Sutra 10 Abhava-pratyaya-alambana vrttir nidra

nidra: Ordinary sleep. Ordinary sleep has many modalities drowsiness, stupor, torpor, trance, swoon, inattentiveness, disinterest, insensitivity, daydreaming, psychic inertia, stupefaction, dullness, apathy, complacency, indifference, dispassion, lack of awareness, lack of presence, lack of consciousness, unconsciousness, extreme insouciance, partial or limited awareness, and/or ordinary sleep. Although in deep sleep the citta-vrtti may appear to be stilled, there is no cit (consciousness); hence, nidra is a severe vrtti.

pratyaya (praccaya - Pali): "Conditioned-ness". The ordinary conditioned state of mentation. A cognitive state that is the result of causes and conditions coming together (coalescing); the contents of the mind perceived within the limited mental frame of ordinary subject/object dualistic assumptions. Box-like rigid thought. Pratyaya is a conditioned and artificial perception produced by conceptual/intellectual processes. It appears as the contents of ordinary perception within the conditioned context of citta-vrtti, where objects appear isolated, fragmented, and individual (egoic). However, in transpersonal and non-dual yogic states, all objects of perception are revealed as inter-dependent, interconnected, and inter-related. In the latter, the context is unbounded, unconditioned, and natural, while the content have no separate/individual essence of their own (svarupa-sunyam iva samadhih in Sutra III.3).

alambana: support

abhava: absence.

Commentary: Over objectified dualists have stated that the so called material world (phenomena) is the sole support of the many imprisoned realms of citta-vrtti. However, in sleep (nidra), despite the conscious absence of such support, the citta-vrtti never-the-less continues in various forms (modalities of sleep). Nidra is a severe limitation of consciousness. Notice Patanjali does not say that relaxation, rest, or tranquility are citta-vrtti. Patanjali has placed this sutra regarding sleep, between that regarding vikalpa (conceptualization) and smrti (past impressions). This is because ordinary sleep consists of the conditioned activities of vikalpa (the discursive mind) based on past impressions (smrti). Deep sleep, although restful, while devoid of vikalpa, is also a limited mental state, as it is devoid of consciousness. We will discuss the various levels of sleep, such as sleep with dreams, dreamless sleep, and turiya.

It is only in turiya that the dualistically conditioned contents of the mind (pratyaya) disappear and its inherent light of consciousness shines through and is recognized. Yogic sleep (yoga nidra) is a very helpful practice, because one does not lose consciousness, the supporting base (alambana) of the external content of the mind (pratyaya) is absent or extinguished (abhava), thus, the practitioner is able to more easily and consciously enter the unconditioned inter-dependent state, which is self effulgent and all-present.

Ordinary sleep occurs when the supporting structure for ordinary contents of the mind dissolves, but because of its imprints the agitated mind still wavers. Ordinarily in normal (non-yogic) sleep the overall great continuity or integrity in All Our Relations, which reflects the universal intelligent principle behind consciousness (cit) remains in the background and appears becomes absent, occluded, or disconnected with the sensory world and its conceptual ruler, the intellect. The link between the contents of the mind in an overall context of an intelligent and boundless integrity (through spiritual bhava and intent) is broken. Hence, since the sensory world, its objects, and phenomena in general is ignored, we could postulate that sleep is the same as a trance state -- a sleep, where both normal sensory awareness and the evolutionary power of consciousness are both still occluded, hindered, and obstructed. But, in yogic sleep, this is not always the case. One may experience an attenuation of the sensory world, but the one who is sleeping still has a body and is filled with shakti inside. Thus it becomes easier to focus upon the shakti in this state and hence Shiva.

Heretofore, we have been discussing ordinary sleep (nidra) where we normally assume that "reality" is governed by sensory organ function, hence external sensory objects, which become organized by the intellect. But a "reality" which is limited by sensory input only is also like a dream. Shakti however is present in both sleep and waking consciousness and thus is a superior object of contemplation. To reiterate, in ordinary sleep the perception of sensory objects are absent, but their past imprints upon the mind have created citta-vrtta. The intellect or associative part of the brain is also either asleep (in deep sleep/rest) or it is making associations due to past impressions as in ordinary dream states. These states of sleep are all vrtta according to Sri Patanjali. Even deep sleep is a temporary turn, which lacks awareness/wakefulness to sustain it. We cannot even say that deep sleep has any true characteristics of samadhi, because it lacks prajna.

"When nothingness or void is the content of the mind, when the idea of nothingness alone prevails, or when the mind thinks that it does not think at all, there is sleep, which is a state of mental or psychic inertia."

Swami Venkatesananda "Enlightened Living"

It is clear then that unconscious sleep is a citta-vrtti also, because it is a deep modification and obscuration of consciousness; albeit it may be peaceful as it is dull. Similarly, formless sleep, dreamless sleep, or empty hollowness are also citta-vrtta. This should not be conflated with samadhi (swarupa-sunyam). See samadhi defined in III.3. Yoga always connotes an open awareness, not a limitation of the citta. Patanjali prescribes the universal antidote of meditation as antidote for drowsiness, dullness of mind, or lack of awareness.

“In meditation practice, you might experience a muddy, semiconscious, drifting state, like having a hood over your head: a dreamy dullness. This is really nothing more than a kind of blurred and mindless stagnation. How do you get out of this state? Alert yourself, straighten your back, breathe the stale air out of your lungs, and direct your awareness into clear space to freshen your mind. If you remain in this stagnant state you will not evolve, so whenever this setback arises, clear it again and again. It is important to be as watchful as possible, and to stay as vigilant as you can.”