Alambana Vishaya is literally, a support, used in a technical sense in the yoga shastra. The two words Vishaya and alambana are technical words used in the Yogasutra of Patanjali. Patanjali’s Yoga is eight fold. The first five parts, namely, yama (abstinence), niyama (observances), asana (postures), pranayama (breath control), and pratyahara (withdrawal of mind) are collectively called bahiranga (the external aspet) of yoga. The last three parts, namely, dharana (concentration), dhyana (contemplation) and Samadhi (absorption) are collectively called antaranga (the internal aspect).
The two words vishaya and almbana are used in relation to the antaranga yoga, which involves fixing or establishing the mind on an object of experience. There are various objects on which the mind can be stabilized. They are called the vishaya or alambana. Alambana means the support or adhara of mind. Vishaya is the object which acts as the support for mental stabilization or concentration. These two words are used by Patanjali in the following two aphorisms –
The mind becomes stabilized by fixing it on the adepts who have attained freedom from desire (passion) (Yogasutra I: 37). By giving as support (alambana) the knowledge attained in dreams or in sleep (or adepts or great souls).
The alambanas are twenty five in number. They are – five mahabhutas, five tanmatras, thirteen indriyas, prakriti and purusa. The aspirant practices concentration of mind on these. The result, as described in aphorism I.40, is complete mastery over the smallest atom to the infinitely great. Thereby the mind becomes devoid of fluctuations.