Vyasa Teaches the Discipline of Yoga

Verse 1 (12.246.1)

पृच्छतस्तव सत्पुत्र यथावदिह तत्त्वतः । साङ्ख्यन्यायेन संयुक्तं यदेतत्कीर्तितं मया ॥

pṛcchatastava satputra yathāvadiha tattvataḥ | sāṅkhyanyāyena saṃyuktaṃ yadetatkīrtitaṃ mayā

To you who ask, my good son, I have declared this rightly and truly here, in keeping with the method of Sankhya.

Verse 2 (12.246.2)

योगकृत्यं तु ते कृत्स्नं वर्तयिष्यामि तच्छृणु । एकत्वं बुद्धिमनसोरिन्द्रियाणां च सर्वशः ॥

yogakṛtyaṃ tu te kṛtsnaṃ vartayiṣyāmi tacchṛṇu | ekatvaṃ buddhimanasorindriyāṇāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ

Now I shall set out for you the whole of what is to be done in Yoga; listen. It is the oneness of intellect and mind, and of all the senses.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.2a and line 2 is CE 12.232.2c.

Verse 3 (12.246.3)

आत्मनोऽव्यथिनस्तात ज्ञानमेतदनुत्तमम् । तदेतदुपशान्तेन दान्तेनाध्यात्मशीलिना ॥

ātmano'vyathinastāta jñānametadanuttamam | tadetadupaśāntena dāntenādhyātmaśīlinā

This, my child, is the unsurpassed knowledge of the self that does not waver; and it is to be understood by one who is calm and self-controlled, whose habit is inner contemplation,

Note on the text: Corrected तात् → तात (misprint in Wikisource; a stray halant; the vocative 'my child'; the critical edition reads tāta). Wikisource divides the CE's three-line verse 12.232.2 into couplets: line 1 is CE 12.232.2e (Wikisource आत्मनोऽव्यथिनः against CE ātmano dhyāyinaḥ, a recension variant, kept) and line 2 is CE 12.232.3a; the alignment found no match.

Verse 4 (12.246.4)

आत्मारामेण बुद्धेन बोद्धव्यं शुचिकर्मणा । योगदोषान्समुच्छिन्द्यात्पञ्च यान्कवयो विदुः ॥

ātmārāmeṇa buddhena boddhavyaṃ śucikarmaṇā | yogadoṣānsamucchindyātpañca yānkavayo viduḥ

who delights in the self, who is awakened, and pure in his acts. He should cut away the five faults of Yoga that the wise know:

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.3c and line 2 is CE 12.232.4a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 5 (12.246.5)

कामं क्रोधं च लोभं च भयं स्वप्नं च पञ्चमम् । क्रोधं शमेन जयति कामं संकल्पवर्जनात् ॥

kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca lobhaṃ ca bhayaṃ svapnaṃ ca pañcamam | krodhaṃ śamena jayati kāmaṃ saṃkalpavarjanāt

desire, anger, greed, fear, and sleep as the fifth. Anger he conquers by tranquillity, desire by giving up resolves.

Note on the text: Corrected क्रोधं त्त लोभं → क्रोधं च लोभं (misprint in Wikisource; त्त for च; not a word here; the critical edition reads kāmaṃ krodhaṃ ca lobhaṃ ca). Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.4c and line 2 is CE 12.232.5a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 6 (12.246.6)

सत्त्वसंसेवनाद्धीरो निद्रामुच्छेत्तुमर्हति । धृत्या शिश्नोदरं रक्षेत्पाणिपादं च चक्षुषा ॥

sattvasaṃsevanāddhīro nidrāmucchettumarhati | dhṛtyā śiśnodaraṃ rakṣetpāṇipādaṃ ca cakṣuṣā

By cultivating goodness (sattva) the steadfast man is able to cut off sleep. By firmness he should guard the generative organ and the belly, and the hands and feet by the eye;

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.5c and line 2 is CE 12.232.6a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 7 (12.246.7)

चक्षुःश्रोत्रे च मनसा मनो वाचं च कर्मणा । अप्रमादाद्भयं जह्याल्लोभं प्राज्ञोपसेवनात् ॥

cakṣuḥśrotre ca manasā mano vācaṃ ca karmaṇā | apramādādbhayaṃ jahyāllobhaṃ prājñopasevanāt

the eye and ear by the mind, the mind and speech by action. By vigilance he should cast off fear, and greed by serving the wise.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.6c and line 2 is CE 12.232.7a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 8 (12.246.8)

