The Nature of Matter

By Andy Roughton

The ancient Indian sage Patanjali is credited with writing a very important text on yoga which we call the Yoga Sutras of Patanajali (PYS). In this work Patanjali describes the entire subject of yoga in only 196 brief aphorisms or sutras. Inspired by a weekend spent with Rajiv Chanchani in Bristol, I will attempt to summarise my understanding of Nature through this work (PYS).

Patanjali says that there are two ingredients in the universe, which, in Sanskrit is known as Prakrti and Purusa. Although there are no exact direct translations into English, Prakrti can be thought of as Nature and Purusa as Soul or the Seer.

Prakrti means Nature in all of its forms. Everything we see around us is Nature: the house I sit in, the garden I am looking out into, my arms and fingers, my liver, my brain and my thoughts. The qualities of Nature are those of impermanence. Some things change rapidly, such as the short life of a flower; some things change slowly over time, such as the houses we live in. The most rapidly changing aspect of our beings is our Mind, which is constantly changing and moving, drawn to all the objects in the World. (PYS II.19).

Where there is a conjunction between Prakrti and Purusa, we have the opportunity for self discovery (PYS II.18 & II.23). It is possible for you to use this conjunction for either discovery or for your pleasure (PYS II.21). Unfortunately, if you choose to seek pleasure this path will always lead to pain as by its very nature, Nature is impermanent.

Just as we do in modern science, Patanjali divides Nature into different elements (Panca Mahabhutas) and qualities (Gunas) so that we can understand it better (PYS II.18-23). In modern science we use divisions such as molecules and atoms, but it is much more practical and easy for us to understand Nature if we use the simple categories of the Mahabhutas, which are: Prtvi (Earth), Ap (Water), Tej (Fire), Vayu (Air) and Akasa (Ether).

Nature, which includes the five elements, has three qualities called Gunas, which are luminosity (Sattva), action and motion (Rajas) and inertia (Tamas) (PYS II.19). We can use the three Gunas to classify the foods we eat, the ways we feel and the ways we change over time. The three Gunas are present to differing degrees inside of us at all times. Often Rajas (restless action and motion) and Tamas (inertia) overcome Sattva (luminosity). Our minds may be scattered and have the quality of Rajas (restless action and motion), and our bodies the qualities of Tamas (heavy and slow), but as we leave a yoga class the Rajas and Tamas will have been pacified or converted into Sattva (quietness, clarity and purity). Rajiv said that as we enter a yoga class we are like the spring Himalayan rivers, swirling turbulent waters thick with mud and sediments, and during a class the river decreases in velocity and the sediment begins to settle. It is the increase in Sattva that makes us feel good after the class.

If you want to find out more about the wise sage Patanjali then get yourself a copy of Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B.K.S. Iyengar.