पातञ्जल योगसूत्र (स्वामी विवेकानन्द भाष्य एवं सूत्र व्याख्या)

Patanjali Yoga Sutras
form, or an elephant form, or a man form, is not outside; all
that we know is our mental reaction from the outer
suggestion. Matter is the “permanent possibility of
sensation,” said John Stuart Mill. It is only the suggestion that
is outside. Take an oyster for example. You know how pearls
are made. A grain of sand or something gets inside and begins
to irritate it, and the oyster throws a sort of enameling around
the sand, and this makes the pearl. This whole universe is our
own enamel, so to say, and the real universe is the grain of
sand. The ordinary man will never understand it, because,
when he tries to, he throws out an enamel, and sees only his
own enamel. Now we understand what is meant by these
Vrttis. The real man is behind the mind, and the mind is the
instrument in his hands, and it is his intelligence that is
percolating through it. It is only when you stand behind it that
it becomes intelligent. When man gives it up it falls to pieces,
and is nothing. So you understand what is meant by Chitta. It
is the mind-stuff, and Vrttis are the waves and ripples rising in
it when external causes impinge on it. These Vrttis are our
whole universe.
The bottom of the lake we cannot see, because its surface is
covered with ripples. It is only possible when the rippled have
subsided, and the water is calm, for us to catch a glimpse of
the bottom. If the water is muddy, the bottom will not be seen;
if the water is agitated all the time, the bottom will not be
seen. If the water is clear, and there are no waves, we shall see
the bottom. That bottom of the lake is our own true Self; the
lake is the Chitta, and the waves are the Vrttis. Again, this
mind is in three states; one is darkness, which is called Tamas,
11