Yoga-sutras (with Bhoja’s Rajamartanda)
by Rajendralala Mitra | 1883 | 103,575 words
The Yoga-Sutra 1.8, English translation with Commentaries. The Yogasutra of Patanjali represents a collection of aphorisms dealing with spiritual topics such as meditation, absorption, Siddhis (yogic powers) and final liberation (Moksha). The Raja-Martanda is officialy classified as a Vritti (gloss) which means its explanatory in nature, as opposed to being a discursive commentary.
Sūtra 1.8
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.8:
विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम् ॥ १.८ ॥
viparyayo mithyājñānamatadrūpapratiṣṭham || 1.8 ||
8. Misconception is incorrect notion, (or a notion) which abides in a form which is not that of its object.
The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:
[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]
[Sanskrit text for commentary available]
Having thus described the function of right notion the author speaks of Misconception.
[Read Sūtra 1.8]
“Misconception” (viparyaya) is a notion of something in respect of which it really is not; as the notion of silver in mother-o’pearl. “Which abides in a form which is not that of its object” is to say a notion which does not abide in that form which is its (real) form (in respect of which the notion is entertained). It amounts to this, that the notion does not reveal the real form of the thing. Doubt (saṃśaya) founded on the notion whether a thing abides in its proper form or not, such as whether a particular object seen is a man or the stump of a tree, is also a Misconception.
To describe the function of Fancy, he says: