Yoga Sutra 1.

Translation and Commentary

BY Pandit Rajmani Tigunait

yogainternational.com | May 31, 2013

Translation
Then comes the right time to undertake the practice of yoga.
Yoga Sutra 1.1 Recitation

Audio Recitation by D.C. Rao, PhD

Atha: a term indicating auspicious beginning. It implies that there has been preparation
for an auspicious and fruitful journey. In the science of mantra, "atha" represents the

complete range of all sounds and phonemes. In tantra and kundalini yoga, "atha" is the
short form of "a," "ka," and "tha," the three letters that are the building blocks of the
guru chakrathe center that lies between the sixth and seventh chakras.

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Yoga means "union, balance, and a harmonious state of mind; bridging the different

aspects of life; connecting the individual consciousness with supreme consciousness; the
union of the twothe lover and the beloved, the seeker and God, Shiva and Shakti, ida
and pingala, the sun and moon, active and passive."
Anuhsanam = Anu + hsanam

Anu means "that follows; that which is accompanied by; along with; in accordance to; in
conformity with."

hsanam; means "discipline; administering; execution; bringing into practice; following law and order; being systematic."

In the Beginning
Renowned for over two thousand years, Patanjalis aphorisms on the practice and philosophy of yoga shine brilliantly, like a garland of jewels. Here, for contemplation, is the
first among them.

To gain a direct experience of yoga, you must commit yourself to a methodical

practice.

Yoga is more than a philosophy. It stands on the solid ground of philosophy, but it is an

experiential science. To gain a direct experience of yoga, you must commit yourself to a

methodical practice. However, before you undertake the practice of yoga, you must first

fulfill some prerequisites. Only then will you have an auspicious and productive journey.
The most important prerequisite is that you must know why you want to practice yoga.
The clearer you are about your goals and objectives, the less the chances of failure, for
you will have clear criteria for assessing whether or not you are moving in the right

direction. This clarity comes from knowing that there is something missing in lifethere
is something you want to have that you dont have. There is also something you have
that you dont want to haveyou want to get rid of it but you dont know how.

The philosophy that shows conclusively that the stream of life is mixed with sorrow and
joy and that there is a way of removing sorrow and embracing joy is called Sankhya,

and the basic knowledge of this philosophy is a prerequisite to the practice of yoga. The

desire to overcome all known and unknown forms of sorrow is an inherent characteristic
we all share. Sankhya elaborates this understanding. It helps us cultivate a right understanding of lifethe right understanding of body, breath, mind, consciousness, and the

world around us. It helps us know what to expect and what not to expect, both from ourselves and from others, and thus prevents us from becoming disappointed with life. The
better grasp we have of this philosophy, the more powerful the spiritual motive for
undertaking the practice of yoga.

According to another group of yogis, hatha yoga is a prerequisite to the practice of the
core of yoga as outlined in Patanjalis Yoga Sutra. Here hatha yoga means postures,

breathing exercises, and a positive attitude toward ones body and worldly relationships.
The practice of hatha yoga helps one eliminate or attenuate obstacles and thereby allows
the practitioner to undertake the spiritual aspect of yoga practices wholeheartedly.

Anuhsanam is an emphatic statement that yoga means practice. There is no room for
philosophical debates or other forms of intellectual gibberish. Anuhsanam also indi-

cates that if you are not committed to practice, dont waste your time reading books on

yoga. In order to practice yoga, you must put yourself under the guidance of a competent
teacher, follow the teachers instructions precisely, and not fool around with the prac-

tices. The instructions must flow from a genuine tradition, and you need to remain with

the teacher who is fully connected to the tradition. If you are still working on the preparatory steps, such as hatha yoga, simple pranayama, and concentration techniques, it is
all right to shop around. But if you wish to discover the inner dimensions of yoga that
guarantee everlasting peace and happiness, you must study under the guidance of an

experienced teacher and follow their instructions precisely. Anuhsanam is a statement

of your commitment to do that.

Spiritual head of the Himalayan Institute, Pandit Tigunait is the successor of Swami Rama of the Himalayas. Lecturing and teaching world-

wide for more than a quarter of a century, he is the author of fourteen

books, including his recently-released The Secret of the Yoga Sutra,

and his autobiography Touched by Fire: The Ongoing Journey of a Spiritual Seeker. Pandit
Tigunait holds two doctorates: one in Sanskrit from the University of Allahabad in India,
and another in Oriental Studies from the... Read more>>

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