There are five states of mind which Maharishi Vyas ji has written in his commentary on Yog Darshan-

1. Kshipt (fickle state)

2. Moodh (unconscious state)

3. Vikshipt (state between fickle and concentration)

4. Ekagra (concentrated state)

5. Nirudhha (thoughtless conscious state)

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Kshipt state - The state of mind which is very fast in the acquisition of various subjects, in which the mind acquires many subjects in a short time, is called Kshipta state. In this, the living being who receives the subjects which are coming in the mind, does not even know when, at what time, which subject has been taken. For example, if a child is given a toy, then that child leaves that toy and picks up other toys nearby. If there are other objects in the vicinity of that child, then he keeps trying to take those things too. The mind of every person is likewise fickle and such a mind is often out of the authority of the individual. It's a fickle state.

 

Moodh state - It means unconscious state or sleeping state. When a person does not have any knowledge of any subject or has very little experience, or does not experience senses. All such states of unconsciousness are counted in this state.

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Vikshipt state -  When the seeker praises, prays, worships God through the name of the Supreme Lord or any other Vedic mantra, then due to some external reason or internal reason, the concentration of the mind gets disturbed. Such a state is called a Vikshipt state. Just as the flame of a lamp kept in a secluded quiet environment becomes crooked due to the wind, similarly the objects of the external senses disturbing the concentration of the mind and the memory of the subjects of the mind inside also become the reason for disturbing the concentration. Similarly, sleep and laziness are also the reason for disturbing concentration. When a seeker meditates on God, his condition becomes good. If in this state, a loud sound is heard from outside, due to that sound the concentration of the mind is disturbed. When a yog practitioner meditates, he keeps on remembering the subject experienced in the past. Even that disturbs the concentration of the mind. Just like a person who ate very good delicious food 20 years ago with engrossed ness, the concentration of the mind will be disturbed due to the memory of the same delicious food to the seeker in a meditative state. Such a state is called a Vikshipt state.

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Ekagra state - When a Yogic person practice Yog with full force and follows the parts of Yog like Yam, Niyam etc. and by serves other beings with a selfless spirit, he attains detachment and acquired complete control over the mind, becomes capable of holding the mind for a long time according to his will in the biggest and the smallest things. In this state, he becomes successful in stopping the obstacle that disturbs the concentration of the mind externally and internally. In this state the seeker becomes fearless and experiences a calm and empty state at the level of the intellect. In this state the seeker also feels that he has reached the sky of freedom after getting out of a prison. The name of this state is Ekagra(concentration). It is also called Sampragyat Samadhi in Yog Darshan.

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Niruddha state - This is the fifth Niruddha state after concentration. When a seeker starts experiencing God while practicing concentration, then due to the special knowledge of that seeker, even in the concentrated state, defects start appearing. Due to those defects, even from the concentrated state, he becomes dispassionate, that is, he leaves that too. One gets engrossed in the form of God. In this state God is realized and eternal bliss is attained. By attaining this state, the practitioner feels that I have achieved what I was supposed to achieve, now there is no such thing left, by attaining which I will experience more bliss. There is infinite bliss in God and there is no joy in anything except God. There is no happiness in the soul and the happiness which is in Prakriti or in things made of Prakriti is also transient and sorrow mixed. Due to this the seeker feels that now nothing else is attainable. On attaining this Nityananda(constant pleasure) of God, one's entire desires are fulfilled. There is no other means in the world which can fulfill all the desires.

 

Having knowledge of these five states, the seeker stops the state which he considers harmful and maintains that which he considers beneficial. It is the Niruddha state that brings complete welfare to human beings, because  in this state only the destruction of all afflictions and the attainment of eternal bliss without sorrow occur. Once the Yog is in a high and mature state, the Yogi is able to maintain this state in full daily life. This is the real life of human. No other type of life can be called successful than this, because in this state there is the destruction of all bonds and real freedom which is not available in any other life. It is not that after attaining this state the Yogi will not sleep, will not eat. After the cessation of sleep, the yogi again remains in a Niruddha state and then experiences the bliss of God. The Yogi does not wish to sleep, but he has to sleep to keep the body healthy. To run the body, he has to eat. But he does not wish to do so. Not in terms of enjoyment.