Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 23
स्वस्वामिशक्त्योः स्वरूपोप्लब्धिहेतुः संयोगः ॥२३॥
sva-svāmi-śaktyoḥ svarūpa-upalabdhi-hetuḥ saṃyogaḥ ||23||
Conjunction is the cause of
apprehension of the self character
of the powers of the owned and the owner.
Commentaries and Reflections
Commentary by T Krishnamacharya:
“The association with the world full of form and change starts with the mind.
Suffering caused because of this association is an eye opener.
Who is suffering?
Who is recognising it?
What can release this suffering?
All these questions exist because of this association,
even though it may often be painful”
Commentary by S Ramaswami:
“We know from the previous Sūtra what has to be achieved.
Now we are looking at what has to be avoided.
We now look at Saṃyoga, the complete yoking of two things Dṛśya and Draṣṭṛ or Asmitā and Puruṣa.
Saṃyoga is due to their proximity,
They are not actually mixed up, but were so as close as to appear so.
Thus the idea is that is is possible to separate them.
As the Puruṣa does not act we only see the movement of Citta and take it to be the self.
Contact or alliance lasts till the right apprehension that has been said to be the cause of disunion.
That is why right apprehension has been said to be the cause of bringing about the state of liberation.”
Commentary by Paul Harvey:
“It can be helpful to reflect
on the connection between
the two perspectives
I am Aware and
I am Awareness.”