Verse 2.53
धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः ॥५३॥
dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ ॥53॥
The mind also becomes fit for concentration
Verse 2.54
स्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्य स्वरूपानुकारैवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः ॥५४॥
svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ ॥54॥
Withdrawing the senses, mind and consciousness from contact with external objects, and then drawing them inwards towards the seer, is pratyahara
When we watch a television program, we have no trouble identifying places, persons, animals, mountains, and so on. Through becoming involved with the program, we identify with what we are seeing and begin to feel an emotional response. Actually what we are looking at are not places, persons, animals, or mountains, but points of light on a tube in a little box. The confusion that is necessary to enjoy a television program is similar to bewilderment or ignorance, where the very vividness or intensity of the images of the mind’s lucidity overpowers the mind.
Withdrawing the mind from indentity with such objects , ideas etc and taking it away from external samsara towards seer is pratyahara.
Pranayama is not only an instrument to steady the mind, but also the gateway to concentration, dharana.
Once the new light of knowledge has dawned through the practice of pranayama, the mind is fit and competent to move on towards the realization of the Atman.
The implication here is clear that the sadhaka who had to struggle initially to cultivate a yogic way of life by self-discipline and study, now finds his efforts transformed into a natural zeal to proceed in his sadhana.
Now the mind is able to concentrate and the senses no longer importune the mind for their gratification. They lose interest in the tastes and flavours of their respective objects, and are drawn back from the external world in
order to help the mind in its inner quest. This is pratyahara.
This is the foundation of the path of renunciation. As a bird cannot fly if one of its wings is cut off, so is it in the case of the sadhaka. The two wings
of yoga are practice, from yama to pranayama, and renunciation, from pratyahara to samadhi.
Then the yogi dwells in his self, perceiving all things directly, without the intervention of citta, the mind faculty.
In normal daily life, consciousness helps the senses see the objects of the
world with thoughts of acquisition, rejection and resignation.
They become hypnotized by them, and are drawn outwards, towards pleasure. In pratyahara, the senses are directed inwards, towards the realization of the soul.
Pratyahara is the withdrawal of the mind from its contact with the senses of perception and organs of action; then its direction is towards the soul.
The relationship between the mind and the senses is aptly compared to that of bees following the queen bee. If the queen bee moves, the others
follow. Then she rests, the others rest. They do not function independently of their queen.
Similarly, when the mind stops, the senses, too, stop functioning.
This is pratyahara. It is the beginning of man's return journey towards his self, It is the science of restraining the senses by depriving them of that which feeds them, the external objective world.
It frees them, by withdrawing the supply of nourishment in the form of desires and their satisfactions.
By controlling the senses and mind, the sadhaka draws citta towards its source - the soul, atma.
PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS
