The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Two

Series

1. The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter One
2. The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Two (This post)
3. The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Three
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 many personal Yoga 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 Practitioner Training Programmes.

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two Title
sādhana-pādaḥ |
sādhana- means to accomplish
pādaḥ- section
“The section on the Means to accomplish.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1
tapaḥ svādhyāya-īśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ |
tapaḥ- self-discipline
svādhyāya- self-study
īśvara- divine
praṇidhānāni- respect
kriyā- activities
yogaḥ- the act of yoking
“The activities of Yoga are self-discipline, self-study and respect for the divine.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 2
samādhi-bhāvana-arthaḥ kleśa-tanū-karaṇa-arthaḥ ca |
samādhi- integration
bhāvana- cultivating
arthaḥ- purpose
kleśa- afflictions
tanū- attenuation
karaṇa- causing
arthaḥ- purpose
“Its purpose is cultivating integration and causing an attenuation of the afflictions.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 3
avidyā-asmitā-rāga-dveṣa-abhiniveśāḥ kleśāḥ |
avidyā- illusion
asmitā- sense of ‘I’ am-ness
rāga- attraction
dveṣa- aversion
abhiniveśāḥ- the will to stay alive
kleśāḥ- afflictions
“The afflictions are illusion, the sense of ‘I’ am-ness, attraction, aversion and the will to stay alive.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 4
avidyā kśetram-uttareṣāṃ prasupta-tanu-vicchinna-udārāṇām |
avidyā- illusion
kśetram- the field
uttareṣāṃ- the others
prasupta- latent
tanu- attenuated
vicchinna- inconsistent
udārāṇām- aroused
“Illusion is the field for the others whether they are latent, attenuated, inconsistent or aroused.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 5
anitya-aśuci-duḥkha-anātmasu nitya-śuci-sukha-ātma-khyātiḥ avidyā |
“Illusion is recognising what is transitory, impure, suffering and non-self as eternal, pure, pleasantness and self.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 6
dṛg-darśana-śaktyoḥ-eka-ātmatā-iva-asmitā |
“The sense of ‘I’ am-ness is when the powers of the seer and what is seen are as if one essence.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 7
sukha-anuśayī rāgaḥ |
“Attraction is the consequence of pleasantness.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 8
duḥkha-anuśayī dveṣaḥ |
“Aversion is the consequence of suffering.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 9
sva-rasa-vāhī viduṣaḥ api samā-ruḍhaḥ abhiniveśaḥ I
“The will to stay alive is a continuous self-disposition; constantly springing up, even in the wise person.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 10
te pratiprasava-heyāḥ sūkṣmāḥ |
“They, when subtle, must be avoided by going back to their origin.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 11
dhyāna-heyāḥ tat-vṛttayaḥ |
“Those movements are avoided by meditation.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 12
kleśa-mūlaḥ karma-āśayaḥ-dṛṣta-adṛṣta-janma-vedanīyaḥ |
“Afflictions rooted in the deposits of actions are known in seen and unseen birth.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 13
sati mūle tat-vipākaḥ jāti-āyur-bhogāḥ |
“Being the root, that results in disposition, span of life and experience.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 14
te hlāda-paritāpa-phalāḥ puṇya-apuṇya-hetutvāt |
“These fruits are pleasurable or painful, based on right or wrong causes.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 15
pariṇāma-tāpa-saṃskāra-duḥkhaiḥ guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāt-ca duḥkham-eva sarvaṃ vivekinaḥ |

“Indeed for the discriminating person all is suffering, due to the suffering from transformation, pain and tendencies; and the opposing movement in the activities of the attributes of nature.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 16
heyaṃ duḥkham-anāgatam |
“The suffering not yet come must be avoided.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 17
draṣṭṛ-dṛśyayoḥ saṃyogaḥ heya-hetuḥ |
“The cause of what must be avoided is the conjunction of the seer and the seen.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 18
prakāśa-kriyā-sthiti-śīlaṃ bhūta-indriya-ātmakaṃ bhoga-apavarga-arthaṃ dṛśyam |
“The seen has the qualities of brightness, activity and remaining, its nature is elements and senses, taking the role of our essence its purpose is worldly experience and emancipation.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 19
viśeṣa-aviśeṣa-liṅga-mātra-aliṅgāni-guṇa-parvāṇi |
“The distinct, the indistinct, the manifest alone and the unmanifest are the phases of the attributes of nature.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 20
draṣṭā dṛśi-mātraḥ śuddhaḥ api-pratyaya-anupaśyaḥ |
“The seer alone sees, although pure it observes through psychic activity.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 21
tat-artha eva-dṛśyasya-ātmā |
“That purpose of the seen is indeed for our essence.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 22
kṛta-arthaṃ prati-naṣṭam-api-anaṣṭaṃ tat-anya-sādhāraṇatvāt |
“With regard to its purpose completed it again disappears even though it is not disappeared, that being common for others.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 23
sva-svāmi-śaktyoḥ svarūpa-upalabdhi-hetuḥ saṃyogaḥ |
“Conjunction is the cause of apprehension of the own character of the two powers of the owner and the owned.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 24
tasya hetuḥ avidyā |
“Its cause is illusion.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 25
tat-abhāvāt-saṃyoga-abhāvaḥ hānaṃ tat-dṛśeḥ kaivalyam |
“That non-appearance is the non-appearance of the conjunction, that giving up is the seer in its abstraction.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 26
viveka-khyātiḥ aviplavā-hāna-upāyaḥ |
“Unwavering recognition of discrimination is the means for giving up.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 27
tasya saptadhā-prānta-bhūmiḥ prajñā |
“Of that final stage a sevenfold insight.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 28
yoga-aṅga-anu-ṣṭhānāt aśuddhi-kṣaye jñāna-dīptiḥ āviveka-khyāteḥ |
“Following and abiding by the limbs of Yoga the impurities diminish and knowledge illuminates up to recognition of discrimination.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 29
yama-niyama-āsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayaḥ aṣṭau-aṅgāni |
“Restraints, observances, posture, extending the breath, withdrawal from the senses, concentration, meditation and integration are the eight limbs.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 30
ahiṃsā-satya-asteya-brahmacarya-aparigrahāḥ yamāḥ |
“Non-harming, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-grasping are the restraints.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 31
jāti-deśa-kāla-samaya-anavacchinnāḥ sārva-bhaumāḥ mahā-vratam |
“When not bound by state of life, place, time or circumstance, in all levels, they are a great vow.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 32
śauca-saṃtoṣa-tapaḥ svādhyāya-īśvara-praṇidhānāni niyamāḥ |
“Self-purification, satisfaction, self-discipline, sacred study and dedication to the divine are the observances.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 33
vitarka-bādhane pratipakṣa-bhāvanam |
“When oppressed by negative reasoning cultivate the opposite side.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 34
vitarkāḥ hiṃsā-ādayaḥ kṛta-kārita-anumoditāḥ lobha-krodha-moha-pūrvakāḥ mṛdu-madhya-adhimātrāḥ duḥkha-ajñāna-ananta-phalāḥ iti pratipakṣa-bhāvanam |
“Negative reasoning such as harming and the rest; may be done, brought about, or by approval; is preceded by greed, anger or delusion; may be mild, moderate or intense; its endless fruits are suffering and ignorance; thus cultivate the opposite side.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 35
ahiṃsā-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ tat-saṃnidhau vaira-tyāgaḥ |
“In the presence of that established in non-harming animosity is forsaken.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 36
satya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ kriyā-phala-āśrayatvam |
“When established in truthfulness the fruit corresponds to the action.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 37
asteya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ sarva-ratna-upasthānam |
“When established in non-stealing all jewels appear.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 38
brahmacarya-pratiṣṭhāyāṃ vīrya-lābhaḥ |
“When established in continence energy is attained.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 39
aparigraha-sthairye janma-kathaṃtā-saṃbodhaḥ |
“When steadfastness in non-grasping total knowing of the wherefore of birth.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 40
śaucāt-sva-aṅga-jugupsā paraiḥ asaṃsargaḥ |
“From self-purification disdain for own body, non-association with others.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 41
sattva-śuddhi-saumanasya-eka-agrya-indriya-jaya-ātma-darśana-yogyatvāni ca |
“Clarity, purity, open-mindedness, one intention and mastery of the senses; fitness for the view from the essence.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 42
saṃtoṣāt-anuttamaḥ sukha-lābhaḥ |
“From satisfaction unsurpassed pleasantness is attained.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 43
kāya-indriya-siddhiḥ aśuddhi-kṣayāt-tapasaḥ |
“From self-discipline impurities diminish and accomplishment in the body and senses.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 44
svādhyāyāt-iṣṭa-devatā-saṃprayogaḥ |
“From self-study total joining together with reverenced divinity.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 45
samādhi-siddhiḥ īśvara-praṇidhānāt |
“From dedication to the divine, accomplishment in intregration.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 46
sthira-sukham-āsanam |
“Firmness and pleasantness is posture.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 47
prayatna-śaithilya-ananta-samāpattibhyām |
“Unity is from both relaxation of continued effort and the infinite.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 48
tataḥ dvandva-anabhighātaḥ |
“From that not troubled by the pair of opposites.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 49
tasmin-sati-śvāsa-praśvāsayoḥ gati-vicchedaḥ prāṇāyāmaḥ |
“Being in this, dividing the motion of the inhalation and the exhalation is extending the breath.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 50
bāhya-ābhyantara-stambha-vṛttiḥ deṣa-kāla-saṃkhyābhiḥ paridṛṣṭaḥ dīrgha-sūkṣmaḥ |
“The external, internal and suspension movements are seen to be long and subtle through place, time and number.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 51
bāhya-ābhyantara-viṣaya-ākṣepī caturthaḥ |
“The fourth transcends the external and internal as an object.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 52
tataḥ kṣīyate prakāśa-āvaraṇam |
“From that the covering of the light dissolves.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 53
dhāraṇāsu ca yogyatā manasaḥ |
“And fitness of the mind for concentration.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 54
sva-viṣaya-asaṃprayoge cittasya svarūpa-anukāraḥ iva-indriyāṇām pratyāhāraḥ |
“The disengagement from the own object of the psyche, as if imitating the own character of the senses, is withdrawal from the senses.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 55
tataḥ paramā vaśyatā-indriyāṇām ||
“From that best control of the senses.”

Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two Closing Verse
iti pātañjala yoga darśane sādhana-pādaḥ ||
“Thus Patañjali’s view of Yoga in the section on the Means to accomplish.”

Available as a Downloadable PDF or referenced as a resource within Dharma Downloads offering a full translation for Sādhana 
Pādaḥ or Book Two of Patañjali‘s 
Yoga 
Sūtra
 with English translations drawn from Paul Harvey’s many one to one lessons with his teacher TKV Desikachar over 20 years.

- updated February 17th 2013