Different types of Yogins

In the first chapter, it is depicted that, yogins are those who do Yogic Yogic practices such as yama, etc. (yamadiyogasadhananusthayino). The yogins who follow the 145 146 means of sraddha etc. are of nine kinds. They are categorised under three heads viz., mrdupaya (those who practise the gentle means), madhyopaya (those who practise the average means) and adhimatropaya (those who practise the extreme means). According to the intensity with which the yogin practises, each one of these three is further divided into three kinds. The intensity can be gentle (mrdu), average (madhya) and intense (tivra). Therefore the nine types are- 1) mrdupaya: mandopakrama (gentle-keen-intensity), madhyopakrama (middling-keen-intensity), and tivropakrama (extreme-keen-intensity). 183

2) madhyopaya: mandopakrama, madhyopakrama, and tivropakrama. 3) adhimatropaya: mandopakrama, madhyopakrama, and tivropakrama. Among these nine types of yogins, samadhi is nearest for the followers of the extreme method (adhimatropaya) with keen intensity (tivropakrama). Vivaranakara also points out that, the purpose of the sutra (mrdumadhyadhimatrattvattato'pi visesah) 147 is to indicate how yogins can become greatly motivated towards the practice of Yoga. To clarify this point, Vivaranakara has used an illustration i.e., 'in the world, the one who runs the 148 fastest towards the goal, gets the prize'. The yogins who had overcome afflictions (ksinaklesa) are described as samyagdarsin (those with true insight). 150 149 The third chapter gives another classification. According to this classification, there are four types of yogins. They are- prathamakalpika, madhubhumika, prajnajyoti and atikrantabhavaniya." One who practises Yoga continuously and in whom some form of luminous activity is revealing itself (pravrttajyoti) is the first one. Amongst the four, the second one is who has rtambhara prajna (truth bearing insight). The third one is 184

the one who protects all that is directly perceived and over which mastery is achieved i.e., he has to find ways to protect what has been achieved and with reference to those to be perceived. This yogin has to practise abhyasa and vairagya. In the case of the fourth one, only the absorption of mind into prakrti (cittapralaya) is left. He is the yogin who is just waiting for the state of kaivalya