BLUFF OF CONTROLLING THE ELEMENTS AND THE SENSES

BLUFF OF CONTROLLING THE ELEMENTS AND THE SENSES
SUTRA (III-44 TO 48) – MIRACLES OF YOG
VERSUS THE BLUFFS OF YOGA
ALL THE BLUFF – CALL THE BLUFF

PUNCHLINE

Imagine if an ordinary human being had the following!
• If he could make it rain or stop at will so that there are no droughts or floods
• If he could control and adjust the temperature, pressure in and around his body at will so that no harm ever comes to him.
• If he could increase or decrease the size of his body at will to suit the need and environment.
• If he could make his body also as swift in movements as his mind.

• If not above then if he could only be made to believe that such a man existed and can exist any time and he is called YOGI. All that is supposed to be done to achieve these miracles is to sit in an idle pose and keep meditating on achieving these powers or indulge in sacrifices to please the spirits who in turn will come under his control and make them do whatever such a practitioner desires.

BLUFF OF POSSESSING THE ABILITY OF HAVING CONTROL OVER THE ELEMENTS AND THE SENSES

Patanjali sutras quoted as authority for spreading these bluff are as under:

(III-44) STHULSWARUP SUKSHAMANVYAARTHVATTVA (first part) SANYAMAD (second part) BHOOTJAYA (third part)
(III-44) स्थूलस्वरूप सूक्ष्मान्व्यार्थवत्त्वसंयमाद भूतजयः
The power of controlling the spirits or natural elements is achieved by a YOGI by meditating on the various attributes like appearance (STHULस्थूल), constituents (SWROOP स्वरूप), minute (SUKSHM सूक्ष्म), functions of the constituents (ANVYA अन्वय) and purpose (ARTHVATTVA अर्थवत्त्व).

(III-45) TATO ANIMADI PRADURBHAVAH KAYSAMPATTAD DHARMANABHIGHATASHCH (extension of third part of sutra 44)
(III-45) ततोऽणिमादिप्रादुर्भावः कायसम्पत्तद्धर्माऽनभिघातश्च
Such an achievement will lead to the ability of making human body minute or gigantic in size etc. without damaging the functions of the body. The word KAYASAMPATTAD (कायसम्पत्त) in the above sutra meaning the attributes of a physical body has been explained to consist the following in the next sutra.

(III-46) RUPLAVANYABALVAJRASAHNANATVANI KAYASAMPAT (extension of third part of sutra 44)
(III-46) रूपलावण्यबलवज्रसंहननत्वानि कायसम्पत्
The attributes are beauty, grace, physical prowess and impregnable frame.

(III-47) GRAHANSWRUPA ASMITA ANVYA ARTHVATVA (first part) SANYAMADI (second part) INDRIYA JAYAH (third part)
(III-47) ग्रहणस्वरूपाऽस्मिताऽ न्व्यार्थवत्त्वसंयमादिन्द्रियजयः
Similarly the power of having full control over the senses is achieved by a YOGI by meditating on the various attributes like acceptance (GRAHAN ग्रहण), constituents (SWROOP स्वरूप), ego sense (ASMITA अस्मिता), functions of the constituents (ANVYA अन्वय) and purpose (ARTHVATTVA अर्थवत्त्व).

(III-48) TATO MANOJVITTAVAM VIKRANBHAV PRADHAN JAYASHCH
(III-48) ततो मनोजवित्त्वं विकरण भावः प्रधानजयश्च
Such an achievement will lead to making a human body acquire the speed of mind, ability to do all the functions of the body without the body and controlling those entire actions of nature that can cause damage


BUT PATANJALI NEVER MEANT AS ABOVE

Patanjali has already introduced the concept of VRITTIS वृत्ति present in nature in sutra III-43 and addresses it as MAHAVIDEHA (महाविदेहा) as compared to the VRITTIS of the human body in sutra I-5 Now he is explaining:
a) the methodology of studying these VRITTIS under five groups (JATI जाति) in sutra III- 44
b) finding out the influence of these VRITTIS on human body by studying the VRITTIS of SENSES under five groups (JATI जाति) in sutra III-47

METHODOLOGY OF STUDYING

For a) above the five groups are as under:

• STHUL (स्थूल) – appearance , solid, visible, form, concrete
• SWROOP (स्वरूप) – structure , constituents
• SUKSHM (सूक्ष्म) – abstract , minute, invisible, formless
• ANVYA (अन्वय) – logical connection, etymological connection among properties emanating from SAT,RAJ and TAM (सत, रज, तम) aspects, functions of the constituents
• ARTHVATTVA (अर्थवत्त्व) – purpose

FINDING OUT THE INFLUENCE ON HUMAN BODY

For b) above the five groups are as under:

• GRAHAN (ग्रहण) – perceptibility, capability to receive, acceptance, tendency, programmed behaviour, sensitivity etc.
• SWROOP (स्वरूप) – structure, constituents
• ASMITA (अस्मिता) – ego sense
• ANVYA (अन्वय ) – functions of the constituents
• ARTHVATTVA (अर्थवत्त्व) – purpose

ANALYSIS OF PATANJALI’S EXPLANATION

It is a very significant method of studying VRITTIS (वृत्ति) in groups that has been reinforced here. Earlier it is in sutra I-5 wherein the VRITTIS of the entire human body have been advised to be studied under five groups. Now only the SENSES of a human body have been advised to be studied under five different groups. Therefore, this is also an indication that these groups are not the end all - the only groups under which the VRITTIS can be studied. These appear to be need based. Since the need here is to find out the influence of natural elements on human body and as this can be appreciated best by the SENSES only; hence only those groups of VRITTIS have been recommended that help in appreciation. For example, if the interest is to find out the effect of natural elements on my SENSE OF TOUCH, I must concentrate on some part of skin that is the subject of research, its constituting VRITTIS (SWROOP स्वरूप), their functions (ANVYA अन्वय), their purpose (ARTHVATTVA अर्थवत्त्व), their sensitivity (GRAHAN ग्रहण) and the effect of the VRITTIS of ego sense (ASMITA अस्मिता – studied separately as per sutra I-5) on these VRITTIS. It not only indicates the suggestion of the groups under which the millions of VRITTIS have been placed but also defines the various areas of study for a particular VRITTI that has been chosen as an area of research. For example in sutra III-44, it is amply clear that if the interest is about finding out about the five natural elements then its concrete STHUL (स्थूल), and invisible SUKSHM (सूक्ष्म) constituents SWROOP (स्वरूप) and their functions ANVYA (अन्वय) and their purpose ARTHVATTVA (अर्थवत्त्व) must be found out about each element. In other words each VRITTI has got a definite structure (SWROOP स्वरूप) that is made up of concrete (STHUL स्थूल) as well as abstract (SUKSHM (सूक्ष्म) parts with definite functions (ANVYA (अन्वय) and definite purpose (ARTHVATTVA अर्थवत्त्व).