Contents
Section I
Definition of Yoga
Sūtra 1.1
अथ योगानुशासनम्
atha yogānuśāsanam
Now begins the exposition of yoga.
Sūtra 1.2
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind.
Sūtra 1.3
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe'vasthānam
Then the Seer abides in its own true nature.
Sūtra 1.4
वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र
vṛtti-sārupyam itaratra
Otherwise, it takes on the form of the mental modifications.
Section II
The Five Vṛttis
Sūtra 1.5
वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः
vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ
The modifications of the mind are five in number, and they are either painful or not painful.
Sūtra 1.6
प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः
pramāṇa-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidrā-smṛtayaḥ
They are: direct perception, inference, testimony, dreamless sleep, and memory.
Sūtra 1.7
प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि
pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni
Direct perception, inference, and testimony are the means of right knowledge.
Sūtra 1.8
विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम्
viparyayo mithyājñānam atadrūpa-pratiṣṭham
Misperception is false knowledge based on something other than its true nature.
Sūtra 1.9
शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः
śabda-jñānānupātī vastu-śūnyo vikalpaḥ
Imagination is knowledge resting on words but empty of reality.
Sūtra 1.10
अभावप्रत्ययालम्बना वृत्तिर्निद्रा
abhāva-pratyayālambanā vṛttir nidrā
Sleep is a mental modification supported by the thought of absence.
Sūtra 1.11
अनुभूतविषयासंप्रमोषः स्मृतिः
anubhūta-viṣayāsaṃpromoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ
Memory is the retention of experienced objects.
Section III
Practice & Non-Attachment
Sūtra 1.12
अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः
abhyāsa-vairāgyābhyāṃ tannarodhaḥ
The stilling of the fluctuations comes through practice and non-attachment.
Sūtra 1.13
तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासः
tatra sthitau yatno'bhyāsaḥ
Practice is the effort to dwell in that state.
Sūtra 1.14
स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः
sa tu dīrgha-kāla-nairantarya-sat-kārāsevito dṛḍha-bhūmiḥ
This practice becomes firmly established when attended to for a long time, without interruption, and with sincere devotion.
Sūtra 1.15
दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम्
dṛṣṭānuśravika-viṣaya-vitṛṣṇasya vaśīkāra-saṃjñā vairāgyam
Non-attachment is the mastery of one who is free from craving for objects seen or heard about.
Sūtra 1.16
तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्
tat paraṃ puruṣa-khyāter guṇa-vaitṛṣṇyam
Supreme non-attachment arises from knowledge of the Puruṣa and results in freedom from craving even for the guṇas.
Section IV
Samādhi & Its Varieties
Sūtra 1.17
वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात्सम्प्रज्ञातः
vitarka-vicāra-ānanda-asmitā-rūpa-anugamāt samprajñātaḥ
Samādhi with content is that accompanied by thought, reflection, bliss, and the sense of individual self.
Sūtra 1.18
विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः
virāma-pratyayābhyāsa-pūrvaḥ saṃskāra-śeṣo'nyaḥ
The other samādhi is preceded by the practice of cessation, leaving only impressions behind.
Sūtra 1.19
भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम्
bhava-pratyayo viddeha-prakṛti-layānām
For those whose existence is dissolved and for those merged in nature, their return is determined by their elevation of consciousness.
Sūtra 1.20
श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्
śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām
For others, samādhi comes through faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.
Sūtra 1.21
तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः
tīvra-saṃvegānām āsannaḥ
Success is nearest for those who have the greatest intensity of aspiration.
Sūtra 1.22
मृदुमध्यमाधिमात्रत्वात्तत एव विशेषः
mṛdu-madhya-adhimātratvāt tata eva viśeṣaḥ
Differences also arise from gentle, moderate, and intense approaches.
Section V
Īśvara & Praṇava
Sūtra 1.23
ईश्वरप्रणिधानादवा
īśvara-praṇidhānād vā
Or through surrender to Īśvara.
Sūtra 1.24
क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैः परामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः
kleśa-karma-vipāka-aśayaiḥ aparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣa-viśeṣa īśvaraḥ
Īśvara is a special Puruṣa, untouched by afflictions, actions, their fruits, and latent impressions.
Sūtra 1.25
तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम्
tatra niratīśayaṃ sarva-jña-bījam
In Īśvara is the unsurpassed seed of omniscience.
Sūtra 1.26
स पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात्
sa pūrveṣām api guruḥ kālena-anavacchedāt
Being unlimited by time, Īśvara is the teacher even of the ancients.
Sūtra 1.27
तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः
tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ
His word is OM.
Sūtra 1.28
तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम्
taj-japas-tad-artha-bhāvanam
The repetition of OM and meditation upon its meaning is the way.
