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Concept of 'Asana': Is it an 'Abhyasa' or an 'Anustbana / 321
we come across a variety of upayas' related to manasaḥ sthiti-nibandhani' (a: fenfa fat) (PYS-11/34-30)1 in the Samadhipada which may be interpreted to be akin to the Yoganga, dharana", referred to in the later two chapters. (PYS-II/53 & III/1). But Patanjali does not seem to indicate these 'upayas' directly while discussing the topic of 'dharaṇā' in Vibhutipäda. Even in respect of 'yama' and 'niyama', if at all any 'upayas' are mentioned there, they seem to be in a negative sense as can be seen from the Sutra ; 'vitarka-badhane pratipaksa-bhavanaṁ (fa fer ran) (PYS-II/33). This seems to be only a 'vighna-parihara-upaya (fasfegrara) there
of.
However, as mentioned earlier Patanjali indicates not only the laksana and phala or siddhi of '. 'asana', but also its 'upaya'. We get some indications of how the commentators might have got into confusion between the 'laksana" of a Yoganga with its 'upaya' from the way they have interpreted the Sutra: 'sthirasukhamasanam' (ferynn) (PYS-II/46). Most of the commentators seem to have divided the compound word sthirasukham' (fr) into two independent words 'sthiram' (fear) and 'sukham' (a). Though this is grammatically admissible, in a practical context as in the case of 'asana", it seems to have led to misinterpretation of the related Sutra. Thus, some of the commentators have given the meaning-niscalam (f), 'nişkaṁpam (f), etc. For the term 'sthiram' (fe). Naturally, the word 'sthiram" got directly related to the term 'asanam' () which they have defined as'asyate aste va anena ite asanan' (श्रास्यते प्रास्ते वाऽनेन इति घासनम्) As a
1, pracchardana-vidhäraṇābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya' (PYS-II/34)
(प्रच्छर्दन विधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य )
*viṣayavati vā pravṛttrutpannā manasal sthitinibandhani (-II/35). (विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरूत्पन्नामनसः स्थिति निबन्धनी)
'viśokā vā jyotiṣmati' (-II/36).
(fastar ar satfacfa)
"Vitaragaviṣayamh va cittam' (-11/37). (after firwat ar far)
"svapnanidrājñanālambanam va' (-II/38).
( स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा)
"yathabhimatadhyānād vä' (-II/39). ( यथाभिमतध्यानाद बा)
2. 'dhāraṇāsu ca yogyata manasaḥ' (-I1/53). ( धारणासु चयोग्यता मनसः )
'desabandhaścittasya dharapa' (-11/1). (देशबन्ध श्चित्तस्य धारणा )
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