Patanjali has used the word dridhabhumi in relation to abhyasa (practice) of the eight limbs of Yoga, and has said that when the practice of Yoga is continued for Dirgha kala (a long time), without any interruption or nairantarya (gap) and carried out with commitment and satkara (respect), then it becomes dridha bhumi (firm and stable) Yoga Sutra I – 14).
In the third chapter of Yoga Sutra, Patanjali has used the
word bhumi in relation to samyama (mental concentration) as the ground for
pinpointed fixation of the chitta (mind) (III: 6). The ground is differentiated
into lower and upper stages. When the mind is perfectly stabilized on an adhara-bhumi (lower ground), the adept
can proceed to further make it stable on an anatara-bhumi (higher ground). In this
manner, progress on the yogic path is to be continued.
Patanjali’s commentator Vyasa has used the word bhumi in
relation to the chitta (mind) (Yoga Sutra I.1). It means the different stages of
existence of the chittabhumis (mind). There are five chitta bhumis or stages –
kshipta (Restless), mudha (infatuated), vikshipta (applied), ekagra
(pinpointed) and niruddha (restrained). Out of these five stages only the last
two are looked upon by Vyasa as belonging to Yoga as they involve stability,
concentration and unmoving fixation of the mind on an object, or in the highest
state, even without any particular object. They involve total attention of the
mind without distraction of any kind.
Vacaspati Mishra, in his explanation called Tattva Vaisaradi, has mentioned four chitta bhumis (I:1), namely, madhumati, madhupratika, vishoka and samskarasesha, as forming a part of Yoga.