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The Philosophy of Yoga (Yoga Sutra 1.18)

“Virama pratyaya abhyasapurvah samskarasesah anyah”

Hidden in the void arising from the samadhi experience are impressions that lie dormant. These spring up during moments of awareness, creating fluctuations of the mind and disturbing the purity of the consciousness.

Patanjali indicates another state of samadhi in between the two we have already discussed in this newsletter, but doesn’t name it. This state is experienced with the cessation of all functions of the brain, leaving behind only the residual merits (samskaras) of good practices. In this state one is free from passions, desires and appetites.

The word used for this state is virama pratyaya. In it the student (sadhaka) rests in a highly evolved state in which the intelligence is still. The nearest we come to virama pratyaya in ordinary experience are those few moments before falling asleep, when the intellect relaxes its hold on thoughts and objects and the mind becomes silent. Like a river joining a sea, the mind dissolves into the self. We are given a glimpse of the seer, abiding in the self. The moment one loses the feeling of “I” one is in this state of suspended animation of the consciousness.  Patanjali calls this state a different type (anyah = another) of samadhi . It is not deliberate but natural.

In deliberate samadhi (samprajnata), the intelligence is dissolved but the sense of self remains. The samskaras (residual impressions of good practice) remain and all other fluctuations cease. This state becomes a plateau from which the aspirant may climb further up the spiritual ladder. As it is only a transitional state one must take care that stagnation does not set in: it should not be taken as the goal.  One should intensify one’s practice to reach the state of the absolute (nirbija samadhi).

Virama pratyaya is precarious state. It may bind the student forever or uplift him.  Patanjali advises students to redouble their efforts with faith, courage, memory and contemplative awareness.
 

Paraphrased from:
Light on the Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali
B.K.S Iyengar

Philosophy of Yoga Archives:
Invocation Chant
Yoga Sutra 1.13
Yoga Sutra 1.15
Yoga Sutra 1.16
Yoga Sutra 1.17
Yoga Sutra 1.18
Yoga Sutra 1.19
Yoga Sutra 1.21 & 1.22
Yoga Sutra 1.23 - 1.26
Yoga Sutra 1.27
Yoga Sutra 1.28
Yoga Sutra 1.29 & 1.30
Yoga Sutra 1.31
Yoga Sutra 1.33
Yoga Sutra 1.35 & 1.36
Yoga Sutra 1.37
Yoga Sutra 1.39
Yoga Sutra 1.40
Yoga Sutra 1.41 & 1.42
Yoga Sutra 1.43
Yoga Sutra 1.44
Yoga Sutra 1.45
Yoga Sutra 1.46
Current Yoga Sutra