तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः ॥1॥
tapaḥ svādhyāyēśvarapraṇidhānāni kriyāyōgaḥ ॥1॥
Yogic action has three components - discipline, self-study, and orientation toward the ideal of pure awareness.
समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च ॥2॥
samādhibhāvanārthaḥ klēśatanūkaraṇārthaścha ॥2॥
Its purposes are to disarm the causes of suffering and achieve integration
अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ॥3॥
avidyāsmitārāgadvēṣābhinivēśāḥ klēśāḥ ॥3॥
The causes of suffering are not seeing things as they are, the sense of ‘I’, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life.
अविद्या क्षेत्रमुत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम् ॥4॥
avidyā kṣētramuttarēṣāṃ prasuptatanuvichChinnōdārāṇām ॥4॥
Not seeing things as they are is the field where the other causes of suffering germinate, whether dormant, activated, intercepted, or weakened.
अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या ॥5॥
anityāśuchiduḥkhānātmasu nityaśuchisukhātmakhyātiravidyā ॥5॥
Lacking this wisdom, one mistakes that which is impermanent, impure, distressing, or empty of self for permanence, purity, happiness, and self.
दृग्दर्शनशक्त्योरेकात्मतेवास्मिता ॥6॥
dṛgdarśanaśaktyōrēkātmatēvāsmitā ॥6॥
The sense of ‘I’ ascribes selfhood to pure awareness by identifying it with the senses.
सुखानुशयी रागः ॥7॥
sukhānuśayī rāgaḥ ॥7॥
Attachment is a residue of pleasant experience.
दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः ॥8॥
duḥkhānuśayī dvēṣaḥ ॥8॥
Aversion is a residue of suffering.
स्वरसवाही विदुषोऽपि तथारूढोऽभिनिवेशः ॥9॥
svarasavāhī viduṣō'pi tathārūḍhō'bhinivēśaḥ ॥9॥
Clinging to life is instinctive and self-perpetuating, even for the wise.
ते प्रतिप्रसवहेयाः सूक्ष्माः ॥10॥
tē pratiprasavahēyāḥ sūkṣmāḥ ॥10॥
In their subtle form, these causes of suffering are subdued by seeing where they come from.
ध्यानहेयास्तद्वृत्तयः ॥11॥
dhyānahēyāstadvṛttayaḥ ॥11॥
In their gross form, as patterns of consciousness, they are subdued through meditative absorption.
क्लेशमूलः कर्माशयो दृष्टादृष्टजन्मवेदनीयः ॥12॥
klēśamūlaḥ karmāśayō dṛṣṭādṛṣṭajanmavēdanīyaḥ ॥12॥
The causes of suffering are the root source of actions; each action deposits latent impressions deep in the mind, to be activated and experienced later in this birth, or lie hidden awaiting a future one
सति मूले तद् विपाको जात्यायुर्भोगाः ॥13॥
sati mūlē tad vipākō jātyāyurbhōgāḥ ॥13॥
So long as this root source exists, its contents will ripen into a birth, a life, and experience
ते ह्लादपरितापफलाः पुण्यापुण्यहेतुत्वात् ॥14॥
tē hlādaparitāpaphalāḥ puṇyāpuṇyahētutvāt ॥14॥
This life will be marked by delight or anguish, in proportion to those good or bad actions that created its store of latent impressions.
परिणामतापसंस्कारदुःखैर्गुणवृत्तिविरोधाच्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः ॥15॥
pariṇāmatāpasaṃskāraduḥkhairguṇavṛttivirōdhāchcha duḥkhamēva sarvaṃ vivēkinaḥ ॥15॥
The wise see suffering in all experience, whether from the anguish of impermanence, or from latent impressions laden with suffering, or from incessant conflict as the fundamental qualities of nature vie for ascendancy.
हेयं दुःखमनागतम् ॥16॥
hēyaṃ duḥkhamanāgatam ॥16॥
But suffering that has not yet arisen can be prevented.
द्रष्टृदृश्ययोः संयोगो हेयहेतुः॥17॥
draṣṭṛdṛśyayōḥ saṃyōgō hēyahētuḥ॥17॥
The preventible cause of all this suffering is the apparent indivisibility of pure awareness and what it regards.
प्रकाशक्रियास्थितिशीलं भूतेन्द्रियात्मकं भोगापवर्गार्थं दृश्यम् ॥18॥
prakāśakriyāsthitiśīlaṃ bhūtēndriyātmakaṃ bhōgāpavargārthaṃ dṛśyam ॥18॥
What awareness regards, namely the phenomenal world, embodies the qualities of luminosity, activity, and inertia; it includes oneself, composed of both elements and the senses; and, it is the ground for both sensual experience and liberation
विशेषाविशेषलिङ्गमात्रालिङ्गानि गुणपर्वाणि ॥19॥
viśēṣāviśēṣaliṅgamātrāliṅgāni guṇaparvāṇi ॥19॥
All orders of being - undifferentiated, differentiated, indistinct, distinct - are manifestations of the fundamental qualities of nature.
द्रष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः ॥20॥
draṣṭā dṛśimātraḥ śuddhō'pi pratyayānupaśyaḥ ॥20॥
Pure awareness is just seeing, itself; although pure, it usually appears to operate through the perceiving mind
तदर्थ एव दृश्यस्यात्मा ॥21॥
tadartha ēva dṛśyasyātmā ॥21॥
In essence, the phenomenal world exists to reveal this truth.
कृतार्थं प्रति नष्टमप्यनष्टं तदन्यसाधारणत्वात् ॥22॥
kṛtārthaṃ prati naṣṭamapyanaṣṭaṃ tadanyasādhāraṇatvāt ॥22॥
Once that happens, the phenomenal world no longer appears as such; it continues to exist as a common reality for everyone else, though.
स्वस्वामिशक्त्योः स्वरूपोपलब्धिहेतुः संयोगः ॥23॥
svasvāmiśaktyōḥ svarūpōpalabdhihētuḥ saṃyōgaḥ ॥23॥
It is by virtue of the apparent indivisibility of the phenomenal world and pure awareness that the former seems to possess the latter’s powers.
तस्य हेतुरविद्या ॥24॥
tasya hēturavidyā ॥24॥
Not seeing things as they are is the cause of this phenomenon.
तदभावात्संयोगाभावो हानं तद् दृशेः कैवल्यम् ॥25॥
tadabhāvātsaṃyōgābhāvō hānaṃ tad dṛśēḥ kaivalyam ॥25॥
With realization, the appearance of indivisibility vanishes, revealing that awareness is free and untouched by phenomena
विवेकख्यातिरविप्लवा हानोपायः ॥26॥
vivēkakhyātiraviplavā hānōpāyaḥ ॥26॥
The apparent indivisibility of seeing and the seen can be eradicated by cultivating uninterrupted discrimination between awareness and what it regards.
तस्य सप्तधा प्रान्तभूमिः प्रज्ञा ॥27॥
tasya saptadhā prāntabhūmiḥ prajñā ॥27॥
At the ultimate level of discrimination, wisdom extends to all seven aspects of nature
योगाङ्गानुष्ठानादशुद्धिक्षये ज्ञानदीप्तिराविवेकख्यातेः ॥28॥
yōgāṅgānuṣṭhānādaśuddhikṣayē jñānadīptirāvivēkakhyātēḥ ॥28॥
When the components of yoga are practiced, impurities dwindle; then, the light of understanding can shine forth, illuminating the way to discriminative awareness.
यमनियमासनप्राणायाम - प्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोष्टावङ्गानि ॥29॥
yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayōṣṭāvaṅgāni ॥29॥
The eight components of yoga are external discipline, internal discipline, posture, breath regulation, concentration, meditative absorption, and integration.
अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः ॥30॥
ahiṃsāsatyāstēyabrahmacharyāparigrahā yamāḥ ॥30॥
The five external disciplines are not harming, truthfulness, not stealing, celibacy, and not being acquisitive.
जातिदेशकालसमयानवच्छिन्नाः सार्वभौमा महाव्रतम् ॥31॥
jātidēśakālasamayānavachChinnāḥ sārvabhaumā mahāvratam ॥31॥
These universals, transcending birth, place, era, or circumstance, constitute the great vow of yoga.
शौचसन्तोषतपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः ॥32॥
śauchasantōṣatapaḥ svādhyāyēśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥ ॥32॥
The five internal disciplines are bodily purification, contentment, intensity, self-study, and orientation toward the ideal of pure awareness.
वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम् ॥33॥
vitarkabādhanē pratipakṣabhāvanam ॥33॥
Unwholesome thoughts can be neutralized by cultivating wholesome ones.
वितर्काहिंसादयः कृतकारितानुमोदिता लोभक्रोधमोहपूर्वका मृदुमध्याधिमात्रा दुःखाज्ञानानन्तफला इति प्रतिपक्षभावनम् ॥34॥
vitarkāhiṃsādayaḥ kṛtakāritānumōditā lōbhakrōdhamōhapūrvakā mṛdumadhyādhimātrā duḥkhājñānānantaphalā iti pratipakṣabhāvanam ॥34॥
We ourselves may act upon unwholesome thoughts, such as wanting to harm someone, or we may cause or condone them in others; unwholesome thoughts may arise from greed, anger, or delusion; they may be mild, moderate, or extreme; but they never cease to ripen into ignorance and suffering. This is why one must cultivate wholesome thoughts
अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्सन्निधौ वैरत्यागः ॥35॥
ahiṃsāpratiṣṭhāyāṃ tatsannidhau vairatyāgaḥ ॥35॥
Being firmly grounded in non-violence creates an atmosphere in which others can let go of their hostility.
