Sūtra 4.5

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 4.5:

प्रवृत्तिभेदे प्रयोजकं चित्तमेकमनेकेषाम् ॥ ४.५ ॥

pravṛttibhede prayojakaṃ cittamekamanekeṣām || 4.5 ||

5. In the diverse tendency of the many the impelling thinking principle is one.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

Then, how do numerous thinking principles, having diversity of objects, produce one effect? To this, he replies:

[Read Sūtra 4.5]

“In the diverse tendency” (pravṛttibhede) or multifunctionality of the many thinking principles the one thinking principle of the Yogī is the impelling force or actuator, because it is the ruler, and therefore there is no difference of object. The meaning is—that as in its own body the mind directs the eyes, the hands, &c., according to its will, from its being the ruler, so does it in the other bodies.

Notes and Extracts

[Notes and comparative extracts from other commentaries on the Yogasūtra]

[In the preceding aphorism the question having been solved as to how a single individual can provide thinking principles for many bodies, the question arises as to how can many thinking principles act in concert and preserve the unity of the creator? If this unity be not admitted, there would be so many independent individuals, each following the bent of his own mind, and the idea of one individual acting as many without any loss of individuality, would be lost. This doubt is removed by the explanation that the thinking principles provided to the many are in reality one, and entirely controlled by the primary thinking principle, of which they are mere scintillations ]

The thinking principle which belongs to the perfections resulting from birth, &c., are produced by the same five causes, and yet the thinking principle produced by Samādhi is distinct from the others. To show this he says: