Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 44
स्थूलस्वरूपसूक्ष्मान्वयार्थवत्त्वसंयमात् भूतजयः ॥४४॥
sthūla-svarūpa-sūkṣma-anvaya-arthavattva-saṃyamāt-bhūta-jayaḥ ||44||
From complete restraint
grossness, own character, subtlety, connection, significance;
mastery of elements.
Commentaries and Reflections
Commentary by S Ramaswami:
“Here we develop the previous Sūtra’s idea of the mastery over the elements.
We now talk about the external universe.
The means to mastery means Saṃyama on five aspects
1) Gross or distinctive property such as earth, sound, etc…
2) Own form and essential character. So, to earth there is hardness, heaviness, texture, covering, standing on its own, divided into, supporting something, blackness etc. For Water there is liquidity, etc… For Fire there is heat and wind mobility, for Space there is all pervasiveness. So each element has its particular Dharma.
3) Each element has its own Tanmātra.
4) The fourth form are the ability of manifestation, activity and retentiveness due to the movement of the Guṇa. Thus its inherent qualities.
5) The Fifth form, is its objectivity which can be be for experience of salvation.
Mastery over these five forms, gives mastery over the Bhūta.”