Patanjali Yoga Sootras - Chapter II - Saadhana Pad - Sootra 1 - 11

Patanjali Yoga Darshan (What I have understood)

CONTENTS

Chapter II 

Saadhana-Pad
Sootra 1 - Sootra 11

1. तपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि क्रियायोगः ।
 Tapah Svadhyaay Ishwarapranidhaanaani kriyaayogah
TAPAH = PENANCE, AUSTERITY, SELF-DISCIPLINE; SVAADHYAAY = SELF STUDY; ISHWARA = GOD; ISHWARA=GOD, THE SUPREME BEING; PRANIDHANAANI = SURRENDER TO GOD; KRIYAYOGAH = YOGA OF ACTIVITY;
Penance, Self-Study and Surrender to God together constitute the Kriya Yoga (Yoga of Activity)
When one does not let the mind run after the senses, it is in total control. Such control of mind is called Tapah or penance.
Svaadhyaay is study of self through deep self inquiry like questioning "Who Am I".
There is an all powerful entity which is the cause of all creation, which is all encompassing, eternal without any beginning or end, which cannot be desroyed nor changed, which is formless. This entity is present everywhere and is the basic substance of all forms in the universe.  This entity can be called by any name like Eeshwara, God, Almighty etc. The most important is to surrender to this power which is Ishwarapranidhaan.
So, Doing Tapah, Swaadhyaay and Ishwarapranidhaan together is Kriya Yoga.

2. समाधिभावनार्थः क्लेशतनूकरणार्थश्च I
SAMAADHIBHAAVANAARTHAH KLESHATANOOKARANAARTHASHCHA
SAMAADHI= DEEP PEACE, DEEP MEDITATIVE STATE; BHAAVANAARTHAH= FOR THE FEELING OF; KLESH= SUFFERING; TANOOKARANAARTHAH=FOR REDUCING; CHA= AND
(Kriya Yoga is) For the purpose of feeling of deep meditative state (Samaadhi) and for Reducing the Suffering.
Doing Kriya Yoga through self-discipline, self-study and surrendering to the almighty, one can attain a deep Samaadhi. In this state there is connection with the real source which is the Real I, the mind activities are stopped and the suffering caused by the False I or Ego is reduced.

3. अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ।
AVIDYAASMITAARAAGADVESHAABHINIVESHAH KLESHAH
AVIDYA=IGNORANCE; ASMITA=I-CONSCIOUSNESS OR EGO; RAGA=ATTACHMENT; DVESHA=AVERSION, HATRED; ABHINIVESHAH=CLINGING TO LIFE,  IGNORANCE CAUSING FEAR OF DEATH; KLESHAH=SUFFERING
Causes of suffering are Lack of true sense of Self, Egoism or I-consciousness, Attachment, Hatred, and Fear of Death and Disease.

4. अविद्या क्षेत्रम् उत्तरेषां प्रसुप्ततनुविच्छिन्नोदाराणाम् ।
AVIDYA KSHETRAM UTTARESHAM PRASUPTATANUVICHHINNODAARAANAAM
AVIDYA=IGNORANCE; KSHETRAM=FIELD, BASIC; UTTARESHAM=REMAINING OR NEXT; PRASUPTA=LATENT, CONCEALED, DORMANT; TANU=REDUCED; VICHHINNA=SCATTERED; UDAARAANAAM=MASSIVE
Lack of true sense of self as a basic cause is present in all the remaining causes of suffering in a latent, reduced, scattered or in a massive way.
Ignorance about the Real I is called Avidya. Avidya is the basic cause of suffering which is indirectly responsible for all other causes of suffering.

5. अनित्याशुचिदुःखानात्मसु नित्यशुचिसुखात्मख्यातिरविद्या ।
ANITYAASHUCHIDUHKHAANAATMASU NITYASHUCHISUKHATMAKHYAATIRVIDYA
ANITYA= IMPERMANENT, NON-ETERNAL; ASHUCHI=IMPURE; DUHKHA= MISERY; ANATMASU= Of FALSE SELF; NITYA=ETERNAL; SHUCHI=PURE; SUKHA=JOYFULl; ATMA=SELF; KHYAATIHI= KNOWN AS; AVIDYA= LACK OF KNOWLEDGE, IGNORANCE, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE;
Seeing the impermanent, impure, miserable, non-self (self as the personality) in place of the eternal, pure and joyful real self is lack of true sense of self or Avidya.
Identifying with the impure (body) & miserable (mind) False I or Ego instead of the eternal, pure and joyful Real I is lack of true knowledge or Avidya.

