Patanjali Maharishi teaches that the soul, Purusha, has two purposes to accomplish for it to be liberated from suffering, namely, experience (bhoga) and transcendence (apavarga). Experience is the gaining of the knowledge of nature (Prakriti) or creation, whereas transcendence is when Purusha becomes aware of its own nature as pure consciousness.
In the first goal, experience, the soul embarks on its quest for happiness in the external world and is suffering the pleasure and pain of life. Gradually the soul shifts to seek freedom from bondage and starts on the path of sadhana, or practice of the Yogic means. When sadhana becomes established, the Yogi enters the path of Samprajnata Samadhi, where deep meditation is applied in order to know creation as it is, and finally transcend it by gaining knowledge of consciousness itself.
It is this latter part of the journey of experience, Samprajnata Samadhi, which is taught in the Vibhuti Pada. It describes the Yogic wisdom and insights about creation and the mind.
Raja Yoga, the royal path of mind control, is the most comprehensive and scientific approach to God-Realization. The precepts and doctrines of this ancient science were first compiled and explained by Patanjali Maharishi, the greatest psychologist of all time. Never has man’s mind been so completely analyzed. Never has the process of eliminating human suffering been so succinctly presented. The methods of Raja Yoga are profound and timeless. They are the most useful techniques available to modern man beset by the tremendous stresses and strains of our competitive society.