Yoga-sutras (Ancient and Modern Interpretations)
by Makarand Gopal Newalkar | 2017 | 82,851 words | ISBN-13: 9780893890926
Yoga-sutras 4.13 [Cognition], 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 4.13 [Cognition]
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 4.13 [cognition]:
ते व्यक्तसूक्ष्मा गुणात्मानः ॥ ४.१३ ॥
te vyaktasūkṣmā guṇātmānaḥ || 4.13 ||
(13) The past and future are in reality present in their fundamental forms, there being only difference in the characteristics of the forms taken at different times.
Ancient and Modern interpretation:
Process of cognition has been discussed in detail by Vyāsa while explaining sūtra I.41, which is already discussed in chapter one of this thesis.
[Read sūtra 4.13 above]
Characteristics, which are present at all times, are manifest and subtle, and are composed of the three guṇas.
Bhāsvatī [1] explains that six undiversified forms i.e. five–anmātrās and ‘I’-sense which serve as subtle causes of sixteen diversified characteristics (viz. the five bhūtas, five sense organs, the five organs of action and the mind) of past and future states.
Vyāsa[2] says, the manifest state is called the present. So śāstras say that, “the ultimate nature of guṇas is never visible; what is seen is extremely ephermal like illusion.”
Osho[3] says, whether manifest or unmanifest, the past, present and the future, are of the nature of guṇas, stability, action and inertia. Past and future exists in the present, but they are not experienced in the present as they are on different planes.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Bhāsvatī, op.cit., p.612
[3]:
Osho, op.cit., p.74