Patanjali Yogasutra

Patanjali Yogasutra

The Patanjali Yogasutra is a foundational text of Yoga philosophy and practice. Composed by the sage Patanjali, it consists of 196 aphorisms that outline the principles and path of Yoga. The Yogasutra defines Yoga as the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind, aiming for self-realization and union with the divine. It presents the eight limbs of Yoga, including ethical principles (Yama), personal observances (Niyama), physical postures (Asana), breath control (Pranayama), withdrawal of senses (Pratyahara), concentration (Dharana), meditation (Dhyana), and absorption (Samadhi).
The Patanjali Yogasutra is a foundational text in the philosophy and practice of Yoga. It is attributed to the sage Patanjali, who is believed to have compiled and codified the principles of Yoga around 2,000 years ago. The Yogasutra consists of 196 aphorisms (sutras) that provide guidance on various aspects of Yoga, including its philosophy, practices, and the path to spiritual realization. ### Here are some key aspects of the Patanjali Yogasutra: **Definition and Purpose of Yoga**: Patanjali defines Yoga as the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. The ultimate purpose of Yoga is to attain a state of self-realization, where the practitioner realizes their true nature and experiences union with the divine. **Eight Limbs of Yoga**: Patanjali outlines the eight limbs (Ashtanga) of Yoga, also known as the Raja Yoga, which serve as a systematic path towards spiritual growth. These limbs are Yama (ethical principles), Niyama (personal observances), Asana (physical postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption or union). **Yama and Niyama**: Patanjali discusses the ethical principles (Yama) and personal observances (Niyama) that form the foundation of a yogic lifestyle. Yama includes principles such as non-violence, truthfulness, and non-possessiveness, while Niyama encompasses practices like cleanliness, contentment, and self-discipline. **Asanas and Pranayama**: Patanjali emphasizes the importance of cultivating a steady and comfortable posture (Asana) for meditation and the practice of breath control (Pranayama) to regulate and harmonize the flow of life force energy (Prana). **Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi**: Patanjali explains the stages of inner withdrawal (Pratyahara), concentration (Dharana), meditation (Dhyana), and the ultimate state of absorption or union (Samadhi). These stages progressively lead the practitioner to a state of deep meditative absorption and spiritual realization. **Nature of the Mind**: Patanjali describes the nature of the mind and the different types of mental fluctuations (Vrittis). He emphasizes the importance of controlling and transcending these fluctuations to attain inner peace and clarity of mind. **Obstacles and Remedies**: Patanjali identifies various obstacles that hinder the progress of a practitioner, such as physical and mental disturbances, doubts, and lack of discipline. He provides remedies and practices to overcome these obstacles on the path of Yoga. The Patanjali Yogasutra is considered a comprehensive guide to understanding and practicing Yoga. It has greatly influenced the philosophy and practice of Yoga worldwide, and its principles continue to be widely studied and followed by practitioners seeking spiritual growth, self-realization, and inner transformation.

35 Shlok from Patanjali Yogasutra

अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्ठानम् ।

asteyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarvaratnopasṭhānam।

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अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्संनिधौ वैरत्यागः।

ahiṃsāpratiṣṭhāyāṃ tatsaṃnidhau vairatyāgaḥ।

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कृतर्थं प्रति नष्टमप्यनष्टं तदन्यसाधारणत्वात् ।। 22 ।।

kṛtarthaṃ prati naṣṭamapyanaṣṭaṃ tadanyasādhāraṇatvāt ।। 22 ।।

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हेयं दुःखमनागतम् ।। 16 ।।

heyaṃ duḥkhamanāgatam ।। 16 ।।

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तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम् ।। 25 ।।

tatra niratiśayaṃ sarvajñabījam ।। 25 ।।

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ततः क्षीयते प्रकाशावरणम् ॥ २.५२॥

tataḥ kṣīyate prakāśāvaraṇam

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प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्तसमापत्तिभ्याम्॥४७॥

Prayatnaśaithilyānantasamāpattibhyām||47||

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अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः पञ्च क्लेशाः॥३॥

Avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ pañca kleśāḥ||3||

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अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः॥३०॥

Ahiṁsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryāparigrahā yamāḥ||30||

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अविद्या क्षेत्रमुत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम्॥४॥

Avidyā kṣetramuttareṣāṁ prasuptatanuvicchinnodārāṇām||4||

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पुरुषार्थशून्यानां गुणानां प्रतिप्रसवः कैवल्यं स्वरूपप्रतिष्ठा वा चितिशक्तिरिति॥३४॥

Puruṣārthaśūnyānāṁ guṇānāṁ pratiprasavaḥ kaivalyaṁ svarūpapratiṣṭhā vā citiśaktiriti||34||

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विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः॥१८॥

Virāmapratyayābhyāsapūrvaḥ saṁskāraśeṣo'nyaḥ||18||

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विवेकख्यातिरविप्लवा हानोपायः॥२६॥

Vivekakhyātiraviplavā hānopāyaḥ||26||

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विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी॥३५॥

Viṣayavatī vā pravṛttirutpannā manasaḥ sthitinibandhinī||35||

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ततो द्वन्द्वानभिघातः॥४८॥

Tato dvandvānabhighātaḥ||48||

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वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम्॥३३॥

Vitarkabādhane pratipakṣabhāvanam||33||

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क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः॥२४॥

Kleśakarmavipākāśayairaparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣaviśeṣa īśvaraḥ||24||

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तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः॥२१॥

Tīvrasaṁvegānāmāsannaḥ||21||

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अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम्॥३७॥

Asteyapratiṣṭhāyāṁ sarvaratnopasthānam||37||

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अथ योगानुशासनम्॥१॥

Atha yogānuśāsanam||1||

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अनालोक्य व्ययं कर्ता अनाथः कलहप्रियः । आतुरः सर्वक्षेत्रेषु नरः शीघ्रं विनश्यति ॥

anālokya vyayaṃ kartā anāthaḥ kalahapriyaḥ | āturaḥ sarvakṣetreṣu naraḥ śīghraṃ vinaśyati ||

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अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथन्तासम्बोधः॥३९॥

Aparigrahasthairye janmakathantāsambodhaḥ||39||

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धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः॥५३॥

Dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ||53||

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स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः॥१४॥

Sa tu dīrghakālanairantaryasatkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ||14||

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क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनता समापत्तिः॥४१॥

Kṣīṇavṛtterabhijātasyeva maṇergrahītṛgrahaṇagrāhyeṣu tatsthatadañjanatā samāpattiḥ||41||

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मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः॥२२॥

Mṛdumadhyādhimātratvāttato'pi viśeṣaḥ||22||

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ओगस्चितव्र्तिनिरोधह्

Yogascitavrtinirodhah

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अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः॥१२॥

Abhyāsavairāgyābhyāṁ tannirodhaḥ||12||

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प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि॥७॥

Pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni||7||

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तस्य सप्तधा प्रान्तभूमिः प्रज्ञा॥२७॥

Tasya saptadhā prāntabhūmiḥ prajñā||27||

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तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्॥३॥

Tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe'vasthānam||3||

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श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्॥२०॥

Śraddhāvīryasmṛtisamādhiprajñāpūrvaka itareṣām||20||

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तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्॥१६॥

Tatparaṁ puruṣakhyāterguṇavaitṛṣṇyam||16||

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स्थिरसुखमासनम्॥४६॥

Sthirasukhamāsanam||

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शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः॥९॥

Śabdajñānānupātī vastuśūnyo vikalpaḥ||9||

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