Verse by verse
The verses themselves
One page per verse: the Sanskrit in transliteration, a plain English rendering, what the verse actually asks of a practitioner, and — where it matters — how the line is commonly misquoted. 27 verses so far, added as we work through the texts.
Gheranda Samhita
circa 17th century CE
Hatha Yoga Pradipika
circa 15th century CE
- HYP 1.15Overeating, over-exertion, too much talking, rigid adherence to rules, mixing with crowds and restlessness — by these six, yoga is destroyed.
- HYP 1.16Enthusiasm, courage, perseverance, knowledge of principles, resolve and stepping back from the crowd — by these six, yoga succeeds.
- HYP 1.17Posture is said to be the first limb of hatha yoga.
- HYP 1.38Lying flat on the back like a corpse is śavāsana; it removes fatigue and gives the mind rest.
- HYP 2.1Once the posture is firm, the yogi — self-controlled and eating wholesome food in moderation — should practise breath regulation as taught by a teacher.
- HYP 2.2When the breath moves, the mind moves; when the breath is still, the mind is still. So the yogi should restrain the breath.
- HYP 2.16Practised correctly, breath regulation destroys all disease; practised wrongly, it gives rise to all disease.
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
circa 2nd century BCE - 4th century CE
- YS 1.1Now, the teaching of yoga.
- YS 1.2Yoga is the settling of the movements of the mind.
- YS 1.3Then the seer rests in its own nature.
- YS 1.12That settling comes through practice and non-attachment.
- YS 1.14Practice becomes firmly grounded when it is done for a long time, without interruption, and with care.
- YS 1.33The mind becomes clear by cultivating friendliness towards the happy, compassion towards the suffering, gladness towards the good, and equanimity towards the bad.
- YS 1.34Or through the deliberate exhalation and retention of the breath.
- YS 2.1Discipline, self-study and surrender to the divine are the yoga of action.
- YS 2.29Restraints, observances, posture, breath regulation, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation and absorption are the eight limbs.
- YS 2.30Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-possessiveness are the restraints.
- YS 2.32Cleanliness, contentment, discipline, self-study and surrender to the divine are the observances.
- YS 2.46Posture is steady and comfortable.
- YS 2.47It is achieved by relaxing effort and letting attention settle on the boundless.
- YS 2.48Then one is no longer troubled by the pairs of opposites.
- YS 2.49With that established, pranayama is the interruption of the flow of inhalation and exhalation.
- YS 3.1Concentration is binding the mind to one place.
- YS 3.2Meditation is the unbroken flow of attention there.
- YS 3.3When only the object shines and the sense of oneself as separate falls away, that is absorption.
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