VAC 21: Yoga: PHILOSOPHY AND

PRACTICE
UNIT 2
 ► Patanjali’s Yoga sutra: a

Unit 2 summary
► First Sutra
Patanjali’s Yoga
sutra and Chakra ► second Sutra

► Chakras (psychic centres)

Objectives

► Explain the meaning of some sutras of Patanjali Yoga Sutra

► Write and recite these sutras
► Chakras and their energies
“We won’t be able to alter the entire world, but we can
alter ourselves and fly like birds. We can be calm even
in the midst of disasters, and by doing so, we may help
others to be calm as well. Serenity spreads like a virus.
When we grin at someone, he or she will return the
smile. A smile, on the other hand, is free. We should
inflict joy on everyone. Why not die happy and laughing
if we just have a minute to live? ”

(136-137) The Yoga Sutras, Swami Satchidananda

Patanjali’s Yogasutra
► Patanjali Yoga Sutra - The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a philosophical treatise on the nature of
the mind, human suffering, and a systematic approach toward attaining complete spiritual
freedom.
► 195 sutras (according to Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196 sutras (according to others, including
BKS Iyengar).
► The yoga sutra’s of Maharshi Patanjali,which is also called ‘Raja Yoga’ are short and easy to
remember.
► The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali is a collection of Sanskrit sutras on the theory and practice of yoga
► The Yoga Sutras was compiled in the early centuries CE (400 CE), by the sage Patanjali in India who
synthesized and organized knowledge about yoga from much older traditions.
► Yoga Sutras were almost neglected from 12th to 19th century, and made a comeback in the late
19th century due to the efforts of Swami Vivekananda and others. It gained prominence as a classic
in the 20th century.
Significance of the Yoga Sutras

There were other classical texts such as the Bhagavad Gita or the Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Why are the Yoga Sutras considered so important?????
► Before the time of Patanjali, which was around the 4th or 5th century of the
Common Era, numerous disparate strands of yoga existed in India. There is evidence
of yoga being practised up to a thousand years before Patanjali’s time, and there
were all sorts of yogic methods and ideas circulating for hundreds of years before the
Yoga Sutras were written. These were woven together and codified by Patanjali
(largely as a response to the increasing influence of Buddhism) to create a
comprehensible system called Yoga. So Patanjali is considered to be the compiler of
the Yoga Sutras, the systematiser of yoga - he was not the founder of yoga.
Sanskrit pada

Patañjali divided his Yoga Sutras into four chapters or books

(Sanskrit Pada), containing in all 196 sutras

► Samadhi Pada (51 Sutras)

► Sadhana Pada (55 Sutras)

► Vibhuti Pada (56 Sutras)

► Kaivalya Pada (34 Sutras)

Sanskrit pada
► Samadhi Pada (51 Sutras) -Defines yoga but is intended to help individuals who are near to
achieving samadhi, or self-realization.
► Sadhana Pada (55 Sutras) -Here the author outlines two systems of Yoga: Kriyā Yoga and
Aṣṭāṅga Yoga -Describes the eight stages that must be followed to progress spiritually. This
chapter is written for the average individual.

It is the most essential of all the chapters. the stages encompasses ethical, moral behavior,
asana, pranayama, sensory mastery, concentration, meditation, and self-realization, all of which
are completed in this order.

► Vibhuti Pada (56 Sutras) -The eight siddhis or supernatural powers that a yogi can obtain in the
highest degrees of spiritual development are described and warned against in Vibhuti pada.
► Kaivalya Pada (34 Sutras) -Defines how to exist in the world without being influenced by the
three gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas) or energy qualities.
Philosophy of Yoga sutras

► It is built on the dualist foundation (similar to Samkhya school)

► The universe is conceptualized as of two realities in Samkhya-Yoga schools:

Puruṣa (consciousness)

prakriti (mind, cognition, emotions, and matter).

It considers consciousness and matter, self/soul and body as two different realities.

► Jiva (a living being) is considered as a state in which puruṣa is bonded to prakriti in some
form, in various permutations and combinations of various elements, senses, feelings,
activity and mind.
► During the state of imbalance or ignorance, one of more constituents overwhelm the others,
creating a form of bondage. The end of this bondage is called Kaivalya, liberation, or
moksha by both Yoga and Samkhya school.
► The ethical theory of Yoga school is based on Yamas and Niyama, as well as elements of the
Guṇa theory of Samkhya
Ashtanga
The Yoga Sutras is best known for its reference to ashtanga, eight elements of
practice culminating in samadhi. The eight elements are:

► yama (abstinences)
► Niyama (observances)
► Asana (yoga posture)
► Pranayama (breath control)
► Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses)
► Dharana (concentration of the mind)
► Dhyana (meditation)
► Samadhi (absorption)
समाधध पाद:

पतंजधि योग सूत्र के चार पादों में पहिा पाद है समाधधपाद। इस

प्रथम पाद में मुख्य रूप से समाधध तथा उसके धिधभन्न भेदों का
िर्णन धकया गया है । अतः इसका नाम समाधध पाद है , इसमें
साधकों के धिए समाधध के िर्णन के साथ-साथ योग के धिधभन्न
साधनों का भी समािेश धकया गया है । इस पाद में योग के शुद्धतम
स्वरूप, उसके फि, िृधियों के प्रकार तथा उनके ठीक ठीक
स्वरूप, िैराग्य के भेद,अभ्यास और िैराग्य से िृधि धनरोध, ईश्वर
के सच्चे स्वरूप , योग साधना के मागण में आने िािी बाधाओं का
धििेचन, जप अनुष्ठान की धिधध एिं मनोधनरोध हे तु धिधिध उपायों
का िर्णन, प्रसन्नधचि रहने के उपाय,समापधि के स्वरूप तथा
ऋतंभरा प्रज्ञा के िक्षर् आधद का िर्णन धकया गया है ।
अथ योगानुशासनम् ॥१.१॥

अथ , योग , अनुशासनम् ॥

अथ - अब
योग - योग (की)
अनुशासन - पहिे से धिद्यमान धशक्षा (आरम्भ करते हैं ) ।
अब योग के अनुसाशन को प्ाांरम्भ करते हैं ।
Now let's start the discipline of yog.
योगधिििृधिधनरोधः ॥१.२॥

योग: , धचि , िृधि , धनरोधः ॥

चित्त - धचि अथाण त् अन्त:करर् (की)

वृचत्त - िृधियों (का)
चनरोध: - धनरोध (सिणथा रुक जाना)
योग: - योग है ।

चित्त अथाात् अन्त:करण की वृचत्तयोां का चनरोध सवाथा रुक जाना

योग है ।

Yoga is restraining the mind-stuff(Chitta) from taking

various forms(Vrittis).
Types of vrittis

► In sutra 5 -Maharshi Patanjali mentions that there are five types of

vrittis (There are five types of mental fluctuations which help us
get a better understanding of the workings of our mind) which are
painful and not painful.

The five varieties of thought patterns witnessed are:

► 1) Knowing correctly (Pramana)

► 2) Incorrect knowing (Viparyaya)
► 3) Imagination (Vikalpa)
► 4) Deep sleep (Nidra)
► 5) Memory (Smriti)
Causes of Pains

In the sutra 3, Maharshi Patanjali explained the causes for the pain. The
causes for pain are:
Avidta (Ignorance),
Asmitha (I-feeling),
Raga (Liking),
Dvesha (Disliking)
Abhinivesha (Fear).
References

https://patanjaliyogasutra.in/samadhipada1-2/