Month: October 2026

Abhāva-pratyayālambanā vṛttir nidrā Meaning: Nidra, or sleep, is a mental modification in which the mind takes the cognition of absence as its object. After explaining…

“Shabda Jnana Anupati Vastu Shunyo Vikalpah.” Patanjali defines Vikalpa as a mental modification that arises from words, concepts or ideas without a corresponding reality behind…

  Viparyayo Mithyajnanam Atadroopa Pratishtham Meaning: Viparyaya is mistaken knowledge—an understanding that does not correspond to the true nature of the object. Patanjali now introduces…

“Pratyaksha Anumana Agamah Pramanani.” In Sutra 1.6, Patanjali introduced the five types of mental modifications, or vrittis. The first of these is Pramana—valid or right…

“Pramana Viparyaya Vikalpa Nidra Smritayah.” In Sutra 1.5, Maharshi Patanjali tells us that the movements of the mind, or vrittis, are of five kinds. In…

  Patanjali now takes us one step deeper into understanding the mind. In the previous sutra, we learned that when we are not established in…

  “Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra.” In simple words, Patanjali tells us: “At other times, we identify ourselves with the modifications of the mind.” The previous two…

“Tada Drashtuh Svarupe Avasthanam.” This is one of the most profound statements in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. It follows directly from the previous sutra, “Yogash Chitta…

  It means Yoga is helping to takeaway fluctuations of mind   Understanding the Three Gunas: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas According to Samkhya philosophy, everything…

A Practical Daily Yoga Takeaway The teachings of Patanjali need not remain limited to philosophy or a yoga mat. We can bring them into our…