The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Three

Series

1. The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter One
2. The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Two
3. The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Three (This post)
4. The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Four

The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali
Aphorisms on Yoga compiled by Patañjali

Below you will find a verse by verse translation of each Sūtra, from Saṃskṛta into English, based on my 121 lessons with my Sūtra teachers TKV Desikachar (1979-2003) and S Ramaswami (1979-1985). In addition a sample word by word index is included for the first 4 verses.

A Sūtra study workbook with a verse by verse translation and word by word index for all the verses in this chapter is included as part of the Course Manual for all students participating in cYs Foundation Sūtra Study Courses or cYs Postgraduate Training Programmes.

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three Title
vibhūti-pādaḥ |
vibhūti- profound power
pādaḥ- section
“The section on Profound Power.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 1
deśa-bandhaḥ-cittasya dhāraṇā |
deśa- place
bandhaḥ- binding
cittasya- psyche
dhāraṇā- concentration
“Concentration is binding the psyche to a place.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 2
tatra pratyaya-ekatānatā dhyānam I
tatra- there
pratyaya- psychic activity
ekatānatā- continuity
dhyānam- meditation
“There the continuity of psychic activity is meditation.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 3
tat-eva-artha-mātra-nirbhāsaṃ sva-rūpa-śūnyam-iva samādhiḥ I
tat- that
eva- indeed
artha- purpose
mātra- alone
nirbhāsaṃ- shines forth
sva- one’s own
rūpa- character
śūnyam- empty
iva- as if
samādhiḥ- integration
“As if empty of one’s own character the purpose alone shines forth; that indeed is integration.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 4
trayam-ekatra saṃyamaḥ I
trayam- the three
ekatra- in the same place
saṃyamaḥ- complete control
“The three in the same place is complete control.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 5
tad-jayāt prajñā- ālokaḥ I
“From that mastery the light of insight.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 6
tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ |
“Its application is in stages.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 7
trayam-antar-aṅgaṃ pūrvebhyaḥ |
“The three are the internal limb from the preceding.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 8
tad-api bahir-aṅgaṃ nirbījasya |
“That also external limb to without seed.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 9
vyutthāna-nirodha-saṃskārayoḥ abhibhava-prādurbhāvau nirodha-kṣaṇa-citta-anvayaḥ nirodha-pariṇāmaḥ |
“The disappearance of the tendency of rising up is the appearance of the tendency of containment; successive moments of containment in the psyche is the transformation to containment.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 10
tasya praśānta-vāhitā saṃskārāt |
“From that tendency a serene flow.”

- updated January 13th 2012

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