Sūtra 2.39

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 2.39:

अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथन्तासम्बोधः ॥ २.३९ ॥

aparigrahasthairye janmakathantāsambodhaḥ || 2.39 ||

39. On non-covetousness being confirmed there is conscience of all about births.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

He next points out the fruit of non-covetousness.

[Read Sūtra 2.39]

The word kathantā is the abstract form of katham ‘what,’ or ‘what all about,’ janma-kathantā means all about births, and the full knowledge thereof is its “conscience” (sambodha). The meaning is that he knows all about the questions, “What was I in a former birth? Who was I? What did I do?”

Covetousness is not confined to objects of enjoyment; it extends to the soul’s desire to have a body, for that too is covetousness, since the body is needed for enjoyment. And such being the case, the knowledge of principles cannot prevail, while the inclinations are disposed outwards from the excess of the quality of foulness. Now, when on giving up all desire for the body and the rest, an indifference is attained, then to the indifferent being, devoid of foulness, an acquaintance with all past and future existences becomes a cause of thorough knowledge.

Notes and Extracts

[Notes and comparative extracts from other commentaries on the Yogasūtra]

[The reward here spoken of is transcendental; it enables the observer of abstinence from all covetousness to see by his mental eye all that has happened to him in former births, and what will happen hereafter.]

Having thus described the perfections of the restraints, he now describes the obligations.