Viśokā

By Swami Harshananda

Sometimes transliterated as: Visoka, ViZokA, Vishokaa

Viśokā literally means ‘without sorrow’.

The mind is constantly rising in the form of vṛttis or waves of thoughts and emotions and hence difficult to control. Patañjali^[1] in his monumental work the Yogasutras, gives a few methods called parikarmas, in seven sutras^[2] which helps in controlling the mind. One of them is indicated by this sutra:

Viśokā vā jyotismatī.^[3]

When the mind is directed towards the suṣumnānāḍi which is in the middle of the spinal column but extends right up to suryamanḍala,^[4] one is able to get a knowledge of one’s own citta or mind. This knowledge resembles light and results in freedom from sorrow.^[5]

References

↑ He lived in 200 B. C.
↑ Yogasutras 1.33 to 39.
↑ Yogasutras 1.36
↑ Suryamanḍala means the orb of the sun.
↑ It is called as viśokā.

The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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[1] He lived in 200 B. C.

[2] Yogasutras 1.33 to 39.

[3] Yogasutras 1.36

[4] Suryamanḍala means the orb of the sun.

[5] It is called as viśokā.

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