Sūtra 3.11

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 3.11:

सर्वार्थतैकाग्रतयोः क्षयोदयौ चित्तस्य समाधिपरिणामः ॥ ३.११ ॥

sarvārthataikāgratayoḥ kṣayodayau cittasya samādhipariṇāmaḥ || 3.11 ||

11. The destruction of multifunctionality and enlivenment of concentration of the thinking principle is meditative modification.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

Having described suppressive modification, he now defines meditative modification.

[Read Sūtra 3.11]

“Multifunctionality” (sarvārthatā) is the quality of voluptuousness of the thinking principle, which results from its accepting many objects from its versatility. When one object is depended upon there is a similar modification, and it is “concentration,” and that too is a quality of the thinking principle. The “destruction” and “enlivenment” (kṣaya and udaya) of the two are successive, i.e., the destruction or extreme overthrow of the quality of multifunctionality and the enlivenment or full manifestation of the quality of concentration are successive. The condition in which there is a junction of the two in the thinking principle, when it has the quality of goodness in excess, is called “meditative modification” (samādhi-pariṇāma), This is distinct from the former, (i.e., suppressive meditation). In the former there are the overthrow and the prevalence of the two residua, i.e., the contempt for the nature of the former waking residua and the prevalence in an unsubdued state of the latter or the residua of suppression. In this, however, there is destruction and full enlivenment. Destruction is entrance into the condition beyond that of reproduction, of the voluptuousness of multifunctionality, from extreme hatred. Enlivenment of the quality of concentration is its manifestation in the present condition.

Notes and Extracts

[Notes and comparative extracts from other commentaries on the Yogasūtra]

[Suppressive modification as defined in A. IX, is confined to the point of time when the waking state passes on to the suppressive state; but in the meditative modification, there is a farther advance. The waking state has then been entirely overcome, and the meditative state is in full prevalence. The one is the commencement, and the other the consummation, of the condition of meditation.

The Pātañjala Bhāṣya explains this by saying:

(sarvārthatā cittadharmaḥ ekāgratā cittadharmaḥ, sarvāratāyāḥ kṣayastirobhāva ityarthaḥ, ekāgratāyā udaya āvirbhāva ityarthaḥ.)

“Multifunctionality is an attribute of the thinking principle, so is concentration; the meaning is there is destruction or disappearance of multifunctionality and the enlivenment or manifestation of concentration.”—

Briefly this is a higher state of concentration.]

The third or the concentrative modification.