एवमेतान्योगदोषाञ्चयेन्नित्यमतन्द्रितः । अग्नींश्च ब्राह्मणांश्चार्चेद्देवताः प्रणमेत च ॥

evametānyogadoṣāñcayennityamatandritaḥ | agnīṃśca brāhmaṇāṃścārceddevatāḥ praṇameta ca

Thus, never idle, he should conquer these faults of Yoga. He should honour the fires and the brahmins, and bow to the gods.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.7c and line 2 is CE 12.232.8a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 9 (12.246.9)

वर्जयेदुशतीं वाचं हिंसायुक्तां मनोनुदाम् । ब्रह्म तेजोमयं शुक्रं यस्य सर्वमिदं ततम् ॥

varjayeduśatīṃ vācaṃ hiṃsāyuktāṃ manonudām | brahma tejomayaṃ śukraṃ yasya sarvamidaṃ tatam

He should avoid harsh, violent speech that wounds the mind. Brahman is full of radiance, pure, and by it all this is pervaded.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.8c and line 2 is CE 12.232.9a. Wikisource उशतीं against CE ruṣitāṃ, and ब्रह्म तेजोमयं शुक्रं यस्य सर्वमिदं ततम् against CE brahma tejomayaṃ śukraṃ yasya sarvam idaṃ rasaḥ, are recension variants, kept. The alignment found no match.

Verse 10 (12.246.10)

एतस्य सूत्रभूतस्य द्वयं स्थावरजङ्गमम् । ध्यानमध्ययनं दानं सत्यं ह्रीरार्जवं क्षमा ॥

etasya sūtrabhūtasya dvayaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam | dhyānamadhyayanaṃ dānaṃ satyaṃ hrīrārjavaṃ kṣamā

Of this, which runs through all as a thread, the twofold form is the unmoving and the moving. Meditation, study, giving, truth, modesty, uprightness, forbearance,

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.9c and line 2 is CE 12.232.10a. Wikisource एतस्य सूत्रभूतस्य द्वयं स्थावरजङ्गमम् against CE ekasya bhūtaṃ bhūtasya dvayaṃ sthāvarajaṅgamam is a recension variant, kept. The alignment found no match.

Verse 11 (12.246.11)

शौचमाहारसंशुद्धिरिन्द्रियाणां च निग्रहः । एतैर्विवर्धते तेजः पाप्मानं चापकर्षति ॥

śaucamāhārasaṃśuddhirindriyāṇāṃ ca nigrahaḥ | etairvivardhate tejaḥ pāpmānaṃ cāpakarṣati

purity, purity of food, and restraint of the senses: by these his radiance grows and sin is drawn off from him.

Note on the text: Corrected शोचमाहार → शौचमाहार (misprint in Wikisource; ओ for औ; the critical edition reads śaucam āhārasaṃśuddhiḥ). Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.10c and line 2 is CE 12.232.11a. The alignment found no match.

Verse 12 (12.246.12)

सिद्ध्यन्ति चास्य सर्वार्था विज्ञानं च प्रवर्धते । समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु लब्धालब्धेन वर्तयेत् ॥

siddhyanti cāsya sarvārthā vijñānaṃ ca pravardhate | samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu labdhālabdhena vartayet

All his aims are accomplished and his knowledge grows. Let him live even-minded toward all beings, content with whatever he gets or does not get.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.11c and line 2 is CE 12.232.12a. Wikisource विज्ञानं च प्रवर्धते against CE vijñānaṃ ca pravartate is a recension variant, kept. The alignment found no match.

Verse 13 (12.246.13)

धूतपाप्मा तु तेजस्वी लघ्वाहारो जितेन्द्रियः । कामक्रोधौ वशे कृत्वा निनीषेद्ब्रह्मणः पदम् ॥

dhūtapāpmā tu tejasvī laghvāhāro jitendriyaḥ | kāmakrodhau vaśe kṛtvā ninīṣedbrahmaṇaḥ padam

With his sin shaken off, radiant, light in his food, master of his senses, having brought desire and anger under control, he should aim to lead himself to the abode of Brahman.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: lines 1 and 2 are CE 12.232.12c and 12.232.12e. The alignment found no match.

Verse 14 (12.246.14)

मनसश्चेन्द्रियाणां च कृत्वैकाग्र्यं समाहितः । पूर्वरात्रेऽपरात्रे च धारयेन्मन आत्मनि ॥

manasaścendriyāṇāṃ ca kṛtvaikāgryaṃ samāhitaḥ | pūrvarātre'parātre ca dhārayenmana ātmani

Having made the mind and the senses one-pointed and collected, in the first and the last part of the night he should hold the mind in the self.

Verse 15 (12.246.15)

जन्तोः पञ्चेन्द्रियस्यास्य यदेकं छिद्रमिन्द्रियम् । ततोऽस्य स्रवते प्रज्ञा दृतेः पादादिवोदकम् ॥

jantoḥ pañcendriyasyāsya yadekaṃ chidramindriyam | tato'sya sravate prajñā dṛteḥ pādādivodakam

If even one sense, the one hole, is open in this creature of five senses, wisdom leaks out through it, like water from the foot of a leather bag.

Verse 16 (12.246.16)

मनस्तु पूर्वमादद्यात्कुमीनमिव मत्स्यहा । ततः श्रोत्रं ततश्चक्षुर्जिह्वा घ्राणं च योगवित् ॥

manastu pūrvamādadyātkumīnamiva matsyahā | tataḥ śrotraṃ tataścakṣurjihvā ghrāṇaṃ ca yogavit

Let him first take hold of the mind, as a fisherman takes a small fish; then the hearing, then the eye, the tongue and the nose, as one who knows Yoga.

Verse 17 (12.246.17)

तत एतानि संयम्य मनसि स्थापयेद्यतिः । तथैवापोह्य संकल्पान्मनो ह्यात्मनि धारयेत् ॥

tata etāni saṃyamya manasi sthāpayedyatiḥ | tathaivāpohya saṃkalpānmano hyātmani dhārayet

Then, having restrained these, the ascetic should fix them in the mind; and likewise, casting off all resolves, he should hold the mind in the self.

Note on the text: Word division corrected: तथैवापो ह्यसंकल्पान् → तथैवापोह्य संकल्पान् (misprint in Wikisource; the space is misplaced, giving the non-word ह्यसंकल्पान्; the critical edition reads tathaivāpohya saṃkalpān).

Verse 18 (12.246.18)

पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि संधाय मनसि स्थापयेद्यतिः । यदैतान्यवतिष्ठन्ति मनःषष्ठानि चात्मनि ॥

pañcendriyāṇi saṃdhāya manasi sthāpayedyatiḥ | yadaitānyavatiṣṭhanti manaḥṣaṣṭhāni cātmani

Having gathered the five senses, the ascetic should set them in the mind. When these, with the mind as the sixth, come to rest in the self,

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is a variant of CE 12.232.17a and line 2 is CE 12.232.17c. Wikisource पञ्चेन्द्रियाणि संधाय against CE pañca jñānena saṃdhāya is a recension variant (the page's footnote cites it), kept. The alignment found no match.

Verse 19 (12.246.19)

प्रसीदन्ति च संस्थाय तदा ब्रह्म प्रकाशते । विधूम इव सप्तार्चिरादित्य इव दीप्तिमान् ॥

prasīdanti ca saṃsthāya tadā brahma prakāśate | vidhūma iva saptārcirāditya iva dīptimān

and, settled, grow serene, then Brahman shines forth, like a smokeless fire, like the radiant sun.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is CE 12.232.17e and line 2 is a variant of CE 12.232.18a (Wikisource विधूम इव सप्तार्चिरादित्य इव दीप्तिमान् against CE vidhūma iva dīptārcir āditya iva dīptimān), kept. The alignment found no match.

Verse 20 (12.246.20)

वैद्युतोऽग्निरिवाकाशे दृश्यतेऽऽत्मा तथाऽऽत्मनि । सर्वस्तत्र स सर्वत्र व्यापकत्वाच्च दृश्यते ॥

vaidyuto'gnirivākāśe dṛśyate''tmā tathā''tmani | sarvastatra sa sarvatra vyāpakatvācca dṛśyate

As lightning-fire in the sky, so the self is seen in the self; and being all-pervading, it is seen there as the whole, everywhere.

Note on the text: Wikisource couplet: line 1 is a variant of CE 12.232.18c and line 2 a variant of CE 12.232.18e (Wikisource दृश्यतेऽऽत्मा तथाऽऽत्मनि, सर्वस्तत्र स सर्वत्र against CE paśyaty ātmānam ātmanā, sarvaṃ ca tatra sarvatra), kept. The alignment found no match.

Verse 21 (12.246.21)

तं पश्यन्ति महात्मानो ब्राह्मणा ये मनीषिणः । धृतिमन्तो महाप्राज्ञाः सर्वभूतहिते रताः ॥

taṃ paśyanti mahātmāno brāhmaṇā ye manīṣiṇaḥ | dhṛtimanto mahāprājñāḥ sarvabhūtahite ratāḥ

Great-souled brahmins who are wise see him, steadfast, of great understanding, and devoted to the welfare of all beings.

Verse 22 (12.246.22)

एवं परिमितं कालमाचरन्संशितव्रतः । आसीनो हि रहस्येको गच्छेदक्षरसाम्यताम् ॥

evaṃ parimitaṃ kālamācaransaṃśitavrataḥ | āsīno hi rahasyeko gacchedakṣarasāmyatām

Thus practising for a fixed time, firm in his vows, sitting alone in solitude, he may reach equality with the Imperishable.

Verse 23 (12.246.23)

विमोहो भ्रम आवर्तो घ्राणं श्रवणदर्शने । अद्भुतानि रसस्पर्शे शीतोष्णे मारुताकृतिः ॥

vimoho bhrama āvarto ghrāṇaṃ śravaṇadarśane | adbhutāni rasasparśe śītoṣṇe mārutākṛtiḥ

Bewilderment, confusion, whirling; wonders of smell, hearing and sight, wonders of taste and touch; cold and heat; the forms of the wind:

Note on the text: Wikisource विमोहो against CE pramoho (the page's footnote cites प्रमादो) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 24 (12.246.24)

प्रतिभामुपसर्गांश्चाप्युपसंगृह्य योगतः । तांस्तत्त्वविदनादृत्य आत्मन्येव निवर्तयेत् ॥

pratibhāmupasargāṃścāpyupasaṃgṛhya yogataḥ | tāṃstattvavidanādṛtya ātmanyeva nivartayet

having met, in the course of Yoga, these flashes of insight and these obstacles, the knower of truth should pay them no heed and turn them back into the self alone.

Verse 25 (12.246.25)

कुर्यात्परिचयं योगे त्रैकाल्ये नियतो मुनिः । गिरिशृङ्गे तथा चैत्ये वृक्षाग्रेषु च योजयेत् ॥

kuryātparicayaṃ yoge traikālye niyato muniḥ | giriśṛṅge tathā caitye vṛkṣāgreṣu ca yojayet

The self-restrained sage should practise Yoga at the three times of the day; he should apply himself on a mountain peak, at a shrine, or on the tops of trees.

Verse 26 (12.246.26)

संनियम्येन्द्रियग्रामं कोष्ठे भाण्डमना इव । एकाग्रं चिन्तयेन्नित्यं योगान्नोद्वेजयेन्मनः ॥

saṃniyamyendriyagrāmaṃ koṣṭhe bhāṇḍamanā iva | ekāgraṃ cintayennityaṃ yogānnodvejayenmanaḥ

Drawing in the whole host of the senses, as one gathers his wares into a storeroom, let him meditate ever one-pointed, and not let Yoga weary the mind.

Verse 27 (12.246.27)

येनोपायेन शक्येत संनियन्तुं चलं मनः । तत्तद्युक्तो निषेवेत न चैव विचलेत्ततः ॥

yenopāyena śakyeta saṃniyantuṃ calaṃ manaḥ | tattadyukto niṣeveta na caiva vicalettataḥ

By whatever means the unsteady mind can be restrained, let him take up that very means with discipline, and not waver from it.

Verse 28 (12.246.28)

शून्या गिरिगुहाश्चैव देवतायतनानि च । शून्यागाराणि चैकाग्रो निवासार्थमुपक्रमेत् ॥

śūnyā giriguhāścaiva devatāyatanāni ca | śūnyāgārāṇi caikāgro nivāsārthamupakramet

Empty mountain caves and the shrines of the gods, and empty houses: these, one-pointed, he should set about taking for his dwelling.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.232.26): Wikisource prints this verse with letters lost (शून्या गिरि---श्वैव … शून्यागारा---काग्रो); completed with the CE's words giri-guhāś caiva and śūnyāgārāṇi caikāgro (गुहा and णि चै).

Verse 29 (12.246.29)

नाभिष्वजेत्परं वाचा कर्मणा मनसाऽपि वा । उपेक्षको यताहारो लब्धालब्धे समो भवेत् ॥

nābhiṣvajetparaṃ vācā karmaṇā manasā'pi vā | upekṣako yatāhāro labdhālabdhe samo bhavet

He should not cling to another by speech, by deed or even by mind; indifferent, temperate in food, he should be even-minded in gain and loss.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.232.27): Wikisource prints this verse with letters lost (नाभिष्व---वाचा … उपे-----रो); completed with the CE's words nābhiṣvajet paraṃ vācā and upekṣako yatāhāro (जेत्परं and क्षको यताहा).

Verse 30 (12.246.30)

यश्चैनमभिनन्देत यश्चैनमभिवादयेत् । समस्तयोश्चाप्युभयोर्नाभिध्यायेच्छुभाशुभम् ॥

yaścainamabhinandeta yaścainamabhivādayet | samastayoścāpyubhayornābhidhyāyecchubhāśubham

Whether one rejoices in him or one salutes him, he should be even toward both, and not dwell in thought on good or ill.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.232.28): Wikisource prints this verse with letters lost (यश्चैन-----न्देत … समस्त-----भयोर्); completed with the CE's words yaś cainam abhinandeta and samas tayoś cāpy ubhayor (मभिन and योश्चाप्यु). Wikisource अभिवादयेत् against CE apavādayet (the page's footnote cites अपवादयेत्) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 31 (12.246.31)

न प्रहृष्येत लाभेषु नालाभेषु च चिन्तयेत् । समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु सधर्मा मातरिश्वनः ॥

na prahṛṣyeta lābheṣu nālābheṣu ca cintayet | samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu sadharmā mātariśvanaḥ

He should not exult in gains nor brood over losses; even toward all beings, he is like the wind in nature.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (12.232.29): Wikisource prints this verse with letters lost (न प्रहृ---भेषु … समः स-------षु); completed with the CE's words na prahṛṣyeta lābheṣu and samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu (ष्येत ला and र्वेषु भूते).

Verse 32 (12.246.32)

एवं सर्वात्मनः साधोः सर्वत्र समदर्शिनः । षण्मासान्नित्ययुक्तस्य शब्दब्रह्मातिवर्तते ॥

evaṃ sarvātmanaḥ sādhoḥ sarvatra samadarśinaḥ | ṣaṇmāsānnityayuktasya śabdabrahmātivartate

Thus for the good man whose self is the self of all, who sees the same everywhere, and who is constantly engaged for six months, the Brahman of the word is passed beyond.

Verse 33 (12.246.33)

वेदनार्ताः प्रजा दृष्ट्वा समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः । एतस्मिन्निरतो मार्गे विरमेन्न च मोहितः ॥

vedanārtāḥ prajā dṛṣṭvā samaloṣṭāśmakāñcanaḥ | etasminnirato mārge viramenna ca mohitaḥ

Seeing people afflicted by pain, looking on a clod, a stone and gold alike, devoted to this path, he should not turn back, nor be bewildered.

Verse 34 (12.246.34)

अपि वर्णावकृष्टस्तु नारी वा धर्मकाङ्क्षिणी । तावप्येतेन मार्गेण गच्छेतां परमां गतिम् ॥

api varṇāvakṛṣṭastu nārī vā dharmakāṅkṣiṇī | tāvapyetena mārgeṇa gacchetāṃ paramāṃ gatim

Even one fallen from his class, or a woman who seeks dharma: those two also may reach the highest goal by this path.

Verse 35 (12.246.35)

अजं पुराणमजरं सनातनं । यदिन्द्रियैरुपलभेत निश्चलैः । अणोरणीयो महतो महत्तरं । तदात्मना पश्यति युक्तमात्मवान् ॥

ajaṃ purāṇamajaraṃ sanātanaṃ | yadindriyairupalabheta niścalaiḥ | aṇoraṇīyo mahato mahattaraṃ | tadātmanā paśyati yuktamātmavān

The unborn, the ancient, the ageless, the everlasting, which one may grasp with senses held motionless, smaller than the small, greater than the great: this the self-possessed man, joined in Yoga, sees by the self.

Note on the text: Four-line verse (CE 12.232.33a, c with the half-lines divided at the semicolon); the page prints four short lines, kept as four lines.

Verse 36 (12.246.36)

इदं महर्षेर्वचनं महात्मनो । यथावदुक्तं मनसाऽनुदृश्य च । अवेक्ष्य चेमां परमेष्ठिसाम्यतां । प्रयान्ति यां भूतगतिं मनीषिणः ॥

idaṃ maharṣervacanaṃ mahātmano | yathāvaduktaṃ manasā'nudṛśya ca | avekṣya cemāṃ parameṣṭhisāmyatāṃ | prayānti yāṃ bhūtagatiṃ manīṣiṇaḥ

This is the word of the great sage, the great soul, spoken as it is; reflecting on it with the mind and looking toward this equality with the Supreme Lord, the wise reach that course of beings.

Note on the text: Four-line verse (CE 12.232.34a, c with the half-lines divided at the semicolon); the page prints four short lines, kept as four lines.