Patanjali Yogasutra 1.1 and 1.2
अथ योगानुशासनम्॥१॥
Now, the teaching of Yoga.
This Sutra marks the beginning of the text and indicates the readiness of the student to receive the instruction of Yoga. It also implies that Yoga is an experiential and practical discipline, not a mere theory or speculation.
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥
Yoga is the restraint of the mental activities.
This Sutra defines Yoga as the state of stillness and clarity of the mind, free from the fluctuations and modifications caused by sensory impressions, emotions, thoughts, and memories. It also suggests that Yoga is a process of controlling and transcending the mind, not a passive or mechanical state.
The first Sutra introduces the subject and the purpose of the text, which is to impart the knowledge and the practice of Yoga to the sincere seeker. The word "atha" implies that the student has already acquired the necessary qualifications, such as discrimination, detachment, and devotion, to embark on the path of Yoga. It also suggests that the teaching of Yoga is not a new invention, but a continuation of an ancient tradition that has been handed down by the sages and the masters.
The second Sutra gives the essence and the goal of Yoga, which is to attain the State of Pure Consciousness, beyond the limitations and the disturbances of the mind. The word "citta" refers to the mind-stuff, the inner instrument that consists of the intellect, the ego, and the memory. The word "vṛtti" means the modifications, the movements, or the waves of the mind-stuff, which are constantly changing and agitating the mind. The word "nirodha" means the cessation, the restraint, or the mastery of these modifications, which leads to the state of peace and inner stillness.
The implication of these verses is that Yoga is not merely a physical exercise or a relaxation technique, but a profound and holistic science of Self-Realization. It requires a systematic and disciplined approach, involving ethical conduct, moral values, mental concentration, meditative absorption, and intuitive insight. It also reveals the True Nature of the Self, which is not the body, the mind, or the ego, but the Pure Awareness that is eternal, unchanging, and blissful.
Similar verses from Vedic texts are:
- Yogavashishta, Chapter 6, Part 2, Verse 1
योगः समाधिः॥१॥
Yoga is samadhi.
This verse equates Yoga with samadhi, which is the highest state of Consciousness, where the individual Self merges with the Universal Self, and all duality and diversity disappear. It also suggests that Yoga is not a means to an end, but an end in itself, the Ultimate Goal of human life.
- Bhagavad Gita
यदा पञ्चावतिष्ठन्ते ज्ञानानि मनसा सह ।
बुद्धिश्च न विचेष्टते तामाहुः परमां गतिम् ॥१८॥
When the five senses and the mind are still, and the intellect wavers not, that, they say, is the Highest State.
This verse describes the state of Yoga as the state of complete detachment and equanimity, where the senses, the mind, and the intellect are subdued and controlled, and the Self is established in its own essence. It also indicates that Yoga is the Supreme State of Realization of the Divine Essence.
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