On Practice
55 Verses
On Practice
साधन पाद
The second pada presents the practical path of yoga. It opens with kriya yoga — austerity, self-study, and surrender to God — as the means to weaken the afflictions. The five afflictions (ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life) are examined as the root of suffering. The eight limbs of yoga are introduced: the five restraints (yama), five observances (niyama), posture, breath control, and withdrawal of the senses. The chapter ends just before the inner limbs begin.
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तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः ॥ २.१ ॥
tapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni kriyāyogaḥ || 2.1 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Austerity, self-study, and surrender to God — these three are the yoga of action.
समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च ॥ २.२ ॥
samādhibhāvanārthaḥ kleśatanūkaraṇārthaśca || 2.2 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
This practice brings about samadhi and weakens the afflictions.
अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ॥ २.३ ॥
avidyāsmitārāgadveṣābhiniveśāḥ kleśāḥ || 2.3 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The five afflictions are: ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and the will to live.
अविद्या क्षेत्रमुत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम् ॥ २.४ ॥
avidyā kṣetramuttareṣāṃ prasuptatanuvicchinnodārāṇām || 2.4 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Ignorance is the ground for all the others, whether they are dormant, weakened, intermittent, or fully active.
अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या ॥ २.५ ॥
anityāśuciduḥkhānātmasu nityaśucisukhātmakhyātiravidyā || 2.5 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Ignorance is mistaking the impermanent for the permanent, the impure for the pure, pain for pleasure, and the non-self for the self.
दृग्दर्शनशक्त्योरेकात्मतेवास्मिता ॥ २.६ ॥
dṛgdarśanaśaktyorekātmatevāsmitā || 2.6 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Egoism is identifying the power of the seer with the power of sight as if they were one.
सुखानुशयी रागः ॥ २.७ ॥
sukhānuśayī rāgaḥ || 2.7 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Attachment is the craving that follows pleasure.
दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः ॥ २.८ ॥
duḥkhānuśayī dveṣaḥ || 2.8 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Aversion is the repulsion that follows pain.
स्वरसवाही विदुषोऽपि समारूढोऽभिनिवेशः ॥ २.९ ॥
svarasavāhī viduṣo 'pi samārūḍho 'bhiniveśaḥ || 2.9 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The will to live flows by its own momentum and exists even in the wise.
ते प्रतिप्रसवहेयाः सूक्ष्माः ॥ २.१० ॥
te pratiprasavaheyāḥ sūkṣmāḥ || 2.10 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
In their subtle form, these afflictions are overcome by resolving them back into their source.
ध्यानहेयास्तद्वृत्तयः ॥ २.११ ॥
dhyānaheyāstadvṛttayaḥ || 2.11 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Their active forms are overcome through meditation.
क्लेशमूलः कर्माशयो दृष्टादृष्टजन्मवेदनीयः ॥ २.१२ ॥
kleśamūlaḥ karmāśayo dṛṣṭādṛṣṭajanmavedanīyaḥ || 2.12 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The storehouse of karma, rooted in the afflictions, is experienced in present or future lives.
सति मूले तद्विपाको जात्यायुर्भोगाः ॥ २.१३ ॥
sati mūle tadvipāko jātyāyurbhogāḥ || 2.13 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
As long as the root exists, karma ripens into birth, lifespan, and experience.
ते ह्लादपरितापफलाः पुण्यापुण्यहेतुत्वात् ॥ २.१४ ॥
te hlādaparitāpaphalāḥ puṇyāpuṇyahetutvāt || 2.14 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
These fruits are joy or suffering, according to whether their causes are virtuous or harmful.
परिणामतापसंस्कारदुःखैर्गुणवृत्तिविरोधाच्च दुःखमेव सर्वं विवेकिनः ॥ २.१५ ॥
pariṇāmatāpasaṃskāraduḥkhairguṇavṛttivirodhācca duḥkhameva sarvaṃ vivekinaḥ || 2.15 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
To the person of discrimination, everything is suffering — because of the pain of change, of anxiety, of habit, and of the conflict among the qualities of nature.
हेयं दुःखमनागतम् ॥ २.१६ ॥
heyaṃ duḥkhamanāgatam || 2.16 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Future pain is to be avoided.
द्रष्टृदृश्ययोः संयोगो हेयहेतुः ॥ २.१७ ॥
draṣṭṛdṛśyayoḥ saṃyogo heyahetuḥ || 2.17 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The cause of future suffering is the union of the seer with the seen.
प्रकाशक्रियास्थितिशीलं भूतेन्द्रियात्मकं भोगापवर्गार्थं दृश्यम् ॥ २.१८ ॥
prakāśakriyāsthitiśīlaṃ bhūtendriyātmakaṃ bhogāpavargārthaṃ dṛśyam || 2.18 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The seen consists of elements and senses, with the qualities of luminosity, activity, and inertia. Its purpose is experience and liberation.
