Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali

Author(s): Prabhavnanda Swami, Christopher Isherwood
Publisher: Ramkrishna Math Madras

Page 59

YOGA AND ITS AIMS
returned and said that he could not carry them out; every time he tried to meditate, he found himself thinking about his pet buffalo. "Well then," said the teacher, 'you meditate on that buffalo you're so fond of." The disciple shut himself up in a room and began to concentrate on the buffalo. After some days, the teacher knocked at his door and the disciple answered: "Sir, I am sorry I can't come out to greet you. This door is too small. My horns will be in the way." Then the teacher smiled and said: "Splendid! You have become identified with the object of your concentration. Now fix that concentration upon God and you will easily succeed."
a ya adîor: aetf&: 118&11
46. These kinds of samadhi are said to be "with seed."
49
That is, seeds of desire and attachment may still remain within the mind, even though perfect concentration has been achieved. And these seeds of desire are dangerous, as we saw in considering the fate of those who concentrate without nonattachment (aphorism 19 of this chapter). However, liberation is now very near. The aspirant has already risen to such heights that it is unlikely that he will fall back into bondage.
निर्विचार - वैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः ॥ ४७ ॥
47. In reaching nirvichara samadhi the mind becomes
pure.
ऋतम्भरा तत्र प्रज्ञा ॥ ४८ ॥
48. In that samadhi, knowledge is said to be "filled with truth."
श्रुतानुमानप्रज्ञाभ्यामन्यविषया विशेषा
र्थत्वात् ॥ ४६॥
49. The knowledge which is gained from inference and the study of scriptures is knowledge of one kind. But the