''Dhāraṇā'' () is the sixth limb of eight elucidated by

Patanjali Patanjali (, , ; also called Gonardiya or Gonikaputra) was the name of one or more author(s), mystic(s) and philosopher(s) in ancient India. His name is recorded as an author and compiler of a number of Sanskrit works. The greatest of these a ...

's Ashtanga Yoga or

Raja Yoga Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The title has a long ...

in his ''

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali The ''Yoga Sutras of Patañjali'' (IAST: Patañjali yoga-sūtra) is a compilation "from a variety of sources" of Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the practice of yoga – 195 sutras (according to Vyasa, Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196 sut ...

''. It is directing and maintaining the mind's attention to a specific location of the body after sense-withdrawal has been attained.

Etymology

''Dhāraṇā'' is translated as "firmness, steadfastness, certainty," as "the act of holding, bearing, wearing, supporting, maintaining, retaining, keeping back (in remembrance), a good memory," and also as "collection or concentration of the mind (joined with the retention of breath)."Sanskrit-English Dictionary by

Monier Monier-Williams Sir Monier Monier-Williams (; né Williams; 12 November 1819 – 11 April 1899) was a British scholar who was the second Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University, England. He studied, documented and taught Asian languages, especially ...

, (c) 1899 This term is related to the verbal Sanskrit roots ''dha'' and ''ana'', to hold, carry, maintain, resolve. Dharana is the noun.

Yoga Sutras

Yoga Sutras verse III.1 states ''deśa-bandhaś cittasya dhāraņā'', meaning: * ''deśa'': "place" "location," "spot" * ''bandhaś'' (''bandhah''): "bound, fixed" * ''cittasya'': "of the mind," "whose mind," "senses" * ''dhāraņā'': "concentration," "maintain" According to Bryant, in Yoga Sutras verse III.1 Patanjali defines ''dharana'' as "concentration is the fixing of the mind in one place," maintaining the mind's attention in one fixed place.

Interpretation

In the commentarial tradition, ''dhāraṇā'' is interpreted as "holding", "holding steady", "concentration", or "single focus." The ''Yogabhashya'' in its commentary on Yoga Sutras verse III.1 mentions focal points like the navel or the heart, while later commentators like Vacaspati Misra and Ramananda Sarasvati refer to the Vishnu Purana, which highlights theistic meditation, particularly visualizing Vishnu's form.

Practice

The prior limb Pratyahara involves withdrawing the senses from external phenomena. ''Dhāraṇā'' builds further upon this by refining it further to '' ekagrata'' or ''ekagra chitta'', that is continuous, uninterrupted lucid awareness. The commentarial tradition interprets it as single-pointed concentration and focus, which is in this context cognate with Samatha. Gregor Maehle defines Dharana as: "The mind thinks about one object and avoids other thoughts; awareness of the object is still interrupted." The difference between ''Dhāraṇā'', Dhyāna, and

Samādhi Statue of a meditating Rishikesh.html" ;"title="Shiva, Rishikesh">Shiva, Rishikesh ''Samādhi'' (Pali and ), in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, is a state of meditative consciousness. In many Indian religious traditions, the cultivati ...

, which together are called

Samyama ''Samyama'' (from Sanskrit संयम saṃ-yama—holding together, tying up, binding, integration) is the combined simultaneous practice of dhāraṇā (concentration), dhyāna (meditation) and samādhi (union). Description Samyama is a too ...

, is a gradual one of intensity and uninterruptedness.

References

Sources