सत्यप्रतिष्ठायां क्रियाफलाश्रयत्वम् ॥36॥
satyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ kriyāphalāśrayatvam ॥36॥
For those grounded in truthfulness, every action and its consequences are imbued with truth.
अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम् ॥37॥
astēyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarvaratnōpasthānam ॥37॥
For those who have no inclination to steal, the truly precious is at hand.
ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां वीर्यलाभः ॥38॥
brahmacharyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīryalābhaḥ ॥38॥
The chaste acquire vitality.
अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथन्तासम्बोधः ॥39॥
aparigrahasthairyē janmakathantāsambōdhaḥ ॥39॥
Freedom from wanting unlocks the real purpose of existence.
शौचात्स्वाङ्गजुगुप्सा परैरसंसर्गः ॥40॥
śauchātsvāṅgajugupsā parairasaṃsargaḥ ॥40॥
With bodily purification, one’s body ceases to be compelling, likewise contact with others.
सत्त्वशुद्धि-सौमनस्यैकाग्य्रेन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शन-योग्यत्वानि च ॥41॥
sattvaśuddhi-saumanasyaikāgyrēndriyajayātmadarśana-yōgyatvāni cha ॥41॥
Purification also brings about clarity, happiness, concentration, mastery of the senses, and capacity for self-awareness.
सन्तोषात् अनुत्तमःसुखलाभः ॥42॥
santōṣāt anuttamaḥsukhalābhaḥ ॥42॥
Contentment brings unsurpassed joy.
कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात् तपसः ॥43॥
kāyēndriyasiddhiraśuddhikṣayāt tapasaḥ ॥43॥
As intense discipline burns up impurities, the body and its senses become supremely refined.
स्वाध्यायादिष्टदेवतासम्प्रयोगः ॥44॥
svādhyāyādiṣṭadēvatāsamprayōgaḥ ॥44॥
Self-study deepens communion with one’s personal deity
समाधिसिद्धिरीश्वरप्रणिधानात् ॥45॥
samādhisiddhirīśvarapraṇidhānāt ॥45॥
Through orientation toward the ideal of pure awareness, one can achieve integration
स्थिरसुखमासनम् ॥46॥
sthirasukhamāsanam ॥46॥
The postures of meditation should embody steadiness and ease
प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्तसमापत्तिभ्याम् ॥47॥
prayatnaśaithilyānantasamāpattibhyām ॥47॥
This occurs as all effort relaxes and coalescence arises, revealing that the body and the infinite universe are indivisible
ततो द्वन्द्वानभिघातः ॥48॥
tatō dvandvānabhighātaḥ ॥48॥
Then, one is no longer disturbed by the play of opposites.
तस्मिन् सति श्वासप्रश्वासयोर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः ॥49॥
tasmin sati śvāsapraśvāsayōrgativichChēdaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ ॥49॥
With effort relaxing, the flow of inhalation and exhalation can be brought to a standstill; this is called breath regulation.
(स तु) बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिर्देशकालसङ्ख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ॥50॥
(sa tu) bāhyābhyantarastambhavṛttirdēśakālasaṅkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭō dīrghasūkṣmaḥ ॥50॥
As the movement patterns of each breath - inhalation, exhalation, lull - are observed as to duration, number, and area of focus, breath becomes spacious and subtle.
बाह्याभ्यन्तरविषयाक्षेपी चतुर्थः ॥51॥
bāhyābhyantaraviṣayākṣēpī chaturthaḥ ॥51॥
As realization dawns, the distinction between breathing in and out falls away
ततः क्षीयते प्रकाशावरणम् ॥52॥
tataḥ kṣīyatē prakāśāvaraṇam ॥52॥
Then the veil lifts from the mind’s luminosity.
धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः ॥53॥
dhāraṇāsu cha yōgyatā manasaḥ ॥53॥
And the mind’s potential for concentration is realized.
स्वविषयासम्प्रयोगे चित्तस्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः ॥54॥
svaviṣayāsamprayōgē chittasvarūpānukāra ivēndriyāṇāṃ pratyāhāraḥ ॥54॥
When consciousness interiorizes by uncoupling from external objects, the senses do likewise; this is called withdrawal of the senses.
ततः परमावश्यतेन्द्रियाणाम् ॥55॥
tataḥ paramāvaśyatēndriyāṇām ॥55॥
Then the senses reside utterly in the service of realization.