CHAPTER 4
Kaivalya-Pada
Freedom
In this Chapter Patanjali talks about the way to reach Freedom by transcending fundamental qualities of nature and talks about the nature of pure soul awareness.
4.1 janma-osadhi-mantra-tapas-samadhi-jah siddhayah ॥1॥
janma = birth
ausadhi = herbs
mantra = sound vibrations
tapah = training the senses, austerities
samadhi = entasy, deep concentration, oneness
jah= born
siddhayah = attainments, powers, perfections
Powers are gained by birth, by herbs, words of power, intense desire or by meditation.
4.2 jaty-antara-parinamah prakrty-apurat ॥2॥
jati=birth
antara=other
parinamah = transition
prakrty = creative cause
apurat = by the inflow
The transition to another birth takes place by the filling in of nature.
4.3 nimittam-aprayojakam prakrtinam-varana-bhedastu tatah ksetrikavat ॥3॥
nimittam = incidental cause
aprayojakam = which do not bring to action
prakrtinam= creative cause
varana = obstacles
bhedas = breaking through
tu = but
tatah = that
ksetrikavat = like a farmer
The transformation into this form is not the true cause but they serve to remove obstacles, just as the farmer prepares his ground for sowing.
4.4 nirmana-chittany-asmita-matrat ॥4॥
nirmana = produced, created, constructed
chittani = minds, fields of consciousness
asmita = I-ness
matrat= alone, individuality
The sense of I-ness is created from the mind stuff.
4.5 pravrtti-bhede prayojakam chittam-ekam-anekesam ॥5॥
pravrtti = activity,
bhede = difference, distinction
prayojakam = causing, directing
chitta = mind field
eka = one
anekesam= other, many, numerous
Consciousness is one, yet produces various numerous forms.
4.6 tatra dhyanajam-anasayam ॥6॥
tatra = of these
dhyana = meditation
jam = born
anasayam = without stored impressions
Of these various mind fields, the one which results from meditation is only free from stored impressions.
4.7 karma-asukla-akrsnam yoginah trividham-itaresam ॥7॥
karma = actions stemming from the deep impressions of samskaras
asukla = not white
akrsnam = nor black
yoginah = of a yogi
trividham = threefold
itaresam = of the others
A Yogi’s actions are neither white nor black, but others have actions that are threefold.
4.8 tatah tad-vipaka-anugnanam-eva-abhivyaktih vasananam ॥8॥
tatah = from that, thence
tad = that, their
vipaka = fruition
anugnanam = following, corresponding to
eva = only
abhivyaktih = manifest
vasananam = latent potencies, subliminal imprints
These three kinds of acions are the manifestation of desires or tendencies.
4.9 jati desa kala vyavahitanam-apy-antaryam smrti-samskarayoh ekarupatvat ॥9॥
jati = type of existence, state of life
desa = of locality, space
kala= of time, moment, point
vyavahitanam = being distinct, separated
api = even, although
antaryam = uninterrupted sequence
smrti = of memory
samskarayoh = deep impressions, imprints in the unconscious
ekarupatvat = because of their sameness, similarity
Since memory and impressions are of a piece, there is an uninterrupted sequence of these across the demarcation of birth, place and time.
4.10 tasam-anaditvam chasiso nityatvat ॥10॥
tasam = for these
anaditvam = no beginning
cha = and
asisah = will to live, desire for life
nityatvat = eternal, permanent
These desires are eternal because the will to live is eternal.
4.11 hetu-phala-asraya-alambanaih-samgrhitatvat-esam-abhave-tad-abhavah ॥11॥
hetu = cause
phala = motive
asraya = substratum
alambanaih = object resting upon
samgrhitatvat = held together
esam = of these
abhave = on the disappearance of
tad = them
abhavah = disappearance
Since the impressions are held together by cause, effect, basis and object, they disappear when those impression disappear.
4.12 atita-anagatam svarupato-sti-adhvabhedad dharmanam ॥12॥
atita = past
anagatam = future
svarupatah = in reality, in its own form
asti = exist
adhva = of the paths, conditions
bhedat= being a difference
dharmanam= characteristics, forms
The past and the future exist in its fundamental form, being different, because of having different forms or characteristics.
