Sūtra 1.21

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 1.21:

तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः ॥ १.२१ ॥

tīvrasaṃvegānāmāsannaḥ || 1.21 ||

(21) [Osho—] Success is nearest to those whose efforts are intense and sincere.

Ancient and Modern interpretation:

As per Vyāsa^[1] Yogīs are of nine types. Their methods of practice are categorized are slow, moderate and quick. They are further classified according to the degree of their ardour in practice i.e. gentle ardour, medium ardour and intense ardour.

Of these above classifications, the Yogīn adopting the quick method with intense ardour achieve sconcentration and the result thereof, quickly. The word samvega is a scientific term which is found in Buddhist literature also. It means detachment with aptitude combined with reverence in devotional practices and the resultant ardour to hasten forward^[2] .

Osho^[3] says,

‘Success is nearest to those whose efforts are intense and sincere’.

Sincerity is a quality when one is totally in something. A child playing with a toy is sincere. He is totally absorbed in it without holding anything back. Further he explains that sincerity is always intense, but intensity is not necessarily always sincere. If the sādhanā is intense without the sincerity, such intensity does not last long and can be momentary, since such the intensity is enforced by the desire. And therefore, both intensity and sincerity are needed for the success.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Āraṇya op.cit., p.54

[2]:

Ibid., p.54

[3]:

Osho, op.cit., p.83