Yoga Sūtra Chapter 1 – Samādhi Pāda

प्रथमः समाधिपादः
prathamaḥ samādhi-pādaḥ
51 Sūtras

Translation Notes:
Most translations taken from The Secret of Yoga Sūtra: Samādhi Pāda by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, with slight changes by KM. Please purchase the book for a truly comprehensive exposition of Chapter 1 of the Sūtras.

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Sūtra 1.1
अथ योगानुशासनम् ॥१॥
atha yogānuśāsanam ॥1॥

Now begins the discipline of Yoga

Sūtra 1.2
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥ 
yogaś-citta-vr̥tti-nirodhaḥ ॥2॥

Complete cessation over the roaming tendencies of the mind is Yoga

Sūtra 1.3
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपे ऽवस्थानम् ॥३॥
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe ‘vasthānam ॥3॥

Then the Seer becomes established in its own essential nature

Sūtra 1.4
वृत्तिसारूप्यमितरत्र ॥४॥
vr̥tti-sārūpyam itaratra ॥4॥

At all other times, the Seer identifies with the roaming tendencies of the mind

Sūtra 1.5
वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः ॥५॥
vr̥ttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ ॥5॥

The tendencies that cause the mind to rotate are fivefold. They are either afflicting or non-afflicting

Sūtra 1.6
प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः ॥६॥
pramāṇa-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidrā-smr̥tayaḥ ॥6॥

The five mental functions are correct understanding, false understanding, imagination, dreamless sleep and memory

Sūtra 1.7
प्रत्यक्षानुमानागमाः प्रमाणानि ॥७॥
pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni ॥7॥

Correct understanding is threefold: direct perception (through the senses), inference and that which is revealed through the scriptures

Sūtra 1.8
विपर्ययोमिथ्याज्ञानमतद्रूपप्रतिष्ठम् ॥८॥
viparyayo mithyā-jñānam atad-rūpa-pratiṣṭham ॥8॥

Mistaking the unreal has for real is false understanding (that which has no ground)

Sūtra 1.9
शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्योविकल्पः ॥९॥
śabda-jñānānupātī vastu-śūnyo vikalpaḥ ॥9॥

Imagination is knowledge which due to the use of words appears to have substance but in reality is empty

Sūtra 1.10
अभावप्रत्ययालम्बना वृत्तिर्निद्रा ॥१०॥
abhāva-pratyayālambanā vr̥ttir nidrā ॥10॥

The mind revolving around the cognition of non-existence is dreamless sleep

Sūtra 1.11
अनुभूतविषयासंप्रमोषः स्मृतिः ॥११॥
anubhūta-viṣayāsaṁpramoṣaḥ smr̥tiḥ ॥11॥

Not being completely disconnected from the objects of previous experiences is memory

Sūtra 1.12
अभ्यासवैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः ॥१२॥
abhyāsa-vairāgyābhyāṁ tan-nirodhaḥ ॥12॥

Those (mental functions) can be mastered through practice and non-attachment

Sūtra 1.13
तत्र स्थितौ यत्नो ऽभ्यासः ॥१३॥
tatra sthitau yatno ‘bhyāsaḥ ॥13॥

Enthusiastic effort to stabilize the peaceful flow of mind free from roaming tendencies is abhyāsa

Sūtra 1.14
स तु दीर्घकालनैरन्तर्यसत्कारासेवितो दृढभूमिः ॥१४॥
sa tu dīrgha-kāla-nairantarya-satkārāsevito dr̥ḍha-bhūmiḥ ॥14॥

That becomes firm only when done for a long period of time, continuously with no interruption, and with reverence

Sūtra 1.15
दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्ञा वैराग्यम् ॥१५॥
dr̥ṣṭānuśravika-viṣaya-vitr̥ṣṇasya vaśīkāra-saṁjñā vairāgyam ॥15॥

Non-attachment, known as vaśīkāra-samjñā, occurs when one is free from the craving for sense objects and objects mentioned in the scriptures

Sūtra 1.16
तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेर्गुणवैतृष्ण्यम् ॥१६॥
tat-paraṁ puruṣa-khyāter guṇa-vaitr̥ṣṇyam ॥16॥

The highest level of non-attachment, leading to self-realization, takes place when the aspirant is free from all desires, including the desires resulting from the interplay of the gunas (the sattvic, rajasic & tamasic forces of nature

Sūtra 1.17
वितर्कविचारानन्दास्मितारूपानुगमात्संप्रज्ञातः ॥१७॥
vitarka-vicārānandāsmitā-rūpānugamāt saṁprajñātaḥ ॥17॥

Samprajñāta samadhi (state of samadhi with an object), is accompanied by a gross object, a subtle object, joy, or a feeling of I-am-ness

Sūtra 1.18
विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषो ऽन्यः ॥१८॥
virāma-pratyayābhyāsa-pūrvaḥ saṁskāra-śeṣo ‘nyaḥ ॥18॥

The higher level samādhi (asamprajñāta samadhi – samadhi without an object) is preceded by abhyasa, which brings all cognitions to a halt – only samskāras (deep-rooted impressions) remain

Sūtra 1.19
भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम् ॥१९॥
bhava-pratyayo videha-prakr̥ti-layānām ॥19॥

Sūtra 1.20
श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम् ॥२०॥
śraddhā-vīrya-smr̥ti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām ॥20॥

Sūtra 1.21
तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः ॥२१॥
tīvra-saṁvegānām āsannaḥ ॥21॥

Sūtra 1.22
मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततो ऽपि विशेषः ॥२२॥
mr̥du-madhyādhimātratvāt tato ‘pi viśeṣaḥ ॥22॥

Sūtra 1.23
ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा ॥२३॥
īśvara-praṇidhānād vā ॥23॥

Sūtra 1.24
क्लेशकर्मविपाकाशयैरपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः ॥२४॥
kleśa-karma-vipākāśayair aparāmr̥ṣṭaḥ puruṣa-viśeṣa īśvaraḥ ॥24॥

Sūtra 1.25
तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम् ॥२५॥
tatra niratiśayaṁ sarva-jña-bījam ॥25॥

Sūtra 1.26
स एष पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ॥२६॥
sa eṣa pūrveṣām api guruḥ kālenānavacchedāt ॥26॥

Sūtra 1.27
तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः ॥२७॥
tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ ॥27॥

Sūtra 1.28
तज्जपस्तदर्थभावनम् ॥२८॥
taj-japas tad-artha-bhāvanam ॥28॥

Sūtra 1.29
ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमो ऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च ॥२९॥
tataḥ pratyak-cetanādhigamo ‘py antarāyābhāvaś ca ॥29॥

Sūtra 1.30
व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्ते ऽन्तरायाः ॥३०॥
vyādhi-styāna-saṁśaya-pramādālasyāvirati-bhrāntidarśanālabdhabhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepās te ‘ntarāyāḥ ॥30॥

Sūtra 1.31
दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः ॥३१॥
duḥkha-daurmanasyāṅgamejayatva-śvāsa-praśvāsā vikṣepa-sahabhuvaḥ ॥31॥

Sūtra 1.32
तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः ॥३२॥
tat pratiṣedhārtham eka-tattvābhyāsaḥ ॥32॥

Sūtra 1.33
मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥३३॥
maitrī-karuṇā-muditopekṣāṇāṁ sukha-duḥkha-puṇyāpuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaś citta-prasādanam ॥33॥

Sūtra 1.34
प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य ॥३४॥
pracchardana-vidhāraṇābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya ॥34॥

Sūtra 1.35
विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धनी ॥३५॥
viṣayavatī vā pravr̥ttir utpannā manasaḥ sthiti-nibandhanī ॥35॥

Sūtra 1.36
विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती ॥३६॥
viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī ॥36॥

Sūtra 1.37
वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम् ॥३७॥
vīta-rāga-viṣayaṁ vā cittam ॥37॥

Sūtra 1.38
स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा ॥३८॥
svapna-nidrā-jñānālambanaṁ vā ॥38॥

Sūtra 1.39
यथाभिमतध्यानाद्वा ॥३९॥
yathābhimata-dhyānād vā ॥39॥

Sūtra 1.40
परमाणुपरममहत्त्वान्तो ऽस्य वशीकारः ॥४०॥
paramāṇu-parama-mahattvānto ‘sya vaśīkāraḥ ॥40॥

Sūtra 1.41
क्षीणवृत्तेरभिजातस्येव मणेर्ग्रहीतृग्रहणग्राह्येषु तत्स्थतदञ्जनता समापत्तिः ॥४१॥
kṣīṇa-vr̥tter abhijātasyeva maṇer grahītr̥-grahaṇa-grāhyeṣu tat-stha-tad-añjanatā samāpattiḥ ॥41॥

Sūtra 1.42
तत्र शब्दार्थज्ञानविकल्पैः संकीर्णा सवितर्का समापत्तिः ॥४२॥
tatra śabdārtha-jñāna-vikalpaiḥ saṁkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ ॥42॥

Sūtra 1.43
स्मृतिपरिशुद्धौ स्वरूपशून्येवार्थमात्रनिर्भासा निर्वितर्का ॥४३॥
smr̥ti-pariśuddhau svarūpa-śūnyevārthamātra-nirbhāsā nirvitarkā ॥43॥

Sūtra 1.44
एतयैव सविचारा निर्विचारा च सूक्ष्मविषया व्याख्याता ॥४४॥
etayaiva savicārā nirvicārā ca sūkṣma-viṣayā vyākhyātā ॥44॥

Sūtra 1.45
सूक्ष्मविषयत्वं चालिण्गपर्यवसानम् ॥४५॥
sūkṣma-viṣayatvaṁ cāliṇga-paryavasānam ॥45॥

Sūtra 1.46
ता एव सबीजः समाधिः ॥४६॥
tā eva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ ॥46॥

Sūtra 1.47
निर्विचारवैशारद्ये ऽध्यात्मप्रसादः ॥४७॥
nirvicāra-vaiśāradye ‘dhyātma-prasādaḥ ॥47॥

Sūtra 1.48
ऋतं भरा तत्र प्रज्ञा ॥४८॥
r̥taṁ bharā tatra prajñā ॥48॥

Sūtra 1.49
श्रुतानुमानप्रज्ञाभ्यामन्यविषया विशेषार्थत्वात् ॥४९॥
śrutānumāna-prajñābhyām anya-viṣayā viśeṣārthatvāt ॥49॥

Sūtra 1.50
तज्जः संस्कारो ऽन्यसंस्कारप्रतिबन्धी ॥५०॥
taj-jaḥ saṁskāro ‘nya-saṁskāra-pratibandhī ॥50॥

Sūtra 1.51
तस्यापि निरोधे सर्वनिरोधान्निर्बीजः समाधिः ॥५१॥
tasyāpi nirodhe sarva-nirodhān nirbījaḥ samādhiḥ ॥51॥