VIBHUTI PAD SUTRA-1

                                        DESHA  BANDHAH  CHITTASYA  DHAARANA


                          BINDING  THE CHITTA  TO A PLACE IS CALLED  DHARANA

    As mentioned in the introduction , there are 3 more pats to the eight fold pathway of the YOGA. So in the previous Sutras we discussed the first 5. In this first Sutra of the VIBHUTI PAD, we are told about the first one of the remaining three, which is DHARANA.
     we were told that when one starts meditation, one has to concentrate on some object. so in this Sutra, we are told that when one concentrates on an object , that is called DHARANA. One can concentrate on any External object or on internal,i.e. any of the CHAKRA. By concentrating on any object, we engage the mind to the object and it does not wander all over . Normally our mind or Chitta, tends to wander all over , many a times it is related to one of the 10 organs,of action or perception. So if we think about food or a specific food preparation. then we are concentrating on TASTE. So if we think about thing , it can be related to one of the 10 organs. So we will continue to be engaged in organ attachment.More we think about something our attachment deepens. If I smoke for 10 years , it will create deeper impression on mind and it will be more difficult to quit than if I have smoked only once. So concentrating on there kind of the objects is not a good idea. So one is asked to concentrate on the external Symbol of our visual devotion , Deity or some such thing . Even though one may argue that we are getting attached to vision , since it creates only positive feeling without the attachments (contrast to pictures of Actors and Actresses which will create sexual thoughts,) it is preferred . This thing is called DHARANA.

IF ONE DOES CONCENTRATE ON DIFFERENT CHAKRAS , AND IS SUCCESSFUL IN DOING THIS , HE WILL ACHIEVE CERTAIN CONTROLS OR POWERS.
   But we will talk about it in near future . For this Sutra all that we need to know is we need our CHITTA to concentrate on an object , which is called DHARANA.  

VIBHUTI PAD INTRODUCTION

    In the 2 previous chapters, we were told about the basics of the human body and it's structure . But it also included along with the physical body , the concept of MIND,EGO and the INTELLECT. The Patanjali Sutra Yoga  is INDIAN or HINDU Psychology. So some of the added words are Chitta and ATMA which are different from the Mind and and may be the Soul. But they come close to it. So in the SAMADHI PAD there was description of or the understanding of all the various things that are part of HUMAN EXISTENCE and the things that affect it . This may be the physical body or the mind and the spirit. In the SADHANA PAD there was description of the SADHANA-which means study or education . But in describing the Indian way of psychology , were told about the eight fold pathway to achieve the SAMADHI or YOGA -Union withe the GOD or the ultimate spirit or the SELF. The first five are YAMA, NIYAMA, ASAN , PRANAYAM AND PRATYAHAR are for external behaviour. One has to have certain frame of mind , eating , behaving , talking , position , breathing techniques , giving up etc are or for our external part. But this alone will not take you anywhere, One has to DO MEDITATION. This part is INTERNAL. The 3 parts of this act  are DHARANA, DHYAN AND THE SAMADHI. One has to have a point of concentration,concentration itself and then the various levels of Samadhi . These are described in the VIBHUTI PAD .
         So one can be successful in achieving highest levels of the Samadhi only when each part is PERFECTED. I just want to say that just because one has not perfected all  or any one part of the first 5, does not mean he or she can not do other 3 , in fact all the 8 things should be practiced and perfected simultaneously. By perfecting first 5 one will achieve Samadhi quicker. But one should continue the efforts ALL THE TIME .

SADHANA PAD -55

                                      TATAH PARAMA  VASHYATE   INDRIANAM

                 BY  THEN  (PERFECTING  PRATYAHAR ) ONE  ACHIEVES  COMPLETE

                                         CONTROL  OF  THE  INDRIYA (SENSES)

This is the last Sutra of the SADHANA PAD. So we were told up till now about the methods by which we can perfect the meditation, which in tern can lead to union with THE GOD . So we started with the eight fold pathway to the meditation. This included YAMA, NIYAMA,ASANA,PRNAYAM, THEN PRATYAHAR ,FOLLOWED BY DHARANA,DHYAN AND THE SAMADHI So the first four are external and these are to be followed in the beginning somewhat forcefully and then they become our habit and then they become our second nature. The last 3 are internal and are part of actual meditation. So that leaves us with the fifth one which is PRATYAHAR. This one is very important as without it we could not do much progress . without GIVING UP attachment we can not concentrate and get control over MIND.and without the mind control we can not get any further.
    So in this Sutra we are told that having perfected the PRTYAHAR, we can control senses or the INDRIYA. The mind gets the fuel from the senses and it keeps it busy with the external stimuli. So we can not give up food as when we eat what we like, we have impression and then that impression leads to desire and that leads to action. So when we are trying to concentrate , we think about the food (or for that matter any of the 10 senses attachments or stimuli) ,so our MIND can not look inside as it is distracted to outside sense bound things. So there is no success on concentration or mastery over mind /chitta. So when we GIVE UP or have no attachments , when we try to meditate,we don't think of good food or great movie or nice tune of a song etc we can easily concentrate and that control over the senses  leads to control over the mind and when the mind is controlled we can be CALM and then the CHITTA becomes one withe NATURE OR PRAKRUTI.
    SO GIVE UP THE ATTACHMENTS AND WE CAN PROGRESS.

