Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali Īśvarapraṇidhāna is mentioned in the
Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali as follows: The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali use the term
Īśvara in 11 verses: I.23 through I.29, II.1, II.2, II.32 and II.45. Patañjali defines
Īśvara (Sanskrit: ईश्वर) in verse 24 of Book 1, as "a special Self (पुरुषविशेष,
puruṣa-viśeṣa)", – Yoga Sutras I.24 This sutra of Yoga philosophy adds the characteristics of
Īśvara as that special Self which is unaffected (अपरामृष्ट,
aparamrsta) by one's obstacles/hardships (क्लेश,
klesha), one's circumstances created by past or one's current actions (कर्म,
karma), one's life fruits (विपाक,
vipâka), and one's psychological dispositions/intentions (आशय, ashaya). Īśvarapraṇidhāna is listed as the fifth
niyama by Patañjali. In other forms of yoga, it is the tenth niyama. In Hinduism, the
Niyamas are the "do list" and the
Yamas are the "don't do" list, both part of an ethical theory for life.
Īśvara as a metaphysical concept Hindu scholars have debated and commented on who or what is
Īśvara. These commentaries range from defining Īśhvara from a "personal god" to "special self" to "anything that has spiritual significance to the individual". Ian Whicher explains that while Patañjali's terse verses can be interpreted both as theistic or non-theistic, Patañjali's concept of Īśvara in Yoga philosophy functions as a "transformative catalyst or guide for aiding the yogin on the path to spiritual emancipation". Desmarais states that Īśvara is a metaphysical concept in Yogasutras.
Īśvarapraṇidhāna is investing, occupying the mind with this metaphysical concept. Yogasutra does not mention deity anywhere, nor does it mention any devotional practices (
Bhakti), nor does it give Īśvara characteristics typically associated with a deity. In yoga sutras it is a logical construct, states Desmarais. This is seen as a means to begin the process of dissociating from external world, connecting with one's inner world, focusing and getting one-minded in
Yoga. Whicher states that Patañjali's concept of Īśvara is neither a creator God nor the universal Absolute of
Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism. Whicher also notes that some theistic sub-schools of Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, inspired by the Yoga school, prefer to explain the term
Īśvara as the "Supreme Being that rules over the cosmos and the individuated beings".
Īśvara as a deity Īśvarapraṇidhāna has been interpreted to mean the contemplation of a deity in some sub-schools of Hinduism. Zimmer in his 1951 Indian philosophies book noted that the Bhakti sub-schools, and its texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, refer to Isvara as a Divine Lord, or the deity of specific Bhakti sub-school. Modern sectarian movements have emphasized Ishvara as Supreme Lord; for example,
Hare Krishna movement considers Krishna as the Lord,
Arya Samaj and
Brahmoism movements – influenced by Christian and Islamic movements in India – conceptualize Ishvara as a monotheistic all powerful Lord. In traditional theistic sub-schools of Hinduism, such as the
Vishishtadvaita Vedanta of Ramanuja and
Dvaita Vedanta of Madhva, Ishvara is identified as Vishnu/Narayana, that is distinct from the
Prakriti (material world) and
Purusha (soul, spirit). In all these sub-schools,
Īśvarapraṇidhāna is the contemplation of the respective deity. Radhakrishnan and Moore state that these variations in Īśvara concept is consistent with Hinduism's notion of "personal God" where the "ideals or manifestation of individual's highest Self values that are esteemed".
Īśvarapraṇidhāna, or contemplation of Īśvara as a deity is useful, suggests Zaehner, because it helps the individual become more like Īśhvara. Riepe, and others, state that the literature of Yoga school of Hinduism neither explicitly defines nor implicitly implies, any creator-god; rather, it leaves the individual with freedom and choice of conceptualizing Īśvara in any meaningful manner he or she wishes, either in the form of "deity of one's choice" or "formless
Brahman (Absolute Reality, Universal Principle, true special Self)". The need and purpose of Īśvara, whatever be the abstraction of it as "special kind of Self" or "personal deity", is not an end in itself, rather it is a means to "perfect the practice of concentration" in one's journey through the eight limbs of Yoga philosophy. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali defines
Īśhvara as a "special Purusa" in verse I.24, with certain characteristics. Īśhvara, then may be understood as one among the plurality of "pure consciousness", with characteristics as defined by Patanjali in verse I.24.
Īśvara as spiritual but not religious Van Ness, and others, suggests that the concepts of Īśvara, Īśvara-pranidhana and other limbs of Yoga may be pragmatically understood as "spiritual but not religious". ==See also==