Verse 3.13
एतेन भूतेन्द्रियेषु धर्मलक्षणावस्था परिणामा व्याख्याताः ॥१३॥
etena bhūtendriyeṣu dharma-lakṣaṇa-avasthā pariṇāmā vyākhyātāḥ ॥13॥
Through these three phases, cultured consciousness is transformed from its
potential state (dharma) towards further refinement (lakshana) and the zenith of refinement (avastha). In this way, the transformation of elements, senses and mind takes place.
Verse 3.14
शानोदिताव्यपदेश्यधर्मानुपाती धर्मी ॥१४॥
śān-odita-avyapadeśya-dharmānupātī dharmī ॥14॥
The substrata is that which continues to exist and maintain its characteristic
quality in all states, whether manifest, latent, or subdued
The three stages of transformation described in 3 .9-12 affect the entire being: organs, senses, body and mind, and bring about a stable, steady state of consciousness.
Both purusha and prakruti are eternal. Purusha remains eternally changeless.
Prakrti goes on eternally changing due to the interaction between its own gunas of sattva, rajas and tamas.
Earth, water, fire, air and ether; their counterparts smell, taste, sight, touch and sound; the senses of perception and organs of action; mind, intelligence, and ego are all parts of nature. Ego and intelligence are sensitive and subtle. They accumulate experiences of objects perceived through the senses of perception, organs of action and mind.
These experiences vary according to their relation to circumstances. In this way, consciousness is limited by the qualities of nature. It is also linked with time as it oscillates with thoughts of past, present and future.
The two analogies that.follow will help to explain the concepts of property (dharma) , changes (lakshana) and condition (avasthii) .
The dust of clay is formed into a lump, to make a pot. The dust of the clay is its property (dharma) , the lump is the modification (lakshana) and the pot is the final condition (avasthii) . If the potter wants to change the pot's pattern, he breaks it down to its original state for re-shaping it.
A man may be a son, brother, nephew, brother-in-law, son-in-law, father, uncle, father-in-law, or grandfather, but he is still the same man. The man is the dharma, the original substance; his different relationships with others the lakshana; and his culminating state the avastha.
Dharma parinama is the knowledge of Prakriti;ti and purusha; lakshana parinama is the way one makes use of them; and avastha parinama is steadily maintaining them, once they have been cleansed of trial and error, in the established state.
In this way the elements, organs of action, senses of perception and mind are transformed: purusha is recognized and understood. All these transformations are stabilized, and the changing states in body, mind and ego come to an end, enabling the sadhaka to rest in the eternal changeless purusha. The search terminates and the duality between the seeker and the sought ends as the seer realizes that he alone was the seeker, seeking his own form, svarapa. From now on, he drinks the nectar of his own self generating pure fragrance.
The substratum of nature remains the same for all time, though transformations take place. The moulding of consciousness takes place owing to the changes in the gunas of nature.
In 3.9 Patanjali explains the three phases of thoughts as rising, being restrained and the pauses between the two.
In 3 . 10, he describes these pauses as tranquil consciousness. If these pauses are prolonged, all pointedness and one-pointedness meet, and there is no room for rising or subsiding of thoughts (3 . 1 1 ) . Sutra 3.12 explains that maintaining these quiet moments brings about a balanced state of consciousness, which is described in 3 .13 as a cultured and harmonious state. Rising and restraining thoughts are the tendencies (dharma) of the citta, and the tranquil state is its characteristic quality (dharmi) .
The rising citta is felt in the sensory body. Citta then appears at the external level as bahirahga citta. Watching the movement of rising thoughts is an external or bahirahga sadhana.
The delicate restraint of rising thoughts moves citta inwards from the peripheral body: this is inner or antarahga sadhana. Stabilizing the tranquillity that takes place in the intervals is innermost or antaryami sadhana: that state is considered to be an auspicious moment of consciousness.
A person who has undergone childhood is santa, because that childhood stage has passed and is over. As one stands at the threshold of youth, he is in the present or udita state. In course of time, one moves towards old age, which has yet to come: this is avyapadesya, old age which is still in an unmanifested form and indistinct. But the person remains the same through all these changes. That unchanging person is dharmi.
The properties of nature exist for the purpose of one's evolution and involution. Mind, being a part of nature, is bound by the spokes of the wheel of time.
If an aspirant sows the right seed through knowledge and discrimination (viveka) he reaps the fruit of self-realization through ekagrata.
He becomes the force which distinguishes between the
hidden properties and the transformations of nature. He recognizes his true, pure state of existence which is changeless and virtuous. This is the fruit earned through the judicious effort of sadhana.
The import of this sutra can be used to practical advantage while practising
Asana, pranayama or meditation. If we observe the various scattered dust cells lying latent in the body, and charge them so that they cohere (lump of clay), we can feel the inner unity and transform body, breath and consciousness into designs in the form of different asanas and Pranayamayas as the potter forms his clay into a variety of shapes.
PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS
