SEMINAR PAPER

SAMADHI ASPECT IN YOGA PHILOSOPHY

Presenter-Abhinandan Saikia Garima Devi

Research Scholar Research Scholar
Gauhati University Kumar Bhaskar
Varma Sanskrit and Ancient
Studies University
INTRODUCTION:
Yoga is essentially a spiritual discipline based on an extremely subtle science, which
focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is an art and science of healthy living.
The word “Yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root “Yuj”, meaning “to join” or “to yoke’ or “to
unite”. There are many ways through which the union takes place. They are called as Karma
yoga, Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, Raja yoga, Hatha Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Mantra yoga, Laya yoga,
Kundalini yoga, Dhyāna yoga and so on. Accordingly, also there are many definition
which are given in various texts: - the Bhagavat Gita define yoga the skilled manner in
performing once duty1. Patanjali is perhaps the most important& authoritative figure in the
history and evolution of yoga. Unfortunately, not much is known about his life and origins. The
Indian society is characterized by shat Darśana/Āstika or six schools of philosophy. Yoga is also
known as Āstika philosophy. In the philosophical view Āstika means believe in Vedic view. The
exact details of its origin are largely unknown.
the term samādhi is derived from the root dhā, which means to put, to support or to sustain.
the word samādhi has been very commonly used in the Yoga texts; it means contemplation not
on the nature of the soul alone, but rather an intense state of absorption of the mind into any
objects on concentration, which may be gross or subtle, material or abstract. Samadhi is super
conscious state. It is union with God or supreme being. In Samadhi the meditator loses his
individuality and becomes identical with supreme self., the meditator and meditated becomes
one. In the state of samadhi the aspirant is not conscious of any external or internal objects.
There is no thinking, hearing, smelling or seeing. Samadhi is the property of every human being.
The word samādhi has various meanings and application rather the a confined to only one
meaning.
The word mahā- samādhi means is used to mean death or liberation of pious
persona, who are enlightened and free from the cycle of rebirths.

There is another word, ‘ sanjeevana- samādhi’ which means the person going into
mahā samādhi at one’s will, not as a result of any disease or any other cause.it may be called
one of the highest achievements a human can ever have – to breath one’s last at will and in
peacefully.
 In one sense samādhi means a state which involves no concentration on any objects. There
is no process of elimination of thoughts in it. It is effortless and timeless. The samādhi makes an
end of all effort. In this stage journey of spiritual disciplined reached. This samādhi is devoid of
all obstacles of the human life. The aspirant rests in his centre now the goal of his search and

realises the absolute freedom, independence and perfection. The mind becomes the very
Brahman, when it is purified and brought into Samadhi state. In Samadhi there is no perception
of duality, which is the cause for fear. Avidya is absent in samadhi. Through samadhi the finite
self is absorbed in the infinite or absolute conscious ness. In samadhi there is no mental tension
there is prefect illness or perfect poise. Samadhi follows meditation. Deep meditation is called
samadhi. It is superconscious experience. In Adhyātmic Anubhav. There are two varieties of
samadhi. They are Jada samadhi and Chaitanya Samadhi. The Samadhi of the Hatha yogi who
buries himself is Jada samadhi. It is like deep sleep. There is no transcendental, divine wisdom
for him. The samskaras are not burnt. He cannot have Moksha or final liberation. In caitanya
samadhi there is perfect awareness. There is no rebirth. The yogi attains liberation and divine
wisdom.
According to Patanjali there are two kinds of samadhi. viz., savikalpa samādhi and
nirvikalpa samadhi. Savikalpa samadhi is also known as Saṃprajñaāta and sabija samadhi. In
savikalpa samadhi there is the triputi or the tried; the knower knowledge and the knowable.
Saṃprajñaāta savikalpa samadhi is possible when there is ekagrata or one pointedness of the
mind. The samskaras or impressions are not burnt. Hence the name sabija {with seeds). When
the yogi meditates on the sattvic mind itself, devoid of rajas and tamas, he attains intense joy.
So, it is known as sānanda samadhi or blissful samadhi. The yogi feels “Aham Asmi “or “I am”.
So, it is called Asmitā samadhi. Nirvikalpa samadhi is a condition of perfect awareness. The
knowledge
and the knowable become one. In nirvikalpa samadhi the yogi sees without eyes, tastes without
tongue, hears without ears, smells without nose and touches without skin. Nirvikalpa samadhi is
also known as asaṃprajñaāta and nirbija samadhi. There is complete inhibition of all mental
functions. Hence it is called Saṃprajñaāta samadhi. It can be attained. Only when there is
perfect nirodha or control of mind. Here samskaras are burnt in toto. Hence the name nirbija.
Nirvikalpa samadhi alone can destroy rebirth. One will have to be perfectly established in
nirvikalpa samadhi. Then only will the seed or rebirth be burnt into to. The only sadhana for
attaining nirvikalpa samadhi is para vairagya or supreme dispassion. The yogi has attained
kaivalya or supreme independenceor freedom. All sorrows have ceased; all miseries have
disappeared;the seeds of action are burnt, all doubts are dispelled. There is eternal freedom.
SAMĀDHI in Upaniṣad:

According to Upanisad the Indian philosophy have conceivedof a liberated soul, which afer
having exhausted all karmans attains perfection.,The upnaisads were the first to conceive of such
a state. A soul in such a state, according to the upanisads is undescribable. In
Brhadaranyakopanisad (2.4.12) just as a lump of salt put in the water loses its identity and can
not taken out separately, but in whateevr portion of water we taste, we find the salt, so, the jiva
realises this great reality,
infinite and limiteless, consisting only of pure intelligence manifesting itself in all these
(phenomenal existences), becomes identical with them and there is no phenomenal knowledge.
the word Samadhi does not occur in the ten major Upanishads. The word Samadhi first appears
in the Hindu scriptures in the Maitrayni Upanishad(6.18,34),a text which does not belong to the
strata of the early Upanishads and which mentions five of the eight limbs of classical Yoga. The
word also occurs in some of the yoga and Sannyasa Upanishads of the Atharvaveda. Samadhi
would thus seem to be a part of yogic practice which has entered into the later Upanishadic
literature through such texts as the yoga Upanishads as a result of what Mircea Eliade calls “The
constant osmosis between the Upanishadic and yogic milieus.”

In the Svetasvataropnishad there is a mention of how by the practice of meditation, one can
realise the true nature of the soul or Atman by going into the state of dhyanayoga. The state of
dhyana mentioned in the Svetasvataropanishad is synonymous with Samadhi.

Akshi Upanishad is one of the minor Upanishads in Hinduism, Which lists seven major
steps to Samadhi. A detailed commentary on this Upanishad was given by Osho, which has been
published as ‘Vedanta-seven steps to Samadhi.’These seven steps are- Yog, Vichar bhoomika,
Asansarga,swapna, sushuptipad, Bhavshunya or JivanMukta, Videhmukti.In the seventh stage,
the stage of videhamukti, liberation while living in the body is achieved. This stage is totally
silent and cannot be communicated in words.
It is the end of all stages, where all the processes of yoga come to their conclusion.In this stage,
all activities-worldy, bodily and scriptural. Scriptural-cease. The whole universe in the form of
the world-viswa,intelligence-prajna,and radiance-tejas,is just aum. There is no division here
between speech and the speaker. If however any such division remains, the state has not been
attained. The first sound ‘a’ o The first sound ‘a’ of ‘aum’ stands for the world, the second ‘u’
for radiance and the third ‘m’ for intelligence.

Samadhi in Siddha-Siddhanta Paddhati: Samadhi is the name of that state of phenomenal

consciousness, in which there is the perfect realization of the absolute unity of the individual soul
and the Universal Soul, and which there is the perfect dissolution of all the mental processes. Just
as a perfect union of salt and water is achieved through the process of yoga. So, when the mind
or the phenomenal consciousness is absolutely unified or identified with the soul through the
process of the deepest concentration, this is called the state of Samadhi.

Samādhi is the state of pure consciousness, the state of supreme bliss, it is the state where
the jivātmā becomes one with the paramātmā2 the mind or the citta when free from thoughts,
desires and merges and united with the supreme Brahman; this state is called samādhi. When
through knowledge of the self and attains vijñāna and when the idea of body is destroyed. in this
state of mind is samādhi4

ŚIVA SAṀHITĀ:

It states that: Samadhi is the process of evolution in individualconsciousness and sakti is very
rapid and systematic. It is a process of refining the ego, vasanas also become non-existent. The
diva samhitastates that “He who always contemplates on the hidden ajna lotus, at once destroys
all the karmas of his past life withot any opposition. The store of karmas and vasanas are not
entirely burnt unitl dharma megha samadhi has taken place, when kundalini dakti reaches
sahasrara
cakra then the last traces of karma, vasana and ego are destoryed. As the kundalini moves up
susumna the various samskaras stored in each cakras are pulled forth into manifestation. These
samskaras are expressed through the ego. The process of samadhi is involution of
iakti into the pure consiousness. It is a process of eliminating the base supports of individual
mind. Vasana is not something bad. It is responsible for the will to live. If it is completely
eradicated before self-realization takes place you will be removing your will to live. In vedas and
tantric philosophy there are said to be four main desires deep-rooted within every person. These
are to perform dharma, social, ethical, moral, natural duty; artha acquirement of wealth,
commodities;
kama gratification is sensual desire, moksa liberation. Our desires are expressions of one of these
four aspects. Some desires are superficial but the deep-rooted desires or vasanas are hidden
within the deepest levels of consciousness, in the causal body. Desires lead ot action and these
actions create samskaras or impressions in the mind. Samskdra is the residue of exerience, like a
seed buried in the soil. Each experience we have is recorded and stored in the unconscious mind
and body in a symbolic form. When, samskaras are not re-experienced they are transferred deep
within the subtle body and if they are not re-expressed they are buried deeper. These suppressed
samskaras are expresssed in our dreams, behaviour patterns and diseases.
It states that samādhi is the process of evolution in individual consciousness and sakti. it is
a refining the ego. The śiva saṁhita states that “he who contemplates on the hidden ājñāchakra,
at once destroys all the karmas of one’s past life without any opposition 6. the store of karmas and
vāsanās are not entirely burnt until dharma megha samādhi reached. When kuṇḍalini śakti
reaches sahasra chakra then the last traces of karma, vāsanās are destroyed. As the kuṇḍalini
moves up suṣmnā, the various saṁskāra stored in each cakras pulled forth into manifestation.
These saṁskāra are expressed through ego. The process of samādhi is involution of śakti into
pure consciousness.

GHERANDA SAṀHITĀ:

According to Gheranda Samhita, “Detaching the mind from the body,one should make it one
with the paramatma. That is known as Samadhi,which is not a state of any kind of consciounsess
as we understand thisword. “Samadhi , the supreme yoga, is attained by great merit earned
previously. It is achieved by the grace of the guru and by devotion to him. That yogi soon
acquires this exquisite experience, who is convicned by what he has learnt and heard from his
Guru, who has developed self confidence and whose kind is becoming more and more
enlightened.11
Grace or nugraha is also known as tfakti path. The inensity of aktipath depends on the intensity
of a disciple’s desire to attain realization, and his previous samskaras. Spiritually evolved souls
can attain enlightenment through intense or tivra daktipath without performing much sadhana.
Those who are less evolved receive madhyma daktipath to help them realize their Guru and tobe
initiated into yoga. Through regular practice of sadhana and patience they can attain liberation .
The third type of daktipath is moderate or manda which instills a yearning for spiritual
knowledge and if the desire and perseverance in the quest pursued there can be enlightenment.
HAṬḤA YOGA PRADIPIKĀ: Haṭḥa yoga states that: Hatha yoga states that The word
samadhi does not indicate instatnt liberation but it is a field of awareness comprising super
consciousness.
It is the result of total one pointed ness of mind and expansion of consciousness from the
mundance perception to that of cosmic awareness.It final expericne is “while the prana does not
flow in the middlepassage, whie the bindu is not steadied by restraining the prana , while mind
does not reflect spontaneous meditation, then those who speak of spiritual knowledge are only
indulging in boastful and false. - the word samādhi does not indicate instant liberation but it is
a field of awareness comprising super consciousness. It is result of total concentration of mind
and expansion of consciousness from the mundane perception to that of cosmic awareness.
As the space within a pot dissolves in the universal space when the pot is broken, so a yogi
in the absence of the body, dissolves into the supreme self, which is his true being.

BHAGAVAT GITĀ:

Lord Krsna says about the yogis who have fallen deliberately from the grace of yoga are reborn
in the house of the pure and prosperous, where they five a contented life in a righteous way for
many years; while the others, who have undeliberately fallen, are reborn intot hefamilies of poor
yogis who are endowed with wisdom. Then they striveagain for perfection, beginning from the
state which they had reached
in the previous life. 7Lord krsna describes to Arjuna the characteristics of a pferect
yogi in Bhagvad Gita, (11.55-59, 61, 64-72) 8are above:- He whois free from desire in throught,
word, deed and content in his soul, isclean and clear in this inelliigence. He who remains
unperturbed amidstsorrows, who does not long for pleasures and lives free from passion,
fear and anger, has stead fast wisdom. He, who has no attchment onany side and reamins
indifferent to good or evil, is firmly established in his intelligence. He, who draws away his
senses effortlessly fromtheir pastures as a tortoise draws in its limbs, his wisdom is firmly set.He
sho abstains from feeding the desires of the senses and mind andallows the tastes of desires to
fade put on their own, is one with thesoul. He whose senses and mind are under control, he who
is firmlyset
in this wisdom remains firm in yoga intent on me.He who has disciplinedhis citta ramains
unresponsive to likes and dislikes, and is failled withpurity and tranquillity. He, is that tranquil
state, extinquishes all miseriesand is established in his exalted intelligence. He who is not able to
restrain fluctuations of his consciousness, can not concentrate, and withoutconcentration can not
attain salvation. With efforts of practice and renunciation,he has to gain control over the mind. If
one’s’ citta is mingled with the senses that rove among objects, one loses the power of
discriminative discernment and will be carried awary from the path of evolution like
the wind carrying away a ship in waters.Therefore, Lord Krsna says, he whose sense are
completely restrainedfrom their objects, his intelligence is under control.What is night for
all beings is day for a discipined yogi , as he is one with the vision of the soul ( apavarga) when
all beings are active with worldly pleasures(bhoga), the yogi considers this as night by keeping
himself alloof from worldly thoughts. Just as waters flow into the ocean, yet the level of
the ocean neither changes nor becomes ruffled, similarly he who issteadfast in intelligence,
pleasurs do not haunth him, he attains liberation.He who renounces all desires and keeps away
from attachment, attains freedom and beatitude (kaivalya). He who is free from delusion and
keeps himself in contact with the divine conseiosness, even at the momentof death, reaches
Kaivalya and the supreme Lord .Lord krsna says thateach individual has to cultivate himself to
become enlightened, and tolearn not to degrade himself, for the self alone is the friend of the
individualself, and the self alone is the enemy of the egotistical self.At the light of a lamp fades
as the oil runs out, so the lamp ofthe mind is extinguished as its fuel, the actions producing joys
and
sorrows is exhausted.It is further discussed in the sign of the man in samadhi is notthat he loses
consciousness of objects and surrondings and of his mentaland physical self and can not be
recalled to int even by burning or torture of the body. - the ordinary idea of the matter; trance is a
particular
intensity, not be essential sign. The test is the expulasion of all desires,their inaability to get at
the mind, and it is the inner state from whichthis freedom arises, the delight of the soul gathered
within itself with the mind equal and still and high-poised above the attractions and repulsions,
the alternations of sunshine and storm and stress of the external life.It is drawn inward even
when acting outwardly, it is concentrated inself even when gazing out upon things, it is directed
wholly to the divineeven when to the outward vision of others busy and preoccupied with
the affairs of the world.

Kṛṣna describes to arjuna the characteristics of perfect yogi – he who is free from desire in
thoughts, words, deed and content in his soul, is clean and clear in his intelligent, he who does
not long for pleasure and lives free from passion, fear and anger. He, who has no attachment on
any side and remains indifferent to good or evil, is firmly established in his intelligence.

Lord Kṛṣna says, he whose sense are completely restrained from their objects, his intelligence is
under control. What is night for all other beings is day for a yogi 7. He who is free from delusion
and keeps himself in contact with the divine consciousness, even now of death, achieves
liberation.

In the sigh of man in samādhi is not that he loses consciousness of objects and surrounding
and of his mental and physical self. the true sign of samādhi is that the destruction of all

YOGA AND SAMADHI:

Yoga is a perfect practical system of self-culture by which onecan attain harmonious

development of one’s body, mind and soul, by the practice of yoga. It is an exact science, onecan
acquire absolute can not over the whole nature by its practice. It helps the student to attain ethical
perfection and perfect concentration of the mind and to unfold various psychic powers. It teaches
applied psychology. It helps the practitioner to enter into conscious communion with the lord
through samadhi, to separate himself from the three gunas and to attain kaivalya or
independence eventually. Yoga is turning away away of the senses from the objective universe
and the concentratin of the mind within. Yoga is eternal life in the sould of spirit. Yoga
transmutes a man into divinity. Yoga brings amessage of hope to the for lor, joy to the depressed,
strengh to the weak, andknowledge to the ignorant. Yoga is the secret master-key to open the
realms of eternal bliss and deepabiding peace. Yajnavalkya defines yoga
“The conjuction of the individual soul and the supreme soul is called yoga.”Yoga is a discipline
of the mind, senses and the physical body. Yoga helps in the co-ordinatein and control of the
subtle forces within the body. Yoga brings in perfection, peace and lasing happiness. Yoga can
have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of yoga. One can have restful sleep. One can
have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity and a high standard of health. One can turn out
efficient work within a short space of time. One can have successs in every walk of life, yogai
will infuse in one new strength, confidence and self-reliance.Through yoga, one can have
mastery over the mind, tongue, passions,
emotions, impulses, temper, etc. The body and mind will be at your beck and call Samadhi is
super conscious state. It is union with god or the supreme brahman. The state of samadhi is
beyond description. There is no means of language to give expression to it. One will have to
experience this yourself through direct, intuitive cognition. It is asked The state of samadhi is
all-bliss, joy and peace. This much onlycan be said. One has to feel within oneself. In samadhi
are meditator loses his individuality and becomes identical with the supreme self. Just as
camphor becomes identical with the fire,the meditator and the meditated become one. just as the
river joins the ocean, the individual soul joins the supreme soul, the ocean of absolute
consciousness. The blissful divine experience arises when the ego and the mind are dissolved.
This is a magnificent experience of unity and oneness. It is an experience wholly beyond the
orbit of the senses. The seer and the sight become one. In the state of samadhi the as pirant is not
conscious of any external or internal objects. There is no thinking, hearing, smelling
or seeing. Samadhi is the property of every human being.

YOGA AND SAMADHI:

According to the Patanjali the aim of yoga is samadhi. The wordsamadhi does not indicate
instant liberation but it is a field of awareness comparising super consciousness. It is the result of
total one-pointedness of mind and expansion of consciousness from the mundane perceptionto
that of cosmic awareness. It is the final experience of every human being and that which we are
all evolving towards. Through yogic and tantric practions this process is accelerated and this
process is the samadhi. In yoga the first step to samadhi is to control the sense impulses feeding
the mind. The easiest method to achieve this is by control of the pranic flow. In rajayoga it is
essential for the body to become perfectly steady in the asana and practice of kumbhaka to be
prolonged. During
samadhi the body appears as if dead because the functions of prana, apdna, samana and udana
withdraw into vyana. One can develop many physical and supernatural mental powers by means
of yogic discipline and restraint of mental modifications or waves in the citta. The physical body
and the mind should be brought under control by yogic practices such as yama, niyama, asanam
pranayama, kriya yoga, concentration, Meditation and samadhi. By these practices, one will be
free from restlessness of body and mind. One will secure high standard of vigour, vitality,
prolonged youth and longevity, and a steady, powerful mind. In samadhi, the yogi sees without
eyes, tastes without tongue, ears without hears, smells without nose and touches without skin.
His sahkalpas
This is the highest forms of samadhi. this comes after vivekakhyatior the final discrimination
between Prakrti and Purusa. All the seeds or imprescions are burnt by the fire of knowledge.
This samadhi brings kaivalya or absolute independence. This is the culmination or climax of
yoga. All the known objects being abandoned, mind goes into absorption or is dissolved. When
the mind is disssolved, then there will be kaivalya.2 All the pranayama methods are to be done
with a
concentrated mind. The wise man should not let his mind involved in the modifications (vrttis).
Single minded concentration is essentioal in all the practices whether pranaydma, asana or
mudra. It is the essence of perfection in every form of yoga. In every situation, not ony while
practising pranaydma, we must pay attention and become aware of the experiences, action and
thoughts in that moment. Development of awareness while awake leads to constant awareness in
the deeper states of dhyana and samadhi. The life without raja yoga, breath without raja yoga,
even various mudras without raja yoga are useless, without raja yoga the value of
this life is meaningless. The final stage of samadhi is raja yoga, and it is the only purpose of
existence on this earth. Without that experience, the real nature of this empirical world can not be
grasped. Samadhi can be had by following any path of yoga-karma, jnana , bhakti yoga.
etc. They all terminate in the experience of a totally one pointed mind, i,e. samadhi. Raja yoga
means not only the particular system of Patanjali’s yoga, but is means the complete absorption
in dhyana by and means. Thorugh dhyana the external experiences expands and becomes
part of the internal. Throught the deeper one can go into dharana and dhyana the more he
appreciates the purpose and beauty of life.

CONCLUSION:

REFERENCES: