Sutra 1.2
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥
Yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
Yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the mind.
The definitional sutra — the most quoted line in all of Yoga philosophy.
Pada 1 · 51 sutras
समाधि पाद
Samadhi Pada — On Contemplation
Samādhi Pāda
Central focus: What yoga is and what its highest state (samadhi) looks like
Audience: The advanced practitioner — one whose mind is already steady
Summary
Patanjali opens by defining yoga itself: yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ — yoga is the stilling of the modifications of the mind. He maps the five vrittis (mental waves), the two means of stilling them (abhyāsa + vairāgya), the kinds of samādhi (sa-bīja and nir-bīja), and the obstacles (antarāyas) that block the path. The chapter culminates in describing the seer abiding in its own true nature — the goal of all yoga.
Key concepts
- ●Yoga = nirodha (stilling) of mental modifications
- ●Five vrittis: pramāṇa, viparyaya, vikalpa, nidrā, smṛti
- ●Abhyāsa (practice) + vairāgya (dispassion) as the two wings
- ●Īśvara-praṇidhāna (surrender to the Lord) as a shortcut
- ●OM as the sound-symbol of Īśvara
- ●Nine antarāyas (obstacles): disease, lethargy, doubt, etc.
- ●Sabīja vs nirbīja samādhi (with-seed vs seedless)
Practice pillars
Abhyāsa (steady practice)Vairāgya (non-attachment)Īśvara-praṇidhāna (surrender)
Key sutras
Sutra 1.3
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥
Tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe’vasthānam
Then the seer abides in its own true nature.
Sutra 1.14
स तु दीर्घकाल नैरन्तर्य सत्कारादरासेवितो दृढभूमिः ॥
Sa tu dīrgha-kāla-nairantarya-satkārāsevito dṛḍha-bhūmiḥ
Practice becomes firmly grounded when done for a long time, without break, with devotion.
Sutra 1.33
मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥
Maitrī-karuṇā-muditopekṣāṇāṁ sukha-duḥkha-puṇyāpuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaś-citta-prasādanam
The mind becomes serene by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion toward the suffering, joy toward the virtuous, and equanimity toward the wicked.
The four brahma-vihāras — adopted later by Buddhism too.
Takeaway
The whole path begins with one decision: to still the mind. Everything else is technique to support that decision.