Patanjali Yoga Sutra - Dharana Part 2

Patanjali Yoga Sutra

Dharana - Part 2

Discourses by Sadguru Prabhuji

Published by Light of the Self Foundation

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Patanjali Yoga Sutra - Dharana Part 2

Patanjali Yoga Sutra Dharana Chapter 3 Sutra 1 16 October, 2012 My humble pranams to all Atmajyothis, the Divine lights of the Self. Today, let us contemplate on Dharana from third chapter of Patanjali Yoga Sutras also known as Samadhi Padha. From Pratyahara one grows into Dharana. As mentioned earlier, yoga can be considered as eight steps or eight limbs. From Pratyahara growing into Dharana is considered lowering of a being or progressive unfolding of enlightenment. dea-bandhaha cittasya dhran ||1|| Fixing the mind on an object is called Dharana. Dharana is a natural progression from Pratyahara which is withdrawal of senses. The attention span of most people today is very less; the mind jumps hither thither, from one object to another. Over a period of time, the attention span has become short due to its exposure to mass media like television, internet etc. Advertisers have studied the nature of human mind and its attention span and decided on the time interval at which commercials should be aired during a TV show. While watching a show on TV, the mind starts wandering after a certain time and commercials are aired around that time to capture the attention of viewers. This is the era of people with very short attention span making it very dificult to have engaged audience. People are bombarded with information because of which they are attention deicit, but one who has mastered Pratyahara has mastered the sense organs. Sense organs obey the mind, once the mind has become calmer, puriied, and have settled in the Self and had a glimpse of true nature of the Self. When the puriied intellect becomes the real master, ones mind is able to ix its attention on an object for contemplation. This ability is to be cultivated as it is required and has two fold beneit of success in life and spiritual evolution. To be successful in life, one needs to be able to hold on to an idea, concept and work on that with deep interest without which one cannot focus on the same. When the mind is settled in the self, had a glimpse of the Self, great happiness and bliss is experienced by the mind and when that happens ones mind is calm, controlled and focussed. Let us take the example of sunlight, the sunlight doesn't have the ability to burn paper, but when the sunlight is focussed through a glass lens into a beam, it can burn the paper. Similarly, a calm and collected mind can be focussed like a beam on an object and gain clear understanding of all aspects of the object. If such a person focuses on any subject he can gain mastery over that subject. and when he applies that Dharana for enlightenment, he can focus on an object, a concept, an idea, hold on to that until the inner truth is revealed. The movement of awareness, from gross to subtle to causal and inally to the transcendental, requires a very reined and collected mind. A Yogi attains this ability as a part of progressive lowering of enlightenment. This is called Dharana.

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