विशेषाविशेषलिङ्गमात्रालिङ्गानि गुणपर्वाणि ॥ २.१९ ॥
viśeṣāviśeṣaliṅgamātrāliṅgāni guṇaparvāṇi || 2.19 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The stages of the three qualities are: differentiated, undifferentiated, indicator-only, and unmanifest.
द्रष्टा दृशिमात्रः शुद्धोऽपि प्रत्ययानुपश्यः ॥ २.२० ॥
draṣṭā dṛśimātraḥ śuddho 'pi pratyayānupaśyaḥ || 2.20 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The seer is pure awareness alone, though pure, it appears to see through the colorings of the mind.
तदर्थ एव दृश्यस्यात्मा ॥ २.२१ ॥
tadartha eva dṛśyasyātmā || 2.21 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The entire nature of the seen exists only for the sake of the seer.
कृतार्थं प्रति नष्टमप्यनष्टं तदन्यसाधारणत्वात् ॥ २.२२ ॥
kṛtārthaṃ prati naṣṭamapyanaṣṭaṃ tadanyasādhāraṇatvāt || 2.22 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Though the seen ceases for one who has attained liberation, it does not cease for others, since it is shared by all.
स्वस्वामिशक्त्योः स्वरूपोपलब्धिहेतुः संयोगः ॥ २.२३ ॥
svasvāmiśaktyoḥ svarūpopalabdhihetuḥ saṃyogaḥ || 2.23 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The union of the seen and the seer is the cause for recognizing the true nature of both.
तस्य हेतुरविद्या ॥ २.२४ ॥
tasya heturavidyā || 2.24 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The cause of this union is ignorance.
तदभावात्संयोगाभावो हानं तद्दृशेः कैवल्यम् ॥ २.२५ ॥
tadabhāvātsaṃyogābhāvo hānaṃ taddṛśeḥ kaivalyam || 2.25 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When ignorance is gone, the union is gone. That removal is liberation for the seer.
विवेकख्यातिरविप्लवा हानोपायः ॥ २.२६ ॥
vivekakhyātiraviplavā hānopāyaḥ || 2.26 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The means of liberation is unbroken discriminative discernment.
तस्य सप्तधा प्रान्तभूमिः प्रज्ञा ॥ २.२७ ॥
tasya saptadhā prāntabhūmiḥ prajñā || 2.27 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
In the final stage, wisdom unfolds in seven steps.
योगाङ्गानुष्ठानादशुद्धिक्षये ज्ञानदीप्तिराविवेकख्यातेः ॥ २.२८ ॥
yogāṅgānuṣṭhānādaśuddhikṣaye jñānadīptirāvivekakhyāteḥ || 2.28 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
By practicing the limbs of yoga, impurities are destroyed and the light of knowledge shines, all the way to discriminative discernment.
यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावङ्गानि ॥ २.२९ ॥
yamaniyamāsanaprāṇāyāmapratyāhāradhāraṇādhyānasamādhayo 'ṣṭāvaṅgāni || 2.29 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The eight limbs of yoga are: restraints, observances, posture, breath control, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation, and absorption.
अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः ॥ २.३० ॥
ahiṃsāsatyāsteyabrahmacaryāparigrahā yamāḥ || 2.30 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The restraints are: non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-possessiveness.
जातिदेशकालसमयानवच्छिन्नाः सार्वभौमा महाव्रतम् ॥ २.३१ ॥
jātideśakālasamayānavacchinnaḥ sārvabhaumā mahāvratam || 2.31 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When these are not limited by birth, place, time, or circumstance, they become the great vow.
शौचसन्तोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः ॥ २.३२ ॥
śaucasantoṣatapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥ || 2.32 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The observances are: purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and surrender to God.
वितर्कबाधने प्रतिपक्षभावनम् ॥ २.३३ ॥
vitarkabādhane pratipakṣabhāvanam || 2.33 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When disturbed by harmful thoughts, cultivate the opposite thought.
वितर्का हिंसादयः कृतकारितानुमोदिता लोभक्रोधमोहपूर्वका मृदुमध्याधिमात्रा दुःखाज्ञानानन्तफला इति प्रतिपक्षभावनम् ॥ २.३४ ॥
vitarkā hiṃsādayaḥ kṛtakāritānumoditā lobhakrodhamohapūrvakā mṛdumadhyādhimātrā duḥkhājñānānantaphalā iti pratipakṣabhāvanam || 2.34 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Harmful thoughts such as violence, whether done, instigated, or approved, whether arising from greed, anger, or delusion, whether mild, medium, or intense, produce endless suffering and ignorance. Therefore cultivate the opposite.
अहिंसाप्रतिष्ठायां तत्सन्निधौ वैरत्यागः ॥ २.३५ ॥
ahiṃsāpratiṣṭhāyāṃ tatsannidhau vairatyāgaḥ || 2.35 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When one is firmly established in non-violence, all enmity is abandoned in one's presence.
सत्यप्रतिष्ठायां क्रियाफलाश्रयत्वम् ॥ २.३६ ॥
satyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ kriyāphalāśrayatvam || 2.36 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When one is established in truthfulness, actions and their results follow as one intends.
अस्तेयप्रतिष्ठायां सर्वरत्नोपस्थानम् ॥ २.३७ ॥
asteyapratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarvaratnopasthānam || 2.37 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When one is established in non-stealing, all wealth presents itself.
ब्रह्मचर्यप्रतिष्ठायां वीर्यलाभः ॥ २.३८ ॥
brahmacaryapratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīryalābhaḥ || 2.38 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When one is established in continence, great energy is gained.
अपरिग्रहस्थैर्ये जन्मकथन्तासम्बोधः ॥ २.३९ ॥
aparigrahasthairye janmakathaṃtāsambodhaḥ || 2.39 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When one is firmly established in non-possessiveness, knowledge of the how and wherefore of birth arises.
शौचात्स्वाङ्गजुगुप्सा परैरसंसर्गः ॥ २.४० ॥
śaucātsvāṅgajugupsā parairasaṃsargaḥ || 2.40 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
From purity comes indifference toward one's own body and disinclination for contact with others.
सत्त्वशुद्धिसौमनस्यैकाग्र्येन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शनयोग्यत्वानि च ॥ २.४१ ॥
sattvaśuddhisaumanasyaikāgryendriyajayātmadarśanayogyatvāni ca || 2.41 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
And purity of mind, cheerfulness, one-pointedness, mastery of the senses, and fitness for self-realization follow from purity.
सन्तोषादनुत्तमसुखलाभः ॥ २.४२ ॥
santoṣādanuttamasukhalābhaḥ || 2.42 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
From contentment comes supreme happiness.
कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात्तपसः ॥ २.४३ ॥
kāyendriyasiddhiraśuddhikṣayāttapasaḥ || 2.43 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Austerity, by destroying impurities, brings perfection to the body and sense organs.
स्वाध्यायादिष्टदेवतासंप्रयोगः ॥ २.४४ ॥
svādhyāyādiṣṭadevatāsaṃprayogaḥ || 2.44 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Self-study brings communion with one's chosen deity.
समाधिसिद्धिरीश्वरप्रणिधानात् ॥ २.४५ ॥
samādhisiddhirīśvarapraṇidhānāt || 2.45 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Perfection of samadhi comes from surrender to God.
स्थिरसुखमासनम् ॥ २.४६ ॥
sthirasukhamāsanam || 2.46 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Posture is steady and comfortable.
प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्तसमापत्तिभ्याम् ॥ २.४७ ॥
prayatnaśaithilyānantasamāpattibhyām || 2.47 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Posture is mastered by releasing effort and meditating on the infinite.
ततो द्वन्द्वानभिघातः ॥ २.४८ ॥
tato dvandvānabhighātaḥ || 2.48 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
From that, no disturbance from the pairs of opposites.
तस्मिन्सति श्वासप्रश्वासयोर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः ॥ २.४९ ॥
tasminsati śvāsapraśvāsayorgativichedaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ || 2.49 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
When posture is mastered, breath control — the regulation of inhalation and exhalation — follows.
बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिर्देशकालसंख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ॥ २.५० ॥
bāhyābhyantarastambhavṛttirdeśakālasaṃkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭo dīrghasūkṣmaḥ || 2.50 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Breath control has external, internal, and motionless phases, regulated by place, time, and number. It is long and subtle.
बाह्याभ्यन्तरविषयाक्षेपी चतुर्थः ॥ २.५१ ॥
bāhyābhyantaraviṣayākṣepī caturthaḥ || 2.51 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
The fourth type of breath control transcends the external and internal.
ततः क्षीयते प्रकाशावरणम् ॥ २.५२ ॥
tataḥ kṣīyate prakāśāvaraṇam || 2.52 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Through this, the veil that covers the inner light is destroyed.
धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः ॥ २.५३ ॥
dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ || 2.53 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
And the mind becomes fit for concentration.
स्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः ॥ २.५४ ॥
svaviṣayāsaṃprayoge cittasvarūpānukāra ivendriyāṇāṃ pratyāhāraḥ || 2.54 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
Withdrawal of the senses occurs when the senses detach from their objects and follow the nature of the mind.
ततः परमा वश्यतेन्द्रियाणाम् ॥ २.५५ ॥
tataḥ paramā vaśyatendriyāṇām || 2.55 ||
Simple English
Primary Translation
From this comes the highest mastery over the senses.