सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिन:
सर्वे सन्तु निरामया:।
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु।
मा कश्चित् दु:खभाग भवेत् ।।
Happiness be unto all.
Perfect health be unto all.
May all see what is good.
May all be free from suffering.
7 - Dhyāna - ध्यान ;
Dhyāna (Meditation). By intensifying Dhāranā a state automatically arises in which a Sadhaka (student) is not aware of time, space and causation (the limiting adjuncts of Prakriti) beyond the object of meditation. This state has been described in Pātanjala Darshana thus: That, the mind that is fixed on the object of meditation should not falter even for a moment, and should continue its identification with the object in one continuous stream. This continuity of flow is meditation, isolated form time, space and causation. The consummation of this flow is Samādhi (or super-consciousness).

"When meditation shines with the object alone as if unaware of itself, this is known as Samādhi. In this state one acquires inner knowledge or the meaning of the object;; the meditator does not experience anything else. Beyond this stage, by developing the different grades of Samādhi, one goes on to acquire knowledge of gross and subtle objects and ultimately attains the discriminative knowledge of Purusha and Prakriti (The Supreme Spirit and Matter) by Samādhi alone. For the knowledge of what is beyond the Manomaya Kosha (Mind Sheath), the different grades of Samādhi are the only means. Therefore, it is necessary to know, in brief, more about Samādhi.

Prānāyāma, Pratyāhāra. Dhāranā, Dhyāna - These limbs of Astānga Yoga are like the A B C D of Samādhi-s. For instance, R and Y are consonants, and A I are vowels;; the combination of these goes to form a word and words go to form a language. In the same way, by the practice of Prānāyāma, Pratyāhāra, Dhāranā and Dhyāna, Samādhi is attained. The combination of Dhārana, Dhyāna and Samādhi is called Samyama Shakti, power resulting from their merging. The practice of Dhārna and Dhyāna is done with the main purpose of directing the mind from gross to subtle and still more subtle objects and their knowledge whereby to enable it to open the gate of Self-realisation. The mind-stuff is able to grasp the fine movements of this Kosha fully only when it has been bridled of its unsteadiness. By the ceaseless practice of concentration and meditation the mind is able to enter into Samādhi by taking it gradually from subtle to subtler and subtlest effects. In the beginning, the knowledge attained is gross and imperfect. By the different grades of Samādhi one attains subtle and perfect knowledge. Therefore the entire knowledge of Manomaya Kosha (Mind Sheath) and Vijñāamaya Kosha (Intellect Sheath), being subtle and beyond the range of senses, has to be acquired by Samādhi alone because by Samādhi alone a Sādhaka gains the Divine Eye. Therefore it seems imperative to explain the object of Samādhi-s. Since knowledge of Vijñānamaya Kosha is very subtle and that of Ānandamaya Kosha (Bliss Sheath) most subtle, the successive knowledge of these two sheaths cannot be acquired without Samādhi.

In the practice of Dhārana and Dhyāna there is no such knowledge as can bring self-realisation or liberation. The knowledge acquired by the Samādhi-s is the only bestower of self-realisation. It is due to ignorance resulting in attachment to the effect of Prakriti in the causal, astral and physical bodies that the soul is bound. By the practice of Samādhi one is able to realise the nature of bondage and, knowing this, one attains Tattwajñāna (knowledge of Truth) by acquisition of Viveka Khyāti or discriminative knowledge. There, then, arises Parama Vairāgya or supreme dispassion by which one renounces all forms of bondage. The arising of Parama Vairāgya is the main cause of liberation.