The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Any dissociation from this greater whole - the greater integrity, ultimately leads to the dissociation of a separate self (ego), and hence, separate objects within a fragmented world view (citta-vrtti). Virama-pratyayabhyasa-purvah creates the requisite space to embrace the All and Everything as well as the unborn non-existent. This state is labeled as asamprajnata (supra-cognitive) because there is no independent cognizer nor object to be cognized. There is mutuality of cognition, not by an individual observer and object, but by a universal mutuality between universal cognition and universal phenomena. This is experienced in samadhi, but cannot be reached via intellectual confabulation.

Swami Vivekananda continues in his commentary on I.18 as follows.

To be clear, it would be a dualistic error of mentation to define form (rupa) as separate from consciousness. Only within a dualistic context can one assert forms, phenomena, objects of attention, or "the world" as a separate/independent reality or as nature being distinct from consciousness. Rather when isolated in subject/object duality "the world", "reality, phenomena, or nature are not cognized as non-dual (asamprajnata); rather they appear as superficial reflections, which have the appearance of physicality, which is only a relatively slowed down energetic vibratory state of consciousness relatively speaking.

For the non-initiate (non-yogi) most ordinary thought processes operate in a limited, unfocused, unclear, and blurred sphere; but yogis do not take objective thought formations as being ultimate or beneficial toward their spiritual goal of samadhi (non-dual union). Rather the yogic direction is to go beyond ordinary mentation, ordinary individual cognitive functions, and goal orientation itself. Pratyaya is thus a necessary "element" in "ordinary" (dualistic) cognition processes of objectification it is an essential element in ordinary dualistic cognition itself, which Patanjali called samprajnata in the previous sutra (17). But here since virama means cessation, so this practice (abhyasa) is one where intentional dualistic thought processes toward an object (pratyaya) is terminated. Since pratyaya is necessary for samprajnata (objectification) to occur, then this virama-pratyaya causes a transcognitive state which many commentators call , asamprajnata (where ordinary samprajnata is defeated).

From Swami Sivananda in "All About Hinduism"

This practice is called purvah (former or proceeding), which means that by constant practice of eliminating the objectification motive force (virama-pratyaya-abhyasa-purvah) then what remains to be accomplished (purvah) is only the past imprints (samskara-seso'nyah) or samskaric residues to be eliminated. We will see later that only in the very highest samadhi (nirbija samadhi) in I.51 will these residues of samskara be fully eliminated. Indeed removing the samskaras is at the forefront of all yoga practices and much more is to be said about them. Such are preliminary practices, leading eventually to full realization.

A similar interpretation is that this sutra advocates a practice (abhyasa) called virama pratyaya which eliminates addiction and dependence to ordinary dualistic cognition processes (dependent upon superficial appearances and secondary causes (pratyaya), which through this process the past residual imprints (purvah--samskara-shshos) are gradually loosened. This type of absorption (which is not a dualistic objectification process) occurs in the stagers of successful meditation practices leading to samadhi. Vyasa, the earliest commentator on the Yoga Sutras, defines this to be a "asamprajnata" or trans-cognitive samadhi (as compared to samprajnata which is described in sutra I.17, because it is not accompanied by i-it objectification (duality). Rather it is devoid of both coarse objects (vitarka) as well as more subtle discursive thought (vicara), form (rupa), and any sense of separateness (asmita). It is empty and open and hence the great expanse of the natural mind is made immediately available.

Virama here also means cessation and refers to the cessation of both pratyaya (the objectification process where objects are experienced as apparent mental contents/fixations of the mind) as well as the citta-vrtti. The ordinary contents of the dualistic ordinary mind who cognizes "reality" based on superficial appearances out of context with the non-dual whole (pratyaya) then cease (virama). What is left is a transcognitive consciousness. However the residues of past psychic signatures, cellular memory, psycho-neuro-physiological lesions, neuromuscular armoring, conditioning/programming, energy cysts, and the like (called samskaras) are still not yet completely destroyed. Only after the samskaras are destroyed, then one conjoins nirbija samadhi as described in Sutras I. 50-54. In general this is an accurate overall statement of where we are headed (to nirbija-samadhi) by eliminating all mental fixations (asamprajnata) -- the world of object relations or all limited self identifications (asmita) is ceases to imprison Self.

In the previous sutra we saw that samprajnata (cognitive) absorption was difficult and unstable creating an rigidified externalization, fixation, and over objectification, but after learning how to joyfully and continuously apply conscious focused intent without attachment to results (abhyasa-vairagyabhyam) which attenuates, empties, and eliminates the secondary causes of these fixations, they become loosened especially in the practice of meditation where vairagya can be most easily practiced. Then the transcognitive and non-dual asamprajnata (objectless or acognitive) absorption process which is starts to occur more regularly. This is an objectless state, but still it is not completely wholly conscious, rather it creates the space for more consciousness. Most people are not used to not grasping onto an external object nor are they used to not fixating the mind on a mental object, so it takes some practice to allow this experience to occur and have it grow on us. This asamprajnata realization is not a situation where the mind wanders being being spaced out or incapable of focusing, rather it is a result of a liberating, transconceptional, and very centering experience. It is easily achieved in meditation through consistent practice of vairagya. It can also be reached through other yogic practices which will be delineated in padas II and III.

This graduation (into what is called asamprajnata) develops over time from the consistent regular practice (abhyasa) of letting go vairagya (letting go of the mind's tendency to fixate upon apparently independent objects) where the previously existing state of over objectification, self extraction, and spiritual self alienation of externalization cease (virama), but the samskaras (the residual imprints of past conditioning) which still remain awaiting final exorcism. Indeed the Yoga Sutras are full of describing this process in many different terms. Especially see sutras III.2 and III.3 in a further discussion of pratyaya and its dissolution (sunya) through meditation allowing for the intrinsic clear light of lucidity to shine forth from within (nirbhasam) in swarupa.

Pratyaya being the relational and comparative contents of the mind-field -- the view of the ordinary dualistic mind in terms of external objects -- the "normal" realm of I-it separation where it appears that objects (mental or physical) are possessed by the mind. this is the realm of "normal" perception which occurs in the corrupt state where separate objects appear to be solid and real, while the observer appears to live in a chronically estranged and disconnected world detached from the apparent separate objects as a separate viewer which defines the biased context of ignorance of the true nature of mind -- Satchitananda.

When however we practice virama-pratyaya-abhyasa then asamprajnata (a non-dual or transcendental way of seeing) dawns.

For the mind that masters view, the emptiness dawns.
In the content seen not even an atom exists.
A seer and seen refined until they're gone:
This way of realizing view, it works quite well.
When meditation is clear light river flow,
There is no need to confine it to sessions and breaks.
Meditator and object refined until they're gone:
This heart bone of meditation, it beats quite well.
When you're sure that conduct's work is luminous light,
And you're sure that interdependence is emptiness,
A doer and deed refined until they're gone:
This way of working with conduct, it works quite well.
When biased thinking has vanished into space,
No phony facades, eight dharmas, nor hopes and fears,
A keeper and kept refined until they're gone:
This way of keeping samaya, it works quite well.
When you've finally discovered your mind is dharmakaya,
And you're really doing yourself and others good,
A winner and won refined until they're gone:
This way of winning results, it works quite well.