Yoga Sutra 4.34 Transcendental Aloneness is withdrawal of the gunas
Sūtra 4.34
Transcendental Aloneness is withdrawal of the guṇa-s, now without any purposes of Puruṣa; or it is the establishment of the power-of-consciousness in its own nature
That Transcendental Aloneness is withdrawal of the guṇa-s, whose essence is cause and effect, now that experience and release, the purposes of Puruṣa, are achieved and done with. Again, it is Puruṣa’s power-of-consciousness established in its own nature, no longer bound up with mind-sattva, and alone, isolated: its permanence in that state alone is Transcendental Aloneness. OM.
Withdrawal is the flowing back from conjunction, and reduction to their cause, of the guṇa-s, now without any purpose of Puruṣa, though they are naturally ever-changing by assuming the nature of cause and effect; isolation of Puruṣa from being bound up with the guṇa-s is Transcendental Aloneness.
Or, it is the power-of-consciousness established in its own nature. Puruṣa’s power-of-consciousness, not bound up with not involved with mind-sattva, is alone, isolated; its permanence in that state alone is Transcendental Aloneness.
(Opponent) How is it that there is difference of views about Aloneness, which is a unity? As to action there may be divergence, but not about a thing, because there cannot be division in the true nature of a thing. Aloneness too is a thing, so how can it be defined variously (as in the two definitions given in the sūtra as alternatives joined with ‘or’)?
(Answer) It is quite allowable, because distinction is accepted in the case of cause and effect. There is difference on a basis of distinguishing cause and effect, but no division is being made in the true nature of the thing. When it is said there is changefulness of the guṇa-s, and that the involvement of Puruṣa by its conforming to the mental process, goes away as a result of a cause – namely the flowing back from conjunction of the guṇa-s which, though essentially cause and effect, are now without any purposes of Puruṣa-all that was a statement of the cause alone. The cause is the (current of) withdrawal, and first of all it was explained that this is Aloneness.
But second was, the specification of Aloneness in itself, uninvolved with the guṇa-s, as a result of the reverse current of the guṇa-s as cause. By ascertaining the truth that guṇa-s and Puruṣa are separate, and by showing up the claims to truth made by other doctrines, the different ideas of Aloneness have to be made clear.
The syllable OM is added as a blessing, so that, crowned with the mark of the Name of the supreme Lord, the work may be fruitful, and that there may be peace. So it is said, as it is in the Veda-s and the Āraṇyaka-s: OM.