Sūtra 1.29
प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायभावश्च
pratyag-cetanā-adhigamo'py antarāya-bhāvaś ca
From this follows the awakening of inner awareness and the removal of obstacles.
Section VI
Obstacles & Remedies
Sūtra 1.30
व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपाः
vyādhi-styāna-saṃśaya-pramāda-ālasya-avirati-bhrānti-darśana-alabdha-bhūmikatva-avasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepāḥ
The obstacles that distract the mind are: disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensory indulgence, false perception, failure to attain, and instability.
Sūtra 1.31
दुःखदौर्मनस्यांगमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः
duḥkha-daurmanasya-aṅgamejayatva-śvāsa-praśvāsā vikṣepa-saha-bhuvaḥ
The mind's distraction is accompanied by distress, dejection, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing.
Sūtra 1.32
तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः
tat-pratiṣedhārtham eka-tattva-abhyāsaḥ
To counteract this, cultivate concentration on a single principle.
Sūtra 1.33
मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम्
maitri-karuṇā-muditopekṣāṇāṃ sukha-duḥkha-puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaś citta-prasādnam
The mind becomes clear through cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the suffering, joy for the virtuous, and equanimity toward the unvirtuous.
Sūtra 1.34
प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य
prac-chardana-vidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya
Or through the regulation of the breath by exhalation and retention.
Sūtra 1.35
विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी
viṣayavatī vā pravṛttir utpannā manasaḥ sthiti-nibandhinī
Or through concentration on a sense object, which gives stability to the mind.
Sūtra 1.36
विशोकं वा ज्योतिष्मति
viśokaṃ vā jyotiṣmati
Or through fixing the mind on a luminous inner light.
Sūtra 1.37
वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्
vīta-rāga-viṣayaṃ vā cittam
Or through focusing the mind on one free from passion.
Sūtra 1.38
स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा
svapna-nidrā-jñāna-ālambanam vā
Or through understanding dreams and dreamless sleep.
Sūtra 1.39
यथाभिमतध्यानादवा
yathābhimata-dhyānād vā
Or through meditation on whatever is most agreeable to one.
Section VII
Stages of Samādhi
Sūtra 1.40
परमाणुपरममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः
paramāṇu-parama-mahattva-anto'sya vaśīkāraḥ
His mastery extends from the smallest atom to the greatest magnitude.
Sūtra 1.41
क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्यषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनता समापत्तिः
kṣīṇa-vṛtter abhijātasya-iva maṇer grahī-tṛ-grahaṇa-grāhyeṣu tat-stha-tad-añjanatā samāpattiḥ
When the modifications become as purified as a precious jewel, the mind becomes unified with the subject of meditation, achieving samāpatti or coalescence.
Sūtra 1.42
तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः सङ्कीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः
tatra śabda-artha-jñāna-vikalpaih saṅkīrṇā savitarka samāpattiḥ
This coalescence is interrupted by thoughts of words, meanings, and thoughts — this is savitarka samāpatti.
Sūtra 1.43
स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का
smṛti-pariśuddhau svarūpa-śūnya-evārtha-mātra-nirbhāsā nirvitarkā
When memory is purified and the mind shines as the object alone, nirvitarka samāpatti emerges.
Sūtra 1.44
एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषया व्याख्याता
etayaiva savichārā nirvichārā cha sūkṣma-viṣayā vyākhyātā
Similarly, savichāra (with reflection) and nirvichāra (without reflection) samāpatti are described with subtle objects.
Sūtra 1.45
सूक्ष्मविषयत्वं चालिङ्गपर्यवसानम्
sūkṣma-viṣayatvam chāliṅga-paryavasānam
The subtle reaches to the limit of the unmanifested.
Sūtra 1.46
ता एव सबीजः समाधिः
tā eva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ
These are all samādhi with seeds.
Sūtra 1.47
निर्विचारवैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः
nirvichāra-vaiśāradye'dhyātma-prasādaḥ
On the clarity of nirvichāra samāpatti, there is inner luminosity.
Sūtra 1.48
ऋतम्भरा तत्र प्रज्ञा
ṛtam-bharā tatra prajñā
The wisdom here is truth-bearing.
Sūtra 1.49
श्रुतानुमानप्रज्ञाभ्यामन्यविषया विशेषार्थत्वात्
śruta-anumāna-prajñābhyām anya-viṣayā viśeṣ-arthatvāt
This knowledge is different from that gained through testimony and inference, due to its specific character.
Sūtra 1.50
तज्जः संस्कारो अन्यसंस्कारप्रतिबन्धी
taj-jaḥ saṃskāro anya-saṃskāra-pratibandhī
The impression born of this samādhi obstructs all other impressions.
Sūtra 1.51
तस्यापि निरोधे सर्वनिरोधान्निर्बीजः समाधिः
tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-niroddhān nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ
When even this impression is restrained, with all other impressions dissolved, nirbīja samādhi arises — seedless samādhi.