विभूतिः- vibhūti


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 विभूतिः- Vibhūti

Etymology:

विभूतिः = वि + भू + क्तिन्

 vibhūtiḥ = vi + bhū + ktin

As can be seen from the above

[1]Bhū - is the root which means - sattāyām (to exist, to be, to happen)

The prefix added to it is vi – indicating special

The suffix is ktin which is added in the sense of indicating the action (bhāva) (embedded in the root - to be) and feminine gender (striyāṃ ktin - aṣṭādhyāyī 3.3.94)

Thus the three components, in general indicate the meaning special presence/happening (of powers).

 

Lexicon

In the lexicon amarakośa we find the following reference on the term vibhūti - 

Vibhūtir-bhūtir-aiśvaryam aṇimādikam aṣṭadhā (1.1.36)

The words Vibhūti, bhūti, aiśvarya are synonyms. They are eight types of powers beginning from aṇimā (becoming infinitesimally small) etc

 

Textual occurrences

Yogasūtra

It is interesting to note that though the third Chapter of this text is known as Vibhūti Pāda which deals with various supra sensory powers and extraordinary knowledge – this word has not been used by Sage Patañjali. To indicate special powers Sage Patañjali used the word Siddhis.

Bhagavadgītā

There are five occurrences of the term vibhūti in this text and all those references are concentrated in the 10th chapter (Verses 7,16,18, 40,41)[2]. The chapter is also known as Vibhūti-yoga. The survey of the all occurrences of the term in this text indicates that here also the term Vibhūti means powers. While Vibhūti in Yogasūtra refers to the powers that a practitioner of Yoga attains, here the term points to the powers of the Lord.   

Haṭhayogapradīpikā

The term Vibhūti occurs in one occasion in this text  98th verse of third chapter.. The verse is as follows –

abhyāsānnisṛtāṁ cāndrīṁ vibhūtyā saha miśrayet ।
dhārayeduttamāṅgeṣu divyadṛṣṭiḥ prajāyate ॥ 98 ॥

The Moon fluid that flows due to the practice  (amarolī) should be mixed with sacred ash. It should be smeared on the limbs of the body. This results in great powers of sight.

As can be noted here the term Vibhūti in this text refers to sacred ash (Bhasma) and its use is connected to the practice of amarolī (this is a Haṭha practice that involves in dirking one’s own urine refer Verse 3.96,97 of the text). 

Observations 

Thus as can be observed from the discussions and textual evidences  above - vibhuti has three meanings in the these three Yoga texts - Supra-sensory powers attained by a Yogin, Powers of the supreme being, merely ash from the burnt cow dung. Thus care has to be exercised in discussing the term Vibhūti in the context of Yoga.

 00000

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[2] As these verses do not bring out any new shades of meanings the verses are not given.

 

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