SADHANA PAD SUTRA-- 54

               SWAVISHAYA  ASAMPRAYOGE  CHITTA  SWARUPA  ANUKARAH  IVA

                                                  INDRIANAM   PRATYAHARAH

    WHEN  THE ORGANS  ARE  DETACHED  FROM  THEIR  OBJECTS, THEY  BECOME OF

    THE  SIMILAR  TO  THE  NATURE  OF CHITTA  AND THAT  IS  CALLED  PRATYAHAR

         In the course of our life , we are having the union of organs to it's respective objects/ The Eyes can only see and not smell, and the ears and hear and not taste , and so on . So when there is reference to the Organs , there 11 and not the usual 5. These are the 5 organs of perception,and 5 organs of action and MIND. So the the five organs of perception are smell, touch, vision,here and see. So the when we SEE somethings , it is perceived by the Eyes and that creates the impression. When we listen to good or bad music we have impression , and so on . So the organs come in contact with their subject of perception, we have thoughts in Mind . When we take actions , and there are 5 organs of action are Hands, Legs , Tongue or the Speech, and procreation and excretion, the actions are thought off in MIND . The CHITTA is MIND STUFF. So we have 11 INDRIYAS.
      When we do the  meditation and our Mind or the Chitta, is away from the contact with their subjects, they loose the attachments that is created with the experiences that we perceive and get 'attachments' . So then we perceive the CHITTA . This is called PRATYAHAR. In our life in the beginning we have to 'GIVE'UP' things first and then slowly we get true detachments from these things or  we have the freedom from the attachments. Until we get the detachment , we will not succeed . But this giving up or detachment is called PRATYAHAR , which comes naturally , when we have done practice of YAMA, NIYAMA,ASAN AND PRANAYAM, the first 4 of the ASHTANG or the  8 things that are basis of the meditation. These are External and the rest of them are Internal, DHYAN , DHARANA, SAMADHI. The PRATYAHAR is in the middle,but to get to improved or success for the DHYAN ,DHARANA AND THE SAMADHI , we must GIVE UP , the attachments , which called PRATYAHAR. 

SADHANA PAD SUTRA 52 AND 53

                           TATAH  KSHEEYATE  PRAKASH  AWARANAM   -52

THEN THE COVERING OF LIGHT (WISDOM OR ENLIGHTENMENT) IS  LIFTED OR

                             DESTROYED OR MADE WEAK--52

                           DHARANASU  CHA  YOGYATA  MANASAH  --53

AND THEN THE MIND  ATTAINS  FITNESS  FOR  THE VARIOUS  EXERCISES  FOR THE

                            CONCENTRATION  (BY PRANAYAM )  --53

     In these Sutras , we are told the effects of perfecting the meditation by doing the PRANAYAM and the Meditation. So the CHITTA is different from the PRANA. And the Prana is not LIFE and the Chitta is not Mind. There is no comparable English word for the Chitta or Prana. So the entire worldly activities originates due to vibrations of Prana and the Chitta. As we were told about the various afflictions that occur to the Chitta or MIND, cause the world to go on. These are ignorance , attachment, hatred, attachment to life  etc cause us to believe that physical body is everything and that is the veil or the covering of the pure KNOWLEDGE or WISDOM. Once we start practicing the meditation, PRANAYAM  or control of the PRANA energy and the CHITTA or the MIND energy, we have no KLESHA or the afflictions of the mind and we are enlightened.

     The mind is like monkey .It never stays quite or still. The mind is always engage in thoughts and usually one thought leads to second and the second thought leads to third and so on. So then mind is never empty and so it is never under our control. When the mind has a thought of our family member ,say son or daughter,we will have chain of thoughts. What is he doing , when is he finishing his studies or get job or promotion or make more money or have family , so on and so forth. Or one could have thought of food , music, play or TV show . These thoughts bind the mind and create more attachments. So it can not concentrate. So by the practice of the PRANAYAM or meditation, the MIND becomes 'fit' to get NO THOUGHTS and that leads to detachments. Then only one can concentrate on the 'REAL THING and achieve the highest goal.