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The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Book 3 - Union achieved and its Results
27. A knowledge of all lunar forms arises through one-pointed meditation upon the moon.

There are two translations permissible here, the above and the following:

"A knowledge of the astral world comes to him who can meditate upon the moon."

Either is correct and probably a true understanding of the Sanskrit is only arrived at through combining the two. It might suffice here to give a simple English paraphrase which will give the essence of the significance of this sutra:

"One-pointed concentration upon the mother of forms (the moon) will reveal to the aspirant the nature and purpose of form."

If the student will remember that the moon is the symbol of matter, whereas the sun in its aspect of light is the symbol of the soul, he will have no difficulty in ascertaining the meaning of the two sutras we have just considered. One deals with the soul and the various states of consciousness; the other deals with the body, the [303] vehicle of consciousness. One concerns the body incorruptible, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The other deals with the "lunar mansions" (as one translator calls it) and with the home of the soul in the three worlds of human endeavor.

We must be careful however to remember that the moon aspect is the governing one in all the kingdoms below the human, whilst the sun aspect should dominate in the human.

A knowledge of the lunar mansions or of forms would give an understanding of the physical body, of the astral or desire vehicle and of the mental sheath.

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