Advaita Yoga Sūtras

Chapter 2: Sādhanādhyāyaḥ

“The Practice”

2.1

साधनमार्गो विद्यात्रयाभ्यासः ॥ २.१ ॥
sādhanamārgo vidyātrayābhyāsaḥ ‖ 2.1 ‖

~~~

sādhanamārgaḥ: practical path; vidyā-traya-abhyāsaḥ: of wisdom + triple + repetition

“The practical path is the repetition of triple wisdom.”

2.2

विद्या दृश्यसमदृष्टिः ॥ २.२ ॥
vidyā dṛśyasamadṛṣṭiḥ ‖ 2.2 ‖

~~~

vidyā: wisdom; dṛśya-samadṛṣṭiḥ: of the seen + equal vision

“Wisdom is equal vision of the seen.”

2.3

सा क्षेत्रम् उत्तरभेषजानाम् ॥ २.३ ॥
sā kṣetram uttarabheṣajānām ‖ 2.3 ‖

~~~

sā: it; kṣetram: field; uttara-bheṣajānām: of subsequent + remedies

“It is the field of the subsequent remedies.”

2.4

मुमुक्षुत्वम् अभिनिवेशजयनम् ॥ २.४ ॥
mumukṣutvam abhiniveśajayanam ‖ 2.4 ‖

~~~

mumukṣutvam: seeking liberation; abhiniveśa-jayanam: of inertia + overcoming

“Seeking liberation is overcoming inertia.”

2.5

वैराग्यं वैतृष्ण्यं रागद्वेषे ॥ २.५ ॥
vairāgyaṃ vaitṛṣṇyaṃ rāgadveṣe ‖ 2.5 ‖

~~~

vairāgyam: non-attachment; vaitṛṣṇyam: lack of desire; rāgadveṣe: regarding attachment and aversion

“Non-attachment is lack of desire for attachment and aversion.”

2.6

विवेकोऽसारूप्यम् अस्मितया ॥ २.६ ॥
viveko’sārūpyam asmitayā ‖ 2.6 ‖

~~~

vivekaḥ: discernment; asārūpyam: non-identification; asmitayā: with egotism

“Discernment is non-identification with egotism.”

2.7

तत्राभ्यासः स्थितयत्नः ॥ २.७ ॥
tatrābhyāsaḥ sthitayatnaḥ ‖ 2.7 ‖

~~~

tatra: in that; abhyāsaḥ: repetition; sthita-yatnaḥ: steady + effort

“Repetition is steady effort.”

2.8

स दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः ॥ २.८ ॥
sa dīrghakālanairantaryasatkārāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ ‖ 2.8 ‖

~~~

saḥ: it; dīrgha-kāla-nairantarya-satkāra-āsevitaḥ: long + time + without interruption + with reverence + followed; dṛḍha-bhūmiḥ: stable + foundation

“When it is followed for a long time without interruption and with reverence, there is a stable foundation.”

2.9

अष्टाङ्गं यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयः ॥ २.९ ॥
aṣṭāṅgaṃ yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayaḥ ‖ 2.9 ‖

~~~

aṣṭāṅgam: eight limbs; yama-niyama-āsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayaḥ: the restraints + the observances + sitting + energy extension + withdrawal + concentration + meditation + absorption

“The eight limbs are the restraints, the observances, sitting, energy extension, withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and absorption.”

2.10

यमा अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहाः ॥ २.१० ॥
yamā ahiṃsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryāparigrahāḥ ‖ 2.10 ‖

~~~

yamāḥ: the restraints; ahiṃsā-satya-asteya-brahmacarya-aparigrahāḥ: non-harming + non-lying + non-stealing + non-wasting + non-possessiveness

“The restraints are non-harming, non-lying, non-stealing, non-wasting, and non-possessiveness.”

2.11

नियमाः शौचसंतोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि ॥ २.११ ॥
niyamāḥ śaucasaṃtoṣatapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni ‖ 2.11 ‖

~~~

niyamāḥ: the observances; śauca-saṃtoṣa-tapas-svādhyāya-īśvarapraṇidhānāni: purity + contentment + self-discipline + self-study + surrender to the oversoul

“The observances are purity, contentment, self-discipline, self-study, and surrender to the oversoul.”

2.12

एते दश सर्वभौमा जातिकालदेशसमयानवच्छिन्ना महाव्रतम् ॥ २.१२ ॥
ete daśa sārvabhaumā jātikāladeśasamayānavacchinnā mahāvratam ‖ 2.12 ‖

~~~

ete: these; daśa: ten; sārvabhaumāḥ: universal; jāti-kāla-deśa-samaya-anavacchinnāḥ: birth + time + space + circumstance + unlimited; mahāvratam: great vow

“These ten are universal and not limited by birth, time, space, or circumstance.  They are a great vow.”

2.13

वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम् ॥ २.१३ ॥
vitarkabādhane pratipakṣabhāvanam ‖ 2.13 ‖

~~~

vitarka-bādhane: upon a thought + troubling; pratipakṣa-bhāvanam: opposite + cultivation

“Upon a troubling thought arising, the opposite should be cultivated.”

2.14

अहिंसावरहिंसापथः ॥ २.१४ ॥
ahiṃsāvarahiṃsāpathaḥ ‖ 2.14 ‖

~~~

ahiṃsā: non-harming; avara-hiṃsā-pathaḥ: of least + harm + path

“Non-harming is the path of least harm.”

2.15

सत्यं प्रमेयवाक् ॥ २.१५ ॥
satyaṃ prameyavāk ‖ 2.15 ‖

~~~

satyam: non-lying; prameya-vāc: verifiable + speech

“Non-lying is verifiable speech.”

2.16

अस्तेयम् एव स्वैरदत्तादानम् ॥ २.१६ ॥
asteyam eva svairadattādānam ‖ 2.16 ‖

~~~

asteyam: non-stealing; eva: only; svaira-datta-ādānam: freely + given + taking

“Non-stealing is taking only what is freely given.”

2.17

ब्रह्मचर्यं प्राणरक्षणम् ॥ २.१७ ॥
brahmacaryaṃ prāṇarakṣaṇaṃ ‖ 2.17 ‖

~~~

brahmacaryam: non-wasting; prāṇa-rakṣaṇam: of energy + preservation

“Non-wasting is preservation of energy.”

2.18

अपरिग्रहो निष्कारणार्थत्यागः ॥ २.१८ ॥
aparigraho niṣkāraṇārthatyāgaḥ ‖ 2.18 ‖

~~~

aparigrahaḥ: non-possessiveness; niṣkāraṇa-artha-tyāgaḥ: of unnecessary + objects + renunciation

“Non-possessiveness is renunciation of unnecessary objects.”

2.19

शौचं भूतशुद्धिः ॥ २.१९ ॥
śaucaṃ bhūtaśuddhiḥ ‖ 2.19 ‖

~~~

śaucam: purification; bhūtaśuddhiḥ: clearing the elements

“Purification is clearing the elements.”

2.20

संतोषोऽव्यथ्यान्तःशान्तिः ॥ २.२० ॥
saṃtoṣo’vyathyāntaḥśāntiḥ ‖ 2.20 ‖

~~~

saṃtoṣaḥ: contentment; avyathya-antaḥśāntiḥ: unwavering + inner peace

“Contentment is unwavering inner peace.”

2.21

तप इन्द्रियप्रग्रहणः ॥ २.२१ ॥
tapa indriyapragrahaṇaḥ ‖ 2.21 ‖

~~~

tapaḥ: self-discipline; indriya-pragrahaṇaḥ: of senses + reining in

“Self-discipline is reining in the senses.”

2.22

स्वाध्याय आत्मविचारः ॥ २.२२ ॥
svādhyāya ātmavicāraḥ ‖ 2.22 ‖

~~~

svādhyāyaḥ: self-study; ātmavicāraḥ: self-inquiry

“Self-study is self-inquiry.”

2.23

ईश्वरप्रणिधानम् ईश्वरानुवृत्तिः ॥ २.२३ ॥
īśvarapraṇidhānam īśvarānuvṛttiḥ ‖ 2.23 ‖

~~~

īśvarapraṇidhānam: surrender to the oversoul; īśvara-anuvṛttiḥ: of the oversoul + emulating

“Surrender to the oversoul is emulating it.”

2.24

आसनं स्थिरसुखम् ॥ २.२४ ॥
āsanaṃ sthirasukham ‖ 2.24 ‖

~~~

āsanam: sitting; sthira-sukham: still + comfortable

“Sitting is still and comfortable.”

2.25

आदिप्रयत्नानुशैथिल्येन प्राणमयकोशसमापत्तिः ॥ २.२५ ॥
ādiprayatnānuśaithilyena prāṇamayakośasamāpattiḥ ‖ 2.25 ‖

~~~

ādi-prayatna-anu-śaithilyena: through initial + effort + subsequent + relaxation; prāṇamayakośa-samāpattiḥ: in energy sheath + absorption

“Through initial effort and subsequent relaxation comes absorption in the energy sheath.”

2.26

ततोऽनभिघातः स्थूलशरीरेण ॥ २.२६ ॥
tato’nabhighātaḥ sthūlaśarīreṇa ‖ 2.26 ‖

~~~

tataḥ: from that; anabhighātaḥ: untroubled; sthūlaśarīreṇa: by the gross body

“From that one is untroubled by the gross body.”

2.27

एवम् आसितं प्राणायामो विच्छेदगतिः श्वासप्रश्वासयोः ॥ २.२७ ॥
evam āsitaṃ prāṇāyāmo vicchedagatiḥ śvāsapraśvāsayoḥ ‖ 2.27 ‖

~~~

evam: thus; āsitam: seated; prāṇāyāmaḥ: energy extension; viccheda-gatiḥ: interrupting + procession; śvāsa-praśvāsayoḥ: of inhalation + exhalation

“Thus seated, energy extension is the interruption of the procession of inhalation and exhalation.”

2.28

बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिर् दीर्घसूक्ष्मपरिदृष्टो देशकालसंख्याभिः ॥ २.२८ ॥
bāhyābhyantarastambhavṛttir dīrghasūkṣmaparidṛṣṭo deśakālasaṃkhyābhiḥ ‖ 2.28 ‖

~~~

bāhya-abhyantara-stambha-vṛttiḥ: internal + external + pause + activities; dīrgha-sūkṣma-paridṛṣṭaḥ: slowly + subtly + directed; deśa-kāla-saṃkhyābhiḥ: by place + time + number

“The external, internal, and pause activities of energy extension are slowly and subtly directed by place, time, and number.”

2.29

चतुर्थवृत्तिर् एवापाने प्राणं जुह्वानः प्राणेऽपानं च ॥ २.२९ ॥
caturthavṛttir evāpāne prāṇaṃ juhvānaḥ prāṇe’pānaṃ ca ‖ 2.29 ‖

~~~

caturthavṛttiḥ: fourth activity; eva: just so; apāne: to the downward exhalation; prāṇam: upward inhalation; juhvānaḥ: offering; prāṇe: to the upward inhalation; apānam: downward exhalation; ca: and

“The fourth activity is offering the upward inhalation to the downward exhalation and the downward exhalation to the upward inhalation.”

2.30

ततः केवलप्राणायामात् केवलकुम्भकः ॥ २.३० ॥
tataḥ kevalaprāṇāyāmāt kevalakumbhakaḥ ‖ 2.30 ‖

~~~

tataḥ: from that; kevala-prāṇāyāmāt: from isolated + energy extension; kevala-kumbhakaḥ: isolated + retention

“From that isolated energy extension comes isolated retention.”

2.31

प्रत्याहार इन्द्रियासम्प्रयोगः स्वराजसिकतामसिकविषयेभ्यः ॥ २.३१ ॥
pratyāhāra indriyāsamprayogaḥ svarājasikatāmasikaviṣayebhyaḥ ‖ 2.31 ‖

~~~

pratyāhāraḥ: withdrawal; indriya-asamprayogaḥ: of the senses + disassociation; sva-rājasika-tāmasika-viṣayebhyaḥ: from their + emotional + physical + objects

“Withdrawal is the disassociation of the senses from their emotional and physical objects.”

2.32

तत इन्द्रियाणि निवृत्तसात्त्विकस्वरूपाणि ॥ २.३२ ॥
tata indriyāṇi nivṛttasāttvikasvarūpāṇi ‖ 2.32 ‖

~~~

tataḥ: from that; indriyāṇi: senses; nivṛtta-sāttvika-svarūpāṇi: returned to + mental + nature

“From that the senses are returned to their mental nature.”

2.33

धारणासु च योग्यता सत्त्वस्य ॥ २.३३ ॥
dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā sattvasya ‖ 2.33 ‖

~~~

dhāraṇāsu: in matters of concentration; ca: and; yogyatā: fitness; sattvasya: of mind

“And there is fitness of mind for concentration.”

2.34

पञ्चाङ्गम् एकत्र क्रियायोगो यद् बहिःसाधनम् ॥ २.३४ ॥
pañcāṅgam ekatra kriyāyogo yad bahiḥsādhanam ‖ 2.34 ‖

~~~

pañcāṅgam: five limbs; ekatra: together; kriyāyogaḥ: performance yoga; yat: which; bahiḥ-sādhanam: outer + practice

“These five limbs together are performance yoga, which is outer practice.”

2.35

एकवृत्त्यां चित्तशरीरबन्धो धारणा ॥ २.३५ ॥
ekavṛttyāṃ cittaśarīrabandho dhāraṇā ‖ 2.35 ‖

~~~

eka-vṛttyām: on one + modification; cittaśarīra-bandhaḥ: of the conscious body + binding; dhāraṇā: concentration

“Concentration is the binding of the conscious body on one modification.”

2.36

तत्रान्तःशरीरबन्धो ध्यानम् ॥ २.३६ ॥
tatrāntaḥśarīrabandho dhyānam ‖ 2.36 ‖

~~~

tatra: on that; antaḥśarīra-bandhaḥ: of the inner body + binding; dhyānam: meditation

“Meditation is the binding of the inner body on that modification.”

2.37

तत्र कारणशरीरबन्धः समाधिः ॥ २.३७ ॥
tatra kāraṇaśarīrabandhaḥ samādhiḥ ‖ 2.37 ‖

~~~

tatra: on that; kāraṇaśarīra-bandhaḥ: of the causal body + binding; samadhiḥ: absorption

“Absorption is the binding of the causal body on that modification.”

2.38

त्र्यङ्गम् एकत्र संयमयोगो यद् अन्तःसाधनम् ॥ २.३८ ॥
tryaṅgam ekatra saṃyamayogo yad antaḥsādhanam ‖ 2.38 ‖

~~~

tryaṅgam: three limbs; ekatra: together; saṃyamayogaḥ: restraint yoga; yat: which; antaḥ-sādhanam: inner + practice

“These three limbs together are restraint yoga, which is inner practice.”

2.39

अष्टाङ्गम् एकत्र राजयोगो यत् सम्यक्साधनम् ॥ २.३९ ॥
aṣṭāṅgam ekatra rājayogo yat samyaksādhanam ‖ 2.39 ‖

~~~

aṣṭāṅgam: eight limbs; ekatra: together; rājayogaḥ: royal yoga; yat: which; samyak-sādhanam: complete + practice

“All eight limbs together are royal yoga, which is complete practice.”

2.40

ततः सम्यक्सिद्धयः ॥ २.४० ॥
tataḥ samyaksiddhayaḥ ‖ 2.40 ‖

~~~

tataḥ: from that; samyak-siddhayaḥ: complete + results

“From that comes complete results.”