अथ योगानुशासनम्

atha yogānuśāsanam

Now, the discipline of yoga is explained.

The word "atha" signals an auspicious beginning. Yoga is presented as a systematic discipline (anuśāsana), not mere philosophy — it demands practice and direct experience.

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः

yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ

Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.

This is the central definition. Citta (mind-stuff) has vṛttis (waves/modifications). Yoga is their complete stilling — not suppression, but transcendence into pure awareness.

तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्

tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe ''vasthānam

Then the seer abides in its own true nature.

When the mind is still, consciousness (the draṣṭṛ, the witness) rests in its own form — pure, undistorted awareness. This is the goal of yoga.

वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र

vṛtti-sārūpyam itaratra

At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuations.

When the mind is active and uncontrolled, consciousness mistakenly identifies with thoughts, emotions, and sensory impressions — this is the root of suffering.

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः

vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ

The fluctuations are fivefold — painful or non-painful.

All mental modifications fall into five categories. Each can be either afflicted (kliṣṭa, producing suffering) or non-afflicted (akliṣṭa, leading toward freedom).

प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः

pramāṇa-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidrā-smṛtayaḥ

They are: right knowledge, misconception, imagination, sleep, and memory.

The five vṛttis: valid cognition (pramāṇa), error (viparyaya), conceptualization (vikalpa), deep sleep (nidrā), and memory (smṛti).

प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि

pratyakṣa-anumāna-āgamāḥ pramāṇāni

Direct perception, inference, and authoritative testimony are the sources of right knowledge.

Valid knowledge arises from three sources: direct sensory experience, logical reasoning, and the testimony of trusted scripture or realized teachers.

विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम्

viparyayo mithyā-jñānam atad-rūpa-pratiṣṭham

Misconception is false knowledge based on a form that is not real.

Error occurs when we perceive something as other than what it truly is — like mistaking a rope for a snake. This is the fundamental ignorance yoga seeks to dispel.

शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः

śabda-jñāna-anupātī vastu-śūnyo vikalpaḥ

Imagination is knowledge based on words alone, without any real object.

Vikalpa is purely conceptual — it follows verbal knowledge but has no corresponding reality. Abstract ideas, fantasies, and verbal constructs all fall here.

अभावप्रत्ययालम्बना वृत्तिर्निद्रा

abhāva-pratyaya-ālambanā vṛttir nidrā

Sleep is the fluctuation based on the absence of content.

Deep sleep is not the absence of mind but a specific mental state. The mind takes "non-existence" as its object. Even this must be transcended in yoga.

अनुभूतविषयासम्प्रमोषः स्मृतिः

anubhūta-viṣaya-asampramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ

Memory is the retention of experienced objects.

Memory is the mind holding onto past impressions without distortion. It colors present perception and creates the continuity of personal identity.

अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः

abhyāsa-vairāgyābhyāṃ tan-nirodhaḥ

These fluctuations are stilled by practice and non-attachment.

The two pillars of yoga: abhyāsa (sustained, dedicated practice) and vairāgya (dispassion, letting go). Both are needed — effort and surrender working together.

तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासः

tatra sthitau yatno ''bhyāsaḥ

Practice is the effort to remain steady in that state.

Abhyāsa is the persistent, wholehearted effort to maintain the state of mental stillness. It is not occasional — it is a way of life.

स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः

sa tu dīrgha-kāla-nairantarya-satkāra-āsevito dṛḍha-bhūmiḥ

That practice becomes firmly grounded when continued for a long time, without interruption, and with devotion.

Three conditions make practice unshakable: long duration (dīrgha-kāla), consistency without breaks (nairantarya), and reverential attitude (satkāra). No shortcuts exist.

दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम्

dṛṣṭa-anuśravika-viṣaya-vitṛṣṇasya vaśīkāra-saṃjñā vairāgyam

Non-attachment is the mastery over craving for objects seen or heard about.

Vairāgya is not mere renunciation — it is the conscious mastery over desire. It applies to both worldly pleasures and even heavenly promises described in scripture.

तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्

tat paraṃ puruṣa-khyāter guṇa-vaitṛṣṇyam

The highest non-attachment is freedom from the guṇas, born of the knowledge of puruṣa.

Supreme vairāgya transcends even the three guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas). It arises when one realizes the Self (puruṣa) as entirely distinct from nature (prakṛti).

वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात् सम्प्रज्ञातः

vitarka-vicāra-ānanda-asmitā-rūpa-anugamāt samprajñātaḥ

Cognitive samādhi is accompanied by reasoning, reflection, bliss, and sense of self.

Samprajñāta samādhi has four progressive stages: gross analysis (vitarka), subtle analysis (vicāra), bliss (ānanda), and pure I-am-ness (asmitā). Each is deeper than the last.

विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः

virāma-pratyaya-abhyāsa-pūrvaḥ saṃskāra-śeṣo ''nyaḥ

The other samādhi is preceded by the practice of cessation, and only latent impressions remain.

Asamprajñāta samādhi: all mental content ceases, only saṃskāras (deep impressions) remain. This is the threshold of liberation — consciousness without object.

भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम्

bhava-pratyayo videha-prakṛti-layānām

For those merged in nature or disembodied, it arises from the continuity of existence.

Some beings attain a samādhi-like state through merging with prakṛti or leaving the body — but this is not true liberation, as the seeds of return remain.

श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्

śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām

For others, it is preceded by faith, vigor, memory, absorption, and wisdom.

The path for sincere practitioners requires five qualities: faith (śraddhā), energy (vīrya), mindfulness (smṛti), concentration (samādhi), and discriminative wisdom (prajñā).

तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः

tīvra-saṃvegānām āsannaḥ

For those with intense ardor, it is near.

The more intense one''s dedication and longing, the closer samādhi becomes. Passion for liberation accelerates the path.

मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः

mṛdu-madhya-adhimātratvāt tato ''pi viśeṣaḥ

There is further distinction according to mild, moderate, or intense practice.

Even among ardent seekers, there are gradations. The degree of effort and surrender determines the speed of progress.

ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा

īśvara-praṇidhānād vā

Or by devotion to the Lord.

Surrender to Īśvara (the divine) is presented as an alternative path to samādhi. Bhakti — complete self-offering — can accomplish what years of technique alone may not.

क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः

kleśa-karma-vipāka-āśayair aparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣa-viśeṣa īśvaraḥ

Īśvara is a special puruṣa untouched by afflictions, actions, results, or latent impressions.

God in yoga philosophy is not a creator but the eternally free consciousness — never entangled in karma or suffering. This is the ideal the yogī moves toward.

तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम्

tatra niratiśayaṃ sarvajña-bījam

In that one is the unsurpassed seed of all-knowingness.

Īśvara contains omniscience in its fullest form. All knowledge exists as potential within the divine — this is the source from which all wisdom flows.

पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात्

pūrveṣām api guruḥ kālena anavacchedāt

Being unconditioned by time, Īśvara is the teacher of even the most ancient teachers.

The guru principle originates in Īśvara. Because the divine is beyond time, it is the primordial teacher — the source of the guru lineage itself.

तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः

tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ

The word designating Īśvara is Oṃ (praṇava).

Oṃ is not merely a symbol — it is the sonic body of the divine. Chanting Oṃ with understanding creates a direct connection to Īśvara.

तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम्

taj-japas tad-artha-bhāvanam

Its repetition and contemplation of its meaning is the practice.

Japa (repetition of Oṃ) combined with meditation on its meaning is a complete spiritual practice. Sound and understanding must go together.

ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च

tataḥ pratyak-cetana-adhigamo ''py antarāya-abhāvaś ca

From that comes the realization of the inner consciousness and the removal of obstacles.

Through devoted japa and meditation on Oṃ, the practitioner turns awareness inward (pratyak-cetana) and the obstacles to yoga naturally dissolve.

व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः

vyādhi-styāna-saṃśaya-pramāda-ālasya-avirati-bhrānti-darśana-alabdha-bhūmikatva-anavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepās te ''ntarāyāḥ

Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground, and instability — these distractions of the mind are the obstacles.

Nine obstacles block the yogī: physical illness, mental heaviness, indecision, negligence, sloth, inability to withdraw from sense pleasures, delusion, failure to attain stages, and inability to maintain them.

दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः

duḥkha-daurmanasya-aṅgamejayatva-śvāsa-praśvāsā vikṣepa-sahabhuvaḥ

Pain, depression, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing accompany these distractions.

