that comes out of Sravanam and Mananam.  One should remain in that state for a length of time. This alone is called Vedantic Dhyana and it gives fulfilment and great Ananda. 

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