Samadhi Part 2

=============== Post On Raja Yoga ===============


Savitarka and Nirvitarka Samadhis :

Savitarka Samadhi is Samadhi with reasoning. It is a superficial attempt of the mind to grasp any object. In this Samadhi, Sabda (sound), Artha (meaning), Jnana (knowledge) are mixed up.

The aspirant can meditate on the body of Virat or Lord Vishnu with four hands or Lord Krishna with flute in hand or any ordinary object . He will obtain the direct perception of all the peculiar features, the excellences (Gunas) and defects (Doshas) of the object of meditation. He will have complete knowledge of the object. He will be endowed with all the features of the object unheard of and unthought of. He will obtain these through Savitarka Samadhi. The Yogic student meditates on the object again and again by isolating it from other objects.

You can meditate on the gross elements also. You will gain power over them through intense meditation. The elements will reveal to you their truths.

In Savitarka Samadhi concentration is practised on gross objects and their nature in relation to time and space. This is a gross form of Samadhi.

When the Yogi meditates on the elements as they are by taking them out of time and space, then it is called Nirvitarka Samadhi without questioning or reasoning or argumentation. This is a subtle form of Samadhi.

In Savitarka there is Vikalpa or fanciful notion of word (Sabda), object (Artha) and idea (Jneya). There is no such notion in Nirvitarka Samadhi.

There are three factors in the comprehension of a word, e.g., cow—(1) cow, the word, (2) cow, the object, (3) cow, the idea in the mind. When the meditator imagines these three to be one and the same, it is an instance of Vikalpa or fanciful notion of the word, object and idea.


Savichara and Nirvichara Samadhis :

If you meditate on the subtle Tanmatras (subtle elements of matter) and their nature in relation to time and space, it is Savichara Samadhi with deliberation or discrimination. This is Sukshma or subtle. This is subtler than Savitarka and Nirvitarka Samadhis. Tanmatras are the root-elements or Sukshma Bhutas.

The five gross elements are derived from the Tanmatras through the process of Tripanchikaranam or mixing. Meditation goes a step higher in this Samadhi than in the previous one. The Yogi will get knowledge of the Tanmatras. He will obtain control over the Tanmatras. He will get the direct perception of the various subtle forms of the object culminating in primordial matter or Mula Prakriti.

The word ‘subtle’ indicates cause in general. It stands for all such causal principles as the Tanmatras or the primary elements egoism or Ahankara, Mahat Tattva or intellect and Prakriti.

There is mysterious power, Achintya Sakti, in meditation. Although ordinary meditation is possible only in ways already heard and thought of, yet even such things as have not been heard or thought of may be directly cognised by the force of meditation.

There is no difference between the cause and products. All gross objects are the products of the twenty-six principles. They are really of the same nature as that of twenty-six principles.

If you meditate on the subtle Tanmatras by taking them out of time and space by thinking as they are, it will constitute Nirvichara Samadhi without deliberation or discrimination. As there is pure Sattva only in the mind owing to the eradication of Rajas and Tamas the Yogi enjoys internal peace or contentment (Adhyatmic Prasada) and subjective luminosity. The mind is very steady.


Sananda Samadhi or the Blissful Samadhi :

Now we proceed to describe the joyful Samadhi. This is joyous Samadhi and it gives intense joy. In this Samadhi the gross and the five element’s are given up. The Yogi meditates on the Sattvic mind itself. He thinks of the mind which is devoid of Rajas and Tamas. There arises in the Yogi a peculiar perception in the form of intense joy through this type of Samadhi.


Asmita Samadhi :

In this Samadhi the mind is the object of meditation. It bestows the knowledge of the subject of all experiences. The Self knows the Self. The Sattvic state of the ego only remains. The Yogi can think himself now as without his gross body. He feels that he has a fine body. This Samadhi takes the Yogi to the root of experiences and shows the way to freedom.

The Yogi feels "I am (Asmi) other than the body". He experiences that the gross, subtle and joyous Samadhis are not the highest Samadhis. He finds defects in them also and gets disgusted with them. He proceeds further and practises Asmita Samadhi. He experiences Self-consciousness (Asmita). He experiences a feeling of ‘enough’ and develops dispassion in its highest form (Para Vairagya). This finally leads to the development of Asamprajnata Samadhi.


Nirvikalpa Samadhi :

This is the highest form of Samadhi. This comes after Viveka-khyati or the final discrimination between Prakriti and Purusha. All the seeds or impressions are burnt by the fire of knowledge. This Samadhi brings Kaivalya or Absolute Independence. This is the culmination or climax of Yoga, or final Prasankhyana which bestows the supreme, undying peace or knowledge. The Yogi enjoys the transcendental glories of the Self and has perfect freedom from the mental life. The sense of time is replaced by a sense of Eternity.

In this Samadhi, there is neither Triputi nor Alambana. The Samskaras are fried. This Samadhi alone can destroy birth end death and bring in highest knowledge and bliss.

When you get full success or perfection (Siddhi) in Raja yoga by entering into Asamprajnata Samadhi (Nirvikalpa State), all the Samskaras and Vasanas which bring on rebirths are totally fried up. All Vrittis or mental modifications that arise form the mind-lake come under restraint. The five afflictions, viz., Avidya (ignorance), Asmita (egoism), Raga-dvesha (love and hatred) and Abhinivesha (clinging to life) are destroyed and the bonds of Karma are annihilated. This Samadhi brings on highest good (Nihsreyasa) and exaltation (Abhyudaya). It gives Moksha (deliverance form the wheel of births and deaths). With the advent of the knowledge of the Self, ignorance vanishes. With the disappearance of the root-cause, viz., ignorance, egoism, etc., also disappear.

In this Samadhi, all the modifications of the mind are completely restrained. All the residual Samskaras are totally fried up. This is the highest Samadhi of Raja yoga. This is also known as Nirbija Samadhi (without seeds) and Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

In this Samadhi, the Yogi sees without eyes, tastes without tongue, hears without ears, smells without nose and touches without skin. His Sankalpas can work miracles. He simply wills and everything comes into Being.

This state is described in Taittariya Aranyaka—I-ii-5: "The blind man pierced the pearl, the fingerless put a thread into it; the neckless wore it and the touchless praised it."

There are two Nirvikalpas: the internal and the external. When body-consciousness is lost it is internal Samadhi: when retained, it is external Samadhi. That is all. In the former the mind completely merges in the inmost Being and is aware of nothing else. This is compared to a lamp protected from wind.

But in the latter, although the mind is absorbed in the Self, the sense of the world still prevails without a reaction from within, and has the calm vastness of a waveless ocean. In both the Self is realized and the essence of bliss experienced.

Eventually, the Purusha realises His own native state of Divine glory, Isolation or absolute Independence (Kaivalya). He has completely disconnected himself from the Prakriti and its effects. He feels his absolute freedom and attains Kaivalya, the highest goal of Raja Yoga. All Klesha Karmas are destroyed now. The Gunas having fulfilled their objects of Bhoga and Apavarga now entirely cease to act. He has simultaneous knowledge now. The past and the future are blended into the present. Everything is "Now". Everything is "Here". He has transcended time and space. The sum-total of all knowledge of the three worlds, of all secular sciences is nothing but mere husk when compared to the Infinite knowledge of a Yogi who has attained Kaivalya. Glory, glory to such exalted Yogins !


(To Be Continued .....)