Sūtra 4.24

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 4.24:

विशेषदर्शिन आत्मभावभावनानिवृत्तिः ॥ ४.२४ ॥

viśeṣadarśina ātmabhāvabhāvanānivṛttiḥ || 4.24 ||

24. For the knower of the difference there is a cessation of the idea of self in the thinking principle.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

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

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

He now proceeds to show by ten aphorisms that the fruit of this philosophy is isolation.

[Read Sūtra 4.24]

Thus the quality of goodness and soul being proved to be distinct, whatever idea exists of his self being the thinking principle, in him who knows them to be distinct, that is the one is different from the other, the same surceases, i.e., the idea ceases of the thinking principle being the actor, knower, and experiencer.

Notes and Extracts

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

[Having disposed of all metaphysical questions bearing on the subject-matter of his work, the author now reverts to the thesis, how isolation is effected. The metaphysical questions above set forth, when thoroughly understood, enable a person to divest himself of the idea that his self or ego is his thinking principle, and to believe that his soul is the real self. He knows that the thinking principle is unconscious and not his self. The idea, in fact, is altogether set at rest, and his soul is so far freed from the natural wrong belief that the thinking principle is the ego.]

(To the question) what happens when this takes place, he says: