Yoga-Darsana: Sutras with the Commentary of Vyasa

regarding Unconscious Meditation original: "Asamprajnata Samadhi," a state of deep absorption where the distinction between the meditator and the object of meditation disappears. But even though the practitioner is not sufficiently energetic, if he is devoted to God, he obtains the same results. ‘Devotion to God’ is a very potent factor in this, inasmuch as it puts an effective end to all evils that impede the progress of meditation. The Meditation of Becoming original: "Bhavapratyaya" is that which is accomplished during the present life, but by force of practices carried on during preceding lives. This belongs to such persons as are either ‘Bodiless Beings’ original: "Videhas"—that is, beings such as the Golden Womb original: "Hiranyagarbha," the first manifestation of the creative principle and the like, who carry on all their functions by means of the subtle body, and do not need the gross physical body—or ‘Those Merged in Nature’ original: "Prakritilayas", or those who have attained to the position of the godhead after having worked up their way through the several ‘coverings’ or ‘obstacles’ to their upward progress, in the shape of Nature and its modifications. As this passage upward cannot be completed in only one life, it is not possible in the case of Conscious Meditation original: "Samprajnata Samadhi", which must come about as soon as its details have been fulfilled—after which there is nothing to delay the accomplishment of the meditation; all this therefore being finished in a single life. It is for this reason that Conscious Meditation has not been divided into Meditation by Effort original: "Upayapratyaya" and Meditation of Becoming: it is always Meditation by Effort.

Though Unconscious Meditation is of the form of Inhibition the suppression of mental fluctuations, yet, while being practised, it develops in due course fresh powers and faculties at each step; and through these the Meditation develops itself in due time; as each faculty appears it reduces the force of opposing faculties tending to retard the required Inhibition of Mind, until true knowledge is finally attained. Thus it is that in the final stage of Unconscious Meditation all contending forces and faculties are laid at rest, and all evils having ceased, there remains no force in the opposing Accumulated Fate original: "Prarabdha Karma," the portion of past actions currently bearing fruit in this life of the aspirant. The mind thus having all its functions duly performed and inhibited, melts away along with all its products, into its source.