Patanjali's Yoga Sutras

Traditional readings of Yoga

Etymology

The Sanskrit word for yoga comes from the word yuj, pronounced yug, meaning to 'yoke' or 'unite'.  Some scholars also define the word as meaning ‘to direct’ or ‘to concentrate one’s attention on’.

Patanjali’s Yoga

Introduction

Patanjali is believed to have codified the system of yoga in approximately 500-200BC. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the 196 aphorisms guide the spiritual seeker (sadhaka) through a system that allows him to experientially realise the true nature of the universe: that pure consciousness (purusa) is distinct from matter (prakrti).  Through the observance and practice of the system of yoga, the sadhaka orientates himself away from matter, which is essentially 'unreal', towards pure consciousness, the 'real'.

Within the human form, pure consciousness/purusa is often referred to as Atman, the individual soul which is inherently Divine and is part of the wider Cosmic or World soul, the Absolute Divine, known as Brahman. 

Matter, prakriti, is everything that we can touch and see, that can be clearly defined by temporal and spatial measures (time and space measures).  It is also seen to include our mind, our thoughts and all we can reason through cognition**. 

Through yoga, the sadhaka seeks to liberate himself from his attachment to the worldly, the gross, 'unreal' and become identified with pure consciousness or bliss; the 'real'  - that which is formless, changeless and ceaseless.

In the sutras, the methods outlined to realise this bliss, this samadhi are not confined simply to the practices of asana, pranayama and meditation.  A whole system including study of scripture, selfless service and devotional acts are outlined across 196 aphorisms (sutras).

The padas

The text is divided into four padas (parts): Samadhi Pada, Sadhana Pada, Vibhuti Pada, Kaivalya Pada.

1) In the Samadhi Pada, the sutras explain the key components of the sadhaka’s spiritual, emotional and physical body.  The spiritual aspirant is taken through the layers of consciousness, the mind (manas), intelligence (buddhi) and ego (ahamkara), that combine to form this consciousness and that serve to provide us with a unique sense of self (asmita).

The Samadhi Pada explains how purusa (pure consciousness) manifests in the soul as Atman and how Atman is essentially one and the same as the Supreme Divinity, Braham: the Cosmic Consciousness or World Soul.

Patanjali explains how ahamkara (ego) and asmita (our sense of I-ness), bind us to the physical body and the phenomenal world and cause suffering.  These form the mental sheath that prevents us from realising our inner light – our Atman.  He explains how the physical sheath (the gross body) has to be ‘shed’ before we can reach the blissful sheath of our being where the Atman resides.  The metaphoric idea of ‘shedding’ is used to illustrate how the sadhaka (spiritual aspirant) must un-identify with the physical body through the practice of yoga.  Once un-identified with the physical body and the mind, the sadhaka is able to penetrate more deeply into their innermost being.

In the Samadhi Pada, Patanjali outlines various fluctuations of thought that disturb consciousness and how actions, thoughts and habits from past lives (samskaras) and karma can affect consciousness in the present life.  Practice (abhyasa) and sustained sadhana (spiritual practice) are recommended to reduce the impact of past karma and to remove samskaras. 

2) In the second part of the sutras, the Sadhana Pada, Patanjali focuses on the practice of the sadhaka.  In this chapter the idea of kriya yoga or ‘right action’ is extremely important.  By this Patanjali means concentrated, dynamic effort on the part of the sadhaka. 

In this chapter, the yamas (restraints) and niyamas (observances) are introduced as the first steps of the eight limbs of yoga.

Yamas - 'Restraints'

Ahimsa - non-violence

Satya - truthfulness

Asteya - non-stealing

Brahmacharya - continence

Aparigraha - non-covetousness

Niyamas - 'Observances'

Saucha - cleanliness

Samtosa - contentment

Tapas - austerities

Svadhyaya  - study of the sacred scriptures and of one's self

Isvara pranidhana - surrender to God

Patanjali identifies avidya, spiritual ignorance, as the source of all sorrow and unhappiness and as the first of five afflictions (klesas) that prevent us from experiencing the Divine.  The other four klesas are born of this ignorance: egoism, attachment, aversion and clinging to life.  Observance of the yamas and niyamas help us to overcome these, along with the practice of the other eight limbs of yoga: asana (physical postures), pranayama (control of prana, commonly through breath techniques), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (focus), dhyana (meditation), samadhi (bliss).

3) The Vibhuti Pada, the third chapter, is slightly more esoteric than the prior two padas, in that it speaks of the divine effects of yoga and the siddhis (powers) that the practice of yoga can bestow upon the sadhaka (spiritual seeker).  This pada warns yogis of these powers, as this stage in the yogi’s spiritual evolution serves as a test of ego or a temptation that the yogi must overcome.  Such powers might be the ability to read thoughts or to travel through space and time.  Spiritual seekers can lose sight of purpose of the path at this stage or exploit their newfound powers for ends that lack integrity.  Patanjali encourages spiritual seekers to ignore temptations and continue along the spiritual path.

4) The final and fourth pada is called the Kaivalya Pada.  In this chapter Patanjali makes the distinction between samadhi and kaivalya.  Kaivalya is the enduring experience of bliss that is achieved and sustained whilst the yogi is still active in the world, whereas in samadhi the sadhaka experiences a passive state of oneness that is experienced for shorter periods.  At the stage of kaivalya the yogi is encouraged to live dynamically in the world, effecting positive change whilst staying wholly unattached to the fruits of his/her labours (as outlined in The Bhagavad Gita). 

In this stage, the yogi or sadhaka is completely liberated from identification with prakriti (matter) and absorbed in pure consciousness purursa.  For this reason kaivalya is often seen as synonymous with liberation or freedom.

*Even though the mind and thoughts are more subtle than gross matter, they are still tainted by subliminal impressions and are therefore grosser than pure consciousness; purusa.

A Brief Introduction to The Bhagavad Gita

In the Bhagavad-Gita*, Lord Krishna defines yoga as ‘skill in action’.  To be ‘skilled’ here means, to be ‘wise’, to act with wisdom.  In the text, Krishna explains to Arjuna how a wise man, a true yogi, knows no attachment to the fruits of his actions, everything that he does, every act he makes he offers up to the Ultimate Reality, the Divine.  He does not attach himself to ideas of attainment or loss that might be born from his acts, they do not influence his actions. He acts from a sense of duty, because it is the ‘right’ thing to do, i.e. his dharma.  In fact, he does not even view himself as the agent of his actions, but as a Divine instrument, whose actions form part of a systemised whole, the Divine play of the universe.

Through yoga, the spiritual, physical and mental aspects of the Self are united and function together in unity, the Divine Self (Atman) achieves self-expression and is realised as part of the Absolute Divine (Brahman).  The Divine Self is explained as the seed consciousness that resides deep within us and is the continuum that connects all beings, that which is changeless, formless and ceaseless, The Absolute Divine resides in the noumenal world, rather than the phenomenal, mutable world.  As the Gita puts it, the changeless, homogenous Atman or the Self always exists.  It is the only solid Reality.  ‘This phenomenal world of names and forms is ever changing, hence it is unreal, the wise man is fully aware that the Self always exists and that this world is like a mirage’. (Commentary Sri Swami Sivananda)

* The Bhagavad Gita is viewed as one of the foundational texts of ancient Indian Philosophy and continues to underpin Indian Culture and aspects of religions from the Indian sub-continent today.  The story takes place of the battlefield (a metaphor demonstrating the manifold battles and struggles characteristic of the spiritual path) of Kurukshetra and is told in the form of a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna.  Arjuna is of the warrior caste: it is his duty to fight in the ensuing battle.  However, he refuses to do so, on the basis that he has relatives are amongst the opposition. In he text, Lord Krishna, expounds the main ideas of what it means to be a true yogi, primarily, the importance of duty (dharma) and controlled action with detachment.