6. दृग्दर्शनशक्त्योरेकात्मतेवास्मिता ।
DRIGDARSHANSHAKTYOREKATMATEVAASMITAA
DRIGDARSHAN= PERCEPTION; SHAKTYO=POWER OF; EKATMATA=IDENTIFYING; EVA=INDEED; ASMITA= EGO, BODY CONSCIOUSNESS;
Identifying with whatever is seen through power of perception is Ego (False I-consciousness).
The mind has power of perception through the sense organs. The mind does not stop at just perceiving but it identifies with everything as me, mine and I and reacts with judgments, emotions and counter actions to what is perceived. This happens because of the False I or considering one's body-mind-senses as I, which is Ego.

7. सुखानुशयी रागः
SUKHAANUSHAYEE RAAGAH
SUKHA=PLEASURE; ANUSHAYEE=STAY WITH; RAAGAH=ATTACHMENTS
Attachments stay with pleasure.
Attachment is when the mind finds pleasure in what is perceived. The mind runs after objects of pleasure. Delusion of mind causes ignorance about the ever joyful and blissful true self which does not need any external object for pleasure. So, the basic cause for this attachment is Avidya.

8. दुःखानुशयी द्वेषः ।
DUHKHAANUSHAYEE DVESHAH
DUHKHA=MISERY; ANUSHAYEE=STAY WITH, ACCOMPANY; DVESHAH=AVERSION, HATRED
Aversion or hatred stay with Misery.
Opposite of attachment is Hatred or Aversion which give us misery. Due to judgement, opinions, assumptions, presumptions and beliefs, the mind tries to avoid what is perceived and becomes miserable. This is also caused basically by Avidya or ignorance of true self, the very nature of which is always Love and Joy.

9. स्वरसवाही विदुषोऽपि तथारूढो भिनिवेशः ।
SVARASAVAHI VIDUSHAH API TATHAAROODHO BHINIVESHAH
SVARASAVAHI=FLOWING AS PER NATURE, AUTOMATICALLY; VIDUSHAH= LEARNED MASTER; TATHA=SO; ROODHAH=DICTATING, DOMINATING, RIDING ON; ABHINIVESHAH= CLINGING TO LIFE, BEING FULLY ABSORBED IN LIFE;
Flowing as per nature, clinging to life (as a cause of suffering) is dictating even the learned masters.
Naturally all living beings struggle to survive from death.
Fear of death is something each living being is born naturally with. This is meant for survival. But if the mind is too attached to life and very fearful and anxious about death and disease, then there is suffering.
So, knowing that I am not this vulnerable body but I am the formless, indestructible entity which is eternal, will remove all fear of disease and death.
Again, Lack of this knowledge or Avidya is the basic cause in this kind of suffering too.

10. ते प्रतिप्रसवहेयाः सूक्ष्माः ।
TE PRATIPRASAVAHEYAH SOOKSHMAH
TE=THEY; PRATI=OPPOSITE; PRASAVA= FORMED, CREATED, BORN; HEYAH=REJECTED; SOOKSHMAH=SUBTLE
Those subtle (kinds of suffering) are rejected when the opposing (thoughts) are formed.
These kinds of suffering can be replaced by opposing thoughts.

11. ध्यानहेयास्तद्वृत्तयः ।
DHYAANAHEYAH TAD VRUTTAYAH
DHYAANA=INTROSPECTION, MEDITATION; HEYAH=REJECTED; TAD VRUTTAYAH=THEIR TENDENCIES;
Introspection or meditation makes one reject the mental tendencies that are created by them (All these causes of suffering).
Mental tendencies such as Attachment, Hatred, Fear of Death etc. which cause suffering can be avoided through introspection and meditation.

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