SAUNDARANANDA 17.54: The Fourth Stage of Sitting-Meditation

atha prahaaNaat sukha-duHkhayosh ca
mano-vikaarasya ca puurvam eva
dadhyaav upekSHaa-smRtimad vishuddhaM
dhyaanaM tath” aa-duHkha-sukhaM caturtham

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17.54
Then, because he had let go of ease and suffering,

And of working on the mind, already,

He realised the lucidity
in which there is indifference and full awareness:

Thus, beyond suffering and ease,
is the fourth stage of meditation.

COMMENT:
Dhyaana in this verse means sitting-dhyana.

Indifference, or emotional worrying, is a condition of neck, head, shoulders, torso, arms and legs.

Full awareness, or almost complete ignorance, is a function of the pelvis.

Lucidity might be seeing indifference as it is, as a function of the pelvis, and seeing full awareness as it is, as a condition of neck, head, shoulders, torso, arms and legs.


EH Johnston:
Then previously abandoning bliss and suffering and all alteration of the mind he entered the fourth trance, which is pure and possesses the qualities of indifference and attentiveness and is devoid of bliss and suffering.

Linda Covill:
Then, because he had just given up bliss and suffering as well as alteration of the mind, he attained the fourth level of meditation, which is pure, free from happiness and sorrow, and endowed with equanimity and mindfulness.


VOCABULARY:
atha: ind. then
prahaaNaat = abl. prahaaNa: relinquishing, abandoning, giving up
sukha-duHkhayoH (gen. dual): of ease and difficulty; of happiness and suffering
ca: and

mano = manas: mind
vikaarasya = gen. vikaara: m. (from vi- √ kR) change of form or nature; alteration from any natural state; change, modification (esp. for the worse)
vi- √ kR: to make different , transform , change the shape (or the mind) , cause to alter or change (esp. for the worse) , deprave , pervert , spoil , impair; to develop , produce (esp. variously) ; to embellish , decorate (in various manners)
ca: and
puurvam: ind. formerly, previously, already, had just
eva: [emphatic] already

dadhyau = 3rd pers. perfect dhyai: to think of , imagine , contemplate , meditate on , call to mind; to realise
upekSHaa: f. overlooking, disregard, negligence, indifference, contempt;
abandonment; endurance, patience; equanimity
smRti: f. recollection, remembrance, mindfulness, attentiveness
-mat: possessive suffix
smRtimat (acc. sg. n.): mfn. having recollection or full consciousness
vishuddham (acc. sg. n.): completely cleansed or purified, clean, clear, pure; free from vice; honest; cleared, exhausted, empty

dhyaanam (acc. sg.): n. [stage of] realisation, meditation
tathaa: ind. thus, likewise
a-duHkha-sukham (acc. sg. n.): without suffering and happiness, beyond difficulty or ease
caturtham (acc. sg. n.): the fourth