Article #87
Subject: Chapter 1 Sutras
Author: Andrew W. Harrell
Posted: 10/20/2011 10:10:02 AM

Comments from a Christian/Jewish metaphysical standpoint on Selected Sutras
of Patanjali

This is a fundamental theological handbook for those who want to devote
themselves to the austerities of the study of the details of the metaphysics
of meditation on God (which transcend any particular religion). To
understand it requires a precise translation of its words and study over a
long time. This assumes fundamental knowledge of the Sanskrit language and
its alphabet(Mr. Houston at the American Sanskrit Institute has published
some very useful tapes and workbooks for this).

References:
Mediation and Mantras by Swami Vishnudevananda
Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali by swami Hariharananda
The Yoga Sutra Workbook: The Certainity of Freedom by Vyaas Houston

The first translations of words and sentences listed are those of Vyaas

These comments are from Pada (Chapter) 1 The Road to Samadhi, Bhakti Yoga
Or the Yoga of Loving Contemplation of God outside and inside of us.

Sutra 1
Yogas citta vrtti nirodhah

Translations of words:

Yogah yoga
Citta the field of conscioursness, the perceived
Vrtti mental activity, definitions (which limit/define)
Nirodhah the process of ending

“Yoga is the nirodha (process of ending) of the vrtti (definitions) of citta
(the field of consciousness).”

Comments:

There are also definitions which are unlimited (those of infinite numbers for
one instance, of God, and Christ…God being He who is self-
existent,omnipresence,omnipotent, omniscient…, for another). Andrew

“The mind is neither visible nor tangible…its magnitude cannot be measured.”
Swami Vishnu

‘Yoga is suppression of modifications of the mind” Swami Hariharananda

Awareness and faith are reflections of two truths.Truth is a heart that is
open and a mind which believes in what is right and good for us all. Andrew

Sutra 2
Tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam

Translations of words:
Tada then
Drastuh of the seer
Svarupe in essence, in (my) own nature
Avasthanam abidance, remaining

“Then, the abidance of (I) the seer (drastr) in (my) own nature (svarupa).”

Comments:

And, more importantly abidance in God’s nature inside of (me). Andrew

“If we are only who we are, then who are we? And, if I AM not who I am, then
who am I?” Traditional Jewish teaching



Sutra 12
Abhyasa-vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah

Translations of words:
Abhyasa practice, vigilance of awareness
Vairagyabhyam by non-attachment (and)
Tad- of those(vrtti-definitions of the field of consciousness)
Nirodhah restricting

The nirodha-ending of those (vrtti) occurs by abhyasa-practice
And varaggya-non-attachment.

Comments:
Also, it occurs meditation on Christ and God through prayer requesting help.
It also occurs through the denials and affirmations of self-realizing prayer,
which, when repeated faithfully with non-attachment to results disregarding
failures and despair that may arise inside of us and forgiving outward
opposition that may arise externally outside of us.

Sutra 13
Tatra sthitau yatno bhyasah

Translations of Words
Tatra there
Sthitau in remaining, steadiness
Yatnah effort, vigilance
Abhyasah practice

Abhyasa-practice is vigilance in remaining there, (as I, the see abiding in
my own nature, seeing, (sutra 3))

Comments:

“This sutra refers here to not only practice of Patanjali’s sutras but also
the practice of other metaphysical scientific and religious systems.” Swami
Vishnudevananda

Mindfulness and awareness can also be attained and sustained without effort,
when it is helped by God’s prevenient (which comes before things happen,
which alert us to them) grace. However, mindfulness must also be cultivated
by ourselves, first, developing the habits of living within ourselves (God
existing in us and we in Him). Andrew

This is the fundamental theological handbook for those who want to devote
themselves to the austerities of the study of the details of the metaphysics
of meditation on God (which transcend any particular religion). Also, she
leaves out translations of most of the very enlightening comments of the
Hindu sage Vyasa (these are available in English in the book by Swami
Hariharananda and also the book which she references in the Harvard Oriental
series by Dr. Houghton Woods). Nevertheless, by giving us a concise
translation of these important scriptures which are faithful to the original
Sanskrit she has done good. Thank you Dr. Miller for your scholarly work in
this area.

Article #382
Subject: Sutras 15-22
Author: DRAndrewWilliamHarrell
Posted: 10/21/2019 08:48:08 AM

Sutra 15

drstaanusravkka-visaya-vitrsnasya-vasikaara-sanjnaa vairagyam
driest- seen
anusravuja - heard especially from scripture
visaya object of sensory exprience
vitrslnasya non-thirst non-clinging
vasimkara mastery
sanjna full knowledge,declaration
vairaagyma non-attachment


"Vairagya is the declaration of mastery on the part of one who is without attachment to
(recreating) a physical mental experience, which has already been experienced or taken on authority
(heard)
translation to due Vyssadeva The Yoga Sutra Workbook


Comments by Andrew
In other words, once you have confessed your mistakes in trying to understand scripture and know you
won't make these same mistakes again, then once you pronounce this you will finally realize the correct
understanding you are trying to achieve
Sutra 17 tatparam purse-khyater guna -vaitrsnyam

tat that (vairagyam-non-attachment)
param higher
purusa true self, higher divine seer'
khyateh due to identity
guna primary force of creation
vaitrsnyam non-attachment


Translation by Vyasa

The higher vairagya-non-attachment is the non-cling to the guns(primary forces of
creation) due to identity with purse-the self.


