Sūtra 3.49

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 3.49:

सत्त्वपुरुषान्यताख्यातिमात्रस्य सर्वभावाधिष्ठातृत्वं सर्वज्ञातृत्वं च ॥ ३.४९ ॥

sattvapuruṣānyatākhyātimātrasya sarvabhāvādhiṣṭhātṛtvaṃ sarvajñātṛtvaṃ ca || 3.49 ||

49. Supremacy over all conditions and omniscience, the moment the distinctive knowledge of the quality of goodness and the soul (is attained).

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

Having described the conquest of the (external) organs, he now points out the conquest of the internal organ.

[Read Sūtra 3.49]

The knowledge of the distinction between the quality of goodness and the soul which results from performing Saṃyama with reference to the modification of pure goodness, is “distinctive knowledge” (anyatākhyāti). From the subsidence, through the influence of the Saṃyama, of the conception about the qualities being agents the Yogīs, who are in that condition, attain in their meditation supremacy over all conditions and omniscience.

“Supremacy over all conditions” (sarvabhāvādhiṣṭhātṛtva is the attainment of power like a master over all modifications of qualities. “Omniscience” (sarvajñatṛtva [sarvajñātṛtva?]) is correct knowledge of those qualities as they exist in calm, (śānta,) enlivened, (udita,) and latent (avyapadisya [avyapadiśya?]) conditions. In this science this perfection is called “sorrowless perfection” viśokasiddhi, while those that have been described before are indicated by the term vaśīkāra (control).

Notes and Extracts

[Notes and comparative extracts from other commentaries on the Yogasūtra]

[The object of this aphorism is to describe the effect of getting control over the mind or the internal organ. That control enables the Yogi to perceive the difference between the quality of goodness and the soul, and endows him with absolute mastery over all conditions of existence and thorough omniscience. The omniscience directly refers to the conditions of the three qualities, but indirectly to all and everything in the universe. Everything in the universe depends upon the three qualities of goodness, foulness, and darkness, and those qualities are either in a calm state, or in a state of excitement, or latent; and if one comes to know their conditions he necessarily knows all and everything that proceeds from them. This state of supreme knowledge is called Viśoka or sorrowless perfection, for when it is attained there cannot possibly be any cause for pain or sorrow; whereas in the perfections previously described there is always some room for sorrow, or longing of some kind or other. The latter ensure control over the things they refer to, and the control is more or less perfect according to circumstances, and they are fitly called Vas īkāra or ‘control.’ They do not, however, secure absolute immunity from pain, and this necessitates the marked distinction in the designations.]

Next he describes another stage.