The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali

The Science of Yoga

योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः।
Yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ

Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.

Yoga Sutras 1.2

The Yoga Sutras, compiled by sage Patañjali around 400 CE, are the foundational text of Raja Yoga (the Royal Yoga). Not physical postures, but systematic mental training for liberation.

The Four Chapters (Pādas)

Structure of the Sutras

1. Samādhi Pāda (समाधि पाद) - On Absorption

51 sutras
Nature of yoga and samadhi
Types of samadhi
For advanced practitioners

2. Sādhana Pāda (साधन पाद) - On Practice

55 sutras
Ashtanga Yoga (eight limbs)
Practical path described
For beginners and intermediate

3. Vibhūti Pāda (विभूति पाद) - On Powers

56 sutras
Siddhis (supernatural powers)
Advanced concentration practices
Warning: Don’t get attached to powers

4. Kaivalya Pāda (कैवल्य पाद) - On Liberation

34 sutras
Nature of liberation
Absolute freedom (kaivalya)
Final realization

Total: 196 sutras (short aphorisms requiring commentary)

Core Concepts

The Nature of Mind

चित्त (Citta) - Mind-stuff:

Includes: Thoughts, memories, emotions, subconscious impressions
Constantly fluctuating like lake with waves
Yoga: Making lake still so bottom (Self) can be seen

वृत्ति (Vṛtti) - Mental fluctuations: Five types (YS 1.6):

Pramāṇa (प्रमाण) - Right knowledge
- Perception, inference, testimony
Viparyaya (विपर्यय) - Wrong knowledge
- Misperception, error
Vikalpa (विकल्प) - Imagination
- Fantasy, conceptualization
Nidrā (निद्रा) - Sleep
- Absence of content, but still a state
Smṛti (स्मृति) - Memory
- Recall of past experiences

All must be stilled for Self-realization.

Kleśas - The Five Afflictions

YS 2.3-9 - Root causes of suffering:

1. अविद्या (Avidyā) - Ignorance

Root affliction, source of all others
Mistaking temporary for eternal
Mistaking painful for pleasant
Mistaking non-self for Self

2. अस्मिता (Asmitā) - I-am-ness

Identification with body-mind
Ego-sense, personal identity
False sense of separate self

3. राग (Rāga) - Attachment

Clinging to pleasure
Desire for pleasant experiences
“I want this”

4. द्वेष (Dveṣa) - Aversion

Pushing away pain
Hatred of unpleasant experiences
“I don’t want this”

5. अभिनिवेश (Abhiniveśa) - Fear of death

Clinging to life
Present even in wise people
Deep survival instinct

Method: Practice opposite to weaken them (pratipakṣa-bhāvana)

Saṃskāras and Vāsanās

संस्कार (Saṃskāra) - Mental impressions:

Every action, thought, experience leaves impression
Stored in subconscious (citta)
Like grooves in record

वासना (Vāsanā) - Latent tendencies:

Collections of saṃskāras
Habitual patterns
Drive future actions

Cycle:

Action → Saṃskāra → Vāsanā → Action
Creates karma and rebirth
Yoga breaks cycle

Method: New actions create positive saṃskāras, overwrite old ones. Eventually, all transcended.

The Eight Limbs (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga)

The Progressive Path (YS 2.29)

अष्टाङ्ग योग (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga) - Eight limbs:

1. यम (Yama) - Universal ethics (restraints):

a) Ahiṃsā (अहिंसा) - Non-violence

In thought, word, deed
To self and others
Foundation of all ethics

b) Satya (सत्य) - Truthfulness

Speaking truth
But never harmful truth
Subordinate to ahiṃsā

c) Asteya (अस्तेय) - Non-stealing

Not taking what’s not given
Including others’ time, energy, ideas

d) Brahmacarya (ब्रह्मचर्य) - Continence

Traditionally: Celibacy
Broadly: Moderation in sensual pleasures
Conserving vital energy

e) Aparigraha (अपरिग्रह) - Non-possessiveness

Not hoarding
Living simply
Non-attachment to things

2. नियम (Niyama) - Personal observances:

a) Śauca (शौच) - Purity

External: Body, environment
Internal: Mind, thoughts

b) Santoṣa (सन्तोष) - Contentment

Satisfaction with what is
Not craving or complaining
YS 2.42: “From contentment, unsurpassed happiness”

c) Tapas (तपस्) - Austerity/Discipline

Self-discipline, heat
Voluntary discomfort for growth
Fasting, cold baths, silence, etc.

d) Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय) - Self-study

Study of scriptures
Self-examination
Introspection

e) Īśvara-praṇidhāna (ईश्वर प्रणिधान) - Surrender to God

Devotion to higher power
Offering actions to Divine
Letting go of ego

First two limbs: Foundation for all others. Without ethics, meditation is unstable.

3. आसन (Āsana) - Posture

YS 2.46:

स्थिरसुखमासनम्।
Sthira-sukham-āsanam
”Posture should be steady and comfortable.”

Not complex poses:

Original meaning: Seated meditation posture
Steady: Not fidgeting
Comfortable: Not painful
Purpose: Allows long meditation

Modern asana practice:

Hatha Yoga developed later
Prepares body for sitting
Valuable, but not Patañjali’s focus

4. प्राणायाम (Prāṇāyāma) - Breath control

प्राण (Prāṇa) - Life force:

Not just breath, but vital energy
Flows in subtle channels (nāḍis)
Mind and prāṇa interconnected

YS 2.49-51 - Three aspects:

Inhalation (pūraka)
Exhalation (recaka)
Retention (kumbhaka)

Effects:

Calms mind
Prepares for concentration
Removes veil obscuring light (YS 2.52)

Methods: Nāḍī śodhana (alternate nostril), ujjāyī, kapalabhāti, etc.

5. प्रत्याहार (Pratyāhāra) - Withdrawal of senses

YS 2.54:

“Pratyāhāra is the disengagement of the senses from their objects.”

Like turtle withdrawing limbs:

Senses still function
But attention withdrawn inward
No longer pulled by external stimuli

Bridge:

First four limbs: External
Last four limbs: Internal
Pratyāhāra: Transition

Effect: Mind becomes free to focus inward.

6. धारणा (Dhāraṇā) - Concentration

YS 3.1:

“Dhāraṇā is the binding of consciousness to a single point.”

Practice:

Focus on single object
Could be breath, mantra, image, sensation
When mind wanders, gently return
Repeatedly

Result: One-pointedness (ekāgratā) develops.

7. ध्यान (Dhyāna) - Meditation

YS 3.2:

“Dhyāna is the continuous flow of awareness toward the object.”

Difference from dhāraṇā:

Dhāraṇā: Repeated effort to focus
Dhyāna: Effortless sustained focus
Like oil poured continuously

Experience: Sense of separation between meditator and object begins to dissolve.

8. समाधि (Samādhi) - Absorption

YS 3.3:

“Samādhi is when consciousness becomes one with the object, as if emptied of its own form.”

Complete absorption:

No sense of “I am meditating”
Only object remains
Subject-object duality transcends

Types:

Savikalpa samādhi: With seed, object remains
Nirvikalpa samādhi: Without seed, objectless
Kaivalya: Absolute liberation, irreversible

The Last Three Together: Saṃyama

YS 3.4:

“When dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi are practiced on one object, this is saṃyama.”

Saṃyama (संयम):

Complete mastery
Produces siddhis (powers)
Applied to different objects, different powers arise

Warning: Siddhis are obstacles to kaivalya. Don’t get attached.

Types of Samādhi

The Progression (YS 1.17-18)

सम्प्रज्ञात समाधि (Samprajñāta Samādhi) - Cognitive absorption: Four stages based on object:

Savitarka (सवितर्क) - With reasoning
- Focus on gross object
- Conceptual knowledge remains
Nirvitarka (निर्वितर्क) - Without reasoning
- Gross object, but no concepts
- Direct perception only
Savicāra (सविचार) - With reflection
- Focus on subtle object
- Subtle conceptual knowledge
Nirvicāra (निर्विचार) - Without reflection
- Subtle object, no concepts
- Pure awareness of subtle

असम्प्रज्ञात समाधि (Asamprajñāta Samādhi) - Non-cognitive absorption:

All mental activity ceased
Only saṃskāras remain
Deepest trance

धर्म-मेघ समाधि (Dharma-megha Samādhi) - Cloud of virtue:

YS 4.29
Highest samādhi
Rains virtue constantly
Leads directly to kaivalya

Siddhis - The Supernatural Powers

YS 3.16-55 - Powers from Saṃyama

Examples:

On various objects:

Past and future knowledge
Understanding all languages
Knowledge of past lives
Reading others’ minds
Invisibility
Knowledge of death
Great strength
Clairvoyance
Knowledge of cosmos
Levitation

Patañjali’s warning (YS 3.37):

“These powers are obstacles to samādhi, though they appear as accomplishments to the worldly mind.”

Why obstacles:

Inflate ego
Create attachment
Distract from liberation
Trap in subtle realms

Advice: If they arise, note and release. Continue to kaivalya.

Kaivalya - Absolute Freedom

The Goal of Yoga (YS 4.34)

कैवल्य (Kaivalya) - “Aloneness”:

Not loneliness, but independence
Puruṣa (pure consciousness) stands alone
No longer identified with prakṛti (nature/matter)
Complete liberation

What happens:

Guṇas (qualities of nature) resolve
No more karma
No more rebirth
Pure consciousness remains in its own nature

YS 4.34:

“When the qualities, becoming devoid of the object of the puruṣa, become latent, or the power of consciousness becomes established in its own nature, this is kaivalya.”

Not annihilation:

Consciousness doesn’t end
Just no longer entangled
Free, luminous, eternal

Like space:

Always present
Never touched by clouds
Clouds (thoughts, experiences) come and go
Space remains

Modern Practice

Applying the Sutras Today

Start with Yamas and Niyamas:

Build ethical foundation
Without this, meditation shaky

Regular practice (abhyāsa) and non-attachment (vairāgya):

YS 1.12-16
Practice consistently
Let go of results
Both wings needed to fly

Find a teacher:

Sutras are cryptic
Traditional commentary essential
Live teacher even better

Be patient:

Path is progressive
Each limb prepares for next
Liberation may take lifetimes
But each step brings peace

Integrate with life:

Not just cushion time
Bring awareness to all actions
Every moment: Practice

For Contemplation

तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्।
Tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe-‘vasthānam

Then the Seer abides in its own nature.

YS 1.3

The promise: When mental fluctuations cease, you recognize what you always were—pure consciousness, eternal, free, luminous. Not something to become, but something to remember.

Begin: Choose one limb that calls you. Practice it. Let it naturally lead to the next. The path is clear. The goal is certain. Walk it.