Yoga Sutras
  • Chapter 1

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tatra śabda-artha-jñāna-vikalpaiḥ saṃkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ

तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः संकीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः

There, word, purpose, knowledge and imagination interspersed, unity is unrefined gross deliberation


tatra - there

śabda - words, sound, language

artha - purpose, aim; meaning; thing, object

jñāna - knowing; knowledge; higher knowledge

vikalpa - false notion, fancy, imagination

saṃkīrṇā - interspersed, intermixed

savitarkā - unrefined gross deliberation

samāpatti - coming together, unity


Commentary by T Krishnamacharya:

Another aspect of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra is that he looks at the world as real. It is Sat. It is not Asat. It is not a mirage. Even the mirage is real.

The evolution of Samādhi is Sthūla Savitarkā to Sthūla Nirvitarkā. This is Viniyoga Krama, then Sūkṣma Savicārā to Sūkṣma Nirvicārā. Commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 4 Cross referencing to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 42-44.

Different suggestions are available in our tradition to help the beginner arrive at the highest state of Samādhi. For example, using the image or idol of Īśvara in the form pleasant to the seeker or even a picture frame.

They will, at the proper time of day and in an appropriate place, sit and watch the idol until they can completely recall the image without having to look at it. This ability will help the person overcome the distractions from different sources when they sit for contemplation on Īśvara.


Commentary by TKV Desikachar:

Sometimes our ideas about the object are so strong that, we give up trying to see the object and just look at our ideas.


Commentary by Paul Harvey:

There are stages to this coming together; the first stage in meditational unity is deliberation on a gross object, intermixed with words, purpose, knowledge and imagination around the gross object, it is called unrefined deliberation.