Dṛśyaṁ śarīram दृश्यं शरीरम् (sūtrā 14)

Dṛśyaṁ means a visible object and in this context, it refers to the perceived objective world and śarīram means the gross body. There are two interpretations possible for this sūtrā that is opposite to each other. The first interpretation based on dṛśyaṁ śarīram means that the world, comprehended through his (yogi) senses (dṛṣṭi – faculty of seeing) is his own self. The second interpretation is based on śarīram dṛśyaṁ. This means that he considers his own body just like any other object.

Level of perception is the significant factor here. In the first explanation, he uses his sensory organs (eyes) to comprehend the world and uses his mind to perceive that there is no differentiation between the objective world and his inner Self. He understands that microcosm is not different from macrocosm. He is not bound by duality. For him, the objective world and his own self in not different objects.

The second interpretation is a little more intricate. He considers his very body as on object. Generally, someone identifies objects as my body, my car, my home, etc. Hence body becomes the subject, but a yogi considers his own body as yet another object. When there is no subject the question of individual self or “I” does not arise. His individual consciousness transforms into universal consciousness. As long as ‘my and mine’ are used, spiritual progression is not feasible. It is only the illusion that arises out of ignorance is the reason for such differentiation. Illusion is possible only in the normal stages of consciousness. If one is able to transcend the lower levels, he begins to feel omnipresence of the Divine.

The yogi transcends all the three normal level of consciousness and by doing so, he begins to recognize Shiva, the universal consciousness within, resulting in bliss. He feels the whole universe as a single entity, Shiva. For him there is no other state other than Shiva. His individual experience is not distinct from Shiva, like the heat is not different from fire. Individual identification is the cause for pains and miseries. Individual identification unfolds only due to mistaken identity caused by māya. Reality is sarvaṃ īsvara mayaṃ (सर्वं ईस्वर मयं)

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