Patanjali Yoga Sutra 47-48

Intelligence shines with consciousness

Nirvichara Vaisharadye Adhyatma Prasadaha

Ritambhara Tatra Pragnya

When an individual becomes proficient in this state

of being where there are no thoughts to deflect the consciousness, he or she naturally becomes an expression of the stillness of the soul. Consciousness is like the sky, well almost. We are that consciousness. When a thought passes by like a cloud, we, who are actually the sky, forget the fact and begin riding on a limited thought or thoughts. When the time of the thought ends, we awaken to the reality that we are the sky and not the cloud.

For one who has managed to identify himself as the sky, then the consciousness distributes itself to all around, usurping the place of the human ego.

Bearing the truth fully and becoming the truth in this manner, the intellect gets firmly rooted and completely identified with this consciousness. - Swahilya Shambhavi. Pic: Deoria Tal.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra - 44

Savichara Nirvichara Samadhi

Eta yaiva Savichara Nirvichara cha Sukshma Vishaya Vyakhyata

All this while, Patanjali explained about the different states of Samadhi born out of meditating on a form with a definition and a name. Now, he speaks of a state of absorption by mere contemplation on a formless idea such as love, universe, cosmos or consciousness called Savichara Samadhi and a state of Nirvichara Samadhi where the mind is absorbed in consciousness without even holding on to or contemplating about an idea or abstract concepts. In this manner, the contemplation shifts from a gross form to a subtle dimension. - Swahilya Shambhavi. (Pic. The reflection of mountain peaks and the trees around the Deoria Tal Lake at Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag District. An arduous trek took me up to the lake. As I was contemplating in its benign presence, a boy jumped into the waters for a splash and swim and I could feel the waves of energy spread all around.)