विकल्पः - Vikalpa

  

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Blog author Jayaraman Mahadevan

 

विकल्पः - Vikalpa 

Etymology

वि+ कृप् +घञ् = विकल्पः

vi+ kṛp +ghañ = vikalpaḥ

• Vi is the prefix that means - Viruddha - opposite
• kṛp is the root that means - sāmarthya - capability, to be able 
• ghañ is the suffix that is used to indicate Bhāva – the act. This suffix is added as per the grammatical rule भावे Bhāve (Aṣṭādhyāyī 3.3.18)

The derivative statement would be विकल्प्यते इति विकल्पः vikalpyate iti vikalpaḥ – the act of imagining, providing options.

(Note: Going strictly by the meanings of the root, suffix and prefix though the derivation should mean - the act of the opposite capability –still, the usage convention prevalent in saṃskṛta literature with regard to this word leads to meanings -  imagination and optionality. In saṃskṛta language, rūḍhi (convention) outweighs Yoga (etymology))   

 

Lexicon - There is no entry of this word in the amarakośa.

 

Textual Occurrences

Yogasūtra

There are three occurrences of the word Vikalpa in this text.

The first two references occur in the same context of enumeration and definition of the Vṛttis of the Citta -  

1. प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतय ॥१.६॥- pramāṇaviparyayavikalpanidrāsmṛtaya ..1.6.. - Here Vikalpa is listed as one among the five Vṛttis of Citta.
2. शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः ॥१.९॥- śabdajñānānupātī vastuśūnyo vikalpaḥ ..1.9.. - Here Vikalpa is defined. Vikalpa is that (vṛtti) which follows merely from the knowledge generated by the words bereft of the corresponding object (in the world outside).

The word Vikalpa is also found in this Sūtra where Savitarka Samapatti is described -

3. तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः संकीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः ॥१.४२॥ - tatra śabdārthajñānavikalpaiḥ saṃkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ ..1.42.. - savitarkā samāpatti is a state of cognitive absorption of the citta in the object of focus - with imaginary connections of the word, knowledge and object (of focus). 

 

Bhagavadgītā - There is no occurrence of the word in this text

Haṭhayogapradīpikā

There is just one occurrence of a related term – Nirvikalpa.

सङ्कल्पमात्रकलनैव जगत् समग्रं

सङ्कल्पमात्रकलनैव मनो विलासः ।

सङ्कल्पमात्रमतिमुत्सृज्य निर्विकल्पं

आश्रित्य निश्चयमपानुहि राम शान्तिम् ॥ ४.५८ ॥

saṅkalpamātrakalanaiva jagat samagraṃ

saṅkalpamātrakalanaiva mano vilāsaḥ .

saṅkalpamātramatimutsṛjya nirvikalpaṃ

āśritya niścayamapānuhi rāma śāntim .. 4.58 .. - The word Nirvikalpa is found herein which conveys a sense that is opposed to Vikalpa. Most dictionaries describe Nirvikalpa as – non-wavering. In this context the pure consciousness is non-wavering, unchanging in nature. 

 

Observation

As can be observed the term Vikalpa seems to be found in the specific sense of imagination in Yogasūtras and it is interesting to note that even in the state of Samāpatti (samādhi) Vikalpa exists. Whereas in other yoga texts not much of discussion is available in this regard.

 

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