Comments due to Andrew
This higher understanding you have now attained is the non-clinging to guns (primary forces of
creation) due to the identity now with the purse, the Self, you have now achieved.

Sutras 18, 19-20, 21

Sutra 18


Virama-pratyayabhysa-purvah samskara-seso nyah


Asamprajnata(not with seed) ( or better said samprajnata(with seed, then-nirodha seedless) Samadhi is
reached when all mental activity ceases and only unmanifested impressions remain remain in the mind.


There are seven stages of consciousness which lead to Self-Realization or a state of Enlightenment

1) Subhecha or longing for truth
2) Vicharana, or right inquiry
3) Tanumanasa or fading of the mind
4) Sattwapatti or purity of the mind
5) Asamsakti, detached or freedom of the mental self
6) Padarthabhanava or knowledge of Truth
7) Turiya –state of Englightenment or fullness of freedom from
Knowing “The Truth”

The first four stages are “Samprajnata Samadhi” or Samadhi with seed

The last three are “Samprajnata nirodhi’ or knowledge oriented toward Truth as knowledge of the
“objective universe”

Sutras 19-20

Bhava-pratyayo videha-prakritilayanam
Sraddha-virya-smrite-samadhi-prajnapurvaka itaresam.

(Asamprajnata or better said samprahnata-nirodha Samadhi) may be attained by birth in those who
have previously attained bodilessness or a merging with Prakritti (by meditating on the material
elements of the universe)


In the case of others, samprajnata-nirodha (knowledge oriented to the objective universe) is preceeded
by faith, energy, memory (recollection), Samadhi (cognitive absorption) and prajna (insight or keen
awareness).


It is reached when all mental activity ceases and only unmanifested impressions remain in the mind.
Translation by Swami Vishnu

Sutra 21
Tivra-samveganam asannah

“Liberation comes quickly when the desire for it is instense” – Swami Vishnu
“Samprajnat-nirodha is “arrived” in the case of those whose intensity is sharp or focused” Vyaas
Houston




Collection of teachings from the books of Swami Vishnu, Vyaas Houston, and and meditations of
Andrew





Sutras 22,23,24,25

Sutra 22. Mrdu-madhyadhimatravat tato ‘pi visesah

Desire for liberation can be mild; moderate or intense Swami Vishnu

Because of the degree of mild,moderate, or extreme frequency, thence there is
Also a difference (in nearness). Vyaas Houston’s notes


Sutra 23 Isvara=pranidhanad va

“Success is swift for those who are devoted to Ishwara (God) Swami Vishnu

Isvara or Ishvara is the four-dimensional Indian Yogi name for God indwelling us as individuals and
collectively and located in the human heart.
In this sense it corresponds to the Name of God YHWH as Lord in the Old Testament for Christian
Jewish contemplative Holy Spirit prayers. Andrew’s comments

Vyaas Houston’s notes:
Translations of some of the individual Sanskrit words in the sutra:

Is’vara The ultimate seer,knowere,teacher,presence, God
Pranidhaanaat surrender perfect alighning of attention

“Or, because of Is’vara-pranadhaana – the perfect aligning or attention in is’vara is the ultimate seer
(There is a difference in the nearness of the other nirodha.

Sutra 24. Klesa-karma-vipakasayair aparamrstah purusa-vises Is’varah

Swami Vishnu’s notes
Ishwara is the immortal Self, or Purusha, with form. He is perceived as a being, and yet He is totally
untouched by the ignorance of unhappiness, the law of cause and effect, and cravings For Him, the
opposites of the phenomenal world, such as pleasure and pain, do not exist.


Vyaas Houston’s notes:
Translations of some of the individual Sanskrit words in the sutra:

Klesa- root obstruction
Karma –action
Vioaaka result fruition, ripening
Aasayaih by the accumulation
Aparaamrrsstah untouched
Purusa –self
Vis’sesah distinction
Is’vara The ultimate knower

“Isvara is a distinction of purus-self, untouched by accumulations of the fruitions of karma-actions
(arising) frin jkesa-root obstructions (causes of pain)”

So, the Lord God, YHWH, our Father God and Creator, does incarnate as a Holy Spirit indwelling us as
the Spirit of Truth inside our individual human hearts
The Lord God Jesus Christ, YHWH Jesus, of course, does incarnate as a Holy Spirit indwelling us as the
Spirit of Truth inside our individual human hearts and does often feel pain as a Holy Spirit as we
experience and remember His death there on the cross as a substitute for ours, and then also as we
experience and remember after this His victory over death there on the cross

