Vibhūti Pāda

On Slipping into Samādhi

3.1 Deśa-bandha-cittasya dhāraṇā

देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा

Binding or confining (bandha) of the mindspace (citta) to a particular space (desa) is Dhāranā.

In meditation we focus on a place in the body, and keep it focused as best as possible, e.g.

• an image arising in the middle of the forehead

• the feeling of breath in the nostrils

• a glow of light in the navel

etc.

3.2 Tatra pratyaya-ekatānatā dhyānam

तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्

Dhyāna is when the mechanism of Thinking (pratyaya) is made one-pointed (eka-tānatā) in that (tatra) place.

In meditation we are distracted at times, out of the space we are focused on, so we return from the distraction back to confining the mind to placing its object on the particular place.

The continual effort to bring the mind back to its focus is Dhyāna.

3.3 Tat-eva-artha-mātra nirbhāsaṃ svarūpa-śūnyam-eva samādhi:

तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधिः

This is very similar to:

1.43 Smriti pari-shuddhau swaroopa-shoonya-eva artha-mātra nirbhāsā nirvitarkā - which speaks of a type of samādhi without debating/conflict (tarka)

The grammatical usage of the words is different and therein lies the difference.

Essentially, when only the object shines forth and the self is dissolved this is samādhi.

3.4 Trayam-ekatra saṃyama:

त्रयमेकत्र संयमः

The three (trayam) gathered together (ekatra) is samyama

Look at an object in multiple ways continually this makes it fully understandable.

Samyama is to be taken as a way meditate thoroughly, systematically - and most importantly, holistically.

3.5 Tat-jayāt prajnya-āloka:

तज्जयात्प्रज्ञालोकः 

Born from (jayāt) that (tat) (samyama practice) essential knowledge (prajnya) of the divine realm (āloka:)

The prefix ā usually indicates like in ākāsh, āshram, etc. some higher source.

When we do the three-part samyama practice we are now situated in Deva-loka, the realm of the gods who have magical powers in the sense of transcending space-time, because the material world is actually made of the psyche of Prakriti, and now we are in deep touch with it.