Ishwara & Purusha: One Reality, Two Perspectives

Yogacharini Anandhi, "If Purusha is the one, non-dual (Advaitic) consciousness underlying all existence, why does Maharishi Patanjali describe Ishwara as Purusha Vishesha—the special Purusha? If we are all essentially divine and our true nature is merely obscured by kleshas and karma, what distinguishes Ishwara from Purusha? Does the concept of Purusha Vishesha imply a dualistic philosophy?"

Rishiputra Balayogi Guruji Dr. Anandaji,

This is a profound question that could easily become a two-hour discussion!

Sankhya, the sister Darshana of Yoga, speaks only of Purusha and does not introduce the concept of Ishwara. Yoga Darshana, however, does speak of Ishwara, and this is why some scholars refer to Sankhya as a Purusha Darshana and Yoga as an Ishwara Darshana.

The greatest difficulty arises because Ishwara has often been translated simply as "God." Patanjali is not referring to a personal deity. Ishwara is not Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Ganesha, or any other sectarian form of God.

When Patanjali speaks of Ishwara, he is presenting the very same reality that Sankhya calls Purusha.

The concept of Purusha is not merely an external principle. Every one of us is Purusha. Pure consciousness pervades everything, and each of us is an expression of that same consciousness. Imagine one complete mirror. Every fragment of that mirror reflects in exactly the same way as the whole. The mirror is one, but its reflections appear many. Likewise, there is one Purusha, expressed through every being.

The term Ishwara is introduced only to distinguish the Supreme Purusha, untouched by klesha, karma, vipaka and ashaya, from our own experience of Purusha, which appears conditioned by these factors. This distinction is made purely for clarity.

If Patanjali had simply said "Purusha beyond klesha and karma," confusion would naturally arise about which Purusha he was referring to. Therefore, he gives that completely pure, unconditioned state the name Ishwara.

It is important to understand that Ishwara is not different from Purusha. There are not three realities—individual, Purusha, and Ishwara. There is only Purusha. The word Ishwara serves as a marker to distinguish our conditioned experience of Purusha from the Supreme Purusha that remains forever untouched by the limitations of Prakriti.

Yogacharini Anandhi, "Klesha and karma are the causes of rebirth. Are they therefore aspects of Prakriti?"

Rishiputra Balayogi Guruji Dr. Anandaji,,

Yes. Klesha and karma are definitely part of Prakriti. 

Ishwara is beyond Prakriti because Ishwara is the Supreme Purusha, untouched by klesha and karma.

A useful analogy is found in the concept of Prana. We speak of the universal life force as prana, but we also speak of Prana Vayu within the chest region.

The same word refers to two different levels of reality, so teachers sometimes use expressions such as Maha Prana or Mukhya Prana to distinguish the universal from the individual manifestation.

Patanjali does something similar. Rather than saying "Mahapurusha," he introduces the word Ishwara. The purpose is simply to distinguish the Supreme Purusha from the conditioned Purusha experienced by the individual.

The distinction is one of understanding, not of ontology.

Once the seeker progresses further into the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali no longer needs to emphasize the term Ishwara separately, because the understanding of Purusha has matured.

The philosophy therefore remains fundamentally non-dual. Ishwara is not another entity; Ishwara is Purusha Vishesha—the Supreme Purusha beyond klesha, karma and the limitations of Prakriti. Many such terms in the Yoga tradition are best understood as metaphors that illuminate different aspects of the same ultimate reality.