Question: What is the greatest obstacle to meditation?
- TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1998 on ‘Models for Meditation According to Indian Tradition’
Category Archives: Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four
What is the greatest obstacle to meditation?
When an object is invisible, it is not invisible because it is not there……
“When an object is invisible, it is not invisible because it is not there, but because something hides it.
What you seek may be next door, but you won’t find it precisely because it is next door.”
- TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1998 on ‘Models for Meditation According to Indian Tradition’
According to Patañjali, comprehension is dependent opon two things……
“According to Patañjali (Yoga Sūtra C4 v17), comprehension is dependent opon two things:
1. Your interest
and
2. The proximity of the object.
Upekṣa is the interest of the Puruṣa for the object.
The success of Dhyāna depends on the force (Śakti) of the Puruṣa that pushes the mind to direct itself towards an object.
Without interest, there is no question and no answer.
If you have the interest, you will discover the proximity.”
- TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1998 on ‘Models for Meditation According to Indian Tradition’
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Cit, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Dhyānam, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
According to Patañjali even when you have something in front of you……
“According to Patañjali (Yoga Sūtra C4 v17), even when you have something in front of you, you may not see it.
Even when you don’t have something in front of you but you want to see it, you will see it.
Everything depends on YOU.
You may think you have a question when in reality you don’t;
or you may not have a question but will find it as well as the answer.”
- TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1998 on ‘Models for Meditation According to Indian Tradition’
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Cit, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Dhyānam, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Viniyoga, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
How does the ‘I’ influence Dhyāna?
Question: How does the ‘I’ influence Dhyāna?
“Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra, which describes every aspect of mental activity, provides an answer to this question…….”
- TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1998 on ‘Models for Meditation According to Indian Tradition’
Patañjali Yoga Sūtra Translated Verse by Verse
Available as a Downloadable PDF or referenced as a resource within Dharma Downloads offering a first full version (draft 3.1 December 23rd 2012) of Patañjali‘s Yoga Sūtra with verse by verse English translations drawing on my many one to one lessons with my teacher TKV Desikachar over 20 years.
A Sūtra study workbook with a verse by verse translation and full word by word index for various chapters are included as part of the Course Manuals for all students participating in cYs Foundation Sūtra Study Courses or cYs Practitioner Training Programmes or cYs Postgraduate Training Programmes.
If I don’t know what is true, there is no question of telling the truth.
“If I don’t know what is true,
there is no question of telling the truth.”
- TKV Desikachar France 1983
Also posted in Aṣṭāṅgā, Desikachar Quotations, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Viveka, Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Full translation of the Yoga Sūtra Book Four Kaivalya Pādaḥ
Available as a Downloadable PDF or referenced as a resource within Dharma Downloads offering a full translation for Kaivalya Pādaḥ or Book Four of Patañjali‘s Yoga Sūtra with English translations drawn from Paul Harveys many one to one lessons with his teacher TKV Desikachar over 20 years.
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.
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Yoga Sūtra Articles, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Avidyā and Freedom (Kaivalya) do not exist together……
“Avidyā and Freedom (Kaivalya) do not exist together. Here Avidyā represents both the basis and attitude towards our action. The aim of Yoga is to reach that state where our actions are not based on Avidyā.”
- T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra C2 v25
Kaivalyam is the art of experiencing the world as it is (Yoga Sūtra C4 v26) for……
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Kaivalya, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali Chapter Four
The Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali
Aphorisms on Yoga compiled by Patañjali
Here 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 Postgraduate Training Programmes.
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
The witness cannot be witnessed.
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Cit, Citta, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Psyches are created only from the sense of ‘I’ am-ness.
Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 4
nirmāṇa-cittāni-asmitā-mātrāt |
“Psyches are created only from the sense of ‘I’ am-ness.”
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Kleśa, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
The instrumental cause is not the initiator of the process of matter but……
Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 3
nimittam-aprayojakaṃ prakṛtīnāṃ varaṇa-bhedaḥ tu tataḥ kṣetrikavat |
“The instrumental cause is not the initiator of the process of matter but divides the surrounding, hence like a farmer.”
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Cit, Citta, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
The transformation into other births is due to the flow from……
Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 2
jāti-antara-pariṇāmaḥ prakṛti-āpūrāt |
“The transformation into other births is due to the flow from the process of matter.”
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Krishnamacharya’s teaching is a Nimitta Kāraṇa……
“Krishnamacharya’s teaching is a Nimitta Kāraṇa – Where you discover your own way.” (Yoga Sūtra Chapter Four verse 3)
- TKV Desikachar
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Cit, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
The new is not as strong as the old.
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Vāsana is an unconscious motivation directed towards satisfying a physiological or psychological need.
“Vāsana is an unconscious motivation directed towards satisfying a physiological or psychological need.” Yoga Sūtra Chapter 4 verse 8
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Paul Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Patañjali says that the problem is fed by internal elements……
“Patañjali says that the problem is fed by internal elements, by the search for immediate benefits in life, by external elements and by the psychic nature of the person.” (Yoga Sūtra C4 v11)
- TKV Desikachar
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
What factors promote favourable saṃskāra (tendencies)?
“What factors promote favourable saṃskāra (tendencies)?” (Yoga Sūtra C4 v11)
- TKV Desikachar January 10th 1995
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Saṃskāra (tendencies) is so powerful, it can lead you to act without thinking.
“Saṃskāra (tendencies) is so powerful, it can lead you to act without thinking.” (Yoga Sūtra C4 v11)
- TKV Desikachar January 12th 1995
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
But saṃskāra (tendencies) can be fed by vāsana (latent impressions).
“But saṃskāra (tendencies) can be fed by vāsana (latent impressions).” (Yoga Sūtra C4 v9)
- TKV Desikachar January 12th 1995
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
Everything we do has an origin.
”Everything we do has an origin.” (Yoga Sūtra C4 v10)
- TKV Desikachar January 10th 1995
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
How we look at something depends on what is within us.
“How we look at something depends on what is within us.” (Yoga Sūtra C4 v17)
- TKV Desikachar 30th December 2000
Also posted in All Yoga Sūtra Posts, Citta, Desikachar Quotations, Yoga Sūtra Freenotes
I do feel that verses 10 and 11 Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two offer……
This post arose from a comment in a thread yesterday on my facebook page:
“I feel that by know you are surely off YS 2.1?”
Its not something I think about often from that perspective so my thanks to Ivan for the following reflection: