Sūtra 4.30

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 4.30:

तदा सर्वावरणमलापेतस्य ज्ञानस्यानन्त्याज्ज्ञेयमल्पम् ॥ ४.३० ॥

tadā sarvāvaraṇamalāpetasya jñānasyānantyājjñeyamalpam || 4.30 ||

30. Then the knowable becomes small from the infiniteness of the knowledge free from all coverings and impurities.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

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

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

“Coverings” (āvaraṇāni), are those whereby the thinking principle is covered; they are the afflictions; they are also impurities. Free from them, means devoid of them. From the knowledge (jñāna) becoming free, like the sky bereft of cloud, and “from its infiniteness” (ānantyāt), i.e., from its being without a break, or all-pervading, “the knowable” (jñeya) becomes “small” (alpa), or fit to be counted or grasped. The meaning is, that the Yogī can easily know everything.

Notes and Extracts

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

[The next advantage is that the objects of sense are reduced to a minimum. Knowledge then becomes limitless and free from all impurities and coverings or interruptions; and placed against such knowledge, knowables or cognizables become insignificant, i.e., that knowledge which can grasp everything, finds no difficulty in understanding small matters. Not that there is a reduction in the number or quantity of cognizables, but, placed besides limitless knowledge, they, by comparison, become insignificant.]

He then states what takes place after this: