Yoga-sutras (Ancient and Modern Interpretations)

by Makarand Gopal Newalkar | 2017 | 82,851 words | ISBN-13: 9780893890926

Yoga-sutras 2.7-8 [Raga—attachment and Dvesha—aversion], English translation with modern and ancient interpretation. The Patanjali Yogasutras describe an ancient Indian tradition spanning over 5000 years old dealing with Yoga:—Meditating the mind on the Atma leading to the realization of self. This study interprets the Yogasutras in light of both ancient and modern commentaries (e.g., Vyasa and Osho) while supporting both Sankhya and Vedanta philosophies.

Sūtra 2.7-8 [Rāga—attachment and Dveśa—aversion]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 2.7-8:

सुखानुशयी रागः ॥ २.७ ॥
दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः ॥ २.८ ॥

sukhānuśayī rāgaḥ || 2.7 ||
duḥkhānuśayī dveṣaḥ || 2.8 ||

(7) Attachment [rāga] is that (modification) which follows remenberence [remembrance?] of pleasure. (8) Aversion [devśa] is that (modification)which results from misery.

Ancient and Modern interpretation:

Bhāsvatī classifies,[1] vāsanā as gardha (desire), tṛṣṇā (thirst)which is desire for an object whose want is felt continuously and lobha. Lobha is a greed which makes person sit down for dinner second time immediately after full meal.He further explains recollection of past sorrow generates urge to exterminate it as alomg with what has bought it about. It occurs as Pratigha (urge to retaliate and get rid of obstruction), jighāmsā (urge to kill), krodha (outburst), manyu (deep routed malevolence).

Taimni defnes rāga as that attraction which accompanies pleasure and dveśa as that repulsion which accompanies pain. Vairāgya is freedom from both.These attractions and repulsions are due to conditioning of mind and they bind us to lower level of consciousness. Rāga and dveśa are responsible for human misery and suffering.The science of illness is described systematically in Yogavāsiṣṭha.Due to mental agitation caused by rāga / dveśa,the flow of prāṇa in prāṇamayakośa becomes irregular and haphazard,the nāḍis (channels of prāṇa) become unstable.

This affects the body as explained in the chart below.[2]

Raga and Dvesha

[Rāga-dveśa; Mental agitation; Disturbence in Prāṇamaya-kośa; Ajīrṇatva; Kujīrṇatva; Atijīrṇatva; Indigestion; Wrong digestion; overdigestion; Vyādhi]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhāsvati, op.cit,p. 491

[2]:

Sharma-Vasudeo, Laghuyogavāsiṣṭha,Motilal Banarsidas Publication, Dehi,Indian Edition 2003(1976), p.684

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