4.13 te vyakta-suksmah guna-atmanah ॥13॥
te = they, these
vyakta = manifest
suksmah = subtle
guna = elements, prime qualities, constituents, attributes
atmanah = the nature of, composed of
These manifest as the subtle qualities of nature.
4.14 parinama-ikatvat vastu-tattvam ॥14॥
parinama= of change, transformation, result
ekatva = due to oneness, uniformity, sameness
vastu = a reality, real object
tattvam = essence, reality, that-ness
The unity in objects is due to unity in changes.
4.15 vastusamye chitta-bhedat-tayorvibhaktah panthah ॥15॥
vastu = a reality, real object
samye = sameness
chitta = minds, of the consciousness of the mind-field
bhedat= diversity
tayoh = their, of the two
vibhaktah = separation, division
panthah = paths, levels of being
The objects being the same there is a difference of awareness in regard to the object because of the different paths of perception of different minds.
4.16 na chaika-chitta-tantram cedvastu tad-apramanakam tada kim syat ॥16॥
na = not
cha = and
eka = one, single
chitta=mind, consciousness
tantram = dependent
ched = if
vastu = a reality, real object
tad = that
apramanakam = not cognized
tada = then
kim = what
syat = exists, becomes
But the object does not depend on any one mind, if it were what would happen if it was cognised by that mind?.
4.17 tad-uparaga-apeksitvat chittasya vastu-jnatajnatam ॥17॥
tad = that, these
uparaga = coloring, conditioning
apeksitva = due to need
chittasya = of the mind
vastu = a reality, real object
jnata = known
ajnatam = unknown
An object is known to the mind only if its colored otherwise its not known.
4.18 sadajnatah chitta-vrttayah tat-prabhoh purusasya-aparinamitvat ॥18॥
sada = always
jnatah = are known
chitta = of the mind, consciousness
vrttayah = operations, activities, fluctuations, modifications
tat = their, that
prabhoh = master, superior
purusasya = pure consciousness
aparinamitvat = changelessness, immutable
The mind is changeless and is the master of consciousness.
4.19 na tat-svabhasam drsyatvat ॥19॥
na = is not
tat = that, these
svabhasam = self illuminating
drsyatvat= knowability
The mind is not self-luminous being an object.
4.20 eka samaye cobhaya-an-avadharanam ॥20॥
eka=one
samaye=circumstance
ca= and, nor
ubhaye = both
avadharanam = cannot be cognized
The mind and its object cannot be perceived simultaneously.
4.21 chittantara drsye buddhi-buddheh atiprasangah smrti-sankaras-cha ॥21॥
chitta = of the mind, of the consciousness of the mind-field
antara = another
drsye = seen, perceived
buddhi=cognition, perception
buddheh=cognition, perception
atiprasangah = endless, abundance
smrti= memory, remembering
sankaras = confusion
cha = and
If the mind was to be both the perceived and the perceiver at the same time there would be a case of cognition of cognition with no end and there would be confusion of memories.
4.22 chiter-aprati-samkramayah tad-akara-apattau svabuddhi sam-vedanam ॥22॥
chitteh = of the mind, consciousness
aprati-samkramayah = unchanging
tad = that
akara = form
apattau = assumed, transformed into
sva = own
buddhi = knowing, knower
sam-vedanam= knows, identifies
Pure awareness is which is changeless and non-moving, its form having established its own intelligence and knowing.
4.23 drastr-drsy-opa-raktam chittam sarva-artham ॥23॥
drastri = seer
drsya = seen
uparaktam = colored
chittam = of the mind
sarva=all
artham=meaning
Colored by the seer and seen mind becomes all knowing.
4.24 tad-asankhyeya vasanabhih citram-api parartham samhatya-karitvat ॥24॥
tad = that
asankhyeya = countless
vasanabhih= latent potencies, potentials
citram =spotted
api = though, also
parartham = for another
samhatya = in combination with
karitvat = action
The mind through its innumerable desires, impressions acts for another being combinations.
