YOGA SUTRAS BOOK 1
Samadhi Pada (Book of Contemplation)
Sutras 1.1 thru 1.20 - Sutras 1.21 thru 1.40 - Sutras 1.41 thru 1.51
Book 2 - Sadhana Pada (Book of Practice) | Book 3 - Vibhuti Pada (Book of Accomplishments) | Book 4 - Kaivalya Pada (Book of Absoluteness)
Sanskrit - Pronounced - Interpreted by
Sutra I.21
Sanskrit - तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः॥२१॥
Pronounced - tīvra-saṁvegānām-āsannaḥ ॥21॥
[HA]: Yogins With Intense Ardor Achieve Concentration And The Result Thereof Quickly.
[SP]: Success in yoga comes quickly to those who are intensely energetic.
[SS]: To the keen and intent practitioner this [Samadhi] comes very quickly.
[SV]: Success is speeded for the extremely energetic.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.22
Sanskrit - मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात् ततोऽपि विशेषः॥२२॥
Pronounced - mr̥du-madhya-adhimātratvāt-tato’pi viśeṣaḥ ॥22॥
[HA]: On Account Of The Methods Being Slow, Medium, and Speedy, Even Among Those Yogins Who Have Intense Ardour, There are Differences.
[SP]: Success varies according to the means adopted to obtain it—mild, medium or intense.
[SS]: The time necessary for success further depends on whether the practice is mild medium or intense.
[SV]: They again differ according as the means are mild, medium or supreme.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.23
Sanskrit - ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा॥२३॥
Pronounced - īśvara-praṇidhānād-vā ॥23॥
[HA]: From Special Devotion to Īśvara Also (Concentration Becomes Imminent).
[SP]: Concentration may also be attained through devotion to Ishwara.
[SS]: Or [samadhi is attained] by devotion with total dedication to God [Īśvara].
[SV]: Or by devotion to Īśvara.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.24
Sanskrit - क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः॥२४॥
Pronounced - kleśa karma vipāka-āśayaiḥ-aparāmr̥ṣṭaḥ puruṣa-viśeṣa īśvaraḥ ॥24॥
[HA]: Īśvara Is A Particular Purusa Unaffected By Affliction, Deed, Result Of Action Or The Latent Impressions Thereof.
[SP]: Ishwara is a special kind of Being, untouched by ignorance and the products of ignorance, not subject to karmas or samskaras or the results of action.
[SS]: Īśvara is the supreme Purusha, unaffected by any afflictions, actions, fruits of actions or by any inner impressions of desires.
[SV]: Īśvara (the Supreme Ruler) is a special Purusa, untouched by misery, the results of actions, or desires.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.25
Sanskrit - तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम्॥२५॥
Pronounced - tatra niratiśayaṁ sarvajña-bījam ॥25॥
[HA]: In Him The Seed Of Omniscience Has Reached Its Utmost Development Which Cannot Be Exceeded.
[SP]: In Him, knowledge is infinite; in others it is only a germ.
[SS]: In Him is the complete manifestation of the seed of omniscience.
[SV]: In Him becomes infinite that all-knowing-ness which in others is (only) a germ.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.26
Sanskrit - स पूर्वेषाम् अपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात्॥२६॥
Pronounced - sa pūrveṣām-api-guruḥ kālena-anavacchedāt ॥26॥
[HA]: The Teacher of Former Teachers, Because With Him There Is No Limitation By Time (To His Omnipotence).
[SP]: He was the teacher even of the earliest teachers, since He is not limited by time.
[SS]: Unconditioned by time, He is the teacher of even the most ancient teachers.
[SV]: He is the Teacher of even the ancient teachers, being not limited by time.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.27
Sanskrit - तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः॥२७॥
Pronounced - tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ ॥27॥
[HA]: The Sacred Word Designating Him Is Pranava Or The Mystic Syllable OM.
[SP]: The word which express Him is OM.
[SS]: The word expressive of Īśvara is the mystic sound OM. [OM is God’s name as well as form.]
[SV]: His manifesting word is Om.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.28
Sanskrit - तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम्॥२८॥
Pronounced - taj-japas-tad-artha-bhāvanam ॥28॥
[HA]: Repeat It And Contemplate Upon Its Meaning.
[SP]: This word must be repeated with meditation upon its meaning.
[SS]: To repeat it with reflection upon its meaning is an aid.
[SV]: The repetition of this (Om) and meditating on its meaning (is the way).
[YOU]:
Sutra I.29
Sanskrit - ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च॥२९॥
Pronounced - tataḥ pratyak-cetana-adhigamo-‘py-antarāya-abhavaś-ca ॥29॥
[HA]: From That Comes Realization Of The Individual Self And the Obstacles Are Resolved.
[SP]: Hence comes knowledge of the Atman and destruction of the obstacles to that knowledge.
[SS]: From this practice all the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the inner Self.
[SV]: From that is gain (the knowledge of) introspection, and the destruction of obstacles.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.30
Sanskrit - व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः॥३०॥
Pronounced - vyādhi styāna saṁśaya pramāda-ālasya-avirati bhrāntidarśana-alabdha-bhūmikatva-anavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepāḥ te antarāyāḥ ॥30॥
[HA]: Sickness, Incompetence, Doubt, Delusion, Sloth, Non-Abstention, Erroneous Conception, Non-Attainment Of Any Yogic Stage, And Instability To Stay In A Yogi State, These Distractions Of The Mind Are The Impediments.
[SP]: Sickness, mental laziness, doubt, lack of enthusiasm, sloth, craving for sense-pleasure, false perception, despair caused by failure to concentrate and unsteadiness in concentration: these distractions are the obstacles to knowledge.
[SS]: Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, false perception, failure to reach firm ground and slipping from ground gained—these distractions of the mind-stuff are the obstacles.
[SV]: Disease, mental laziness, doubt, calmness, cessation, false perception, non-attaining concentration, and falling away from the state when obtained, are the obstructing distractions.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.31
Sanskrit - दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः॥३१॥
Pronounced - duḥkha-daurmanasya-aṅgamejayatva-śvāsapraśvāsāḥ vikṣepa sahabhuvaḥ ॥31॥
[HA]: Sorrow, Dejection, Restlessness Of Body, Inhalation And Exhalation Arise From (Previous) Distractions.
[SP]: These distractions are accompanied by grief, despondency, trembling of the body and irregular breathing.
[SS]: Accompaniments to the mental distractions include distress, despair, trembling of the body, and disturbed breathing.
[SV]: Grief, mental distress, tremor of the body, irregular breathing, accompany non-retention of concentration.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.32
Sanskrit - तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः॥३२॥
Pronounced - tat-pratiṣedha-artham-eka-tattva-abhyāsaḥ ॥32॥
[HA]: For Their Stoppage (i.e. Of Distractions) Practice Of (Concentration on) A Single Principle Should Be Made.
[SP]: They can be removed by the practice of concentration upon a single truth.
[SS]: The practice of concentration on a single subject [or the use of one technique] is the best way to prevent the obstacles and their accompaniments.
[SV]: To remedy this, practice of one subject (should be made).
[YOU]:
Sutra I.33
Sanskrit - मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम्॥३३॥
Pronounced - maitrī karuṇā mudito-pekṣāṇāṁ-sukha-duḥkha puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaḥ citta-prasādanam ॥33॥
[HA]: The Mind Becomes Purified By The Cultivation Of Feelings Of Amity, Compassion, Goodwill, And Indifference Respectively Towards Happy, Miserable, Virtuous And Sinful Creatures.
[SP]: Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.
[SS]: By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.
[SV]: Friendship, mercy, gladness, indifference, being thought of in regard to subjects, happy, unhappy, good and evil respectively, pacify the citta.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.34
Sanskrit - प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य॥३४॥
Pronounced - pracchardana-vidhāraṇa-ābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya ॥34॥
[HA]: By Exhaling And Restraining The Breath Also (the Mind Is Calmed).
[SP]: The mind may also be calmed by expulsion and retention of the breath.
[SS]: Or that calm is retain by the controlled exhalation and retention of breath
[SV]: By throwing out and restraining the Breath.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.35
Sanskrit - विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी॥३५॥
Pronounced - viṣayavatī vā pravr̥tti-rutpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhinī ॥35॥
[HA]: The Development Of Higher Objective Perceptions Called Visayavati Also Brings About Tranquility Of Mind.
[SP]: Those forms of concentration which result in extraordinary perceptions encourage perseverance of the mind.
[SS]: Or the concentration on subtle sense perceptions can cause steadiness of mind.
[SV]: Those forms of concentration that bring extraordinary sense perceptions cause perseverance of the mind.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.36
Sanskrit - विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती॥३६॥
Pronounced - viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī ॥36॥
[HA]: Or By Perception Which Is Free From Sorrow And Is Radiant (Stability Of Mind Can Also Be Produced).
[SP]: Concentration may also be attained by fixing the mind upon the Inner Light, which is beyond sorrow.
[SS]: Or by concentrating on the supreme, ever-blissful Light within.
[SV]: Or (by the meditation on) the Effulgent One which is beyond all sorrow.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.37
Sanskrit - वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्॥३७॥
Pronounced - vītarāga viṣayam vā cittam ॥37॥
[HA]: Or (Contemplating) On A Mind Which Is Free From Desires (The Devotee’s Mind Gets Stabilized).
[SP]: Or by meditating on the heart of an illumined soul, that is free from passion.
[SS]: Or by concentrating on a great soul’s mind which is totally freed from attachment to sense objects.
[SV]: Or (by meditation on) the heart that has given up all attachment to sense objects.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.38
Sanskrit - स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा॥३८॥
Pronounced - svapna-nidrā jñāna-ālambanam vā ॥38॥
[HA]: Or By Taking As The Object Of Meditation The Images Of Dreams Or The State Of Dreamless Sleep (The Mind Of The Yogin Gets Stabilized).
[SP]: Or by fixing the mind upon a dream experience, or the experience of deep sleep.
[SS]: Or by concentrating on an experience had during dream or deep sleep.
[SV]: Or by meditating on the knowledge that comes in sleep.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.39
Sanskrit - यथाभिमतध्यानाद्व॥३९॥
Pronounced - yathā-abhimata-dhyānād-vā ॥39॥
[HA]: Or By Contemplating On Whatsoever Thing One May Like (The Mind Becomes Stable).
[SP]: Or by fixing the mind upon any divine form or symbol that appeals to one as good.
[SS]: Or by meditating on anything one chooses that is elevating.
[SV]: Or by meditation on anything that appeals to one as Good.
[YOU]:
Sutra I.40
Sanskrit - परमाणु परममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः॥४०॥
Pronounced - paramāṇu parama-mahattva-anto-‘sya vaśīkāraḥ ॥40॥
[HA]: When The Mind Develops The Power Of Stabilizing On The Smallest Size As Well As On The Greatest One, Then The Mind Comes Under Control.
[SP]: The mind of a yogi can concentrate upon any object of any size, from the atomic to the infinitely great.
[SS]: Gradually, one’s mastery in concentration extends from the primal atom to the greatest magnitude.
[SV]: The Yogi’s mind thus meditating, becomes un-obstructed from the atomic to the Infinite.
[YOU]: