Sutra 1.01-1.10
1. Sutra 1.1: अथ योगानुशासनम्
2. Sutra 1.2: योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
3. Sutra 1.3: तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्
4. Sutra 1.4: वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र
5. Sutra 1.5: वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः
6. Sutra 1.6: प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः
7. Sutra 1.7: प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि
8. Sutra 1.8: विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानम तद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम्
9. Sutra 1.9: शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः
10. Sutra 1.10: अभावप्रत्ययालम्भना वृत्तिर्निद्रा
Meaning: Memory is the retention of past experiences without distortion.
Memory is a mental fluctuation that recalls previous impressions or experiences, either accurately or inaccurately, influencing our perception of the present.
Real-Life Example: Recalling a childhood vacation vividly, feeling joy from the memory, shows how memory can shape current emotions. However, exaggerating details (e.g., “It was perfect”) may distort the truth.
Exercise: Choose a memory from last week. Write it down in detail, focusing on facts (e.g., what happened, who was there). Then, note any emotions or embellishments you added. Reflect on how memory affects your present state.
12. Sutra 1.12: अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधःTransliteration: Abhyasa-vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah
Meaning: The cessation of mental fluctuations is achieved through practice and non-attachment.
Consistent practice (abhyasa) and detachment from desires (vairagya) are the two key methods to still the mind and attain yoga.
Real-Life Example: Someone practices daily meditation (abhyasa) and lets go of their need for social media validation (vairagya), gradually finding mental clarity and reduced anxiety.
Exercise: Commit to a 5-minute daily practice (e.g., meditation or journaling) for one week. Simultaneously, identify one attachment (e.g., checking your phone constantly) and reduce its hold by setting boundaries. Reflect on changes in your mental state.
13. Sutra 1.13: तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासःTransliteration: Tatra sthitau yatno abhyasah
Meaning: Practice is the sustained effort to remain in a state of mental stability.
Abhyasa involves dedicated, consistent effort to maintain focus and stillness in the mind over time.
Real-Life Example: A student studies daily for an exam, resisting distractions like video games, to build knowledge steadily. This disciplined effort mirrors abhyasa in yoga.
Exercise: Set a timer for 10 minutes and focus on a single task (e.g., reading or breathing). When your mind wanders, gently redirect it. Note how sustained effort feels and journal your experience.
14. Sutra 1.14: स तु दीर्घकाल नैरन्तर्य सत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिःTransliteration: Sa tu dirghakala-nairantarya-satkarasevito dridha-bhumih
Meaning: Practice becomes firmly grounded when it is pursued for a long time, without interruption, and with reverence.
For practice to be effective, it must be consistent, prolonged, and approached with sincerity and devotion.
Real-Life Example: A musician practices daily for years with passion, mastering their instrument. Similarly, a yogi’s consistent meditation deepens their inner peace over time.
Exercise: Create a small ritual for your daily practice (e.g., light a candle before meditating). Commit to it for 7 days without missing a day. Reflect on how consistency and reverence impact your experience.
15. Sutra 1.15: दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम्Transliteration: Drishta-anushravika-vishaya-vitrishnasya vashikara-samjna vairagyam
Meaning: Non-attachment is the mastery of desire for objects seen or heard about, whether worldly or spiritual.
Vairagya is freedom from craving for sensory pleasures or even divine rewards, leading to inner control.
Real-Life Example: Someone declines a tempting but unhealthy dessert, feeling content without it, or ignores societal pressure to buy the latest gadget, reflecting detachment from external desires.
Exercise: Identify one thing you crave (e.g., food, attention, material items). For one day, consciously choose not to pursue it. Journal how this act of letting go affects your mind and emotions.
16. Sutra 1.16: तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्Transliteration: Tat param purusha-khyater guna-vaitrishnyam
Meaning: The highest form of non-attachment is freedom from desire for the qualities of nature (gunas), arising from knowledge of the true self.
When one realizes their true self (purusha) as distinct from nature (prakriti), they transcend attachment to even the subtlest desires.
Real-Life Example: After years of self-reflection, someone no longer seeks external validation or material success, feeling fulfilled by their inner essence. This reflects ultimate vairagya.
Exercise: Reflect on a time you felt complete without external achievements. Write a short paragraph about what “true self” means to you. Meditate for 5 minutes on this idea, focusing on inner stillness.
17. Sutra 1.17: वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात्सम्प्रज्ञातःTransliteration: Vitarka-vichara-ananda-asmita-rupa-anugamat sam-prajnatah
Meaning: Samprajnata samadhi (cognitive absorption) is accompanied by reasoning, reflection, bliss, and a sense of individuality.
This lower form of samadhi involves deep meditation with mental activity, such as analysis, insight, joy, or ego-awareness.
Real-Life Example: During deep meditation, someone experiences profound joy and clarity while contemplating a spiritual idea, entering a state of focused absorption with subtle thoughts.
Exercise: Meditate for 10 minutes, focusing on a positive concept (e.g., gratitude or love). Allow thoughts to arise but gently guide them back to the concept. Note any moments of bliss or clarity afterward.
18. Sutra 1.18: विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यःTransliteration: Virama-pratyaya-abhyasa-purvah samskara-sheshah anyah
Meaning: Asamprajnata samadhi (non-cognitive absorption) follows the cessation of all mental activity, leaving only latent impressions.
This higher samadhi is a state of complete stillness, achieved through intense practice, where only subconscious impressions remain.
Real-Life Example: A seasoned meditator enters a state of pure awareness during practice, free from thoughts or emotions, experiencing profound stillness beyond description.
Exercise: Practice 10 minutes of silent meditation, focusing on letting go of all thoughts. If thoughts arise, observe them without engagement. Journal about any moments of deep stillness or quiet.
19. Sutra 1.19: भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम्Transliteration: Bhava-pratyayo videha-prakriti-layanam
Meaning: For those who are disembodied or merged with nature, samadhi arises from their state of existence.
Beings without physical form (e.g., deities) or yogis merged with prakriti naturally experience samadhi due to their state, not effort.
Real-Life Example: A yogi who has transcended physical identification during deep meditation feels a sense of oneness with the universe, reflecting a natural state of absorption.
Exercise: Visualize yourself as pure consciousness, free from your body or material world, for 5 minutes during meditation. Write about how this perspective shifts your sense of self.
20. Sutra 1.20: श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्Transliteration: Shraddha-virya-smriti-samadhi-prajna-purvakah itaresham
Meaning: For others, samadhi is preceded by faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.
Ordinary practitioners achieve samadhi through a progressive path of cultivating these five qualities.
Real-Life Example: A beginner yogi trusts the process (faith), practices diligently (energy), stays aware of thoughts (mindfulness), focuses deeply (concentration), and gains insights (wisdom), gradually deepening their meditation.
Exercise: Pick one quality (e.g., faith or mindfulness). Spend 5 minutes reflecting on how to strengthen it (e.g., affirming trust in your practice or observing thoughts). Apply it in your next meditation and journal the results.
21. Sutra 1.21: तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नःTransliteration: Tivra-samveganam asannah
Meaning: For those with intense spiritual zeal, samadhi is near.
The speed of attaining samadhi depends on the intensity of one’s dedication and urgency in practice.
Real-Life Example: A person who passionately commits to daily meditation, driven by a deep desire for inner peace, progresses faster than someone practicing sporadically.
Exercise: Reflect on your motivation for spiritual growth. Write a one-sentence commitment to intensify your practice (e.g., “I will meditate daily with full focus”). Practice it for one day and note any shifts in energy.
22. Sutra 1.22: मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषःTransliteration: Mridu-madhya-adhimatratvat tato api visheshah
Meaning: The intensity of zeal is mild, moderate, or intense, leading to further distinctions in progress.
Progress toward samadhi varies based on whether one’s effort is gentle, medium, or ardent.
Real-Life Example: A casual meditator (mild) progresses slowly, while someone attending retreats and studying scriptures (intense) advances more quickly.
Exercise: Assess your current practice level (mild, moderate, intense). Set a goal to increase your effort by one level (e.g., from mild to moderate) for a week. Journal how this affects your focus.
23. Sutra 1.23: ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वाTransliteration: Ishvara-pranidhanad va
Meaning: Or, samadhi is attained through devotion to Ishvara (the Divine).
Surrendering to a higher power with devotion is an alternative path to still the mind and achieve samadhi.
Real-Life Example: A person prays daily with deep faith, feeling a sense of surrender and peace, which calms their mind and aligns them with spiritual goals.
Exercise: Spend 5 minutes in prayer, gratitude, or contemplation of a higher power (however you define it). Reflect on how this surrender feels compared to self-directed effort.
24. Sutra 1.24: क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैःपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरःTransliteration: Klesha-karma-vipaka-ashayaih aparamrishtah purusha-vishesha ishvarah
Meaning: Ishvara is a special being, untouched by afflictions, actions, their consequences, or latent impressions.
Ishvara is described as a pure, omniscient consciousness, free from the limitations of human suffering or karma.
Real-Life Example: A meditator visualizes a divine presence as pure light, untouched by worldly stress, inspiring them to seek similar inner purity.
Exercise: During meditation, visualize a symbol of purity (e.g., light or a sacred image) representing Ishvara. Focus on it for 5 minutes and journal any feelings of connection or clarity.
25. Sutra 1.25: तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञत्वबीजम्Transliteration: Tatra niratishayam sarvajnatva-bijam
Meaning: In Ishvara resides the seed of omniscience, unsurpassed.
Ishvara possesses infinite wisdom, serving as the source of all knowledge and understanding.
Real-Life Example: A student trusts in universal wisdom (e.g., through scriptures or intuition) to guide them through a tough decision, tapping into a sense of higher knowledge.
Exercise: Reflect on a question or problem you face. Meditate for 5 minutes, asking for guidance from a higher source of wisdom. Write down any insights that arise.
- Transliteration: Atha yoga-anushasanam
- Meaning: Now, the exposition of yoga begins.
- This sutra marks the start of Patanjali’s teachings, signaling readiness to learn the discipline of yoga. “Atha” (now) implies a moment of transition or commitment to spiritual practice.
- Real-Life Example: Imagine someone overwhelmed by work stress deciding to start a mindfulness practice. Their commitment to attend a yoga class or meditate daily reflects the “now” of beginning a transformative journey.
- Exercise: Write a short intention (e.g., “I commit to 5 minutes of mindfulness daily”) and place it somewhere visible. Reflect on why now is the right time to start.
2. Sutra 1.2: योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
- Transliteration: Yogas chitta-vritti-nirodhah
- Meaning: Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.
- Yoga is defined as calming the mind’s constant chatter (vrittis) to achieve a state of stillness, allowing the true self to shine.
- Real-Life Example: During a heated argument, someone pauses to breathe deeply, noticing their racing thoughts and choosing not to react impulsively. This moment of pause aligns with stilling mental fluctuations.
- Exercise: Practice a 5-minute breath awareness meditation. Sit quietly, focus on your breath, and observe thoughts without engaging them. Note how your mind feels afterward.
3. Sutra 1.3: तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्
- Transliteration: Tada drashtuh svarupe avasthanam
- Meaning: Then, the seer (true self) abides in its own nature.
- When the mind is still, the practitioner experiences their true essence (purusha), free from the distortions of mental activity.
- Real-Life Example: After a quiet walk in nature, someone feels a deep sense of peace and connection, untouched by daily worries. This glimpse reflects the self abiding in its true nature.
- Exercise: Spend 10 minutes in nature (or near a window) observing your surroundings without judgment. Journal about any moments of inner calm or clarity.
4. Sutra 1.4: वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र
- Transliteration: Vritti-sarupyam itaratra
- Meaning: At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuations of the mind.
- When the mind is not still, we mistakenly identify with its thoughts and emotions, losing sight of our true self.
- Real-Life Example: Someone feels worthless after receiving criticism at work, equating their value with the negative feedback. This identification with thoughts obscures their inherent worth.
- Exercise: When a strong emotion arises, pause and ask, “Am I this thought/emotion, or am I the one observing it?” Write down your reflections to reinforce awareness of the observer.
5. Sutra 1.5: वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः
- Transliteration: Vrittayah panchatayyah klishta-aklishtah
- Meaning: The mental fluctuations are fivefold, some painful (klishta) and some non-painful (aklishta).
- The mind’s activities are categorized into five types, which can either cause suffering or lead toward liberation.
- Real-Life Example: Worrying about a future presentation (painful vritti) versus planning it calmly (non-painful vritti) shows how thoughts can harm or help depending on their nature.
- Exercise: For one day, track your thoughts in a notebook. Label each as “painful” (e.g., fear, anger) or “non-painful” (e.g., gratitude, focus). Reflect on patterns.
6. Sutra 1.6: प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः
- Transliteration: Pramana-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidra-smritayah
- Meaning: The five fluctuations are valid knowledge, error, imagination, sleep, and memory.
- This sutra lists the five types of mental modifications that shape our perception and experience.
- Real-Life Example: Reading a reliable article (valid knowledge), assuming a friend is upset without evidence (error), or daydreaming about a vacation (imagination) illustrate these mental states.
- Exercise: Spend 10 minutes observing your thoughts. Categorize them as valid knowledge, error, imagination, sleep (dullness), or memory. Note which type dominates.
7. Sutra 1.7: प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि
- Transliteration: Pratyaksha-anumana-agamah pramanani
- Meaning: Valid knowledge arises from direct perception, inference, and reliable testimony.
- Accurate understanding comes from firsthand experience, logical reasoning, or trusted sources (e.g., scriptures or experts).
- Real-Life Example: Knowing it’s raining by seeing it (perception), deducing it rained from wet streets (inference), or trusting a weather report (testimony) are forms of valid knowledge.
- Exercise: Verify a piece of information (e.g., a news headline) using perception, inference, or a trusted source. Reflect on how this strengthens mental clarity.
8. Sutra 1.8: विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानम तद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम्
- Transliteration: Viparyayo mithya-jnanam atad-rupa-pratishtham
- Meaning: Error is false knowledge based on mistaking one thing for another.
- Misconceptions arise when we misinterpret reality, leading to distorted understanding.
- Real-Life Example: Assuming a colleague’s silence means they dislike you, when they’re just busy, is an error that causes unnecessary stress.
- Exercise: Identify a recent misunderstanding (e.g., a judgment about someone). Write down evidence for and against your assumption to challenge the error.
9. Sutra 1.9: शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः
- Transliteration: Shabda-jnana-anupati vastu-shunyo vikalpah
- Meaning: Imagination is a verbal construct, following empty of knowledge, devoid of a real object.
- Imagination creates mental constructs based on words or ideas without a corresponding reality.
- Real-Life Example: Fantasizing about winning an argument that never happened, based on replaying a conversation mentally, is an act of imagination detached from reality.
- Exercise: Set a timer for 5 minutes and daydream intentionally about a future goal. Then, journal about how this felt compared to focusing on the present.
- Exercise: Set a timer for 5 minutes and daydream intentionally about a future goal (e.g., a vacation). Then, journal about how this felt compared to focusing on the present moment.
10. Sutra 1.10: अभावप्रत्ययालम्भना वृत्तिर्निद्रा
- Transliteration: Abhava-pratyaya-alambana vrittir nidra
- Meaning: Sleep is a mental fluctuation based on the absence of content.
- Sleep is a state where the mind is active but lacks conscious thought, still considered a vritti.
- Real-Life Example: Oversleeping due to stress may feel restful but reflects a mental state avoiding active awareness, showing sleep as a vritti.
- Exercise: Before bed, practice 5 minutes of conscious relaxation (e.g., body scan). Notice how this differs from falling asleep unconsciously. Reflect in the morning.
Meaning: Memory is the retention of past experiences without distortion.
Memory is a mental fluctuation that recalls previous impressions or experiences, either accurately or inaccurately, influencing our perception of the present.
Real-Life Example: Recalling a childhood vacation vividly, feeling joy from the memory, shows how memory can shape current emotions. However, exaggerating details (e.g., “It was perfect”) may distort the truth.
Exercise: Choose a memory from last week. Write it down in detail, focusing on facts (e.g., what happened, who was there). Then, note any emotions or embellishments you added. Reflect on how memory affects your present state.
12. Sutra 1.12: अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधःTransliteration: Abhyasa-vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah
Meaning: The cessation of mental fluctuations is achieved through practice and non-attachment.
Consistent practice (abhyasa) and detachment from desires (vairagya) are the two key methods to still the mind and attain yoga.
Real-Life Example: Someone practices daily meditation (abhyasa) and lets go of their need for social media validation (vairagya), gradually finding mental clarity and reduced anxiety.
Exercise: Commit to a 5-minute daily practice (e.g., meditation or journaling) for one week. Simultaneously, identify one attachment (e.g., checking your phone constantly) and reduce its hold by setting boundaries. Reflect on changes in your mental state.
13. Sutra 1.13: तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासःTransliteration: Tatra sthitau yatno abhyasah
Meaning: Practice is the sustained effort to remain in a state of mental stability.
Abhyasa involves dedicated, consistent effort to maintain focus and stillness in the mind over time.
Real-Life Example: A student studies daily for an exam, resisting distractions like video games, to build knowledge steadily. This disciplined effort mirrors abhyasa in yoga.
Exercise: Set a timer for 10 minutes and focus on a single task (e.g., reading or breathing). When your mind wanders, gently redirect it. Note how sustained effort feels and journal your experience.
14. Sutra 1.14: स तु दीर्घकाल नैरन्तर्य सत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिःTransliteration: Sa tu dirghakala-nairantarya-satkarasevito dridha-bhumih
Meaning: Practice becomes firmly grounded when it is pursued for a long time, without interruption, and with reverence.
For practice to be effective, it must be consistent, prolonged, and approached with sincerity and devotion.
Real-Life Example: A musician practices daily for years with passion, mastering their instrument. Similarly, a yogi’s consistent meditation deepens their inner peace over time.
Exercise: Create a small ritual for your daily practice (e.g., light a candle before meditating). Commit to it for 7 days without missing a day. Reflect on how consistency and reverence impact your experience.
15. Sutra 1.15: दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम्Transliteration: Drishta-anushravika-vishaya-vitrishnasya vashikara-samjna vairagyam
Meaning: Non-attachment is the mastery of desire for objects seen or heard about, whether worldly or spiritual.
Vairagya is freedom from craving for sensory pleasures or even divine rewards, leading to inner control.
Real-Life Example: Someone declines a tempting but unhealthy dessert, feeling content without it, or ignores societal pressure to buy the latest gadget, reflecting detachment from external desires.
Exercise: Identify one thing you crave (e.g., food, attention, material items). For one day, consciously choose not to pursue it. Journal how this act of letting go affects your mind and emotions.
16. Sutra 1.16: तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम्Transliteration: Tat param purusha-khyater guna-vaitrishnyam
Meaning: The highest form of non-attachment is freedom from desire for the qualities of nature (gunas), arising from knowledge of the true self.
When one realizes their true self (purusha) as distinct from nature (prakriti), they transcend attachment to even the subtlest desires.
Real-Life Example: After years of self-reflection, someone no longer seeks external validation or material success, feeling fulfilled by their inner essence. This reflects ultimate vairagya.
Exercise: Reflect on a time you felt complete without external achievements. Write a short paragraph about what “true self” means to you. Meditate for 5 minutes on this idea, focusing on inner stillness.
17. Sutra 1.17: वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात्सम्प्रज्ञातःTransliteration: Vitarka-vichara-ananda-asmita-rupa-anugamat sam-prajnatah
Meaning: Samprajnata samadhi (cognitive absorption) is accompanied by reasoning, reflection, bliss, and a sense of individuality.
This lower form of samadhi involves deep meditation with mental activity, such as analysis, insight, joy, or ego-awareness.
Real-Life Example: During deep meditation, someone experiences profound joy and clarity while contemplating a spiritual idea, entering a state of focused absorption with subtle thoughts.
Exercise: Meditate for 10 minutes, focusing on a positive concept (e.g., gratitude or love). Allow thoughts to arise but gently guide them back to the concept. Note any moments of bliss or clarity afterward.
18. Sutra 1.18: विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यःTransliteration: Virama-pratyaya-abhyasa-purvah samskara-sheshah anyah
Meaning: Asamprajnata samadhi (non-cognitive absorption) follows the cessation of all mental activity, leaving only latent impressions.
This higher samadhi is a state of complete stillness, achieved through intense practice, where only subconscious impressions remain.
Real-Life Example: A seasoned meditator enters a state of pure awareness during practice, free from thoughts or emotions, experiencing profound stillness beyond description.
Exercise: Practice 10 minutes of silent meditation, focusing on letting go of all thoughts. If thoughts arise, observe them without engagement. Journal about any moments of deep stillness or quiet.
19. Sutra 1.19: भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम्Transliteration: Bhava-pratyayo videha-prakriti-layanam
Meaning: For those who are disembodied or merged with nature, samadhi arises from their state of existence.
Beings without physical form (e.g., deities) or yogis merged with prakriti naturally experience samadhi due to their state, not effort.
Real-Life Example: A yogi who has transcended physical identification during deep meditation feels a sense of oneness with the universe, reflecting a natural state of absorption.
Exercise: Visualize yourself as pure consciousness, free from your body or material world, for 5 minutes during meditation. Write about how this perspective shifts your sense of self.
20. Sutra 1.20: श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम्Transliteration: Shraddha-virya-smriti-samadhi-prajna-purvakah itaresham
Meaning: For others, samadhi is preceded by faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom.
Ordinary practitioners achieve samadhi through a progressive path of cultivating these five qualities.
Real-Life Example: A beginner yogi trusts the process (faith), practices diligently (energy), stays aware of thoughts (mindfulness), focuses deeply (concentration), and gains insights (wisdom), gradually deepening their meditation.
Exercise: Pick one quality (e.g., faith or mindfulness). Spend 5 minutes reflecting on how to strengthen it (e.g., affirming trust in your practice or observing thoughts). Apply it in your next meditation and journal the results.
21. Sutra 1.21: तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नःTransliteration: Tivra-samveganam asannah
Meaning: For those with intense spiritual zeal, samadhi is near.
The speed of attaining samadhi depends on the intensity of one’s dedication and urgency in practice.
Real-Life Example: A person who passionately commits to daily meditation, driven by a deep desire for inner peace, progresses faster than someone practicing sporadically.
Exercise: Reflect on your motivation for spiritual growth. Write a one-sentence commitment to intensify your practice (e.g., “I will meditate daily with full focus”). Practice it for one day and note any shifts in energy.
22. Sutra 1.22: मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषःTransliteration: Mridu-madhya-adhimatratvat tato api visheshah
Meaning: The intensity of zeal is mild, moderate, or intense, leading to further distinctions in progress.
Progress toward samadhi varies based on whether one’s effort is gentle, medium, or ardent.
Real-Life Example: A casual meditator (mild) progresses slowly, while someone attending retreats and studying scriptures (intense) advances more quickly.
Exercise: Assess your current practice level (mild, moderate, intense). Set a goal to increase your effort by one level (e.g., from mild to moderate) for a week. Journal how this affects your focus.
23. Sutra 1.23: ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वाTransliteration: Ishvara-pranidhanad va
Meaning: Or, samadhi is attained through devotion to Ishvara (the Divine).
Surrendering to a higher power with devotion is an alternative path to still the mind and achieve samadhi.
Real-Life Example: A person prays daily with deep faith, feeling a sense of surrender and peace, which calms their mind and aligns them with spiritual goals.
Exercise: Spend 5 minutes in prayer, gratitude, or contemplation of a higher power (however you define it). Reflect on how this surrender feels compared to self-directed effort.
24. Sutra 1.24: क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैःपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरःTransliteration: Klesha-karma-vipaka-ashayaih aparamrishtah purusha-vishesha ishvarah
Meaning: Ishvara is a special being, untouched by afflictions, actions, their consequences, or latent impressions.
Ishvara is described as a pure, omniscient consciousness, free from the limitations of human suffering or karma.
Real-Life Example: A meditator visualizes a divine presence as pure light, untouched by worldly stress, inspiring them to seek similar inner purity.
Exercise: During meditation, visualize a symbol of purity (e.g., light or a sacred image) representing Ishvara. Focus on it for 5 minutes and journal any feelings of connection or clarity.
25. Sutra 1.25: तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञत्वबीजम्Transliteration: Tatra niratishayam sarvajnatva-bijam
Meaning: In Ishvara resides the seed of omniscience, unsurpassed.
Ishvara possesses infinite wisdom, serving as the source of all knowledge and understanding.
Real-Life Example: A student trusts in universal wisdom (e.g., through scriptures or intuition) to guide them through a tough decision, tapping into a sense of higher knowledge.
Exercise: Reflect on a question or problem you face. Meditate for 5 minutes, asking for guidance from a higher source of wisdom. Write down any insights that arise.
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