Sūtra 1.28

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.28:

तज्जपस् तदर्थभावनम् ॥ १.२८ ॥

tajjapas tadarthabhāvanam || 1.28 ||

tad—its. japaḥ—repetition. tad—its. artha—meaning, bhāvanam—the understanding of.

28. Its repetition and the understanding of its meaning.

The Sankhya-pravachana commentary of Vyasa

[English translation of the 7th century commentary by Vyāsa called the Sāṅkhya-pravacana, Vyāsabhāṣya or Yogabhāṣya]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

The Vedic teachers hold that the relation of word and meaning is eternal, inasmuch as one co-exists with the other. The Yogī who has come to know well the relation between word and meaning must constantly repeat it, and habituate the mind to the manifestation therein of its meaning. The constant repetition is to be of the Praṇava (A U M) and the habitual mental manifestation is to be of what it signifies, Īśvara. The mind of the Yogī who constantly repeats the Praṇava and habituates the mind to the constant manifestation of the idea it carries, becomes one-pointed. And so it has been said:—

‘Let the Yoga be practised through study, and let study be effected through Yoga. By Yoga and study together the Highest Self shines’—28.

The Gloss of Vachaspati Mishra

[English translation of the 9th century Tattvavaiśāradī by Vācaspatimiśra]

Having described the sign, he now describes the devotion, praṇidhāna, the means of feeling the presence of the Lord everywhere, in all circumstances and phenomena:—‘Its constant repetition and the repeated understanding of its meaning.’ Explains:—‘The constant repetition of the Praṇava, &c.’

Repeated understanding (Bhāvanā) means making it enter the mind over and over again until it becomes the very substance of the mental existence.

What attainment does he acquire thereby? Says ‘The mind of the Yogī who constantly repeats the Praṇava, &c.’ The mind feels bliss in the One Lord alone. Quotes a verse of Vyāsa in this connection:—And so it has been said:—The Lord then becomes gracious to him up to his attaining the faculty of trance (samādhi) and its fruit.—28.