Yoga-sutras (with Bhoja’s Rajamartanda)
by Rajendralala Mitra | 1883 | 103,575 words
The Yoga-Sutra 2.20, 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 2.20
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 2.20:
द्रष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः ॥ २.२० ॥
draṣṭā dṛśimātraḥ śuddho'pi pratyayānupaśyaḥ || 2.20 ||
20. The spectator is absolute sentience, and, though pure, still directly beholds intellected ideas.
The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:
[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]
[Sanskrit text for commentary available]
Since the detestableness of spectacle must be first known, and it having been described along with its conditions, to show what should be accepted, the spectator, the author now says:
[Read Sūtra 2.20]
“The spectator” (draṣṭā) is soul. He is “absolute sentience” (dṛśimātra), sensation only. The object of using the term “absolute” (mātra) is to preclude the idea of the quality and the qualified, (i.e., he is himself sensation and not possessed of sensation). Some explain sensation to be an attribute of soul.
He, the spectator, ‘though pure,’ (śuddhopi), i.e. although existing by himself in his own essence, being above all liability to modification and the like, “directly beholds intellected ideas.” “Intellected ideas” (pratyayas) are knowledge tinctured by worldly objects. “Directly” (anu), without any intervention, or without any medium, he beholds (paśyati).
What is said is this. Soul attains his spectatorship by his proximity to intellect, which alone is tinctured or influenced by passing objects.
Notes and Extracts
[Notes and comparative extracts from other commentaries on the Yogasūtra]
[The soul is sentience only, i.e., it consists of sentience and nothing more. In this condition it is absolutely pure, being unalloyed by any other object. It, nevertheless, directly beholds intellected ideas, or is the percipient, of all ideas without any intervention. This is effected by its proximity to the intellect, which receives the impressions of the outer world. The act of modification or change which perception implies is effected in the intellect, and does not extend to the soul. This distinction is necessary for the purpose of maintaining the immutability and perfect purity of the soul, for the admission of change would destroy its immutability and absolute purity.]
To show that soul alone is the experiencer, he says: