Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2.17

Sanskrit Sutra

द्रष्टृदृश्ययोः संयोगो हेयहेतुः॥१७॥

Swami Vivekananda's translation

The cause of that which is to be avoided is the junction of the seer and the seen.

Vyasa Bhashya (Sanskrit)

तस्माद्यदेव हेयमित्युच्यते तस्यैव कारणं प्रतिनिर्दिश्यते –

द्रष्टृदृश्ययोः संयोगो हेयहेतुः ॥ १७ ॥

द्रष्टा बुद्धेः प्रतिसंवेदी पुरुषः। दृश्या बुद्धिसत्त्वोपारूढाः सर्वे धर्माः। तदेतद्दृश्यमयस्कान्तमणिकल्पं संनिधिमात्रोपकारिदृश्यत्वेन स्वं भवति पुरुषस्य दृशिरूपस्य स्वामिनः, अनुभवकर्मविषयतामापन्नं यतः। अन्यस्वरूपेण प्रतिलब्धात्मकं स्वतन्त्रमपि परार्थत्वात्परतन्त्रम्। तयोर्दृग्दर्शनशक्त्योरनादिरर्थकतः संयोगो हेयहेतुर्दुःखस्य कारणमित्यर्थः। तथा चोक्तम् – तत्संयोगहेतुविवर्जनात्स्यादयमात्यन्तिको दुःखप्रतीकारः। कस्मात्, दुःखहेतोः परिहार्यस्य प्रतीकारदर्शनात्।

तद्यथा – पादतलस्य भेद्यता, कण्टकस्य भेत्तृत्वं, परिहारः कण्टकस्य पादाऽनधिष्ठानं पादत्राणव्यवहितेन वाऽधिष्ठानम्, एतत्त्रयं यो वेद लोके स तत्र प्रतीकारमारभमाणो भेदजं दुःखं नाऽऽप्नोति। कस्मात्, त्रित्वोपलब्धिसामर्थ्यादिति। अत्रापि तापकस्य रजसः सत्त्वमेव तप्यम्। कस्मात्, तपिक्रियायाः कर्मस्थत्वात्, सत्त्व क्रिया नापरिणामिनि निष्क्रिये क्षेत्रज्ञे, दर्शितविषयत्वात्। सत्त्वं तु तप्यमाने तदाकारानुरोधी पुरुषोऽप्यनुतप्यत इति ॥ १७ ॥

Vyasa Bhashya (English Translation)

Therefore, the cause of that very thing which is called ‘avoidable’ (heya) is now pointed out: The conjunction of the seer (drashtri) and the seen (drisya) is the cause of that which is to be avoided (heya-hetu). || 17 || The seer (drashtri) is the Purusha, who cognizes the intellect (buddhi). The ‘seen’ (drisya) comprises all phenomena that have mounted the sattva of the intellect. This ‘seen’, acting like a lodestone (magnet), serves by its mere proximity and becomes the property of its lord, the Purusha, who is of the nature of pure seeing, because it becomes the object of his experience. Although independent, it attains existence through another’s form (the Purusha’s consciousness) and is thus dependent because it exists for another’s sake (pararthatvat). The beginningless conjunction of these two—the power of seeing (drig) and the power of the instrument of seeing (darshana-shakti), brought about by purpose—is the cause of the avoidable (heya-hetu), meaning the cause of suffering. And thus it has been said: By avoiding the cause of this conjunction, there would be the absolute removal of suffering. Why? Because the remedy is seen for the cause of suffering which is to be avoided. For example: the piercability of the sole of the foot, the piercing nature of the thorn, and the remedy which is not placing the foot on the thorn or stepping on it wearing a shoe. He who knows these three in the world, initiating the remedy there, does not attain the pain born of piercing. Why? Because of the capacity to know the triad. Here too, sattva alone is the afflicted (tapyah) by rajas, which is the afflicter (tapakasya). Why? Because the action of afflicting resides in the object (sattva). This action does not reside in the non-mutating, inactive Knower of the Field (Purusha), who only has objects presented to Him. But while the sattva is being afflicted, the Purusha conforming to its form appears as if he too is afflicted. || 17 ||

Vyasa’s Thorn Analogy

To explain how knowledge prevents suffering, Vyasa gives the analogy of a thorn and a foot:

Analogy Element	Represents in Yoga	Description
Sole of the foot (piercable)	Sattva (The afflicted / tapyah)	The mind/intellect which is capable of experiencing pain.
Thorn (piercer)	Rajas (The afflicter / tapakasya)	The active principle that causes agitation and pain.
Remedy (avoiding or wearing shoes)	Liberation (Hana)	Avoiding the conjunction of Purusha and Prakriti through right knowledge.
Pain of piercing	Suffering (Duhkha)	The suffering that occurs when Purusha mistakenly identifies with the afflicted Sattva.

Chapter link: Yoga Sutra Chapter 2