पातञ्जल योगसूत्र (स्वामी विवेकानन्द भाष्य एवं सूत्र व्याख्या)

Patanjali Yoga Sutras
Mantrams, which have power, when repeated under proper
conditions, to produce these extraordinary powers. We are
living in the midst of such a mass of miracles, day and night,
that we do not think anything of them. There is no limit to
man's power, the power of words and the power of mind.
Mortification. You will find that in every religion
mortifications and asceticisms have been practised. In these
religious conceptions the Hindus always go to the extremes.
You will find men standing with their hands up all their lives,
until their hands wither and die. Men sleep standing, day and
night, until their feet swell, and, if they live, the legs become
so stiff in this position that they can no more bend them, but
have to stand all their lives. I once saw a man who had raised
his hands in this way, and I asked him how it felt when he did
it first. He said it was awful torture. It was such torture that he
had to go to a river and put himself in water, and that allayed
the pain for a little. After a month he did not suffer much.
Through such practices powers (Siddhis) can be attained.
Concentration. The concentration is Samadhi, and that is
Yoga proper; that is the principle theme of this science, and it
is the highest means. The preceding ones are only secondary,
and we cannot attain to the highest through them. Samadhi is
the means through which we can gain anything and
everything, mental, moral or spiritual.
2. जात्यन्तरपरिणामः प्रकृत्यापूरात् ॥ २॥
jatyantaraparinamah prakrityapoorat
The change into another species is by the filling in of
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