“What is Samādhi?
It is the ability to experience the true nature of the objects of Meditation,
through a mind rid of the provocation of excitability and inactivity.”
– T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 20

“Then, he has also some views on Dhyāna.
Since Dhyāna is a characteristic of mind,
and since the mind is limited to form,
Deśa, or the object of meditation,
must be Saguṇa and not Nirguṇa.
Ordinary people need certain forms,
certain visualisations, for Dhyāna,
so any Dhyāna which is Nirguṇa is only Vikalpa.”
– TKV Desikachar Switzerland 1981.

Question: Does the object of meditation affect the ‘I’?
“The characteristics of the object go into the meditator.
The Dhyeya (object or question) is very important,
it influences the meditator,
for whatever one is linked to,
its through the mind.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988

“I do not reject the concept of meditation without a question for inquiry or an object for meditation,
but how, given the previous definition of meditation,
could we explain the absence of a question or an object in this scheme?
Certainly, if the ‘I’ is not there, there can be no meditation.
Many heads have rolled on this question of objectless meditation and I want to save my head.
It may be possible to meditate without an object but,
personally, I am skeptical that one can.”
–TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988