Yoga-sutras (Ancient and Modern Interpretations)
by Makarand Gopal Newalkar | 2017 | 82,851 words | ISBN-13: 9780893890926
Yoga-sutras 4.14, 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 4.14
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 4.14:
परिणामैकत्वाद्वस्तुतत्त्वम् ॥ ४.१४ ॥
pariṇāmaikatvādvastutattvam || 4.14 ||
(14) On account of the co-ordinated mutation of the three guṇas, an object appears as a unit.
Ancient and Modern interpretation:
Vyāsa questions, if all objects are products of three guṇas, then how can there be a single perception as one sound—tanmātrā (as ear, eye etc).
[Read sūtra 4.14 above]
Patañjali answers in this sūtra as ‘on account of the co-ordinated mutation of the three guṇas, an object appears as a unit.’
Vyāsa explains,[1] guṇas with the three properties of cognition, activity and retentiveness, mutate in the process of reception of sound viz. the ear. Similarly, guṇas serving as object, undergo modification to manifest as an object, viz. sound. The modifications of the various tanmātrās such as sound—tanmātrā, smell—tanmātrā etc. into tangible states form the various bhūtas or elements as śabda-bhūta, kṣitibhūta etc according to appropriate tanmātrā. Similarly, Earth, cow, trees, hills are formed as per mutation of the bhūtas and their phenomenal conglomeration.
The presence of object in a dream have no real existence and hence their presence is doubted by thinkers.
Araṇya explains,[2] the three guṇas are at the root of all things. How can a thing composed of these three be regarded as one? This sūtra answers this query. Guṇas though three in number are inseparable. Sattva guṇa is not cognisable without rajas and tamas. The same is case with rajas and tamas. So, knowledge of sound is possible as there exists potentiality, activity and perceptibility in it. But sound is regarded as one and not three different things. That is how on account of unifaction through mutation, things are regarded as one.
Bhāsvatī explains[3] that nature of triguṇas is such that when they mutate to produce an object, they interact so closely that the product is taken as a single unit.
Osho says,[4] the essence of any object consists in the uniqueness of the proportions of guṇas. This is similar in modern day science as number of protons, electrons and neutrons define the form and character of the element. Same ways, same object is seen in different ways with different minds.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Araṇya, op.cit., p.372
[2]:
Araṇya, ibid, p. 373
[3]:
op.cit., p.613
[4]:
Osho, op.cit., p.75