Raja Yoga (the Yoga Sūtras with commentary) — trans. Swami Vivekananda (1896)
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The translator’s English as printed (Swami Vivekananda). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
When the Yogi makes a Samyama on his own Karma, upon those impressions in his mind which are now working, and those which are just waiting to work, he knows exactly by those that are waiting when his body will fall. He knows when he will die, at what hour, even at what minute. The Hindus think very much of that knowledge or consciousness of the nearness of death, because it is taught in the Gita that the thoughts at the moment of departure are great powers in determining the next life.
23. By making Samyama on friendship, etc., various strength comes.
24. By making Samyama on the strength of the elephant, etc., that strength comes to the Yogi.
When a Yogi has attained to this Samyama and wants strength, he makes a Samyama on the strength of the elephant, and gets it. Infinite energy is at the disposal of everyone, if he only knows how to get it. The Yogi has discovered the science of getting it.
25. By making Samyama on that effulgent light comes the knowledge of the fine, the obstructed, and the remote.
When the Yogi makes Samyama on that effulgent light in the heart he sees things which are very remote, things, for instance, that are happening in a distant1(^6 RAJA YOGA. place, and which are obstructed by mountain barriers, and also things which are very fine.
26. By making Samyama on the sun the knowledge of the worlds.
27. On the moon the knowledge of the clusters of stars.
28. On the pole star the motions of the stars.
29. On the navel circle the knowledge of the constitution of the body.
30. On the well of the throat cessation of hunger.
When a man is very hungry, if he can make Samyama on the pit of the throat hunger ceases.
31. On the nerve called Kurma fixity of the body.
When he is practising the body is not disturbed.
32. On the light from the top of the head sight of the Siddhas.
The Siddhas are beings who are a little above ghosts. When the Yogi concentrates his mind on the top of his head he will see these Siddhas. The word Siddha does not refer to those men who have become free — a sense in which it is often used.
33. Or by the power of Pratibha all knowledge.
All these can come without any Samyama to the man
^vho has the power of Pratibha (enlightenment from purity). This is when a man has risen to a high state of Pratibha ; then he has that great hght. All things are apparent to him. Everything comes to him naturally, without making Samyama or anything.
34. In the heart, knowledge of minds.
35. Enjoyment conies by the non-discrimination of the very distant soul and Sattva. Its actions are for another: Samyama on this gives knowledge of the Purusa.
This power of non-attachment acquired through purity gives the Yogi the enlightenment called Pratibha.
36. From that arises the knowledge of hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, and smelling, belonging to Pratibha.
37. These are obstacles to Samadhi ; but they are powers in the worldly state.
If the Yogi knows all these enjoyments of the world it comes by the junction of the Purusa and the mind. If he wants to make Samyama on this, that they are two different things, nature and soul, he gets knowledge of the Purusa. From that arises discrimination. When he has got that discrimination he gets the Pratibha, the light of supreme genius. These powers, however, are obstructions to the attainment of the highest goal, the knowledge of the pure Self, and freedom ; these are, as igS RAJA YOGA.
it were, to be met in the way, and, if the Yogi rejects them, he attains the highest. If he is tempted to acquire these, his farther progress is barred.
38. When the cause of bondage has become loosened, the Yogi, by his knowledge of manifestation through the organs, enters another's body.
The Yogi can enter a dead body, and make it get up and move, even while he himself is working in another body. Or he can enter a living body, and hold that man's mind and organs in check, and for the time being act through the body of that man. That is done by the Yogi coming to this discrimination of Purusa and nature. If he wants to enter another's body he makes a Samyama on that body and enters it, because, not only is his Soul omnipresent, but his mind also, according to the Yogi. It is one bit of the universal mind. Now, however, it can only work through the nerve currents in this body, but when the Yogi has loosened himself from these nerve currents, he will be able to work through other things.