The obstacles do not only exist in the mind — they manifest physically as suffering, dejection, bodily restlessness, and irregular breath. The body and mind are one system.

तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः

tat-pratiṣedha-artham eka-tattva-abhyāsaḥ

To prevent these, practice concentration on a single principle.

The antidote to all nine obstacles is the same: one-pointed focus on a single object or truth. Scattered attention is the disease; focused attention is the cure.

मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम्

maitrī-karuṇā-muditā-upekṣāṇāṃ sukha-duḥkha-puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaś citta-prasādanam

By cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the suffering, joy toward the virtuous, and equanimity toward the non-virtuous, the mind becomes serene.

The four brahmavihāras: friendliness (maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), sympathetic joy (muditā), and equanimity (upekṣā). These attitudes purify the mind and dissolve social friction.

प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य

pracchardana-vidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya

Or by the expulsion and retention of breath.

Prāṇāyāma — controlled breathing, especially extended exhalation and breath retention — directly calms the mind. The breath is the bridge between body and consciousness.

विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी

viṣayavatī vā pravṛttir utpannā manasaḥ sthiti-nibandhinī

Or a subtle sensory experience arising from concentration holds the mind steady.

Focusing on subtle sensory phenomena — inner light, sounds, or sensations that arise in deep concentration — can anchor the mind and lead to stability.

विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती

viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī

Or the luminous state beyond sorrow.

Meditation on the inner light of consciousness — that radiance which is inherently free of grief — can establish mental peace. This light is always present within.

वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्

vīta-rāga-viṣayaṃ vā cittam

Or contemplation on a mind free from attachment.

Meditating on the consciousness of a realized being — one who has transcended all desire — can bring one''s own mind to stillness through resonance.

स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा

svapna-nidrā-jñāna-ālambanam vā

Or by meditating on knowledge from dreams or deep sleep.

The awareness that persists through dream and dreamless sleep can itself become an object of meditation — pointing to the witness consciousness that never sleeps.

यथाभिमतध्यानाद्वा

yathā-abhimata-dhyānād vā

Or by meditation on anything one chooses.

Patañjali offers radical freedom: meditate on whatever naturally draws your heart. The object matters less than the quality of one-pointed absorption.

परमाणुपरममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः

paramāṇu-parama-mahattva-anto ''sya vaśīkāraḥ

The mastery of one whose mind is settled extends from the smallest atom to the greatest magnitude.

When the mind achieves true stillness, its range of perception becomes infinite — from the subtlest particle to the vastest expanse of the cosmos.

क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनता समापत्तिः

kṣīṇa-vṛtter abhijātasya iva maṇer grahītṛ-grahaṇa-grāhyeṣu tat-stha-tad-añjanatā samāpattiḥ

When fluctuations weaken, the mind becomes like a clear jewel, taking the color of whatever is near — knower, knowing, and known merge.

Samāpatti (engrossment) is when the polished mind reflects reality without distortion. The subject-object distinction dissolves — this is the beginning of true samādhi.

तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः सङ्कीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः

tatra śabda-artha-jñāna-vikalpaiḥ saṅkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ

When mixed with word, meaning, and knowledge, it is savitarkā samāpatti.

In the first stage of engrossment, the mind still distinguishes between the name of an object, its meaning, and the knowledge of it. These three are intermingled.

स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का

smṛti-pariśuddhau svarūpa-śūnya-iva-artha-mātra-nirbhāsā nirvitarkā

When memory is purified, the mind appears empty of its own form and only the object shines — this is nirvitarkā.

In the deeper stage, memory and conceptual overlay dissolve. The object is known directly, as it truly is, without the filter of language or past experience.

एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषया व्याख्याता

etayaiva savicārā nirvicārā ca sūkṣma-viṣayā vyākhyātā

By this, the savicārā and nirvicārā stages with subtle objects are also explained.

The same progression applies to subtle objects: savicārā (with reflection) and nirvicārā (beyond reflection). These four stages — vitarka/vicāra, with/without — form the ladder of samādhi.

सूक्ष्मविषयत्वं चालिङ्गपर्यवसानम्

sūkṣma-viṣayatvaṃ ca aliṅga-paryavasānam

The range of subtle objects extends to the unmanifest.

Subtlety has no fixed boundary — it extends all the way to pradhāna (unmanifest prakṛti), the source from which all manifest reality emerges.

ता एव सबीजः समाधिः

tā eva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ

These alone constitute samādhi with seed.

All four stages of samāpatti are "seeded" (sabīja) — they still have an object of focus. True seedless samādhi lies beyond even the subtlest object.

निर्विचारवैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः

nirvicāra-vaiśāradye ''dhyātma-prasādaḥ

When there is clarity in the nirvicārā state, there is a luminous inner grace.

Mastery of the subtlest meditative absorption brings adhyātma-prasāda — an inner radiance, a spiritual grace that illuminates the deepest Self.

ऋतम्भरा तत्र प्रज्ञा

ṛtambharā tatra prajñā

The wisdom there is truth-bearing.

At this level, knowledge is ṛtambharā — it carries truth itself. This is not intellectual knowledge but direct, infallible insight into the nature of reality.

श्रुतानुमानप्रज्ञाभ्यामन्यविषया विशेषार्थत्वात्

śruta-anumāna-prajñābhyām anya-viṣayā viśeṣa-arthatvāt

This wisdom is different from that gained by testimony or inference, as it relates to particulars.

Truth-bearing wisdom reveals the unique, specific nature of things — something that scripture and logic can only approximate. It is direct knowing.

तज्जः संस्कारोऽन्यसंस्कारप्रतिबन्धी

taj-jaḥ saṃskāro ''nya-saṃskāra-pratibandhi

The impression born of this wisdom prevents other impressions.

The saṃskāra of truth-bearing wisdom acts as a shield — it blocks and dissolves all other conditioned impressions, progressively purifying the mind.

तस्यापि निरोधे सर्वनिरोधान्निर्बीजः समाधिः

tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-nirodhān nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ

When even that impression is suppressed, all being suppressed, seedless samādhi arises.

The final step: even the impression of truth-bearing wisdom dissolves. All seeds of future mental activity are burned. This is nirbīja samādhi — absolute liberation.

तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः

tapaḥ-svādhyāya-īśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ

Austerity, self-study, and surrender to the Lord constitute kriyā yoga.

The three pillars of practice: tapas (disciplined effort that burns impurities), svādhyāya (study of self and scripture), and īśvara praṇidhāna (offering all actions to the divine).

समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च

samādhi-bhāvanārthaḥ kleśa-tanūkaraṇārthaś ca

Its purpose is to cultivate samādhi and to attenuate the afflictions.

Kriyā yoga serves two functions: it moves the practitioner toward samādhi and it thins out the kleśas (afflictions) that cause suffering.

अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः

avidyā-asmitā-rāga-dveṣa-abhiniveśāḥ kleśāḥ

The afflictions are ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life.

These five kleśas are the root causes of all suffering. They operate in layers — avidyā (ignorance) is the foundation, and the other four grow from it.

अविद्या क्षेत्रमुत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम्

avidyā kṣetram uttareṣāṃ prasupta-tanu-vicchinna-udārāṇām

Ignorance is the field for the others, whether dormant, attenuated, alternating, or fully active.

Avidyā is the soil in which all other afflictions grow. The kleśas exist in four states: dormant (prasupta), weakened (tanu), intermittent (vicchinna), or fully active (udāra).

अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या

anitya-aśuci-duḥkha-anātmasu nitya-śuci-sukha-ātma-khyātir avidyā

Ignorance is seeing the impermanent as permanent, the impure as pure, suffering as happiness, and the non-self as self.

The four fundamental errors of perception: mistaking the transient for eternal, the unclean for clean, pain for pleasure, and the not-self for the true Self.

दृग्दर्शनशक्त्योरेकात्मतेवास्मिता

dṛg-darśana-śaktyor ekātmatā-iva-asmitā

Egoism is the identification of the seer with the instrument of seeing.

Asmitā confuses pure consciousness (draṣṭṛ) with the mind-body instrument (buddhi). It is the false "I" that claims ownership of experience.

सुखानुशयी रागः

sukha-anuśayī rāgaḥ

Attachment is that which follows pleasure.

Rāga is the clinging that arises after experiencing pleasure. The memory of past enjoyment creates craving for its repetition.

दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः

duḥkha-anuśayī dveṣaḥ

Aversion is that which follows pain.

Dveṣa is the repulsion that arises after experiencing suffering. Like rāga, it is rooted in memory and distorts present perception.

स्वरसवाही विदुषोऽपि तथारूढोऽभिनिवेशः

svarasavāhī viduṣo ''pi tathā-rūḍho ''bhiniveśaḥ

Clinging to life flows by its own momentum and is rooted even in the wise.

Abhiniveśa — the instinctive fear of death — persists even in learned people. It is the deepest and most primal of the kleśas, rooted in past-life impressions.

ते प्रतिप्रसवहेयाः सूक्ष्माः

te pratiprasava-heyāḥ sūkṣmāḥ

These subtle afflictions are to be overcome by resolving them back to their origin.

The kleśas in their subtle form are destroyed by tracing them back to their source — ultimately to avidyā — and dissolving them through meditative involution (pratiprasava).

ध्यानहेयास्तद्वृत्तयः

dhyāna-heyās tad-vṛttayaḥ

Their active modifications are destroyed by meditation.

When the kleśas manifest as active thought patterns, meditation (dhyāna) is the direct remedy. Sustained inner focus dissolves afflictive thoughts.

क्लेशमूलः कर्माशयो दृष्टादृष्टजन्मवेदनीयः

kleśa-mūlaḥ karma-āśayo dṛṣṭa-adṛṣṭa-janma-vedanīyaḥ

The storehouse of karma, rooted in the afflictions, is experienced in present and future births.

Karma accumulates due to the kleśas and ripens across lifetimes. Actions driven by ignorance, attachment, and aversion create the seeds of future experience.

सति मूले तद्विपाको जात्यायुर्भोगाः

sati mūle tad-vipāko jāty-āyur-bhogāḥ

As long as the root exists, it ripens as birth, lifespan, and experience.

While the kleśas persist, karma produces three results: the type of birth (jāti), its duration (āyus), and the quality of experiences (bhoga) within it.

ते ह्लादपरितापफलाः पुण्यापुण्यहेतुत्वात्

te hlāda-paritāpa-phalāḥ puṇya-apuṇya-hetutvāt

They bear fruit as pleasure or pain, caused by virtue or vice.

Karmic results manifest as either joy (hlāda) or suffering (paritāpa), depending on whether the originating action was meritorious (puṇya) or harmful (apuṇya).

परिणामतापसंस्कारदुःखैर्गुणवृत्तिविरोधाच्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः

pariṇāma-tāpa-saṃskāra-duḥkhair guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca duḥkham eva sarvaṃ vivekinaḥ

To the discerning, all is suffering — due to change, anxiety, latent impressions, and the conflict of the guṇas.

The wise see that even pleasure contains suffering: things change (pariṇāma), anxiety accompanies desire (tāpa), past impressions create restlessness (saṃskāra), and the guṇas constantly conflict.

हेयं दुःखमनागतम्

heyaṃ duḥkham anāgatam

Future suffering is to be avoided.

Past suffering is done. Present suffering is being experienced. But future suffering can be prevented — this is the practical promise of yoga.

द्रष्टृदृश्ययोः संयोगो हेयहेतुः

draṣṭṛ-dṛśyayoḥ saṃyogo heya-hetuḥ

The cause of suffering to be avoided is the union of the seer and the seen.

Suffering arises from the confusion between puruṣa (consciousness) and prakṛti (nature). Yoga''s task is to reveal their fundamental distinction.

प्रकाशक्रियास्थितिशीलं भूतेन्द्रियात्मकं भोगापवर्गार्थं दृश्यम्

prakāśa-kriyā-sthiti-śīlaṃ bhūta-indriya-ātmakaṃ bhoga-apavarga-arthaṃ dṛśyam

The seen has the qualities of illumination, activity, and stability; it consists of elements and senses; its purpose is experience and liberation.

Prakṛti (the seen) operates through three guṇas: sattva (light), rajas (activity), tamas (inertia). It exists to provide experience (bhoga) and ultimately to catalyze liberation (apavarga).

विशेषाविशेषलिङ्गमात्रालिङ्गानि गुणपर्वाणि

viśeṣa-aviśeṣa-liṅga-mātra-aliṅgāni guṇa-parvāṇi

The stages of the guṇas are the specific, the unspecific, the differentiated, and the undifferentiated.

Prakṛti evolves through four levels: gross elements (viśeṣa), subtle elements (aviśeṣa), the first principle of individuation (liṅga-mātra), and the unmanifest source (aliṅga).

द्रष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः

draṣṭā dṛśi-mātraḥ śuddho ''pi pratyaya-anupaśyaḥ

The seer is pure consciousness alone, yet appears to see through the mind.

Puruṣa is pure awareness — it does not act or change. Yet it appears to perceive through the mind''s modifications, like a crystal reflecting colors around it.

तदर्थ एव दृश्यस्यात्मा

tad-artha eva dṛśyasya ātmā

The very essence of the seen exists for the sake of the seer.

All of nature exists to serve consciousness — either through providing experience or through catalyzing the recognition of the Self.

कृतार्थं प्रति नष्टमप्यनष्टं तदन्यसाधारणत्वात्

kṛta-arthaṃ prati naṣṭam apy anaṣṭaṃ tad-anya-sādhāraṇatvāt

Though destroyed for one who has achieved the goal, it is not destroyed for others, being common to all.

When a yogī attains liberation, prakṛti ceases to function for that individual — but it continues for all other beings. Liberation is individual, not cosmic.

स्वस्वामिशक्त्योः स्वरूपोपलब्धिहेतुः संयोगः

sva-svāmi-śaktyoḥ svarūpa-upalabdhi-hetuḥ saṃyogaḥ

The union of owner and owned is the cause for apprehending the true nature of each.

The conjunction of puruṣa and prakṛti serves a purpose: through their interaction, each reveals its true nature. Suffering is not pointless — it drives awakening.

तस्य हेतुरविद्या

tasya hetur avidyā

The cause of this union is ignorance.

Avidyā — spiritual ignorance — is what keeps consciousness identified with matter. Remove ignorance, and the false union dissolves naturally.

तदभावात् संयोगाभावो हानं तद्दृशेः कैवल्यम्

tad-abhāvāt saṃyoga-abhāvo hānaṃ tad dṛśeḥ kaivalyam

By the absence of ignorance, the union disappears — this is the liberation of the seer.

When avidyā is destroyed, the false identification ends. Puruṣa stands alone (kaivalya) in its own nature — this is absolute freedom.

विवेकख्यातिरविप्लवा हानोपायः

viveka-khyātir aviplavā hāna-upāyaḥ

Unbroken discriminative knowledge is the means of liberation.

Viveka-khyāti — the continuous, unwavering discernment between Self and not-Self — is the direct path to freedom. It must be uninterrupted.

तस्य सप्तधा प्रान्तभूमिः प्रज्ञा

tasya saptadhā prānta-bhūmiḥ prajñā

That wisdom unfolds in seven stages.

Liberation dawns progressively through seven stages of insight, from the first recognition of suffering to the final dissolution of all bondage.

योगाङ्गानुष्ठानादशुद्धिक्षये ज्ञानदीप्तिराविवेकख्यातेः

yoga-aṅga-anuṣṭhānād aśuddhi-kṣaye jñāna-dīptir ā viveka-khyāteḥ

By the practice of the limbs of yoga, impurity diminishes, and the light of knowledge grows to discriminative wisdom.

The eight limbs systematically remove impurities. As layers of ignorance fall away, the light of discernment (viveka) shines ever more brightly.

यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि

yama-niyama-āsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayo ''ṣṭāv aṅgāni

The eight limbs are: yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi.

The aṣṭāṅga (eight-limbed) path: ethical restraints, observances, posture, breath control, sense withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and absorption. Each limb supports the next.

अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः

ahiṃsā-satya-asteya-brahmacarya-aparigrahā yamāḥ

The yamas are: non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-possessiveness.

The five yamas are universal ethical principles. They govern one''s relationship with the outer world and form the moral foundation without which deeper practice is unstable.

जातिदेशकालसमयानवच्छिन्नाः सार्वभौमा महाव्रतम्

jāti-deśa-kāla-samaya-anavacchinnāḥ sārvabhaumā mahā-vratam

When unqualified by class, place, time, or circumstance, they are the great universal vow.

The yamas are not situational ethics — they apply universally, regardless of birth, location, era, or social context. This elevates them to mahā-vrata, the supreme vow.

शौचसन्तोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः

śauca-santoṣa-tapaḥ-svādhyāya-īśvara-praṇidhānāni niyamāḥ

The niyamas are: cleanliness, contentment, austerity, self-study, and surrender to the Lord.

The five niyamas govern one''s inner discipline: purity of body and mind, satisfaction with what is, self-discipline, reflective study, and devotion to the divine.

वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्

vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam

When disturbed by negative thoughts, cultivate the opposite.

Pratipakṣa bhāvana: when destructive impulses arise, consciously invoke their opposite. Hatred is countered by compassion, greed by generosity. This is active mental training.

वितर्का हिंसादयः कृतकारितानुमोदिता लोभक्रोधमोहपूर्वका मृदुमध्याधिमात्रा दुःखाज्ञानानन्तफला इति प्रतिपक्षभावनम्

vitarkā hiṃsā-ādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditā lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakā mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrā duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalā iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam

Negative thoughts such as violence — whether done, caused, or approved, motivated by greed, anger, or delusion, mild, moderate, or intense — result in endless suffering and ignorance. This is pratipakṣa bhāvana.

The reflection: harmful actions — whether committed directly, instigated, or merely condoned — always lead to suffering regardless of their intensity. Contemplating these consequences is itself the antidote.

अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्सन्निधौ वैरत्यागः

ahiṃsā-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ tat-sannidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ

When non-violence is firmly established, hostility ceases in one''s presence.

The perfection of ahiṃsā radiates outward — in the presence of one truly established in non-violence, even hostile beings abandon their aggression.

सत्यप्रतिष्ठायां क्रियाफलाश्रयत्वम्

satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam

When truthfulness is established, actions bear their fruit.

For one established in satya (truth), words become potent — whatever they say comes to pass. Truth aligns speech with the creative power of reality itself.

अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम्

asteya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarva-ratna-upasthānam

When non-stealing is established, all treasures present themselves.

One who is completely free from the impulse to take what is not given finds that abundance naturally flows toward them. The universe provides for the non-covetous.

ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां वीर्यलाभः

brahmacarya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīrya-lābhaḥ

When continence is established, great vitality is gained.

Brahmacarya — the conservation and sublimation of vital energy — produces tremendous strength (vīrya), both physical and spiritual. Energy not dissipated becomes available for higher purposes.

अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथंतासम्बोधः

aparigraha-sthairye janma-kathaṃtā-sambodhaḥ

When non-possessiveness is steady, knowledge of the how and why of birth arises.

Freedom from greed clarifies the mind so deeply that understanding of past lives and the mechanism of birth becomes accessible. Letting go reveals the deepest truths.

शौचात्स्वाङ्गजुगुप्सा परैरसंसर्गः

śaucāt svāṅga-jugupsā parair asaṃsargaḥ

From cleanliness arises a distaste for one''s own body and disinclination for contact with others.

Internal purification reveals the body''s inherent impurity, naturally reducing physical attachment. This is not self-hatred but clear seeing that loosens identification with the physical form.

सत्त्वशुद्धिसौमनस्यैकाग्र्येन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शनयोग्यत्वानि च

sattva-śuddhi-saumanasya-ekāgrya-indriya-jaya-ātma-darśana-yogyatvāni ca

Also from purity come clarity of mind, cheerfulness, one-pointedness, mastery of the senses, and fitness for Self-realization.

The positive fruits of śauca: sattva becomes purified, the heart becomes joyful, the mind becomes focused, the senses become obedient, and one becomes qualified to perceive the Self.

सन्तोषादनुत्तमः सुखलाभः

santoṣād anuttamaḥ sukha-lābhaḥ

From contentment, supreme happiness is gained.

Santoṣa — being satisfied with what one has — produces a happiness that no external acquisition can match. It is unconditional joy, independent of circumstances.

कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात्तपसः

kāya-indriya-siddhir aśuddhi-kṣayāt tapasaḥ

Through austerity, impurities are destroyed, and perfection of the body and senses is attained.

Tapas burns away impurities at every level — physical, prāṇic, and mental — resulting in a refined body and sharpened senses capable of subtle perception.

स्वाध्यायादिष्टदेवतासम्प्रयोगः

svādhyāyād iṣṭa-devatā-samprayogaḥ

Through self-study comes communion with one''s chosen deity.

Svādhyāya — the study of sacred texts and self-reflection — creates a living connection with the divine in whatever form resonates most deeply with the practitioner.

समाधिसिद्धिरीश्वरप्रणिधानात्

samādhi-siddhir īśvara-praṇidhānāt

Perfection of samādhi comes from surrender to the Lord.

Complete devotional surrender to Īśvara can alone accomplish what the entire eightfold path aims at. Bhakti is the shortcut to samādhi for those with the capacity for total self-offering.

स्थिरसुखमासनम्

sthira-sukham āsanam

Āsana is a steady, comfortable posture.

The definition of āsana: steady (sthira) and easeful (sukha). It is not acrobatics — it is finding a seat in which the body can remain still without distraction, so the mind can turn inward.

प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्तसमापत्तिभ्याम्

prayatna-śaithilya-ananta-samāpattibhyām

By relaxation of effort and meditation on the infinite, āsana is perfected.

Perfection in posture comes from two principles: releasing unnecessary tension (prayatna-śaithilya) and merging awareness with the infinite (ananta-samāpatti). Force defeats the purpose.

ततो द्वन्द्वानभिघातः

tato dvandva-anabhighātaḥ

Then one is not disturbed by the pairs of opposites.

Mastery of āsana produces immunity to dualities — heat and cold, pleasure and pain, praise and blame no longer agitate the mind or body.

तस्मिन्सति श्वासप्रश्वासयोर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः

tasmin sati śvāsa-praśvāsayor gati-vicchedaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ

With āsana established, prāṇāyāma is the regulation of inhalation and exhalation.

Prāṇāyāma begins only after āsana is stable. It is the conscious interruption of the normal breathing pattern — controlling the flow of vital energy through breath.

बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिर्देशकालसंख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः

bāhya-abhyantara-stambha-vṛttir deśa-kāla-saṃkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭo dīrgha-sūkṣmaḥ

It has three movements: outward, inward, and suspended — regulated by place, time, and number, becoming long and subtle.

The three phases of prāṇāyāma: exhalation (bāhya), inhalation (abhyantara), and retention (stambha). Each is refined through attention to location in the body, duration, and count.

बाह्याभ्यन्तरविषयाक्षेपी चतुर्थः

bāhya-abhyantara-viṣaya-ākṣepī caturthaḥ

The fourth type transcends the external and internal.

Beyond the three deliberate phases is a fourth prāṇāyāma that arises spontaneously — breath becomes so subtle it transcends the categories of in, out, and held. Kevala kumbhaka.

ततः क्षीयते प्रकाशावरणम्

tataḥ kṣīyate prakāśa-āvaraṇam

Then the veil over the inner light is destroyed.

Prāṇāyāma dissolves the covering that obscures the light of consciousness. The mind becomes transparent, allowing the radiance of the Self to shine through.

धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः

dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ

And the mind becomes fit for concentration.

The practical result of prāṇāyāma: the mind gains the capacity to sustain focused attention (dhāraṇā). Breath mastery is the gateway to meditation.

स्वविषयासम्प्रयोगे चित्तस्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः

sva-viṣaya-asamprayoge citta-svarūpa-anukāra iva indriyāṇāṃ pratyāhāraḥ

Pratyāhāra is when the senses withdraw from their objects and, as it were, imitate the nature of the mind.

Sense withdrawal: the senses stop chasing external objects and turn inward, following the mind''s own nature. Like a turtle drawing its limbs into its shell.

ततः परमा वश्यतेन्द्रियाणाम्

tataḥ paramā vaśyata indriyāṇām

From that comes supreme mastery over the senses.

With pratyāhāra perfected, the senses become fully obedient to the will. The yogī is no longer at the mercy of sensory impulses — attention goes only where directed.

देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा

deśa-bandhaś cittasya dhāraṇā

Dhāraṇā is the binding of the mind to a single place.

Concentration (dhāraṇā) is fixing the mind on one point — a location in the body, an image, a sound, or any chosen object. It is the first of the three inner limbs.

तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम्

tatra pratyaya-ekatānatā dhyānam

Dhyāna is the continuous flow of cognition toward that object.

When concentration deepens into an unbroken stream — like oil poured steadily from one vessel to another — it becomes meditation (dhyāna).

तदेवार्थमात्रनिर्भासं स्वरूपशून्यमिव समाधिः

tad eva artha-mātra-nirbhāsaṃ svarūpa-śūnyam iva samādhiḥ

When only the object shines forth and the mind appears empty of its own form, that is samādhi.

In samādhi, self-awareness dissolves — only the object of meditation remains. The meditator, the act of meditating, and the object merge into one.

त्रयमेकत्र संयमः

trayam ekatra saṃyamaḥ

The three together on one object constitute saṃyama.

Dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi practiced as a unified process on a single object is called saṃyama — the master key to all yogic powers and knowledge.

तज्जयात्प्रज्ञालोकः

taj-jayāt prajñā-ālokaḥ

By mastery of saṃyama, the light of wisdom dawns.

When saṃyama is perfected, prajñā (transcendental insight) illuminates whatever object or truth is being contemplated with direct, non-conceptual knowing.

तस्य भूमिषु विनियोगः

tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ

Its application is by stages.

Saṃyama is applied progressively — one masters it on gross objects before turning to subtle ones. Each level of mastery opens the next.

त्रयमन्तरङ्गं पूर्वेभ्यः

trayam antaraṅgaṃ pūrvebhyaḥ

These three are more internal than the preceding limbs.

Dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi are the antaraṅga (inner limbs) — more subtle and intimate than yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, and pratyāhāra.

तदपि बहिरङ्गं निर्बीजस्य

tad api bahiraṅgaṃ nirbījasya

Yet even these are external to seedless samādhi.

Relative to the ultimate state — nirbīja samādhi (seedless absorption) — even the three inner limbs are considered external. The goal transcends all technique.

व्युत्थाननिरोधसंस्कारयोरभिभवप्रादुर्भावौ निरोधक्षणचित्तान्वयो निरोधपरिणामः

vyutthāna-nirodha-saṃskārayor abhibhava-prādurbhāvau nirodha-kṣaṇa-citta-anvayo nirodha-pariṇāmaḥ

The transformation of cessation occurs when the rising and subsiding of outward and inward impressions are linked moment to moment.

Nirodha-pariṇāma: the mind oscillates between activity and stillness. As the stillness impressions strengthen and the activity impressions weaken, transformation toward cessation progresses.

तस्य प्रशान्तवाहिता संस्कारात्

tasya praśānta-vāhitā saṃskārāt

Its flow becomes tranquil through repeated impression.

The flow of nirodha becomes peaceful and steady through repetition. Each moment of mental stillness leaves a saṃskāra that makes the next moment of stillness easier.

सर्वार्थतैकाग्रतयोः क्षयोदयौ चित्तस्य समाधिपरिणामः

sarva-arthatā-ekāgratayoḥ kṣaya-udayau cittasya samādhi-pariṇāmaḥ

The transformation into samādhi is the diminishing of all-pointedness and the rising of one-pointedness.

Samādhi-pariṇāma: scattered attention (sarva-arthatā) gradually fades as single-pointed focus (ekāgratā) strengthens. The mind transforms from chaotic to laser-like.

ततः पुनः शान्तोदितौ तुल्यप्रत्ययौ चित्तस्यैकाग्रतापरिणामः

tataḥ punaḥ śānta-uditau tulya-pratyayau cittasya-ekāgratā-pariṇāmaḥ

Then again, when the subsiding and arising mental contents are identical, that is one-pointed transformation.

Ekāgratā-pariṇāma: each moment of consciousness becomes identical to the last. The mind sustains one continuous, unchanging focus — past and present thoughts are the same.

एतेन भूतेन्द्रियेषु धर्मलक्षणावस्थापरिणामा व्याख्याताः

etena bhūta-indriyeṣu dharma-lakṣaṇa-avasthā-pariṇāmā vyākhyātāḥ

By this, the transformations of form, time, and condition in the elements and senses are explained.

The three mental transformations (nirodha, samādhi, ekāgratā) parallel transformations in all of nature: every object changes in its properties (dharma), character over time (lakṣaṇa), and condition (avasthā).

शान्तोदिताव्यपदेश्यधर्मानुपाती धर्मी

śānta-udita-avyapadeśya-dharma-anupātī dharmī

The substrate is that which follows the quiescent, arisen, and indeterminate properties.

Behind all changing properties lies the unchanging substance (dharmī). It persists through past, present, and future states — pointing to the permanent ground beneath impermanence.

क्रमान्यत्वं परिणामान्यत्वे हेतुः

krama-anyatvaṃ pariṇāma-anyatve hetuḥ

The difference in sequence is the cause of the difference in transformation.

Different outcomes arise from different sequences of change. The order in which transformations unfold determines what manifests — this principle underlies all evolution.

परिणामत्रयसंयमादतीतानागतज्ञानम्

pariṇāma-traya-saṃyamād atīta-anāgata-jñānam

By saṃyama on the three transformations comes knowledge of past and future.

Applying saṃyama to the three types of transformation (dharma, lakṣaṇa, avasthā) reveals the past and future of any object or being.

शब्दार्थप्रत्ययानामितरेतराध्यासात्सङ्करस्तत्प्रविभागसंयमात्सर्वभूतरुतज्ञानम्

śabda-artha-pratyayānām itaretara-adhyāsāt saṅkaras tat-pravibhāga-saṃyamāt sarva-bhūta-ruta-jñānam

By saṃyama on the distinction between word, meaning, and idea — which are normally confused — comes knowledge of all beings'' sounds.

We habitually confuse the word, its referent, and our idea of it. Saṃyama on their separation reveals the meaning behind any sound — including the cries of all creatures.

संस्कारसाक्षात्करणात्पूर्वजातिज्ञानम्

saṃskāra-sākṣātkaraṇāt pūrva-jāti-jñānam

By direct perception of latent impressions comes knowledge of previous births.

Saṃyama on one''s own saṃskāras (deep impressions) reveals the chain of past lives, because every impression carries the imprint of the experience that created it.

प्रत्ययस्य परचित्तज्ञानम्

pratyayasya para-citta-jñānam

By saṃyama on another''s mental content comes knowledge of their mind.

One can perceive the thoughts of others by applying saṃyama to the content of their consciousness — though this reveals thought-forms, not their deeper causes.

न च तत्सालम्बनं तस्याविषयीभूतत्वात्

na ca tat sālambanṃ tasya aviṣayī-bhūtatvāt

But not its underlying support, as that is not the object of saṃyama.

Knowing another''s thoughts does not reveal why they think them. The motivations, saṃskāras, and deeper causes remain hidden unless specifically targeted.

कायरूपसंयमात्तद्ग्राह्यशक्तिस्तम्भे चक्षुःप्रकाशासम्प्रयोगेऽन्तर्धानम्

kāya-rūpa-saṃyamāt tad-grāhya-śakti-stambhe cakṣuḥ-prakāśa-asamprayoge ''ntardhānam

By saṃyama on the form of the body, when the power of perception is suspended, the link between light and the eye is severed — invisibility results.

Saṃyama on one''s own body-form can disconnect the light-eye connection, rendering the yogī imperceptible. This extends to all senses — sound, touch, etc.

सोपक्रमं निरुपक्रमं च कर्म तत्संयमादपरान्तज्ञानमरिष्टेभ्यो वा

sopakramaṃ nirupakramaṃ ca karma tat-saṃyamād aparānta-jñānam ariṣṭebhyo vā

Karma is either fast-ripening or slow-ripening; by saṃyama on these, or from omens, comes knowledge of death.

Saṃyama on the nature of one''s karma — whether it will bear fruit quickly or slowly — reveals the time of death. Certain signs (ariṣṭa) also indicate this.

मैत्र्यादिषु बलानि

maitry-ādiṣu balāni

By saṃyama on friendliness and similar qualities, great strengths arise.

Focusing saṃyama on the brahmavihāras (friendliness, compassion, joy, equanimity) amplifies those qualities into extraordinary powers of influence and healing.

बलेषु हस्तिबलादीनि

baleṣu hasti-balādīni

By saṃyama on strengths, one gains the strength of an elephant and more.

Saṃyama directed at the principle of strength itself yields physical powers like that of an elephant. The mind can unlock latent capacities in the body.

प्रवृत्त्यालोकन्यासात्सूक्ष्मव्यवहितविप्रकृष्टज्ञानम्

pravṛtty-āloka-nyāsāt sūkṣma-vyavahita-viprakṛṣṭa-jñānam

By directing the light of higher perception, knowledge of the subtle, hidden, and distant is gained.

The inner luminosity (jyotiṣmatī) can be projected outward through saṃyama, revealing what is too small to see, concealed from view, or far away.

भुवनज्ञानं सूर्ये संयमात्

bhuvana-jñānaṃ sūrye saṃyamāt

By saṃyama on the sun, knowledge of the cosmic realms.

Meditating on the sun as a symbol of illumination reveals the structure of the universe — the various planes of existence and their arrangement.

चन्द्रे ताराव्यूहज्ञानम्

candre tārā-vyūha-jñānam

By saṃyama on the moon, knowledge of the arrangement of the stars.

The moon represents reflected light and subtle perception. Saṃyama here reveals the patterns and positions of celestial bodies.

ध्रुवे तद्गतिज्ञानम्

dhruve tad-gati-jñānam

By saṃyama on the pole star, knowledge of their movements.

The pole star (Dhruva) is the fixed reference point. Saṃyama on it reveals the movements of all celestial objects relative to this constant.

नाभिचक्रे कायव्यूहज्ञानम्

nābhi-cakre kāya-vyūha-jñānam

By saṃyama on the navel center, knowledge of the body''s arrangement.

The navel (maṇipūra cakra) is the body''s energetic center. Saṃyama here reveals the entire physiological system — organs, channels, and their relationships.

कण्ठकूपे क्षुत्पिपासानिवृत्तिः

kaṇṭha-kūpe kṣut-pipāsā-nivṛttiḥ

By saṃyama on the throat pit, cessation of hunger and thirst.

The throat hollow (viśuddhi region) governs metabolic needs. Saṃyama here grants freedom from the compulsions of hunger and thirst.

कूर्मनाड्यां स्थैर्यम्

kūrma-nāḍyāṃ sthairyam

By saṃyama on the kūrma nāḍī, steadiness.

The kūrma nāḍī (tortoise channel) below the throat, when focused upon, produces absolute physical stillness — the body becomes as steady as a mountain.

मूर्धज्योतिषि सिद्धदर्शनम्

mūrdha-jyotiṣi siddha-darśanam

By saṃyama on the light at the crown of the head, vision of the perfected beings.

The luminous center at the crown (sahasrāra) connects to higher realms. Saṃyama here grants perception of siddhas — liberated and perfected masters.

प्रातिभाद्वा सर्वम्

prātibhād vā sarvam

Or from intuitive illumination, everything is known.

Prātibha — spontaneous intuitive flash — can reveal all knowledge at once. This is the grace dimension: sudden total knowing beyond any technique.

हृदये चित्तसंवित्

hṛdaye citta-saṃvit

By saṃyama on the heart, knowledge of the mind.

The spiritual heart (hṛdaya) is the seat of consciousness. Saṃyama here reveals the complete nature of one''s own mind — its patterns, tendencies, and essence.

सत्त्वपुरुषयोरत्यन्तासङ्कीर्णयोः प्रत्ययाविशेषो भोगः परार्थत्वात्स्वार्थसंयमात्पुरुषज्ञानम्

sattva-puruṣayor atyanta-asaṅkīrṇayoḥ pratyaya-aviśeṣo bhogaḥ parārthatvāt svārtha-saṃyamāt puruṣa-jñānam

Experience arises from not distinguishing between sattva and puruṣa, though they are entirely different. By saṃyama on the Self''s own purpose, knowledge of puruṣa arises.

Pleasure and pain exist because we confuse mind (sattva) with consciousness (puruṣa). By turning saṃyama toward the Self''s own nature — not its reflections — direct self-knowledge arises.

ततः प्रातिभश्रावणवेदनादर्शास्वादवार्ता जायन्ते

tataḥ prātibha-śrāvaṇa-vedana-ādarśa-āsvāda-vārtā jāyante

From that arise intuitive hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell.

Knowledge of puruṣa awakens supernatural sensory capacities: clairaudience, clairsentience, clairvoyance, and subtle taste and smell beyond ordinary perception.

ते समाधावुपसर्गा व्युत्थाने सिद्धयः

te samādhāv upasargā vyutthāne siddhayaḥ

These are obstacles to samādhi, though powers in the worldly state.

Critical warning: the supernatural powers (siddhis) are impressive in ordinary consciousness but become impediments on the path to samādhi. Attachment to them is a trap.

बन्धकारणशैथिल्यात्प्रचारसंवेदनाच्च चित्तस्य परशरीरावेशः

bandha-kāraṇa-śaithilyāt pracāra-saṃvedanāc ca cittasya para-śarīra-āveśaḥ

By loosening the cause of bondage and knowing the channels, the mind can enter another body.

When the bonds tying consciousness to one body are loosened, and the pathways of prāṇa are understood, consciousness can transfer to another physical form.

उदानजयाज्जलपङ्ककण्टकादिष्वसङ्ग उत्क्रान्तिश्च

udāna-jayāj jala-paṅka-kaṇṭaka-ādiṣv asaṅga utkrāntiś ca

By mastery of udāna, one rises above water, mud, thorns, and so on, and achieves levitation at death.

Udāna is the upward-moving prāṇa. Its mastery grants lightness — the body is not pulled down by physical obstacles, and at death, consciousness ascends freely.

समानजयाज्ज्वलनम्

samāna-jayāj jvalanam

By mastery of samāna, radiance.

Samāna is the prāṇa of digestion and assimilation, centered at the navel. Its mastery produces a visible effulgence — the body literally glows with vitality.

श्रोत्राकाशयोः सम्बन्धसंयमाद्दिव्यं श्रोत्रम्

śrotra-ākāśayoḥ sambandha-saṃyamād divyaṃ śrotram

By saṃyama on the relationship between the ear and space, divine hearing.

The ear perceives through its relationship with ākāśa (space/ether). Saṃyama on this connection opens clairaudience — hearing beyond physical range.

कायाकाशयोः सम्बन्धसंयमाल्लघुतूलसमापत्तेश्चाकाशगमनम्

kāya-ākāśayoḥ sambandha-saṃyamāl laghu-tūla-samāpatteś ca ākāśa-gamanam

By saṃyama on the relationship between body and space, and by becoming light as cotton, one can traverse space.

Meditating on the body''s relationship to space and identifying with lightness enables movement through space — transcending the normal limits of the physical body.

बहिरकल्पिता वृत्तिर्महाविदेहा ततः प्रकाशावरणक्षयः

bahir akalpitā vṛttir mahā-videhā tataḥ prakāśa-āvaraṇa-kṣayaḥ

The great disembodiment is an external, non-imagined state of mind; from it, the veil over illumination is destroyed.

Mahā-videhā: consciousness actually functioning outside the body, not merely imagined. This state destroys the final coverings over the inner light of the Self.

स्थूलस्वरूपसूक्ष्मान्वयार्थवत्त्वसंयमाद्भूतजयः

sthūla-svarūpa-sūkṣma-anvaya-arthavattva-saṃyamād bhūta-jayaḥ

By saṃyama on the gross, essential, subtle, interconnected, and purposeful nature of the elements, mastery over them.

Saṃyama on the five aspects of each element — its gross form, its essential nature, its subtle form, its connections, and its purpose — grants complete mastery over the physical elements.

ततोऽणिमादिप्रादुर्भावः कायसम्पत्तद्धर्मानभिघातश्च

tato ''ṇimā-ādi-prādurbhāvaḥ kāya-sampat tad-dharma-anabhighātaś ca

From that arise the powers such as becoming minute, perfection of the body, and immunity to the properties of the elements.

Mastery of the elements yields the eight classical siddhis beginning with aṇimā (becoming infinitely small), physical perfection, and freedom from elemental forces.

रूपलावण्यबलवज्रसंहननत्वानि कायसम्पत्

rūpa-lāvaṇya-bala-vajra-saṃhananatvāni kāya-sampat

Perfection of the body means beauty, grace, strength, and adamantine hardness.

Kāya-sampat: the perfected yogic body possesses exceptional beauty (rūpa), charm (lāvaṇya), strength (bala), and the resilience of diamond (vajra-saṃhananatva).

ग्रहणस्वरूपास्मितान्वयार्थवत्त्वसंयमादिन्द्रियजयः

grahaṇa-svarūpa-asmitā-anvaya-arthavattva-saṃyamād indriya-jayaḥ

By saṃyama on perception, essential nature, I-am-ness, connection, and purpose of the senses, mastery over them.

The senses have five aspects to contemplate: their act of grasping, their true nature, their relation to ego, their interconnection, and their purpose. Saṃyama on these yields sense mastery.

ततो मनोजवित्वं विकरणभावः प्रधानजयश्च

tato mano-javitvaṃ vikaraṇa-bhāvaḥ pradhāna-jayaś ca

From that come speed of mind, perception without instruments, and mastery over primordial nature.

Sense mastery yields three powers: mind-speed (instantaneous movement), bodiless perception (knowing without physical senses), and dominion over prakṛti itself.

सत्त्वपुरुषान्यताख्यातिमात्रस्य सर्वभावाधिष्ठातृत्वं सर्वज्ञातृत्वं च

sattva-puruṣa-anyatā-khyāti-mātrasya sarva-bhāva-adhiṣṭhātṛtvaṃ sarva-jñātṛtvaṃ ca

For one who discerns the difference between sattva and puruṣa, omnipotence and omniscience arise.

The culmination: when the distinction between mind (sattva) and Self (puruṣa) is perfectly clear, all-knowing (sarvajñātva) and all-power (sarva-adhiṣṭhātṛtva) manifest.

तद्वैराग्यादपि दोषबीजक्षये कैवल्यम्

tad-vairāgyād api doṣa-bīja-kṣaye kaivalyam

By non-attachment even to that, the seed of bondage is destroyed, and kaivalya results.

The final test: even omnipotence and omniscience must be released. Non-attachment to the highest powers destroys the last seed of bondage — kaivalya (absolute isolation of puruṣa) is attained.

स्थान्युपनिमन्त्रणे सङ्गस्मयाकरणं पुनरनिष्टप्रसङ्गात्

sthāny-upanimantraṇe saṅga-smaya-akaraṇaṃ punar aniṣṭa-prasaṅgāt

When invited by celestial beings, one should not feel attachment or pride, for undesirable connection may resume.

Even divine beings may tempt the advanced yogī with offers of power and prestige. Accepting with attachment or pride leads right back to bondage. Remain detached.

क्षणतत्क्रमयोः संयमाद्विवेकजं ज्ञानम्

kṣaṇa-tat-kramayoḥ saṃyamād vivekajaṃ jñānam

By saṃyama on the moment and its succession, discriminative knowledge is born.

Time is composed of indivisible moments (kṣaṇa). Saṃyama on the moment and the sequence of moments reveals the nature of time itself, producing viveka-jñāna.

जातिलक्षणदेशैरन्यतानवच्छेदात्तुल्ययोस्ततः प्रतिपत्तिः

jāti-lakṣaṇa-deśair anyatā-anavacchedāt tulyayos tataḥ pratipattiḥ

From that comes the ability to distinguish between two identical things when class, characteristic, and position cannot differentiate them.

Viveka-jñāna perceives uniqueness even in apparently identical objects — distinguishing them not by external marks but by their subtle individuality.

तारकं सर्वविषयं सर्वथाविषयमक्रमं चेति विवेकजं ज्ञानम्

tārakaṃ sarva-viṣayaṃ sarvathā-viṣayam akramaṃ ca iti vivekajaṃ jñānam

Discriminative knowledge is liberating, encompasses all objects and all conditions, and is beyond sequence.

Viveka-jñāna is tāraka (liberating): it knows all things (sarva-viṣaya), in all ways (sarvathā), simultaneously beyond time (akrama). This is the knowledge that sets you free.

सत्त्वपुरुषयोः शुद्धिसाम्ये कैवल्यम्

sattva-puruṣayoḥ śuddhi-sāmye kaivalyam

When the purity of the mind equals that of puruṣa, kaivalya is attained.

Liberation: when the mind becomes as pure as consciousness itself, the distinction between them collapses. Puruṣa stands alone — this is kaivalya, absolute freedom.

ततः क्लेशकर्मनिवृत्तिः

tataḥ kleśa-karma-nivṛttiḥ

Then there is cessation of afflictions and karma.

With kaivalya, all kleśas dissolve and all karma ceases. The cycle of cause and effect no longer binds — the yogī is free.

जन्मौषधिमन्त्रतपःसमाधिजाः सिद्धयः

janma-oṣadhi-mantra-tapaḥ-samādhi-jāḥ siddhayaḥ

Siddhis arise from birth, herbs, mantras, austerity, or samādhi.

Extraordinary powers can come through five means: innate from birth, through sacred plants, mantra repetition, intense discipline, or meditative absorption. Only samādhi-born siddhis lead to liberation.

जात्यन्तरपरिणामः प्रकृत्यापूरात्

jāty-antara-pariṇāmaḥ prakṛty-āpūrāt

Transformation into another state of being occurs by the overflow of natural tendencies.

Evolution from one form to another happens when prakṛti''s potential overflows. Nature transforms beings not through external force but through the pressure of its own fullness.

निमित्तमप्रयोजकं प्रकृतीनां वरणभेदस्तु ततः क्षेत्रिकवत्

nimittam aprayojakaṃ prakṛtīnāṃ varaṇa-bhedas tu tataḥ kṣetrikavat

The incidental cause does not set nature in motion; it merely removes obstacles — like a farmer clearing irrigation channels.

Yoga practice does not create transformation — it removes the barriers. Like a farmer who does not make water flow uphill but removes the dam, the yogī clears the way for nature''s inherent tendency toward liberation.

निर्माणचित्तान्यस्मितामात्रात्

nirmāṇa-cittāny asmitā-mātrāt

Created minds arise from the sense of I-am-ness alone.

The many minds a yogī may project all originate from one root: asmitā — the pure sense of individual existence. It is the minimal Self-sense from which all else unfolds.

प्रवृत्तिभेदे प्रयोजकं चित्तमेकमनेकेषाम्

pravṛtti-bhede prayojakaṃ cittam ekam anekeṣām

One mind directs the many created minds in their diverse activities.

Among the multiple projected minds, one original mind remains the director — maintaining coherence and purpose across all simultaneous expressions.

तत्र ध्यानजमनाशयम्

tatra dhyānajaṃ anāśayam

Of these, the one born of meditation is free from latent impressions.

A mind born from deep meditation carries no karmic residue (āśaya). It operates without generating new saṃskāras — this is action without bondage.

कर्माशुक्लाकृष्णं योगिनस्त्रिविधमितरेषाम्

karma-aśukla-akṛṣṇaṃ yoginas trividham itareṣām

The karma of a yogī is neither white nor black; for others, it is threefold.

Ordinary people create white (virtuous), black (harmful), or mixed karma. The yogī''s actions are none of these — they generate no karmic residue at all.

ततस्तद्विपाकानुगुणानामेवाभिव्यक्तिर्वासनानाम्

tatas tad-vipāka-anuguṇānām eva abhivyaktir vāsanānām

From that, only those latent tendencies manifest that are appropriate to their fruition.

Karmic residues manifest selectively — only those vāsanās (deep tendencies) that match the conditions for ripening become active. The rest remain dormant.

जातिदेशकालव्यवहितानामप्यानन्तर्यं स्मृतिसंस्कारयोरेकरूपत्वात्

jāti-deśa-kāla-vyavahitānām apy ānantaryaṃ smṛti-saṃskārayoḥ eka-rūpatvāt

Even when separated by birth, place, and time, there is continuity because memory and impressions are identical in form.

Saṃskāras transcend the boundaries of individual lives, locations, and time periods. The continuity of karma across lifetimes is maintained through the unchanging form of impressions.

तासामनादित्वं चाशिषो नित्यत्वात्

tāsām anāditvaṃ ca āśiṣo nityatvāt

These impressions are beginningless, because the will to live is eternal.

Vāsanās have no beginning — the desire for existence (āśis, the will to live) has always been. This is why the cycle of birth is called anādi (beginningless).

हेतुफलाश्रयालम्बनैः सङ्गृहीतत्वादेषामभावे तदभावः

hetu-phala-āśraya-ālambanaiḥ saṅgṛhītatvād eṣām abhāve tad-abhāvaḥ

Being held together by cause, effect, support, and object — when these disappear, so do the impressions.

Vāsanās depend on four factors: their cause, their fruit, their mental substrate, and their object. Remove any of these supports and the vāsanā collapses.

अतीतानागतं स्वरूपतोऽस्त्यध्वभेदाद्धर्माणाम्

atīta-anāgataṃ svarūpato ''sty adhva-bhedād dharmāṇām

Past and future exist in their own form, the difference being in the path of their properties.

Past and future are not unreal — they exist as real properties in different temporal phases. The same substance manifests different dharmas across time.

ते व्यक्तसूक्ष्मा गुणात्मानः

te vyakta-sūkṣmā guṇa-ātmānaḥ

These properties are manifest or subtle, and are composed of the guṇas.

All properties of objects — past, present, future — are essentially the three guṇas in different configurations, whether in manifest or subtle form.

परिणामैकत्वाद्वस्तुतत्त्वम्

pariṇāma-ekatvād vastu-tattvam

The reality of an object is due to the unity of its transformations.

An object has real existence because its transformations form a unified sequence. The rope of identity runs through all changes — a thing is itself across all its states.

वस्तुसाम्ये चित्तभेदात्तयोर्विभक्तः पन्थाः

vastu-sāmye citta-bhedāt tayor vibhaktaḥ panthāḥ

Though the object is the same, its perception varies due to different minds.

The same object is perceived differently by different minds. This proves that the object and the mind are on separate tracks — reality and perception are distinct.

न चैकचित्ततन्त्रं वस्तु तदप्रमाणकं तदा किं स्यात्

na ca eka-citta-tantraṃ vastu tad apramāṇakaṃ tadā kiṃ syāt

An object is not dependent on a single mind, for what would happen to it when not perceived by that mind?

Objects exist independently of any one perceiver. If an object depended on one mind, it would vanish when unperceived — but it persists. This refutes pure idealism.

तदुपरागापेक्षित्वाच्चित्तस्य वस्तु ज्ञाताज्ञातम्

tad-uparāga-apekṣitvāc cittasya vastu jñāta-ajñātam

An object is known or unknown depending on whether it colors the mind.

Whether we know something depends on whether it makes an impression on our mind. The object is always there — perception depends on the mind being colored by it.

सदा ज्ञाताश्चित्तवृत्तयस्तत्प्रभोः पुरुषस्यापरिणामित्वात्

sadā jñātāś citta-vṛttayas tat-prabhoḥ puruṣasya apariṇāmitvāt

The fluctuations of the mind are always known to its lord, puruṣa, because puruṣa does not change.

Consciousness (puruṣa) always knows the mind''s activities because it never changes. The unchanging witness sees all change — this is the foundation of self-awareness.

न तत्स्वाभासं दृश्यत्वात्

na tat svābhāsaṃ dṛśyatvāt

The mind is not self-luminous, for it is an object of perception.

The mind does not illuminate itself — it is perceived by something else (puruṣa). Just as a lamp cannot light itself, the mind depends on consciousness for its awareness.

एकसमये चोभयानवधारणम्

eka-samaye ca ubhaya-anavadhāraṇam

And it cannot perceive both subject and object simultaneously.

The mind cannot be both the perceiver and the perceived at the same time. This proves there must be a consciousness beyond the mind — puruṣa.

चित्तान्तरदृश्ये बुद्धिबुद्धेरतिप्रसङ्गः स्मृतिसङ्करश्च

citta-antara-dṛśye buddhi-buddher atiprasaṅgaḥ smṛti-saṅkaraś ca

If cognition of one mind by another is postulated, there would be infinite regress and confusion of memory.

If we need another mind to know the first mind, and yet another to know that one — we fall into infinite regress. This proves consciousness must be fundamentally different from mind.

चितेरप्रतिसङ्क्रमायास्तदाकारापत्तौ स्वबुद्धिसंवेदनम्

citer apratisaṅkramāyās tad-ākāra-āpattau sva-buddhi-saṃvedanam

When unchanging consciousness assumes the form of the intellect, self-awareness arises.

Pure consciousness (citi) does not move or change — but when it assumes the form of buddhi, self-knowledge becomes possible. The Self knows itself through the mind''s reflection.

द्रष्टृदृश्योपरक्तं चित्तं सर्वार्थम्

draṣṭṛ-dṛśya-uparaktaṃ cittaṃ sarvārtham

The mind, colored by both seer and seen, comprehends everything.

The mind sits between consciousness (draṣṭṛ) and the world (dṛśya), tinged by both. This dual coloring is what makes the mind capable of knowing everything — it mediates between subject and object.

तदसंख्येयवासनाभिश्चित्रमपि परार्थं संहत्यकारित्वात्

tad asaṃkhyeya-vāsanābhiś citram api parārthaṃ saṃhatya-kāritvāt

Though variegated by countless impressions, the mind exists for the sake of another, for it acts in association.

Despite its infinite complexity, the mind is not autonomous — it serves puruṣa. It is a composite instrument, always working for the benefit of consciousness, not for itself.

विशेषदर्शिन आत्मभावभावनाविनिवृत्तिः

viśeṣa-darśina ātma-bhāva-bhāvanā-vinivṛttiḥ

For one who sees the distinction, contemplation on the nature of the self ceases.

When the difference between mind and Self is clearly seen, the question "Who am I?" dissolves. There is no more need for self-inquiry — the answer is self-evident.

तदा विवेकनिम्नं कैवल्यप्राग्भारं चित्तम्

tadā viveka-nimnaṃ kaivalya-prāgbhāraṃ cittam

Then the mind inclines toward discrimination and gravitates toward kaivalya.

Once viveka dawns, the mind naturally flows toward liberation — like water flowing downhill. The momentum becomes irreversible.

तच्छिद्रेषु प्रत्ययान्तराणि संस्कारेभ्यः

tac-chidreṣu pratyaya-antarāṇi saṃskārebhyaḥ

In the gaps of that discrimination, other thoughts arise from latent impressions.

Even as viveka strengthens, old saṃskāras occasionally break through. These interruptions become rarer and weaker as practice deepens, but they test the yogī until the very end.

हानमेषां क्लेशवदुक्तम्

hānam eṣāṃ kleśavad uktam

Their removal is described in the same way as the removal of the kleśas.

These residual interruptions are handled the same way as the five afflictions — through recognition, counter-practice, and meditative dissolution. The same tools work at every stage.

प्रसंख्यानेऽप्यकुसीदस्य सर्वथा विवेकख्यातेर्धर्ममेघः समाधिः

prasaṃkhyāne ''py akusīdasya sarvathā viveka-khyāter dharma-meghaḥ samādhiḥ

For one who has no interest even in the highest knowledge and maintains constant discrimination, there comes the samādhi called dharma-megha — the cloud of virtue.

Dharma-megha samādhi: when even the desire for supreme knowledge is released, a cloud of dharma descends — showering grace and virtue. This is the penultimate state before kaivalya.

ततः क्लेशकर्मनिवृत्तिः

tataḥ kleśa-karma-nivṛttiḥ

From that, the cessation of afflictions and karma.

Dharma-megha samādhi burns away all remaining kleśas and karma simultaneously. No new seeds are planted; old seeds are incinerated. The cycle ends.

तदा सर्वावरणमलापेतस्य ज्ञानस्यानन्त्याज्ज्ञेयमल्पम्

tadā sarva-āvaraṇa-mala-apetasya jñānasya ānantyāj jñeyam alpam

Then, with all coverings and impurities removed, the infinity of knowledge makes what remains to be known seem small.

When all veils are lifted, knowledge becomes infinite. Compared to the vastness of pure knowing, the entire knowable universe appears trivially small.

ततः कृतार्थानां परिणामक्रमसमाप्तिर्गुणानाम्

tataḥ kṛta-arthānāṃ pariṇāma-krama-samāptir guṇānām

Then the sequence of transformations of the guṇas comes to an end, their purpose fulfilled.

The three guṇas have served their purpose — providing experience and catalyzing liberation. Their constant transformation ceases. Prakṛti''s job is done for this puruṣa.

क्षणप्रतियोगी परिणामापरान्तनिर्ग्राह्यः क्रमः

kṣaṇa-pratiyogī pariṇāma-aparānta-nirgrāhyaḥ kramaḥ

Sequence is the counterpart of the moment, recognized at the end of transformation.

Time-sequence (krama) is understood only in hindsight, at the end of a series of changes. In liberation, the yogī transcends sequence entirely — resting in the eternal now.

पुरुषार्थशून्यानां गुणानां प्रतिप्रसवः कैवल्यं स्वरूपप्रतिष्ठा वा चितिशक्तेरिति

puruṣa-artha-śūnyānāṃ guṇānāṃ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṃ svarūpa-pratiṣṭhā vā citi-śakter iti

Kaivalya is the reabsorption of the guṇas, now devoid of purpose for puruṣa — or it is the establishment of the power of consciousness in its own nature.

The final sutra: the guṇas dissolve back into their source, having nothing left to accomplish. Consciousness (citi-śakti) stands established in its own nature — pure, free, eternal. This is kaivalya. Iti — thus ends the teaching.