On Contemplation
51 Verses
On Contemplation
समाधि पाद
The first pada of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras establishes the nature and goal of yoga. Opening with the definition of yoga as the stilling of the movements of the mind, it outlines the five types of mental activity, the means of restraining them through practice and non-attachment, and the various stages of samadhi — from samadhi with seed to the highest seedless absorption. It also introduces Ishvara, the concept of God as an eternal, untouched awareness whose symbol is Om.
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अथ योगानुशासनम् ॥ १.१ ॥
atha yogānuśāsanam || 1.1 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Now begins the teaching of yoga.
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥ १.२ ॥
yogaś cittavṛttinirodhaḥ || 1.2 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Yoga is the stilling of the movements of the mind.
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥ १.३ ॥
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe 'vasthānam || 1.3 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Then the seer rests in its own true nature.
वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र ॥ १.४ ॥
vṛttisārūpyam itaratra || 1.4 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
At other times the seer takes on the form of the mind's movements.
वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः ॥ १.५ ॥
vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ || 1.5 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The movements of the mind are fivefold. They are either afflicted or not afflicted.
प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः ॥ १.६ ॥
pramāṇaviparyayavikalpanidrāsmṛtayaḥ || 1.6 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
They are right knowledge, wrong knowledge, imagination, sleep, and memory.
प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि ॥ १.७ ॥
pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni || 1.7 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Right knowledge comes from direct perception, inference, and reliable testimony.
विपर्ययो मिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम् ॥ १.८ ॥
viparyayo mithyājñānam atadrūpapratiṣṭham || 1.8 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Wrong knowledge is false understanding not grounded in the true form of a thing.
शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः ॥ १.९ ॥
śabdajñānānupātī vastuśūnyo vikalpaḥ || 1.9 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Imagination is knowledge that follows words alone, with no actual object behind them.
अभावप्रत्ययालम्बना तमोवृत्तिर्निद्रा ॥ १.१० ॥
abhāvapratyayālambanā tamovṛttirnidrā || 1.10 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Sleep is the mental movement that rests on the experience of absence.
अनुभूतविषयासंप्रमोषः स्मृतिः ॥ १.११ ॥
anubhūtaviṣayāsaṃpramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ || 1.11 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Memory is the retention of an experienced object without letting it slip away.
अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः ॥ १.१२ ॥
abhyāsavairāgyābhyāṃ tannirodhaḥ || 1.12 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
These movements are stilled by practice and by non-attachment.
तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासः ॥ १.१३ ॥
tatra sthitau yatno 'bhyāsaḥ || 1.13 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Practice is the sustained effort to remain steady in that stillness.
स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारादरासेवितो दृढभूमिः ॥ १.१४ ॥
sa tu dīrghakālanairantaryasatkārādarāsevito dṛḍhabhūmiḥ || 1.14 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Practice becomes firmly rooted when it is continued for a long time, without interruption, and with sincere dedication.
दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम् ॥ १.१५ ॥
dṛṣṭānuśravikaviṣayavitṛṣṇasya vaśīkārasaṃjñā vairāgyam || 1.15 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Non-attachment is the mastery in which one feels no craving for objects seen or heard about.
तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम् ॥ १.१६ ॥
tatparaṃ puruṣakhyāterguṇavaitṛṣṇyam || 1.16 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The highest non-attachment is freedom from craving even for the qualities of nature, born of the knowledge of pure awareness.
वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात्सम्प्रज्ञातः ॥ १.१७ ॥
vitarkavicārānandāsmitārūpānugamāt samprajñātaḥ || 1.17 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Samprajnata samadhi is absorption accompanied by reasoning, reflection, joy, and the sense of pure being.
विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः ॥ १.१८ ॥
virāmapratyayābhyāsapūrvaḥ saṃskāraśeṣo 'nyaḥ || 1.18 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The other absorption is preceded by the practice of stopping all mental activity. Only subtle impressions remain.
भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम् ॥ १.१९ ॥
bhavapratyayo videha prakṛtilayānām || 1.19 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
For those who are bodiless and those merged in nature, birth itself is the cause of their absorption.
श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम् ॥ १.२० ॥
śraddhāvīryasmṛtisamādhiprajñāpūrvaka itareṣām || 1.20 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
For others it is achieved through faith, energy, memory, concentration, and wisdom.
तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः ॥ १.२१ ॥
tīvrasaṃvegānāmāsannaḥ || 1.21 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
For those of intense ardour, the goal is near.
मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः ॥ १.२२ ॥
mṛdumadhyādhimātratvāttato 'pi viśeṣaḥ || 1.22 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
There is further distinction among those who are mild, medium, or intense in their practice.
ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा ॥ १.२३ ॥
īśvarapraṇidhānādvā || 1.23 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Or it comes through complete surrender to the Lord.
क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः ॥ १.२४ ॥
kleśakarmavipākāśayairaparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣaviśeṣa īśvaraḥ || 1.24 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The Lord is a special being, untouched by afflictions, actions, results of actions, and latent impressions.
तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम् ॥ १.२५ ॥
tatra niratiśayaṃ sarvajñabījam || 1.25 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
In the Lord is the unsurpassable seed of all knowledge.
स एष पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ॥ १.२६ ॥
sa eṣa pūrveṣāmapi guruḥ kālenānavacchedāt || 1.26 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
He is the teacher of all the ancients too, because he is not limited by time.
तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः ॥ १.२७ ॥
tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ || 1.27 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
His name and indicator is the sacred syllable Om.
तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम् ॥ १.२८ ॥
tajjapas tadarthabhāvanam || 1.28 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Repeat it and meditate on its meaning.
ततः प्रत्यकचेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च ॥ १.२९ ॥
tataḥ pratyakcetanādhigamo 'pyantarāyābhāvaśca || 1.29 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
From this comes the knowledge of inner consciousness and the removal of obstacles.
व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः ॥ १.३० ॥
vyādhistyānasaṃśayapramādālasyāviratibhrāntidarśanālabdhabhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni cittavikṣepāste 'ntarāyāḥ || 1.30 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, craving, false perception, failure to reach a stage, and instability — these are the distractions of the mind and they are the obstacles.
दुःखदौर्मनस्यांगमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः ॥ १.३१ ॥
duḥkhadaurmanasyāṅgamejayatvaśvāsapraśvāsā vikṣepasahabhuvaḥ || 1.31 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Pain, discouragement, trembling of the body, and irregular breathing accompany those distractions.
तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः ॥ १.३२ ॥
tatpratiṣedhārtham ekatattvābhyāsaḥ || 1.32 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
To remove these obstacles, practice concentration on a single truth.
मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥ १.३३ ॥
maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṇāṃ sukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇyaviṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaś cittaprasādanam || 1.33 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the suffering, joy for the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked purifies the mind.
प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य ॥ १.३४ ॥
pracchardanavidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya || 1.34 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Or by the expulsion and retention of the breath.
विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी ॥ १.३५ ॥
viṣayavatī vā pravṛttir utpannā manasaḥ sthitinibandhinī || 1.35 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Or the arising of a higher sensory activity holds the mind steady.
विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती ॥ १.३६ ॥
viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī || 1.36 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Or by a state that is free from sorrow and full of inner light.
वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम् ॥ १.३७ ॥
vītarāgaviṣayaṃ vā cittam || 1.37 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Or by resting the mind on those who are free from attachment.
स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा ॥ १.३८ ॥
svapnanidrājñānālambanaṃ vā || 1.38 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Or by taking as support knowledge that comes from dream or sleep.
यथाभिमतध्यानाद्वा ॥ १.३९ ॥
yathābhimatadhyānādvā || 1.39 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Or by meditating on any chosen object.
परमाणुपरममहत्त्वान्तोऽस्य वशीकारः ॥ १.४० ॥
paramāṇuparamamahattvānto 'sya vaśīkāraḥ || 1.40 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
His mastery extends from the smallest atom to the greatest immensity.
क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनता समापत्तिः ॥ १.४१ ॥
kṣīṇavṛtterabhijātasyeva maṇergrahītṛgrahaṇagrāhyeṣu tatsthatadañjanatā samāpattiḥ || 1.41 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When the movements of the mind have faded, the mind becomes like a clear crystal, taking on the color of what it rests on — the knower, the act of knowing, or the known.
तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः सङ्कीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः ॥ १.४२ ॥
tatra śabdārthajñānavikalpaiḥ saṅkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ || 1.42 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The absorption mixed with words, their meanings, and conceptual knowledge is called savitarka samapatti.
स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का ॥ १.४३ ॥
smṛtipariśuddhau svarūpaśūnyevārthamātranirbhāsā nirvitarkā || 1.43 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When memory is purified and the mind seems empty of its own form, shining only as the object, that is nirvitarka samapatti.
एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषया व्याख्याता ॥ १.४४ ॥
etayaiva savicārā nirvicārā ca sūkṣmaviṣayā vyākhyātā || 1.44 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
By this same explanation, savichara and nirvichara — which deal with subtle objects — are also explained.
सूक्ष्मविषयत्वं चालिङ्गपर्यवसानम् ॥ १.४५ ॥
sūkṣmaviṣayatvaṃ cāliṅgaparyavasānam || 1.45 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The domain of subtle objects extends all the way to the unmanifest.
ता एव सबीजः समाधिः ॥ १.४६ ॥
tā eva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ || 1.46 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
These are all samadhi with seed.
निर्विचारवैशारद्येऽध्यात्मप्रसादः ॥ १.४७ ॥
nirvicāravaiśāradye 'dhyātmaprasādaḥ || 1.47 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When nirvichara samadhi becomes clear and steady, inner spiritual light dawns.
ऋतम्भरा तत्र प्रज्ञा ॥ १.४८ ॥
ṛtambharā tatra prajñā || 1.48 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The wisdom in that state is filled with truth.
श्रुतानुमानप्रज्ञाभ्यामन्यविषया विशेषार्थत्वात् ॥ १.४९ ॥
śrutānumānaprajñābhyāmanyaviṣayā viśeṣārthatvāt || 1.49 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
This wisdom has a different object from knowledge based on testimony or inference, because it relates to specific particulars.
तज्जः संस्कारोऽन्यसंस्कारप्रतिबन्धी ॥ १.५० ॥
tajjaḥ saṃskāro 'nyasaṃskārapratibandhī || 1.50 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The impression born of this wisdom blocks all other impressions.
तस्यापि निरोधे सर्वनिरोधान्निर्बीजः समाधिः ॥ १.५१ ॥
tasyāpi nirodhe sarvanirodhānnirbījaḥ samādhiḥ || 1.51 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When even that impression is restrained, and all are restrained, seedless samadhi arises.