“Dying He destroys our dying, rising He brings new life again”… song sung in some Christina Churchs
along with comments and notes about this Good News by Andrew

Article #383
Subject: More thoughts on what the sutras say " is Prophetic Truth"
Author: DRAndrewWilliamHarrell
Posted: 10/27/2019 12:45:40 PM

Sutras 18, 19-20, 21

Sutra 18


Virama-pratyayabhysa-purvah samskara-seso nyah


Asamprajnata(not with seed) ( or better said samprajnata(with seed, then-nirodha seedless) Samadhi is
reached when all mental activity ceases and only unmanifested impressions remain remain in the mind.


There are seven stages of consciousness which lead to Self-Realization or a state of Enlightenment

1) Subhecha or longing for truth
As Christian Jews longing for truth we start off longing for
One Truth, that YHWH CHRIST as an Indwelling Holy Spirit in us.
2) Vicharana, or right inquiry
This, then branches off into Two Truths, which are reflections of each other, a Truth of mindfulness and
one of Faith, in YHWH YHWH as YHWH CHRIST,
3) Tanumanasa or fading of the mind
The next step is not an intellectual one, but an intuitive conceptual understanding of YHWH and YHWH
YHWH as CHRIST in you
4) Sattwapatti or purity of the mind
It does not occur in the past or the future.
5) Asamsakti, detached or freedom of the mental self
But, it occurs as an individual affirmation in the Present Moment
6) Padarthabhanava or knowledge of Truth
It is in this sense that we know that we do not know it, [the Truth], and therefore we are it [the Truth].
7) Turiya –state of Englightenment or fullness of freedom from
Knowing “The Truth”
Thus, knowing it this way, we know that we know it and its certain truthfulness is freedom from past or
future worries about its never going to happen..

The first four stages are “Samprajnata Samadhi” or Samadhi with seed

The last three are “Samprajnata nirodhi’ or knowledge oriented toward Truth as knowledge of the
“objective universe”

Sutras 19-20

Bhava-pratyayo videha-prakritilayanam
Sraddha-virya-smrite-samadhi-prajnapurvaka itaresam.

(Asamprajnata or better said sampragnata-nirodha Samadhi) may be attained by birth in those who
have previously attained bodilessness or a merging with Prakritti (by meditating on the material
elements of the universe)


In the case of others, samprajnata-nirodha (knowledge oriented to the objective universe) is preceeded
by faith, energy, memory (recollection), Samadhi (cognitive absorption) and prajna (insight or keen
awareness).


It is reached when all mental activity ceases and only unmanifested impressions remain in the mind.
Translation by Swami Vishnu

Article #384
Subject: Another seven-folds schemings of what Divine truth is
Author: DRAndrewWilliamHarrell
Posted: 10/30/2019 11:41:52 AM

According to another reference, BKS Iyengar's book "Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" these seven
stages, seven steps, in knowing "The Truth" can also be correlated with the 4 bodies and 3 mental
sheaths in seven worlds mentioned in the Mandukya Upanishad which explains how the Name of God,
the Divine Word OM is righteously manifested in right outward to inner, largest circle to smallest circe
Divine Order our mental prophetic contemplations.

1) Knowing yourself by saying the word "OM" and thinking along with physical material things in the
physical body, the "Annamaya Sheath"

2)Knwoing yourself by not-thinking or thinking along with the physiological bodies, sheath the
"Pranamaya Sheath"

3) Knowing yourself by saying the word "OM and not-thanking or thinking along with the psychological
bodies by, the "Manomaya Sheath"


4) Knowing yourself by thinking not-thinking along with the intellectual bodies the "Vijnanamaya
Sheath".

5) Knwoing yourself by saying the Divine word "OM" and not-thinking (accepting grace and reward)
along with the body of joy "Annamaya Sheath"


6) Knwoing yourself by not-thinking (accepting ideal and attainment) along with the body of
consciousness "Cittamaya Kosa or Sheath"

7) Knwoing yourself by not-thinking (accepting grace and reward) along with the body of the Self
"Atmanamaya Kosa or Sheath"

Article #413
Subject: key difference
Author: DRAndrewWilliamHarrell
Posted: 2/10/2023 03:43:12 PM

Bottom line, key difference from Patanjali’s Hindu Vedantic teachings and Christian Judaism is that

Patanjali teaches OM or AUM a mantra Shakti word to be Name of God. You

while I and a lot of us Christian Jews believe Name of God is YHWH both a Name having both

Presence and Power, mantra and individual Eternal and Non-Eternal location.

O Name of God YHWH YHWH, in whom soever Glorifies your Name in Him or Her is your, our Name

Glorified.

HOLY, HOLY,HOLY, You YHWH God and Jesus Christ are always the same by the Power of Your Name,

Merciful and Mighty, God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity