Patanjali Yoga Sootras - Chapter II - Saadhana Pad - Sootra 41- 55

Patanjali Yoga Darshan (What I have understood)

CONTENTS

Chapter II 

Saadhana-Pad
Sootra 41 - Sootra 55

41. सत्त्वशुद्धिसौमनस्यैकाग्र्येन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शनयोग्यत्वानि च ।
SATTVASHUDDHISAUMANASYA EKAGRA INDRIYAJAYAATMADARSHANYOGYATVANI CHA
SATTVASHUDDHI=PURIFICATION OF MIND; SAUMANASYA=JOYFULNESS, PLEASANT FEELING; EKAGRA=CONCENTRATION, ONE-POINTEDNESS; INDRIYAJAYA=MASTRY OVER SENSE ORGANS; ATMADARSHAN=SELF REALIZATION; YOGYATVANI=DESERVING; CHA
And the mind of divine purity and joyfulness with concentration and mastery over sense organs is most suitable for Self-Realization.
Cleanliness of body and mind brings divine purity. Making one most suitable for realizing the self.

42. संतोषाद् अनुत्तमः सुखलाभः ।
SANTOSHAD=FROM CONTENTMENT; ANUTTAMAH=SUPERLATIVE; SUKHA=PLEASURE; LAABHAH=GAIN
In contentment is superlative gain of pleasure.
When there is a feeling of contentment there are no anxieties or needs but only feeling of pleasure.
Being always joyful and contented manifests more of the experiences which bring joy.

43. कायेन्द्रियसिद्धिरशुद्धिक्षयात् तपसः ।
KAAYENDRIYASIDDHIRASHUDDHIKSHAYAAT TAPASAH
KAAYA=BODY; INDRIYA=SENSE ORGANS; SIDDHIHI=POWERS; ASHUDDHI=IMPURITY; KSHAYAT=FROM REDUCTION; TAPASAH= PENANCE; VISHUDDHI KSHAYAT=FROM REDUCTION OF IMPURITIES
Tapas brings power over body and senses from reduction in impurities (of mind)
Tapas (Penance) is rigorously following certain vows like giving up objects of attraction for the sake of victory of mind over sense organs.
When the body and senses are controlled by the mind, mind becomes very powerful.

44. स्वाध्यायाद् इष्टदेवतासंप्रयोगः ।
SVAADHYAAYAAD ISHTADEVATAASAMPRAYOGAH
SVAADHYAAYAAD=FROM SELF-STUDY; ISHTADEVATAA=DEITY; SAMPRAYOGAH=CONNECTION, BONDING
From self-study there is a bonding with Deity one worships.
When we study our scriptures, we are connected to our deity of worship which is actually the symbol of the highest power, the almighty, the Real Self.

45. समाधिसिद्धिरीश्वरप्रणिधानात् ।
SAMAADHISIDDHIRISHVARAPRANIDHAANAAT
SAMAADHI=DEEP MEDITATION; SIDDHI=ACHIEVEMENT; ISHVARA=GOD; ALMIGHTY; PRANIDHAANAAT=FROM SURRENDER
From longing for Eeshwara comes the achievement of deep meditative state.
When there is a earnest longing to God, all the negative thoughts and feelings go away, and it helps in achieving the Samaadhi or deep meditative state.

46. स्थिरसुखम् आसनम् ।
STHIRASUKHAM AASANAM
STHIRA=STEADY; SUKHAM=COMFORTABLE; AASANAM=POSTURE
Posture is (that which is) steady and comfortable.
Right posture is always required for steady meditation and fitness through doing Aasanaas brings ability to sit in a position for a long time and there are no distractions due to discomfort.

47. प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्तसमापत्तिभ्याम् ।
PRAYATNASHAITHILYAANANTASAMAAPATTIBHYAAM
PRAYATNA=EFFORT; SHAITHILYA=RELAXATION; ANANTA=LIMITLESS; SAMAAPATTIBHYAAM=FOR ENCOUNTERS
Effort for limitless encounters of meditation comes from relaxation of posture.
When posture is steady and comfortable, the effort to sit in meditation becomes relaxed and one can sit in meditation for a long time without disturbance.

48. ततो द्वन्द्वानभिघातः । 
TATO DVANDVAANABHIGHAATAH
TATAH=THEN; DVANDVA=DUALITIES OF LIFE; ANABHIGHAATAH=DO NOT HARM;
Then dualities of life do not harm.
Then dualities like heat and cold etc do not affect.

49. तस्मिन् सति श्वासप्रश्वासयोर्गतिविच्छेदः प्राणायामः ।
TASMIN SATI SHVAASAPRASHVAASAYORGATIVICCHEDAH
TASMIN=IN THAT; SATI=BEING SO DONE; SHVAASAPRASHWAASAYOH= OF INHALING AND EXHALING; GATIVICCHEDAH=CONTROLLING OF PACE
In that (posture), Pranaayaama, controlling the pace of incoming and outgoing breath is done.
Praana is a vital force of air which creates all movements including activity of incoming and outgoing of breaths. Pranaayaam is controlling the pace of these activities through concentration.

50. बाह्याभ्यन्तरस्तम्भवृत्तिः देशकालसंख्याभिः परिदृष्टो दीर्घसूक्ष्मः ।
BAAHYABHYANTARASTAMBHAVRUTTIHI DESHAKAALASANKHYAABHIHI PARIDRISHTO DEERGHASOOKSHMAH
BAHYA=BREATHING OUT; ABHYANTARA=BREATHING IN; STAMBHA=HOLDING; VRUTTI=ACTIVITIES; PARIDRISHTO= SEEN AS; DESHA=PLACE; KAALA=TIME; SANKHYAA=COUNTS
Breathing out, breathing in and holding are the activities of Praana or Life force which can be overseen as long or short depending on the place, time or counts.
Three tendencies of Praanaayaam are breathing out or Purak, breathing in or Rechak, and the third activity is holding the breath for some time between these two activities which is Kumbhak.
Kumbhak can be Bahya after breathing out or Abhyantar after breathing in. When there is a control on the vital force of prana, these activities can be controlled or overseen as short and long depending on place (out or in), time (or duration) and counts.

51. बाह्याभ्यन्तरविषयाक्षेपी चतुर्थः । 
BAHYAABHYANTARAVISHAYAAKSHEPEE CHATURTHAH
BAHYA=OUTGOING; ABHYANTARA=INCOMING; VISHAYA=MATTERS, SUBJECT; AKSHEPEE=RESTRAINING; CONTROLLING;
The fourth tendency of Praanaayam (that can be controlled through concentration on praana) is restraining of the mind from internal and external subjects.
The fourth tendency of Praanaayaam in addition to the three tendencies mentioned in the previous sootra is restraining of all the activities of mind pertaining to the external as well as the internal matters.
During praanaayam when there is focus on the vital force Praana through concentration on breathing, the thoughts and emotions are restrained.

52. ततः क्षीयते प्रकाशावरणम् ।
TATAH KSHEEYATE PRAKAASHAAVARANAM
TATAH=THEN; KSHEEYATE=WEAKENS; PRAKAASHAAVARANAM=VEIL OR COVERING ON THE LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE;
Then the veil on the light of knowledge of self weakens.
Then with Praanaayam, through concentration on Praana (or breathing), the veil of mental impressions covering the light of knowledge weaken.

53. धारणासु च योग्यता मनसः । 
DHAARANAASU CHA YOGYATAA MANASAH
DHAARANAASU=FOR DHAARANA; CHA=AND; YOGYATAA=ABILITY, DESERVING; MANASAH=MIND
And the mind becomes deserving for Dhaarana (Concentration,  the next limb among the eight limbs of Yoga)
With praanaayam the mind is ready for Dhaarana or concentration the next aspect of Ashtaanga Yog.

54. स्वस्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्य स्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः । 
SVASVAVISHAYAASAMPRAYOGE CHITTASYA SVAROOPAANUKAARA IVENDRIYANAM PRATYAAHAARAH
SVA=SELF; VISHAYA=SUBJECTS; ASAMPRAYOGE=NOT IDENTIFYING; CHITTYASYA=OF CONSCIOUSNESS; SVAROOPA=REAL SELF; ANUKAARA=FOLLOWS, EMULATES; IVENDRIYAM=OF SENSE ORGANS; PRATYAAHAARAH=RESTRAINING
Imitating the own true state of mind by not attaching with the objects of perception is Pratyaahaarah or restraining (of mind from sense perceptions).
The real self knows that what we perceive through our sense organs is not real, emulating this by not taking it as real or not identifying with the external objects by controlling the sense organs is Pratyaahaar.

55. ततः परमा वश्यतेन्द्रियाणाम् । 
TATAH PARAMA VASHYATENDRIYAANAAM
TATAH=THEN; PARAMA=SUPREME; VASHYATA=MASTERY; INDRIYANAAM=OF SENSE ORGANS
Then the sense organs are supremely mastered.

॥ इति पतञ्जलि विरचिते योगसूत्रे द्वितीयः साधनपादः ॥

Previous