Patanjali Yoga Sutras: Contentment and Bliss - Patanjali Yoga Sutra 93
Title
Contentment and Bliss: Patanjali Yoga Sutra 93
Description:
"Experience the Supreme State of Bliss" is today's message from Patanjali Yoga Sutras no. 93, of Sadhana Pada, chapter 2 & 42nd verse. Paramahamsa Nithyananda, rare Avatar and Enlightened Master, continues to expound into newer and deeper interpretations of Yoga Sutras. "Santoshat Anuttamah Sukhalabah". The Master gave His direct meaning of this sutra which is the direct and straight way to Enlightenment, as "Through Contentment Supreme Ultimate Joy is Achieved".
Swamiji again and again emphasized that there is no shortcut or round about way to Enlightenment. There is only a simple, straight path. Sharing a very important truth for Sadhana (spiritual practice), He said, "Saadhana fails when you think path is round about. If you have over confidence path is short cut, you don't do Sadhana. That is the big problem. It is time we understand path is simple and straight. You just need to execute it".
He further exactly pin-pointed that the whole life we struggle with discontentment and now, when we practice contentment, our mind puts up 1 enemy. Revealing the deeper secrets of how the mind always is ready with only 1 enemy i.e. 1 thought, for example, we say, " I will be content if only I get more money" or "I will be content if only my pending work gets completed". By the time you finished the 2nd enemy, you forget that you have to practice contentment. You are out of the path. The capacity of our sincerity, Shraddha is only 1 thought. Then, when our contentment is lost, our mind is laughing at us. "Be very clear, for contentment you need not have too many enemies".
The Paramahamsa, then gave the ultimate technique to be in Santosha, contentment with an analogy of a snow cap mountain, Swamiji beautifully said: "Contentment is like a huge snowcapped mountain, glide and ski in that mountain. The moment you hit the ground or the rock or the floor -- go back! Now it is time no more skiing, moving, walking. Go back to the snow capped mountain. The moment you see you hit the ground, you are on the rough terrain, you are on the stone, on the sand, Decide -- NO. I am dropping everything. Get back to the contentment again. Take time off. Decide I am not interested in doing anything now. I am dropping everything and I am just getting back to the space of contentment. Your bio memory is responsible whenever you withdraw from your day to day responsibility, it feels threatened and goes back to the contentment feeling".
The main essence of Swamiji's message is, "Get back to your contentment for attaining the 'Sukha Labha', the ultimate joy. Just decide, I am content completely NOW. With that I will work. My life is going to be ONLY CONTENTMENT. Whenever this feeling is disturbed, I will throw everything away and get back to that feeling. Create Chaos in you. Just do a SELF-STRIKE, non-cooperation movement. Whenever you are discontent, drop everything. Naturally your bio memory will feel threatened now. Oh God, my life is going to be disrupted I cannot handle this -- my wife is going to question me, my family will suffer. Then naturally your mind will find some method, sutra, idea to get back to contentment and something will click in you. That is the only way to find a solution. More and more you try to keep your make up perfect, the more & more diseases are going inside. Instead churn the root of the disease, create chaos, and don't bother about the make up".
Swamiji concluded this powerful message giving an example of the young boy Nachiketa, who also had decided to directly go to Yama for his fulfillment. And stressed on the vow we must make courageously to experience Santosha, contentment, "Make contentment as the first vrata (vow) like a breathing -- I will be content only then I will do any activity further. Now I have to be established in contentment, only then I will do anything. Till then strike, break everything, break your regular life. Your whole identity will shiver and somehow will put in contentment. That contentment will never be taken away from you. Because even if your logic pushes you away, your bio memory will bring you back. Something will happen to you -- this is only called "Shraddha Vivecha". So don't allow discontentment to be part of your life and you running life normally".