4.25 visesa-darsinah atmabhava-bhavana-nivrttih ॥25॥
visesa = distinction
darsinah = of one who sees
atma = Self
bhava = in the nature of
bhavana = projection, feeling, reflection
vinivrttih = complete cessation
For one who sees the distinction between seer and mind, the curiosity of nature of the self comes to an end.
4.26 tada viveka-nimnam kaivalya-prag-bharam chittam ॥26॥
tada = then
viveka = discrimination
nimnam = incline towards
kaivalya = liberation, independence from
prag=before
bharam = load
chittam = of the mind, consciousness
The mind is then inclined towards this discrimination and one achieves liberation.
4.27 tac-chidresu pratyaya-antarani samskarebhyah ॥27॥
tachchhidresu = in the intervals, breaks
pratyaya = the cause, the feeling, causal or cognitive principle
antarani = other
samskarebhyah = deep impressions, imprints in the unconscious, latent impression
When there are any gaps in this discrimination, other thoughts arise from the latent impressions.
4.28 hanam-esam klesavad-uktam ॥28॥
hanam = removal
esam = their
klesavad= like the previous colorings
uktam = as has been described
The removal of these distracting thoughts is the same way like the previous coloring were removed as said before.
4.29 prasamkhyane-py-akusidasya sarvatha vivekakhyateh dharma-meghas-samadhih ॥29॥
prasamkhyane = highest knowledge, omniscience
api = even
akusidasya = having no interest remaining
sarvatha = constant, in every way
viveka-khyateh = discriminative knowledge
dharma-meghah= rain cloud of virtues
samadhih = oneness, entasy, deep concentration
When there is non-attachment even to this omniscience that discrimination brings about samadhi which brings a lot of virtues like rain cloud of virtues.
4.30 tatah klesa-karma-nivrttih ॥30॥
tatah = thereafter
klesa = colored, painful
karma = actions stemming from the deep impressions of samskaras
nivrttih= cease, discontinue
Thereafter comes cessation of pains and the effects of actions.
4.31 tada sarva-avarana-malapetasya jnanasya-anantyat jneyamalpam ॥31॥
tada = then
sarva = all
avarana= veils, coverings
mala = imperfections
apetasya = removed
jnanasya = knowledge
anantyat = infinite
jneyam = to be known
alpam = little, almost nothing
Then by removing all the veil, imperfection insight is boundless with little left to know.
4.32 tatah krtarthanam parinama-krama-samaptir-gunanam ॥32॥
tatah = then, by that
krta = fulfilled
arthanam= purpose
parinama = transition, transformation, mutative effect, alteration
krama = sequence, succession, order
samaptih = terminate, end
gunanam = elements, prime qualities, constituents
Then successive transformation of qualities comes to an end thus fulfilling its purpose.
4.33 ksana-pratiyogi parinama-aparanta nirgrahyah kramah ॥33॥
ksana = moments
pratiyogi = uninterrupted succession
parinama = transition, transformation
aparanta = end point, at the end
nirgrahyah = recognizable, apprehensible
kramah = succession, process
The uninterrupted succession of moments corresponds to moments of time and is recognised at the end point of succession. That is the successive flow is actually a sequence of discrete events, each corresponding to the merest instant of time, in which one form becomes another.
4.34 purusa-artha-sunyanam gunanam-pratiprasavah kaivalyam svarupa-pratistha va chitisaktiriti ॥34॥
purusa = pure consciousness, Self
artha = purpose, meaning
sunyanam = devoid
gunanam = elements, prime qualities, constituents
pratiprasavah = involution, resolve
kaivalyam = absolute freedom, liberation
svarupa = own form
pratistha = established
va = or
chiti = consciousness
sakteh = power
iti = the end, finis, that is all
Liberation comes by transcending the fundamental qualities of nature-that is the three gunas-sattva(light, bliss, goodness), rajas(passion, motion) and tamas(inertia, darkness), where pure consciousness is established in its real nature that is all.