Talk:Savicāra-samāpatti

By Swami Harshananda

Savicāra-samāpatti

Meaning of Saiyama as per Patañjali

The Yogasutras of Patañjali has used the word sanyama as a technical term. It denotes the following on the same object of concentration:

• Dhāraṇā - It means fixing the mind on an object.
• Dhyāna - It means meditation.
• Samādhi - It means total absorption.

Types of Saiyama

1. Savitarka- samāpatti - When saiyama on a gross object leads to its realization, revealing everything about it, it is called savitarka- samāpatti.
2. Nirvitarka-samāpatti - When this realization after practice comes instantaneously without the intervening processes of details involved in the meditation, it is called nirvitarka-samāpatti.
3. Savicāra- samāpatti - When the mind is raised from the gross to the subtle aspects of the same object like the five tanmātras up to prakṛti, the samādhi is known as savicāra- samāpatti.

The yogic power generated by the first leads to the next step. As for instance, from the savitarka to the nirvitarka and from the savicāra to the nirvicāra.

References

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore