Patanjali Yoga Sutra 3.15

Sanskrit Sutra

क्रमान्यत्वं परिणामान्यत्वे हेतुः॥१५॥

Swami Vivekananda's translation

The succession of changes is the cause of manifold evolution.

Vyasa Bhashya (Sanskrit)

क्रमान्यत्वं परिणामान्यत्वे हेतुः ॥ १५ ॥

एकस्य धर्मिण एक एव परिणाम इति प्रसक्ते क्रमान्यत्वं परिणामान्यत्वे हेतुर्भवतीति। तद्यथा चूर्णमृत्पिण्डमृद्घटमृत्कपालमृत्कणमृदिति च क्रमः। यो यस्य धर्मस्य समनन्तरो धर्मः स तस्य क्रमः। पिण्डः प्रच्यवते घट उपजायत इति धर्मपरिणामक्रमः। लक्षणपरिणामक्रमो घटस्यानागतभावाद्वर्तमानभावः क्रमः। तथा पिण्डस्य वर्तमानभावादतीतभावः क्रमः। नातीतस्यास्ति क्रमः। कस्मात्। पूर्वपरतायां सत्यां समनन्तरत्वं, सा तु नास्त्यतीतस्य। तस्माद्द्वयोरेव लक्षणयोः क्रमः। तथाऽवस्थापरिणामक्रमोऽपि घटस्याभिनवस्य प्रान्ते पुराणता दृश्यते। सा च क्षणपरम्परानुपातिना क्रमेणाभिव्यज्यमाना परां व्यक्तिमापद्यत इति। धर्मलक्षणाभ्यां च विशिष्टोऽयं तृतीयः परिणाम इति।

त एते क्रमा धर्मधर्मिभेदे सति प्रतिलब्धस्वरूपाः। धर्मोऽपि धर्मी भवत्यन्यधर्मस्वरूपापेक्षयेति। यदा तु परमार्थतो धर्मिण्यभेदोपचारस्तद्द्वारेण स एवाभिधीयते धर्मस्तदाऽयमेकत्वेनैव क्रमः प्रत्यवभासते।

चित्तस्य द्वये धर्माः परिदृष्टाश्चापरिदृष्टाश्च। तत्र प्रत्ययात्मकाः परिदृष्टा वस्तुमात्रात्मका अपरिदृष्टाः। ते च सप्तैव भवन्त्यनुमानेन प्रापितवस्तुमात्रसद्भावाः । निरोधधर्मसंस्काराः परिणामोऽथ जीवनम् । चेष्टा शक्तिश्च चित्तस्य धर्मा दर्शनवर्जिताः ॥ इति ॥ १५ ॥

Vyasa Bhashya (English Translation)

Lest it be supposed that there is only one transformation for a single substratum (dharmin), it is stated: ‘The change in sequence is the cause of the change in transformation.’ For example, the sequence of clay is: clay powder, clay lump, clay pot, clay shards, and particles of clay. That characteristic (dharma) which immediately follows another characteristic is its sequence (krama). The lump disappears, the pot is born—this is the sequence of transformation of characteristic (dharma-parinama).

The sequence of the transformation of state (lakshana-parinama) of the pot is its transition from the future state (unmanifest) to the present state. Similarly, the sequence of the lump is its transition from the present state to the past state. There is no sequence for the past. Why? Because immediate succession exists when there is a before and an after, but that is not possible for the past. Therefore, sequence belongs only to the two states (future and present).

Similarly, regarding the sequence of transformation of condition (avastha-parinama), the newness of the pot is seen to become old eventually. That (oldness) is manifested through a sequence following a succession of moments, and finally attains its complete manifestation. This third transformation is distinct from dharma and lakshana.

These sequences attain their form only when there is a distinction between the characteristic (dharma) and the substratum (dharmin). A characteristic itself becomes a substratum with respect to another form of characteristic. But when, in absolute truth, the characteristic is treated as non-different from the substratum, and through it the characteristic alone is spoken of, then this sequence appears as a unity.

The mind has two kinds of characteristics: the perceived (paridrishta) and the unperceived (aparidrishta). Among them, those of the nature of cognitions (pratyayas) are perceived, and those which are of the nature of mere substance are unperceived. These (unperceived ones) are only seven, their existence as mere substance being established by inference: Restraint (nirodha), characteristic (dharma), impression (samskara), transformation (parinama), vitality (jivana), movement (cheshta), and power (shakti) — these are the characteristics of the mind devoid of visibility (unperceived). || 15 ||

Chapter link: Yoga Sutra Chapter 3