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Master Satchidanand
"The Energy Enhancement Course is one on the Leading edge of Evolution. With
more Energy you can cope with stress, speed up your mind, be in your deep peace, and
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Brenda Wilkinson, Co Durham.
You have both made me think about life in
a very different way and I thank you both with all my love.
The purpose of this document is to provide the translated Yoga Sutras,
in English, without the commentary, to act as a reference or introduction to YOGA. I would
strongly advise that you purchase the book.
Other Books from Integral Yoga Publications:
AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON..
by Sri Swami Satchidananda:
Integral Yoga Hatha
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
(with full commentary, Sanskrit and Index)
Integral Yoga: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali- Pocket Edition
Beyond Words
Enlightening Tales
The Golden Present
Guru and Disciple
The Healthy Vegetarian
Kailash Journal
The Living Gita
To Know Your Self
About Swami Satchidananda:
Sri Swami Satchidananda: Apostle of Peace
Sri Swami Satchidananda: Portrait of a Modern Sage
(a pictorial biography)
The Master's Touch
Other Titles:
Dictionary of Sanskrit Names
Hatha for Kids
Imagine That! A Child's Guide to Yoga
Lotus Prayer Book
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Translation and Commentary by Swami Satchidananda.
ISBN 0-932040-38-1
Available from:
Integral Yoga Publications
Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville
Route 1, Box 1720
Buckingham.
VA 23921. USA
There are
many Energy Enhancement courses And Raja Yoga and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are central
to them!!
This book is a MUST for anybody who is sincerly wishing to progress in
spiritual life, whatever religion or path one follows. The Commentary on these Sutras of
Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda is essential reading.
As Swami Satchidananda writes in the opening dedication:
'...to all who seek understanding and mastery over their minds through
the glorious science of Yoga.'
also,
'Just be good and do good...and the entire wisdom will be yours.'
When the word Yoga is mentioned, most people immediately think of some
physical postures for relaxing and limbering up the body. This is one aspect of the Yogic
science, but actually only a very small part and relatively recent in development. The
physical Yoga or Hatha Yoga, was primarily designed to facilitate the real practice the
real practice of Yoga - namely, the understanding and complete mastery over the mind. So
the actual meaning of Yoga is THE SCIENCE OF THE MIND.
The restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga.
(mental modifications = the thought forms, workings of the mind)
Then the Seer (Self) abides in His own nature.
At other times (the Self appears to) assume the forms of the mental modifications.
Their are five kinds of mental modifications which are either painful or painless.
They are:
Right Knowledge.
Misconception.
Verbal delusion.
Sleep.
Memory.
The sources of right knowledge are:
Direct perception.
Inference.
Scriptual testimony.
Misconception occurs when knowledge of something is not based upon its true form.
An image that arises on hearing mere words without any reality (as its basis) is verbal
delusion.
That mental modification supported by cognition of nothingness is sleep.
When a mental modification of an object previously experienced and not forgotten comes
back to consciousness, that is memory.
These mental modifications are restrained by practice and non-attachment.
Of these two, effort toward steadiness of mind is practice.
Practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break
and in all earnestness.
The consciousness of self-mastery in one who is free from craving for objects seen or
heard about is non-attachment.
When there is non-thirst for even the gunas (constituents of Nature) due to realization
of the Purusha (true self), that is supreme non-attachment.
Samprajnata samadhi (distinguished contemplation) is accompanied by reasoning,
reflecting, rejoicing and pure I-am-ness.
By the firmly convinced practice of the complete cessation of mental modifications, the
impressions only remain. This is the other samadhi (asamprajnata or non-distinguished).
Those who merely leave their physical bodies and attain the state of celestial deities,
or those who get merges in Nature, have rebirth.
To the others, this asamprajnata samadhi could come through faith, strength, memory,
contemplation or by discernment.
To the keen and intent practitioner this (samadhi) comes very quickly.
The time necessary for success further depends on whether the practice is mild, medium,
or intense.
Or (samadhi is attained) by devotion with total dedication to God (Isvara).
Isvara is the supreme Purusha, unaffected by any afflictions, actions, fruits of actions
or by any inner impressions of desires.
In Him is the complete manifestation of the seed of omniscience.
Unconditioned by time, He is the teacher of even the most ancient teachers.
The word expressive of Isvara is the mystic sound OM. (Note: OM is God's name as well as
form.)
To repeat it with reflection upon its meaning is an aid.
From this practice all the obstacles disappear and simultaneously dawns knowledge of the
inner Self.
These distractions of the mind-stuff are the obstacles.
Disease
Dullness
Doubt
Carelesssness
Laziness
Sensuality
False perception
Failure to reach firm ground
Slipping from the ground
Accompaniments to the mental distractions include:
Distress.
Despair.
Trembling of the body.
Disturbed breathing.
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.
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.
Or that calm is retained by the controlled exhalation or retention of the breath.
Or the concentration on subtle sense perception can cause steadiness of mind.
Or by concentrating on the supreme, ever blissful Light within.
Or by concentrating on a great soul's mind which is totally freed from attachment to
sense objects.
Or by concentrating on an experience had during dream or deep sleep.
Or by meditating on anything one chooses that is elavating.
Gradually, one's mastery in concentration extends from the primal atom to the greatest
magnitude.
Just as the naturally pure crystal assumes shapes and colors of objects placed near it,
so the Yogi's mind, with its totally weakened modifications, becomes clear and balanced
and attains the state devoid of differentation between knower, knowable and knowledge.
This culmination of meditation is samadhi.
The samadhi in which name, form and knowledge of them is mixed is called savitarka
samadhi, or samadhi with deliberation.
When the memory is well purified, the knowledge of the object of concentration shines
alone, devoid of the distinction of name and quality. This is nirvitarka samadhi, or
samadhi without deliberation.
In the same way, savichara (reflective) and nirvichara (super or non reflective)
samadhis, are explained.
The subtlety of possible objects of concentration ends only at the undefinable.
All these samadhis are sabija (with seed), which could bring one back into bondage or
mental disturbance.
In the purity of nirvichara samadhi, the supreme Self shines.
This is ritambhara prajna, or the absolute true consciousness.
This special truth is totally different from knowledge gained by hearing, study of
scripture or inference.
The impression produced by this samadhi wipes out all other impressions.
When even this impression is wiped out, every impression is totally wiped out and there
is nirbija (seedless) samadhi.
Portion on Practice In the Samadhi Pada, Patanjali gives us the
aim of Yoga in a theoretical way, explaining it as the control of thechitta vrittis, or
thought forms. Then the rest of theSutras in the Book 1 could be classified into several
groups: the different kinds of thought forms, the practices to control them, and the
different kinds of superconscious experience culminating in the highest experience
ofnirbija samadhi, the seedless contemplation. But it is not that easy to get intosamadhi,
so in this chapter he tells the student not to get frightened but to prepare himself or
herself by laying the proper foundation, then gradually build until that level is reached.
For this Patanjali gives a number of simple directions.
The womb of karmas (actions and reactions) has its root in these obstacles, and the
karmas bring experiences in the seen (present) or in the unseen (future) births.
With the existence of the root, there will be fruits also; namely, the births of
different species of life, their spans and experiences.
The karmas bear fruits of pleasure and pain caused by merit and demerit.
To one of discrimination, everything is painful indeed, due to its consequences: the
anxiety and fear over losing what is gained; the resulting impressions left in the mind to
create renewed cravings; and the constant conflict among the three gunas, which control
the mind.
Pain that has not yet come is avoidable.
The cause of that avoidable pain is the union of the seer (Purusha) and the seen
(Prakriti, or Nature).
The seen is of the nature of the gunas: illumination, activity and inertia; and consists
of the elements and sense organs, whose purpose is to provide both experiences and
liberation to the Purusha.
The stages of the gunas are specific, non-specific, defined and undefinable.
The Seer is nothing but the power of seeing which, although pure, appears to see through
the mind.
The seen exists only for the sake of the seer.
Although destroyed for him who has attained liberation, it (the seen) still exists for
others, being common to them.
The union of Owner (Purusha) and owned (Prakriti) causes the recognition of the nature
and powers of them both.
The cause of this union is ignorance.
Without this ignorance, no such union occurs. This is the independence of the Seer.
One's wisdom in the final stage is sevenfold. One experiences the end of:
Desire to know anything more.
Desire to stay away from any thing.
Desire to gain anything new.
Desire to do anything.
Sorrow.
Fear.
Delusion.
By the practice of the limbs of Yoga, the impurities dwindle away and there dawns the
light of wisdom, leading to discriminatice discernment.
The eight limbs of Yoga are:
Yama (abstinence).
Niyama (observance).
Asana (posture).
Pranayama (breath control).
Pratyahara (sense withdrawal).
Dharana (concentration).
Dhyana (meditation).
Samadhi (contemplation, absorption or superconscious state).
Yama consits of:
Non-violence.
Truthfulness.
Non-stealing.
Continence.
Non-greed.
These Great Vows are universal, not limited by class, place, time or cirumstance.
Niyama consists of purity, contentment, accepting but not causing pain, study of
spiritual books and worship of God (self-surrender).
When disturbed by negative thoughts, opposite (positive) ones should be thought of. This
is pratipaksha bhavana.
When negative thoughts or acts such as violence, etc. are caused to be done or even
approved of, whether incited by greed, anger or infatuation, whether indulged in with
mild, medium or extreme intensity, they are based on ignorance and bring certain pain.
In the presence of one firmly established in non-violence, all hostilities cease.
To one established in truthfulness, actions and their results become subservient.
To one established in non-stealing, all wealth comes.
By one established in continence, vigor is gained.
When non-greed is confirmed, a thorough illumination of the how and why of one's birth
comes.
By purification arises disgust for one's own body and for contact with other bodies.
Moreover, one gains purity of sattva, cheerfulness of mind, one-pointedness, mastery
over the senses, and fitness for Self-realization.
By contentment, supreme joy is gained.
By austerity, impuritied of body and senses are destroyed and occult powers gained.
By study of spiritual books comes communion with one's chosen deity.
By total surrender to God, samadhi is attained.
Asana is a steady, comfortable posture.
By lessening the natural tendency for restlessness and by meditating on the infinite,
posture is mastered.
Thereafter, one is undisturbed by the dualities.
That (firm posture) being acquired, the movements of inhalation and exhalation should be
controlled. This is pranayama.
The modifications of the life-breath are either external, internal, or stationary. They
are to be regulated by space, time, and number and are either long or short.
There is a fourth kind of pranayama that occurs during concentration on an internal or
external object.
As its result, the veil over the inner Light is destroyed.
And the mind becomes fit for concentration.
When the senses withdraw themselves from the objects and imitate, as it were, the nature
of the mind-stuff, this is pratyahara.
The third book is called theVibhuti Pada. The vibhuti are all the
accomplishments which come as by-products of your Yoga practice. They are also sometimes
called thesiddhis , or supernatural powers. These powers begin to come with the practice
of the final three limbs of Raja Yoga: dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and
samadhi (contemplation).
Dharana is the binding of the mind to one place, object or idea.
Dhyana is the continuous flow of cognition toward that object.
Samadhi is the same meditation when there is the shining of the object alone, as if
devoid of form.
The practice of these three (dharana, dhyana, and samadhi) upon one object is called
samyama.
By the mastery of samyama comes the light of knowledge.
Its practice is to be accomplished in stages.
These three (dharana, dhyana, and samadhi) are more internal than the preceding five
limbs.
Even these three are external to the seedless samadhi.
The impressions which normally arise are made to disappear by the appearance of
suppressive efforts, which in turn create new mental modifications. The moment of
conjunction of mind and new modifications is nirodha parinama.
The flow of nirodha parinama becomes steady through habit.
When there is a decline in distractedness and appearance of one-pointedness, then comes
samadhi parinamah (development in samadhi).
Then again, when the subsiding past and rising present images are identical, there is
ekagrata parinama (one-pointedness).
By this (what has been said in the preceding three Sutras), the transformations of the
visible characteristics, time factors and conditions of elements and senses are also
described.
It is the substratum (Prakriti) that by nature goes through latent, uprising and
unmanifested phases.
The succession of these different phases is the cause of the differences in stages of
evolution.
By practicing samyama on the three stages of evolution comes knowledge of past and
future.
A word, its meaning, and the idea behind it are normally confused because of
superimposition upon one another. By samyama on the word (or sound) produced by any being,
knowledge of its meaning is obtained.
By direct perception, through
samyama, of one's mental impressions, knowledge of past
births is obtained.
By samyama on the distinguishing signs of others' bodies, knowledge of their mental
images is obtained.
But this does not include the support in the person's mind (such as the motive behind
the thought, etc.), as that is not the object of the samyama.
By samyama on the form on one's body, (and by) checking the power of perception by
intercepting light from the eyes of the observer, the body becomes invisible.
In the same way, the disappearance of sound (touch, taste, smell, etc.) is explained.
Karmas are two kinds: quickly manifesting and slowly manifesting. By samyama on them, or
on the portents of death, the knowledge of the time of death is obtained.
By samyama on friendliness and other such qualities, the power to transmit them is
obtained.
By samyama on the strength of elephants and other such animals, their strength is
obtained.
By samyama on the Light within, the knowledge of the subtle, hidden, and remote is
obtained. (Note: subtle as atoms, hidden as treasure, remote as far distant lands.)
By samyama on the sun, knowledge of the entire solar system is obtained.
By samyama on the moon comes knowledge of the star's arrangement.
By samyama on the pole star comes knowledge of the star's movements.
By samyama on the navel plexus, knowledge of the body's constitution is obtained.
By samyama on the pit of the throat, cessation of hunger and thirst is achieved.
By samyama on the kurma nadi (a subtle tortoise-shaped tube located below the throat),
motionlessness in the meditative posture is achieved.
By samyama on the light at the crown of the head (sahasrara chakra), visions of masters
and adepts are obtained.
Or, in the knowledge that dawns by spontaneous enlightenment (through a life of purity),
all the powers come by themselves.
By samyama on the heart, the knowledge of the mind-stuff is obtained.
The intellect and the Purusha (or Atman) are totally different, the intellect existing
for the sake of the Purusha, while the Purusha exists for its own sake. Not distinguishing
this is the cause of all experiences; and by smayama on the distinction, knowledge of the
Purusha is gained.
From this knowledge arises superphysical hearing, touching, seeing, tasting, and
smelling through spontaneous intuition.
These (superphysical senses) are obstacles to (nirbija) samadhi but are siddhis (powers
or accomplishments) in the worldly pursuits.
By the loosening of the cause (of the bondage of mind to body) and by knowledge of the
procedure of the mind-stuff's functioning, entering another's body is accomplished.
By mastery over the udana nerve current (the upward vital air), one accomplishes
levitation over water, swamps, thorns, etc. and can leave the body at will.
By mastery over the samana nerve current (the equalizing vital air) comes radiance to
surround the body.
By samyama on the relationship between ear and ether, supernormal hearing becomes
possible.
By samyama on the relationship between the body and ether, lightness of cotton fiber is
attained, and thus traveling through the ether becomes possible.
By samyama on thought waves unidentified by and external to the body (maha-videha, or
the great bodilessness), the veil over the light of the Self is destroyed.
By samyama on the gross and subtle elements and on their essential nature, correlations
and purpose, mastery over them is gained.
From that comes attainment of anima and other siddhis, bodily perfection and the
non-obstruction of bodily functions by the influence of the elements.
(Note: The eight major siddhis alluded to here are:
Anima - to become very small.
Mahima - to become bery big.
Laghima - very light.
Garima - heavy.
Prapti - to reach anywhere.
Prakamya - to achieve all ones's desires.
Isatva - ability to create anything.
Vasitva - ability to command and control everything.
Beauty, grace, strength, and adamantine hardness constitute bodily perfection.
By samyama on the power of perception and on the essential nature, correlation with the
ego sense and purpose of the sense organs, mastery over them is gained.
From that, the body gains the power to move as fast as the mind, ability to function
without the aid of the sense organs, and complete mastery over the primary cause
(Prakritit).
By recognition of the distinction between sattva (the pure reflective nature) and the
Self, supremacy over all states and forms of existence (omnipotence) is gained as is
omnipotence.
By non-attachment even to that (all these siddhis), the seed of bondage is destroyed and
thus follows Kaivalya.
The Yogi should neither accept nor smile with pride at the admiration of even the
celestial beings, as there is the possibility of his getting caught again in the
undesirable.
By samyama on single moments in sequence comes discriminative knowledge.
Thus, the indistinguisable differences between objects that are alike in species,
characteristic marks and positions become distinguishable.
The discriminative knowledge that simultaneously comprehends all objects in all
conditions is the intuitive knowledge which brings liberation.
When the tranquil mind attains purity equal to that of the Self, there is Absoluteness.
Book Four has the heading Kaivalya Pada , or the portion that talks
about absoluteness. The root of kaivalyam is kevala, which means without qualitites or
conditions, that which is Cosmic. The one who has the quality of kevala is called
kaivalyam. It's an experience of absoluteness, unlimitedness.
Siddhis are born of practices performed in previous births, or by herbs, mantra
repetition, asceticism, or by samadhi.
The transformation of one species into another is brought about by the inflow of Nature.
Incidental events do not directly cause natural evolution; they just remove the
obstacles as a farmer (removes the obstacles in a water course running in his field).
A Yogi's egoity alone is the cause of (other artificially) created minds.
Although the functions in the many created minds may differ, the original mind-stuff of
the Yogi is the director of them all.
Only the minds born of meditation (the artificially created ones) are free from karmic
impressions.
The actions of the Yogi are neither white (good) nor black (bad), but the actions of
others are of three kinds; good, bad, and mixed.
Of these (actions), only those vasanas (subconscious impressions) for which there are
favorable conditions for producing their fruits will manifest in a particular birth.
Although desires are separated from their fulfillments by class, space and time, they
have uninterrupted relationship because the impressions (of desires) and memories of them
are identical.
Since the desire to live is eternal, impressions are also beginningless.
The impressions being held together by cause, effect, basis and support, they disappear
with the disappearance of these four.
The past and future exist in the real form of objects which manifest due to differences
in the conditions of their characteristics.
Whether manifested or subtle, these characteristics belong to the nature of the gunas.
The reality of things is due to the uniformity of the gunas' transformations.
Due to differences in various minds, perception of even the same object may vary.
Nor does an object's existence depend upon a single mind, for if it did, what would
become of that object when that mind did not perceive it?
An object is known or unknown dependent on whether or not the mind gets colored by it.
Due to His changelessness, changes in the mind-stuff are always known to the Purusha,
who is its Lord.
The mind-stuff is not self-luminous because it is an object of perception by the
Purusha.
The mind-stuff cannot perceive both subject aand object simultaneously (which proves it
is not self-luminous).
If the perception of one mind by another mind be postulated, we would have to assume an
endless number of them and the result would be confusion of memory.
The consciousness of the Purusha is unchangeable; by getting the reflection of it, the
mind-stuff becomes conscious of the Self.
The mind-stuff, when colored by both Seer and seen, understands everything.
Though having countless desires, the mind-stuff exists for the sake of another (the
Purusha) because it can act only in association with It.
To one who sees the distinction between the mind and the Atman, thoughts of mind as the
Atman cease forever.
Then the mind-stuff is inclined toward discrimination and gravitates toward
Absoluteness.
In between, distracting thoughts may arise due to past impressions.
They can be removed, as in the case of the obstacles explained before. (see Book 2, Sutra 1,2,10,11, and 26.)
He who, due to his perfect discrimination, is totally disinterested even in the highest
rewards remains in the constant discriminative discernment, which is called dharmamegha
(cloud of dharma) samadhi. (Note: The meaning of dharma includes virtue, justice, law,
duty, morality, religion, religious merit, and steadfast decree.)
From that samadhi all afflictions and karmas cease.
Then all the coverings and impurities of knowledge are totally removed. Because of the
infinity of this knowledge, what remains to be known is almost nothing.
Then the gunas terminate their sequence of transformations because they have fulfilled
their purpose.
The sequence (referred to above) means an uninterrupted succession of moments which can
be recognized at the end of their transformations.
Thus, the supreme state of Independence manifests while the gunas reabsorb themselves
into Prakriti, having no more purpose to serve the Purusha. Or, to look from another
angle, the power of pure consciousness settles in its own pure nature.
In Conclusion, A few words from Sri Swami Satchidananda.
'It is my sincere wish and prayer that each one of you experience the
peace and joy of Yoga through the help and grace of the great Yoga adept Patanjali
Maharishi and that you all attain the supreme achievement to which his Yoga Sutras point.
May you go beyond mere book knowledge and attain realization through purity of heart in
your very lives. '
OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti. OM Tat Sat.
There are
many courses:-
Energy Enhancement at the Taj Mahal and Tours in India
Energy Enhancement in Crete - an Island off the coast of
Greece in the
middle of the Mediterranean sea- our Home Base.
Energy Enhancement Meditation Techniques in Peru, Machu Pichu and
Titicaca.
The Home Study Energy Enhancement Meditation Techniques Course by
Download from our Web Site Available anywhere in the world.
Yoga Teacher Training.
Sacred Dance Performance
The Three Year Residential Course including all of the above.
The Energy Enhancement E-Book, Available by Download from our site.
If You want to find out More about Energy Enhancement,
"The Energy Enhancement Course is one on the Leading edge of Evolution. With
more Energy you can cope with stress, speed up your mind, be in your deep peace, and
handle all your relationships to your family and
friends."
Master Satchidanand 
SOL Home Page