Yoga s

Verses, Translation and Commentary 143
Verse 42
sNtae;adnuÄmsuola->
saṅtoṣāt anuttamaḥ sukhalābhaḥ
saṅtoṣāt – from contentment; anuttamaḥ – supreme, the very best; sukha –
happiness; lābhaḥ – obtained.
From contentment, the very best in happiness is obtained.
Commentary:
This is a calm type of happiness devoid of the excitations which come from the
pursuit of cravings and vices. A yogi appreciates this contentment which others
dislike because it lacks excitement.
Verse 43
kayeiNÔyisiÏrzuiÏ]yaÄps>
kāya indriya siddhiḥ aśuddhikṣayāt tapasaḥ
kāya – body; indriya – sensual energy; siddhiḥ – skill, perfection; aśuddhi
– impurity; kṣayāt – from the elimination; tapasaḥ – austerity.
Austerity, resulting in the elimination of impurity
produces perfection of the body and sensual energy.
Commentary:
This is the basic of results gained in the gruesome austerities of āsana and
prāṇayam, the third and fourth stages of yoga practice. When the impurities in
the subtle body are removed, one gains a skill in controlling the gross and
subtle bodies as well as the sensual energy which is housed in them. This is
mastered in kuṇḍalini yoga, celibacy yoga and purity-of-the-psyche yoga
(sattvaśuddhi verse 41), (atmasuddha Gītā 6:12).
Tapasaḥ means austerity. One may ask which austerity? This question is
answered in the term aśuddhikṣayāt, which means the austerities which result
in the elimination of kṣayāt or impurities.
Verse 44
SvaXyayaidòdevtasMàyaeg>
svādhyāyāt iṣṭadevatā saṁprayogaḥ
svādhyāyāt – from study of the psyche; iṣṭadevatā – cherished divine
being; saṁprayogaḥ – intimate contact.
From study of the psyche,
comes intimate contact with the cherished divine being.
Commentary:
Śrī Patañjali has not named the iṣṭadevatā, the cherished divine personality,
who the student yogi aspires to be with. However for the yogi, that person
might be different than He is for some other ascetic. There are many of these
divine beings who serve as cherished Lords of the limited entities.