Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated by Yogi Kalinath - Chapter 3, Verse 43

Pada 3, Sutra 43

Sanskrit Verse

Bahir akalpitaa vrttir mahaa-videhaa tatah prakaashaavarana-ksayah

Translation

By constraint on the disembodied state, where consciousness acts outside of the body, the veil covering the Light of the Self is dispersed.

Interpretation

Consciousness is all pervasive and takes a form in order to know itself as Consciousness. The famous spiritual giant Shri Paramhansa Yogananda used to say: ‘God sleeps in rocks, wakes up in plants, moves in animals and thinks in man’. The constriction and restriction of form allows Consciousness to focus upon itself and reveal to itself its Own and True Nature as Consciousness. Another way that Consciousness embodied in the human form can know itself as Consciousness being the Light of the Self is to separate itself from its body covering. When Consciousness acts outside of the body, the veil (not only physical but also of the mind fluctuations) covering the Light of the Self is dispersed. Then one is no longer limited by body, senses or mind and experiences its Universal Nature.

Reflection

The imagination is the bridge between the world of appearances and the formless. Once we have sufficiently exercised our imagination by constraint, it is possible to cross the bridge into the formless without it.

When our surrender and absorption in the formless is complete then the Light of Atman (the Wave of Consciousness) and Brahman (the Ocean of Consciousness) is revealed.