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Distinguishing Concentration and Meditation · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  The great epic of India. The Mahabharata provides various
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  illustrations of concentration in the recounting of the actions
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  of Arjuna, who was the preeminent Archer of the time
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  and whose actions led to Victory.
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  The first example was provided during his youth.
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  As he and his siblings and cousins were being trained by
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  the renowned teacher drona. They were each asked to focus on
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  the eye of a particular bird in a tree, at some distance, with
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  the idea that they should be able to shoot an arrow through
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  that. Extremely tiny Target with the
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  proper concentration. Each in turn was asked what he
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  observed. And they all recounted seeing
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  the sky, the tree, the bird, the bird's eye that is until he got
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  to Arjuna who indicated that. All he saw was a dark spot
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  representing the center point of the actual eye of the bird, he
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  had successfully blocked out all extraneous Focus to concentrate
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  his soul attention on the target.
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  Later in life, he went to a kingdom to participate in the
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  choice of a groom for the prince's property.
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  All of the greatest warriors of the land were in attendance.
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  And the task set before them was to shoot a moving Target above
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  while looking down into a reflecting pool of water through
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  his power of concentration, he was able to succeed where
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  everyone else failed. Concentration represents a power
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  of knowledge and action, Swami Vivekananda, and his lectures on
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  Raja yoga, describe, Tration as providing complete absorption on
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  the target of the concentration. And it brings with it, various
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  powers that as well concentration.
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  Varies from meditation in that, it is a highly focused activity.
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  On a particular Point, whether an external object or an
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  internal state of awareness. While meditation may be a
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  casting of the general status of the awareness into a certain
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  stream or Direction without the kind of focus found.
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  In the state of concentration. SRI aurobindo writes, quote
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  concentration, for our yoga means when the Consciousness is
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  fixed in a particular state, for example, piece or movement, for
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  example, aspiration will coming into contact with the mother,
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  taking the mother's name. Meditation is when the inner
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  mind is looking at things to get the right knowledge and quote
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  Quote, concentration is gathering together of the
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  Consciousness and either centralizing at one point or
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  turning on a single object. For example, the Divine, there
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  can also be a gathered condition throughout the whole being not
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  at a point in meditation. It is not indispensable to
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  gather like this one can simply remain with a quiet mind
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  thinking of one subject or observing.
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  What comes He's in the Consciousness and dealing with
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  it in quote reference SRI aurobindo, integral yoga, SRI
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  aurobindo teaching and method of practice, chapter 6, sadhna
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  through work, meditation and love, and devotion, meditation,
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  and concentration in the integral yoga Pages. 149 to 153,