Ashtanga-Yoga: The Eight-Limbed Path to Liberation

Verse 1 (garuda.1.226.1)

सूत उवाच वक्ष्ये साङ्गं महायोगं भुक्तिमुक्तिकरं परम् । सर्वपापप्रशमनं भक्त्यानुपठितं शृणु

sūta uvāca vakṣye sāṅgaṁ mahāyogaṁ bhuktimuktikaraṁ param sarvapāpapraśamanaṁ bhaktyānupaṭhitaṁ śṛṇu

Suta said: I shall describe the great yoga together with its limbs, the supreme bestower of enjoyment and liberation, the pacifier of all sin; hear it, recited with devotion.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.226.2)

ममेति मूलं दुः खस्य न ममेति निवर्तनम् । दत्तात्रेयो ह्यलर्काय इममाह महामतिः

mameti mūlaṁ duḥ khasya na mameti nivartanam dattātreyo hyalarkāya imamāha mahāmatiḥ

'Mine' is the root of sorrow; 'not mine' is its cessation — thus did the great-minded Dattatreya declare to King Alarka.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.226.3)

अहमित्यङ्कुरोत्पन्नो ममेति स्कन्धवान्महान् । गृहक्षेत्राणि शाखाश्च यत्र दाराभिपल्लवः

ahamityaṅkurotpanno mameti skandhavānmahān gṛhakṣetrāṇi śākhāśca yatra dārābhipallavaḥ

From the sprout called 'I' arises the great trunk called 'mine' — house and field are its branches, where one's wife is its tender shoot.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.226.4)

धनधान्ये महापत्रे पापमूलोऽतिदुर्गमः । विधिवत्सुखशान्त्यर्थं जातोऽज्ञानमहातरुः

dhanadhānye mahāpatre pāpamūlo'tidurgamaḥ vidhivatsukhaśāntyarthaṁ jāto'jñānamahātaruḥ

Wealth and grain are its great leaves; sin is its root, exceedingly difficult to overcome — this great tree of ignorance seems to have grown for the very sake of happiness and peace.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.226.5)

छिन्नो विद्याकुठारेण ते गता लयमीश्वरे । प्राप्य ब्रह्मरसं पीतं नीरजस्कमकण्टकम्

chinno vidyākuṭhāreṇa te gatā layamīśvare prāpya brahmarasaṁ pītaṁ nīrajaskamakaṇṭakam

When felled by the axe of knowledge, its parts merge into the Lord; having attained and drunk the essence of Brahman, free of dust and thorn —

Verse 6 (garuda.1.226.6)

प्राप्नुवन्ति पराः प्राज्ञाः सुखनिर्वृतिमेव च । मूर्तेन्द्रियलयं नूनं न त्वं राजन्न चाप्यहम्

prāpnuvanti parāḥ prājñāḥ sukhanirvṛtimeva ca mūrtendriyalayaṁ nūnaṁ na tvaṁ rājanna cāpyaham

— the supremely wise attain happiness and utter bliss. Surely, O king, neither you nor I are merely the dissolution of embodied senses.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.226.7)

न तन्मात्रादिकं वाचा नैवान्तः करणं तथा । कं वा पश्यसि राजेन्द्र प्रधानमिदमावयोः

na tanmātrādikaṁ vācā naivāntaḥ karaṇaṁ tathā kaṁ vā paśyasi rājendra pradhānamidamāvayoḥ

Neither the subtle elements, nor speech, nor the inner faculty are the true Self. What then, O king of kings, do you see as our essential nature?

Verse 8 (garuda.1.226.8)

मृतः परेऽह्नि क्षेत्रज्ञः संजातोऽयं गुणात्मकः । एकत्वेऽपि पृथग्भावस्तथा क्षेत्रात्मनो नृप

mṛtaḥ pare'hni kṣetrajñaḥ saṁjāto'yaṁ guṇātmakaḥ ekatve'pi pṛthagbhāvastathā kṣetrātmano nṛpa

The individual soul, though it dies on some day, is born again bound by the gunas; even in oneness, a seeming separateness appears between the body and the Self, O king.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.226.9)

ज्ञानपूर्ववियोगोऽसौ ज्ञाने नष्टे च योगिनः । सा मुक्तिर्ब्रह्मणा चैक्य मनैक्यं प्राकृतैर्गुणैः

jñānapūrvaviyogo'sau jñāne naṣṭe ca yoginaḥ sā muktirbrahmaṇā caikya manaikyaṁ prākṛtairguṇaiḥ

This separation precedes true knowledge; when ignorance is destroyed for the yogi, that liberation consists of oneness with Brahman and separation from the material gunas.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.226.10)

तद्गृहं यत्र वसति तद्भोज्यं येन जीवति । यन्मुक्तये तदेवोक्तं ज्ञानाज्ञाने न चान्यथा

tadgṛhaṁ yatra vasati tadbhojyaṁ yena jīvati yanmuktaye tadevoktaṁ jñānājñāne na cānyathā

That alone is truly one's house wherein the Self dwells; that alone truly one's food by which it lives — only what leads to liberation is called real, attained through knowledge and freedom from ignorance, not otherwise.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.226.11)

उपभोगेन पुण्याना मपुण्यानाञ्च पार्थिव । कर्तव्यानाञ्च नित्यानां क्षयन्त्वकरणात्तथा

upabhogena puṇyānā mapuṇyānāñca pārthiva kartavyānāñca nityānāṁ kṣayantvakaraṇāttathā

O king, merit and demerit are exhausted through the experience of their fruits; and likewise, obligatory duties accumulate as debt through their neglect.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.226.12)

अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहौ । यमाः पञ्चाथ नियमाः शौचं द्विविधमीरितम्

ahiṁsā satyamasteyaṁ brahmacaryāparigrahau yamāḥ pañcātha niyamāḥ śaucaṁ dvividhamīritam

Non-violence, truth, non-stealing, celibacy, and non-possession — these are the five yamas. Then the niyamas: purity, said to be of two kinds,

Verse 13 (garuda.1.226.13)

सन्तोषस्तपसा शान्तिर्वासुदेवार्चनं दमः । आसन पद्मकाद्युक्तं प्राणायामो मरुज्जयः

santoṣastapasā śāntirvāsudevārcanaṁ damaḥ āsana padmakādyuktaṁ prāṇāyāmo marujjayaḥ

contentment, peace through austerity, worship of Vasudeva, and self-control. Asana is described beginning with the lotus-pose; pranayama is mastery of the breath.

Verse 14 (garuda.1.226.14)

प्रत्येकं त्रिविधः सोऽपि पूरकुम्भकरेचकैः । लघुर्यो दशमात्रस्तु द्विगुणः स तु मध्यमः

pratyekaṁ trividhaḥ so'pi pūrakumbhakarecakaiḥ laghuryo daśamātrastu dviguṇaḥ sa tu madhyamaḥ

This too is threefold, by inhalation, retention, and exhalation. That which is of ten matras is light; double that is middling.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.226.15)

त्रिगुणाभिस्तु मात्राभिरुत्तमः स उदाहृतः । जपध्यानयुतौ गर्भो विपरीतस्त्वर्भकः

triguṇābhistu mātrābhiruttamaḥ sa udāhṛtaḥ japadhyānayutau garbho viparītastvarbhakaḥ

That with threefold matras is declared the highest. Pranayama performed with recitation and meditation is the mature ('garbha') kind; the reverse is the immature ('arbhaka') kind.

Verse 16 (garuda.1.226.16)

प्रथमे नजयेत्स्वप्नं मध्यमेन च वेपथुम् । विपाकं हि तृतीयेन जातान्दोषास्त्वनुक्रमात्

prathame najayetsvapnaṁ madhyamena ca vepathum vipākaṁ hi tṛtīyena jātāndoṣāstvanukramāt

By the first, sleep is conquered; by the middling, trembling; by the third, the ripening of faults — the faults arise and are removed in due sequence.

Verse 17 (garuda.1.226.17)

आसनस्थन्तुयुञ्जीत कृत्वा च प्रणवं हृदी । पार्ष्णिभ्यां लिङ्गवृषणौ स्पर्शन्नकाग्रमानसः

āsanasthantuyuñjīta kṛtvā ca praṇavaṁ hṛdī pārṣṇibhyāṁ liṅgavṛṣaṇau sparśannakāgramānasaḥ

Seated in the posture, having placed the pranava in the heart, touching the genitals with the heels, with the mind fixed at the tip of the nose, one should practice yoga —

Verse 18 (garuda.1.226.18)

रजसा तमसो वृत्तिं सत्त्वेन रजसस्तथा । निरुध्य निश्चलो भूत्वा स्थितो युञ्जीत योगवित्

rajasā tamaso vṛttiṁ sattvena rajasastathā nirudhya niścalo bhūtvā sthito yuñjīta yogavit

— restraining the activity of tamas by rajas, and of rajas by sattva, becoming motionless and steady, the knower of yoga should practice union.

Verse 19 (garuda.1.226.19)

इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः प्राणादीनम्न एव च । निगृह्य समवायेन प्रत्याहार मुपक्रमेत्

indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyaḥ prāṇādīnamna eva ca nigṛhya samavāyena pratyāhāra mupakramet

Withdrawing the senses from their objects, and likewise the vital breaths, by their combined restraint, one should undertake pratyahara.

Verse 20 (garuda.1.226.20)

प्राणायामा दशाष्टौ च धारणा सा विधीयते । द्वे धारणे स्मृतो योगो योगिभिस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः

prāṇāyāmā daśāṣṭau ca dhāraṇā sā vidhīyate dve dhāraṇe smṛto yogo yogibhistattvadarśibhiḥ

Eighteen pranayamas constitute one dharana; two dharanas are held by the truth-seeing yogis to be one unit of yoga.

Verse 21 (garuda.1.226.21)

प्राङ्नाड्यां हृदये चात्र तृतीया च तथोरसि । कण्ठे मुखे ना सिकाग्रे नेत्रे भ्रूमध्यमूर्धसु

prāṅnāḍyāṁ hṛdaye cātra tṛtīyā ca tathorasi kaṇṭhe mukhe nā sikāgre netre bhrūmadhyamūrdhasu

In the forward channel, in the heart, and thirdly in the chest; in the throat, mouth, tip of the nose, eyes, between the brows, and at the crown —

Verse 22 (garuda.1.226.22)

किञ्चित्तस्मात्परस्मिंश्च धारणा दशधा स्मृता । दशैता धारणाः प्राप्य प्राप्नोत्यक्षररूपताम्

kiñcittasmātparasmiṁśca dhāraṇā daśadhā smṛtā daśaitā dhāraṇāḥ prāpya prāpnotyakṣararūpatām

— and a little beyond that too — thus dharana is declared tenfold. Having attained these ten dharanas, one attains the form of the Imperishable.

Verse 23 (garuda.1.226.23)

यथाग्निरग्नौ संक्षिप्तस्तथात्मा परमात्मनि । ब्रह्मरूपं महापुण्यमोमित्येकाक्षरं जपेत्

yathāgniragnau saṁkṣiptastathātmā paramātmani brahmarūpaṁ mahāpuṇyamomityekākṣaraṁ japet

As fire merges into fire, so the self merges into the Supreme Self. One should recite the single, greatly meritorious syllable Om, the form of Brahman.

Verse 24 (garuda.1.226.24)

अकारश्च तथोकारो मकारश्चाक्षरत्रयम् । एतास्तिस्त्रस्ततो मात्राः सत्त्वराजसतामसाः

akāraśca tathokāro makāraścākṣaratrayam etāstistrastato mātrāḥ sattvarājasatāmasāḥ

A, U, and M — these are the three syllables; these are its three matras — sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic.

Verse 25 (garuda.1.226.25)

निर्गुणा योगिगम्याद्यार्धमात्रा परा स्थिता । गान्धारीति च विज्ञेया गान्धारस्वरसंश्रया । इत्येतदक्षरं ब्रह्म परमोङ्कारसंज्ञितम्

nirguṇā yogigamyādyārdhamātrā parā sthitā gāndhārīti ca vijñeyā gāndhārasvarasaṁśrayā ityetadakṣaraṁ brahma paramoṅkārasaṁjñitam

Beyond these is the qualityless half-matra, accessible only to yogis, which, resting on the Gandhara note, is also known as Gandhari. This very syllable is Brahman, called the supreme Om.

Verse 26 (garuda.1.226.26)

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः स्थूलदेहविवर्जितम् । अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्जरामरणवर्जितम्

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotiḥ sthūladehavivarjitam ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotirjarāmaraṇavarjitam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of the gross body. I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of old age and death.'

Verse 27 (garuda.1.226.27)

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः पृथिव्या मलवर्जितम् । अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्वाय्वाकाशविवर्जितम्

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotiḥ pṛthivyā malavarjitam ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotirvāyvākāśavivarjitam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of the impurity of earth. I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of air and space.'

Verse 28 (garuda.1.226.28)

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः सूक्ष्मदेहविवर्जितम् । अहं ब्रह्मपरं ज्योतिः स्थानास्थानविवर्जितम्

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotiḥ sūkṣmadehavivarjitam ahaṁ brahmaparaṁ jyotiḥ sthānāsthānavivarjitam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of the subtle body. I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of place and placelessness.'

Verse 29 (garuda.1.226.29)

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्गन्धमात्रविवर्जितम् । अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः श्रोत्रत्वक्परिवर्जितम्

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotirgandhamātravivarjitam ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotiḥ śrotratvakparivarjitam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of the mere sense of smell. I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of hearing and touch.'

Verse 30 (garuda.1.226.30)

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्जिह्वाघ्राणविवर्जितम् । अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिः प्राणापानविवर्जितम्

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotirjihvāghrāṇavivarjitam ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotiḥ prāṇāpānavivarjitam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of taste and smell. I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of the prana and apana breaths.'

Verse 31 (garuda.1.226.31)

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्व्यानोदानविवर्जितम् । अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिरज्ञानपरिवर्जितम्

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotirvyānodānavivarjitam ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotirajñānaparivarjitam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of the vyana and udana breaths. I am Brahman, the supreme light, free of ignorance.'

Verse 32 (garuda.1.226.32)

अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिस्तुरीयं परमं पदम् । देहेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिप्राणाहङ्कारवर्जितम्

ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotisturīyaṁ paramaṁ padam dehendriyamanobuddhiprāṇāhaṅkāravarjitam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light, the fourth state, the highest station — free of body, senses, mind, intellect, vital breath, and ego.'

Verse 33 (garuda.1.226.33)

नित्यशुद्धबुद्धंमुक्तमहामानन्दमद्वयम् । अहं ब्रह्म परं ज्योतिर्ज्ञानरूपो विमुक्तये

nityaśuddhabuddhaṁmuktamahāmānandamadvayam ahaṁ brahma paraṁ jyotirjñānarūpo vimuktaye

'Ever pure, awake, free, of the form of great bliss, without a second — I am Brahman, the supreme light, of the form of knowledge, for liberation.'

Verse 34 (garuda.1.226.34)

सूत उवाच । इत्यष्टाङ्गो मया योग उक्तः शौनक मुक्तिदः । नित्यनैमित्तिकं गत्वा लयं प्राकृतबन्धनाः

sūta uvāca ityaṣṭāṅgo mayā yoga uktaḥ śaunaka muktidaḥ nityanaimittikaṁ gatvā layaṁ prākṛtabandhanāḥ

Suta said: Thus, O Shaunaka, have I declared the eightfold yoga, the giver of liberation. Those bound by material bonds, even having passed through the regular and occasional dissolutions —

Verse 35 (garuda.1.226.35)

उत्पद्यन्ते हि संसारे नैकं यात्वा परात्मनाम् । विमुच्यते विमुक्तश्च ज्ञानादज्ञानमोहितः

utpadyante hi saṁsāre naikaṁ yātvā parātmanām vimucyate vimuktaśca jñānādajñānamohitaḥ

— not having attained oneness with the Supreme Self, are born again in samsara; but the being deluded by ignorance is freed through knowledge.

Verse 36 (garuda.1.226.36)

ततो नं म्रियते दुः खी न रोगी न च वन्धवान् । न पापैर्युज्यते योगी नरके न विपच्यते

tato naṁ mriyate duḥ khī na rogī na ca vandhavān na pāpairyujyate yogī narake na vipacyate

Thereafter he does not die in sorrow, is not afflicted by disease, nor bound; the yogi is not joined with sins, nor does he suffer in hell.

Verse 37 (garuda.1.226.37)

गर्भवासे स नो दुः खी स स्यान्नारायणोऽव्ययः । भक्त्या त्वनन्यया लभ्यो भगवान्भुक्तिमुक्तिदः

garbhavāse sa no duḥ khī sa syānnārāyaṇo'vyayaḥ bhaktyā tvananyayā labhyo bhagavānbhuktimuktidaḥ

He suffers no sorrow even in the womb; he becomes the imperishable Narayana himself. This Lord, who grants both enjoyment and liberation, is attained only through unwavering devotion —

Verse 38 (garuda.1.226.38)

ध्यानेन पूजया जप्यैः सम्यक्स्तोत्रैर्यतव्रतैः । यज्ञैर्दानैश्चित्तशुद्धिस्तया ज्ञानञ्च लभ्यते

dhyānena pūjayā japyaiḥ samyakstotrairyatavrataiḥ yajñairdānaiścittaśuddhistayā jñānañca labhyate

— through meditation, worship, recitation, right hymns of praise, disciplined vows, sacrifices, and gifts; by these, purity of mind is attained, and through it, knowledge.

Verse 39 (garuda.1.226.39)

प्रणवादिकमन्त्रैश्च जप्यैर्मुक्तिं गता द्विजाः । इन्द्रोऽपि परमं स्थानं गन्धर्वाप्सरसो वराः

praṇavādikamantraiśca japyairmuktiṁ gatā dvijāḥ indro'pi paramaṁ sthānaṁ gandharvāpsaraso varāḥ

Through recitation of mantras beginning with the pranava, twice-born men have attained liberation; Indra too attained the supreme station, and the finest gandharvas and apsarases,

Verse 40 (garuda.1.226.40)

प्राप्ता देवाश्च देवत्वं मुनित्वं मुनयो गताः । गन्धर्वत्वञ्च गन्धर्वा राजत्वञ्च नृपादयः

prāptā devāśca devatvaṁ munitvaṁ munayo gatāḥ gandharvatvañca gandharvā rājatvañca nṛpādayaḥ

— the gods attained godhood, sages attained sagehood, gandharvas attained gandharva-hood, and kings and others attained kingship.