Sūtra 3.20

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 3.20:

न च तत्सालम्बनं तस्याविषयीभूतत्वात् ॥ ३.२० ॥

na ca tatsālambanaṃ tasyāviṣayībhūtatvāt || 3.20 ||

20. (But) not along with its object, that not being the object (of the thinker).

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

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

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

He now describes a peculiarity in the knowledge of other thinking principles.

[Read Sūtra 3.20]

But he is not able to know another's thinking principle (in the text represented by the pronoun it) “along with its object'” (sālambana), i.e., along with the object to which it is directed, because none of the characteristics of the object is made the subject (of the Saṃyama). From the characteristic of the object not being reflected upon the thinking principle alone of another is known, but not that it is blue or yellow, because Saṃyama cannot be directed to that which has not been made the object of it, and there can be no recognition where it is not made the object. Hence another thinking principle along with its object is not cognizable, the object not being taken into account. Now, the qualities of the thinking principle will be included. When contemplation is made as to what is the object, then from that Saṃyama a knowledge of the whole subject is acquired.

Notes and Extracts

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

[This aphorism qualifies the sense of the next preceding one. It says that by thinking on the thinking principle of another one can know it, but not its objects, unless those objects are also included. When they are included the knowledge is perfect.]

He describes another perfection.