“Sometimes Yoga is called Darśana Vijñāna.
Vijñāna means ‘to know things in detail,
which involves also the techniques, the process of knowing, etc’.
It mean that not only we see things, we also know how to apply.
Darśana means ‘mirror, view, projection;
showing something that we cannot normally see.’
For instance, the Six Darśana in Indian philosophy
are six ways of seeing things.
Darśana in Yoga is divided into two classes:
1. Sāmānya Darśana – when one perceives at the effect level in a superficial way.
2. Viśeṣa Darśana – when it is possible to perceive at the cause level.”
The aim in Yoga is to go from Sāmānya to Viśeṣa.
There are three means of observing at the Sāmānya level:
1. Pratyakṣa – perception through the senses .
2. Anumāna – from ‘smelling’ something,
you infer, using the capacity for reflection.
3. Āgama – you accept what is said by an expert.
Āgama is therefore the most defective way of observing.
If you are conditioned to it, you become blind.”
– TKV Desikachar 1981
