Patanjali Yoga Sutra
Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.
Chapter 1, Sutra 7
Ptatyaksa-Anuman-Agamah-Pramanani
Perception, Inference and Testimony Constitute the
Pramanas.
Pratyaksa : direct perception
Anuman : inference
Agamah : testimony ;authority
Pramanani : valid means of knowing.
This sutra deals with right
knowledge – Pramana. This is very
necessary in our life. It is a very clear and correct kind of knowledge. The
problem is that we don’t have such knowledge. We are full of wrong knowledge
and so the mistakes and so the pain. The simple suggestion is that our
perception should be such that it shows us the momentariness of things – things
that are continuously changing. Still that does not lead to the attitude of
disinterest. Knowing things as momentary, we still hang on to them and that
happens to anything and everything in life – whether it is money or
individuals. We know that they are going to go, that they are momentary, but we
don’t deal with it that way. We take that everything will remain permanent. We
are so attached and so we are unhappy.
Vairagya is very much required – a kind of a detachment,
objectivity, which is lacking. A villager took his son to a surgeon. The son
had some obstruction in the nose and breathing problems. The surgeon advised
operation in the nose. The father was standing there. The son was put on the
operation table. The surgeon got out his knife. When the father saw the knife,
he fainted. He could not stand watching the knife being used on his son. This
is the kind of problem we have. We are not able to understand things. We get a suggestion
to be detached and that terrifies us and our life is full of pain.
These things happen at our Institute
also. An executive of a big organization came to learn in the 7 months teachers’
training course. He was a very nice person, strong, tall, well built. He stood
watching as Jalneti being taught. He
was apprehensive that when his turn will come, the water will enter the nose
and he had a fear that the water will enter the brain. It so happened that he
actually fell down and fainted. We revived him. We asked him, what happened? He
said, “I will never do Jalneti, the water will go in the brain and the brain
will get damaged.” He had his own ideas. Our perception and our imagination
play havoc. The facts are not understood.
Pratyaksa is
what we have experienced through our senses. Is that taking you to a better
state, Aklista state or Klista state? Is your attachment
increasing, ego increasing? Then despite Pratyaksa,
it should be removed. Consciously increase Aklista
tendencies. When Buddha saw a dead body, when he saw a sick person, he didn’t
get attached to the world. He wanted to understand life. If we are getting
entangled in the world, then don’t believe in the Pratyaksa. Develop Aklista
tendencies. Anuman is inference.
There are too many clouds so it will rain heavily. You can take it negatively
(there will be flood) or positively (the weather will become pleasant). Agama is what the scriptures are
telling, what wise people are telling you. These things should to be accepted
and we should follow them. We don’t have to doubt them. One shouldn’t have ego
of knowing the scriptures.
About Parisamvad
On every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz holds Parisamvad sessions - Free interactive sessions that are open to all. These session begin at 7:20 am and end around 7:45 am.
The Friday Parisamvad is dedicated to explanation of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by our esteemed Gurus, Dr. Jayadeva and Smt. Hansaji.
