Yogasudhākara, commenting on Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra 2.27, by Śrī Sadāśiva Brahmendra

In his Yogasudhākara, commenting on Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra 2.27,

tasya saptadhā prāntabhūmiḥ prajñā

“His culminating wisdom is sevenfold,”

Śrī Sadāśiva Brahmendra describes seven nivṛttis that characterize the culmination of discriminative knowledge:

Jijñāsā-nivṛtti, Jihāsā-nivṛtti, Prepsā-nivṛtti, Cikīrṣā-nivṛtti, Śoka-nivṛtti, Bhaya-nivṛtti, and Sakala-vikalpa-nivṛtti.

The contemplation of these seven nivṛttis can have a profound steadying influence upon the mind of a mumukṣu yearning for Brahmātmanubhava.

1. Jijñāsā-nivṛtti, freedom from the need to know

jñātavyam akhilaṃ jñātaṃ mama na kiñcij jñātavyam asti

“All that has to be known has been known. There is nothing further for me to know.”

This is freedom from the restless inquisitiveness that seeks fulfillment by knowing more and more about the countless things in the world, as though such accumulation of knowledge could complete oneself or in the least a worthwhile endeavour!! -   samprāptē sannihitē kālē

nahi nahi rakṣati ḍukṛṅkaraṇē ....therefore brUhi mukundEti rasanE brUhi mukundEti rasanE

2. Jihāsā-nivṛtti, freedom from the need to reject

hātavyaṃ sarvaṃ bandhajātaṃ hīnaṃ mama na kiñcid dheyam asti

“There is nothing further for me to reject, since all that need to be rejected has been rejected, as per viveka"

This is freedom from the compulsion that something within oneself must continually be removed, corrected, suppressed, or eliminated. Through viveka born of Brahmavidyā, bondage itself is understood for what it is - namely ignorance of our svarupa! Rejection of all things borne out of ignorance, can help to an extent but not at the expense of not pursuing Viveka to its logical outcome!

3. Prepsā-nivṛtti, freedom from the need to attain

prāptavyam akhilaṃ prāptaṃ tato na kiñcit prāptavyam asti

“All that has to be attained has been attained. Therefore, there is nothing further to attain.”

This is freedom from the fundamental orientation of becoming, the feeling that fulfillment lies in acquiring, achieving, reaching, or becoming something that one is presently not.

4. Cikīrṣā-nivṛtti, freedom from the need to accomplish through action

kartavyam akhilaṃ kṛtaṃ na kiñcin mama kāryam asti

“All that had to be done has been done. There is nothing that remains for me to do.”

This is freedom from the belief that action, its means, or its ends can finally be perfected so as to produce complete satisfaction. Action continues where appropriate, but the sense that “I must accomplish something in order to become complete” has ended.

5. Śoka-nivṛtti, freedom from sorrow

kṛtārthaṃ me buddhi-sattvam

“The purpose of my buddhi has been fulfilled.”

The intellect has accomplished what it was ultimately meant to accomplish. There is therefore no basis for sorrow born of incompleteness, failure, or the sense that something essential remains unresolved.

6. Bhaya-nivṛtti, freedom from fear

Sadāśiva Brahmendra explains that the buddhi and the other manifestations of the guṇas, having fulfilled their purpose, no longer constitute a basis for renewed bondage.

This is freedom from fear in its fundamental sense, including the fear of death and the fear of losing property, position, honor, relationships, or anything else regarded as “mine.” Fear loses its foundation when one's reality is no longer located in what is subject to change and loss.

7. Sakala-vikalpa-nivṛtti, freedom from all mental constructions

Sadāśiva Brahmendra culminates with the extraordinary statement:

tad ahaṃ guṇātīta-svarūpa-mātreṇāvasthitaś cid-ekarasaḥ

“I abide solely as my nature, beyond the guṇas, as the one undivided essence of Consciousness.”

This is sakala-vikalpa-nivṛtti, freedom from all vikalpa, including the fundamental error of taking anātma, the realm of Māyā, as independently real and thereby continuing to cling to duality.

It is therefore the culmination of aikyānusandhānam: abiding in the recognition that one's svarūpa is not anything belonging to the changing field of experience, but cid-ekarasa, undivided Consciousness.

These seven nivṛttis can therefore be contemplated very simply:

Nothing more to know.

Nothing more to reject.

Nothing more to attain.

Nothing more to accomplish.

Nothing ultimately to grieve.

Nothing ultimately to fear.

No vikalpa through which I need to define myself.

Cid-ekarasaḥ. I remain as the one undivided essence of Consciousness.