śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām
śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvakaḥ itareṣām
“For others, [nirodha] is preceded by faith, strength, memory, absorption, and insight.”
Mr. Iyengar has described śraddhā-vīrya-smŗti-samādhi-prajñā as the “vitamins of yoga.” They are vital sustenance to the seeker. All these–faith, strength, memory, absorption, insight–might be considered either results of practice or indeed goals of yoga. Yet here they are not endpoints but means. Patañjali seems to suggest that the end is the way, and the way is the end.
Neither faith nor strength, in my experience, are constants. And many commentators write that the experience of absorption, or deep, discriminating insight, may be experienced and then may pass. Patañjali prompts us to ask what sustains us.
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“The attitude of the aspirant is like that of a lover ever yearning to meet the beloved but never giving way to despair. Hope should be his shield and courage his sword.” –B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Yoga, p. 25
“Faith is surely not blind belief. It is a sensitive response to the intimations of the Unknown. It has no relevance with regard to the known. It awakens only when the whisper of the Unknown is heard. The whisper of the Unknown can be heard only when the mind is completely silent—not superficially but deeply silent.” –Rohit Mehta, Yoga, the Art of Integration, p. 42
“The word śraddhā means ‘faith in God’ and also ‘self-confidence’—in anybody else or simply in life. The loving confidence that parents create enourages a child to become confident, courageous, and full of energy to act.” –Bernard Bouanchaud, The Essence of Yoga, p. 29
Questions:
• How is faith or trust active in your practice? How does practice affect your feelings of faith or trust? Is love an element of faith?
• The English word confidence literally means “with faith.” What brings you confidence in practice? How does practice affect your self-confidence?
• Has your practice brought you strength? Courage? Has this made a difference in your life? In what ways do you consider these important qualities on your spiritual path?
• What is a non-afflicting use of the vṛtti of memory?
• Have you had an experience of absorption or insight that sustains you? Have you heard “a whisper of the Unknown”?
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śraddhā- |
feminine noun in compound |
trust, faith (from śraddhā, “to believe”) |
|
vīrya- |
neuter noun in compound |
valor, heroism (from vīraḥ, “hero,” + -ya, suffix that makes abstract noun) |
| smṛti- |
feminine noun in compound |
memory (from smṛ, “to remember”) |
|
samādhi-
|
masculine noun in compound |
absorption (from sam-, “with,” + ā, “towards,” + dhā, “to place, to hold”) |
|
prajñā-
|
feminine noun in compound |
knowledge, wisdom (from pra-, carries with it a sense of auspiciousness, completeness, + jñā, “to know”) |
|
pūrvakaḥ |
masculine adjective, 1st case singular |
preceded by (describes a masculine subject that is understood, could be nirodha, the “other” nirodha, asamprajñāta samādhi) |
|
itareṣām |
noun, 6th case plural |
of the others |