Meditating on the knowledge that comes insleep.

Verse 37

वीतराग विषयम् वा चित्तम् ॥३७॥

vītarāga viṣayam vā cittam ॥37॥

Or (by meditation on) the heart that has given up all

attachment to sense objects.

Verse 38

स्वप्ननिद्रा ज्ञानाअलम्बनम् वा ॥३८॥

svapna-nidrā jñāna-ālambanam vā ॥38॥

Or by meditating on the knowledge that comes in

sleep.

VedaVyasa, Suka, Ramanuja, Madhvacharya, Vallabhacharya, Chaitanya MahaPrabhu, Sri Aurobindo, Ramana Maharshi and Sri Ramakrishna, are examples of Self Realised Beings

If the sadhaka reflects on the serene, pure state of such divine persons and emulates their practices, he gains confidence, attains stability and

develops a desireless state of mind.

In the same way, one can also contemplate each stage of an each movement of breath in order to bring the chitta to a state of desirelessness. 

If consciousness is kept free from desire, it becomes pure. Mere withdrawal from the world does not in itself achieve this aim.

Citta has four planes: the unconscious, subconscious, conscious and superconscious.

The unconscious plane is the state of dreamless sleep (nidra/sushupti). 

The subconscious plane is the dream-filled (svapna) state. The conscious plane is the waking ( jagrata) state. 

The superconscious plane is the fourth state known as turiya. 

Turya is samadhi, the final state wherein the individual soul (jivatman) is merged with the Universal Soul (Paramatman).

By close examination of dream-filled and dreamless sleep, the sadhaka

comes to distinguish the various levels of consciousness, and learns to transform them into a single state of consciousness.

The sadhaka should also contemplate on the thought of the soul before going to sleep, so that the same thought flows uninterruptedly whether he

is awake, dreaming or asleep.

Normally, declining thoughts lead to quietness; but strong rising thoughts keep one awake. A yogi maintains passive alertness without

allowing thoughts to spring forth, or strives to restrain them. This is reflective contemplation

The sadhaka begins his sadhana dreaming of the pros and cons of each

Asana. This is a svapna state. He stabilizes his ideas and rests on them. 

This is nidra state. 

Later he learns to distinguish the subtle points and perform

them with awareness. This is the state of jnana.