Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 20

द्रष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः ॥२०॥

draṣṭā dṛśi-mātraḥ śuddhaḥ api-pratyaya-anupaśyaḥ ||20||

The seer alone sees,
although pure, it observes
through psychic activity.

draṣṭṛ - seer; one who sees, one who sees welldṛśi - seeing; the power of seeingmātrā - being nothing but, simply or merely; only; measure, quantity, sum, size, durationśuddha - pure, cleansed, cleared, clean, clear, free fromapi - even, also, although; very; something more; moreoverpratyaya - psychic activity; conception, assumption, notion, idea; ground, basis, motive or cause of anythinganupaśya - apperceive; one who sees; perceiving; seeing; observes
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Commentaries and Reflections

Commentary by T Krishnamacharya:

“Draṣṭṛ is one who initiates
and follows what is initiated.”

Commentary by TKV Desikachar:

Commentary by S Ramaswami:

“Before you proceed to develop Viveka you must distinguish between Draṣṭṛ, Dṛśya, and Saṃyoga or confusion of the two.
Sūtra II.18 discussed the nature of Dṛśya, and we now proceed to the nature of Draṣṭṛ in this Sūtra and the concept of Saṃyoga in Sutra II. 23.

The difference between Draṣṭṛ and Citta’s observation is one of observation.
There is no quality in Draṣṭṛ other than observation. It is pure and unlike the Citta unaffected by the interplay of the Guṇa, it is compelled by its nature to observe the happenings of the Citta.

Thus whatever happens in the Citta is continuously observed be it good or bad.”

Commentary by Paul Harvey:

“What we observe is changing,
What we observe with is changing,
Where we observe from is unchanging.”

“An awareness of an
absence of awareness
is in itself an awakening
in awareness of awareness.”

“Awareness doesn’t change,
however our awareness of our
experience of awareness does.”