Patanjali Yoga Sutras - 1 (Samadhi Pada) - English

pātañjali yōga sūtrāṇi are concise aphorisms that describe how a restless mind can become steady, clear, and inwardly free. The sutras are intentionally compact: each line is a "pointer" that opens up through study, reflection, and sustained practice. Traditional study reads them with a teacher (guru) and a commentary; this meaning file is a structured aid for that kind of slow, repeatable contemplation.

The full work is arranged into four chapters (pādāḥ). samādhi pāda defines what yōga is, explains how the mind wanders, and outlines the core tools for steady focus. sādhana pāda turns that vision into daily discipline: it explains the causes of suffering, introduces kriyā-yōga, and lays the groundwork for the eight-limbed path.

atha samādhipādaḥ ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Now begins the chapter on deep meditation - the section that explains steady focus and inner stillness.

atha yōgānuśāsanam ॥ 1 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Now begins the disciplined teaching of yoga.

yōgaśchittavṛtti nirōdhaḥ ॥ 2 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Yoga is the stilling of the mind's fluctuations.

tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpē'vasthānam ॥ 3 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Then the seer rests established in its own true nature.

vṛtti sārūpyamitaratra ॥ 4 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
At other times, the seer identifies with the mind's modifications.

vṛttayaḥ pañchatayyaḥ kliṣṭā'kliṣṭāḥ ॥ 5 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The mind's modifications are fivefold, and they can be either afflicted or unafflicted.

pramāṇa viparyaya vikalpa nidrā smṛtayaḥ ॥ 6 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The five kinds of mental modifications are right knowledge, misconception, imagination, sleep, and memory.

pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni ॥ 7 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Right knowledge comes from direct perception, inference, and reliable testimony.

viparyayō mithyājñānamatadrūpa pratiṣṭham ॥ 8 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Misconception is false knowledge grounded in something other than the thing's true nature.

śabdajñānānupātī vastuśūnyō vikalpaḥ ॥ 9 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Imagination is a mental construct that follows words but lacks a corresponding reality.

abhāva pratyayālambanā vṛttirnidrā ॥ 10 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Sleep is a mental modification supported by the cognition of absence.

anubhūta viṣayāsampramōṣaḥ smṛtiḥ ॥ 11 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Memory is the retention of what has been experienced, without losing it.

abhyāsa vairāgyābhyāṃ tannirōdhaḥ ॥ 12 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Their stilling is accomplished through practice and dispassion.

tatra sthitau yatnō'bhyāsaḥ ॥ 13 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Practice is the effort to remain established in that steadiness.

sa tu dīrghakāla nairantarya satkārāsēvitō dṛḍhabhūmiḥ ॥ 14 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Practice becomes firmly grounded when it is sustained for a long time, done without interruption, and pursued with sincere care and reverence.

dṛṣṭānuśravika viṣaya vitṛṣṇasya vaśīkārasañjñā vairāgyam ॥ 15 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Dispassion is the mastery that arises when craving for objects seen or heard about no longer dominates.

tatparaṃ puruṣakhyātē-rguṇavaitṛṣṇyam ॥ 16 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The higher dispassion is freedom from craving even for the qualities of nature, born of clear discernment of the seer.

vitarka vichārānandāsmitārūpānugamāt samprajñātaḥ ॥ 17 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Absorption with cognitive support is accompanied by inquiry, subtle reflection, joy, and a subtle sense of individuality.

virāmapratyayābhyāsapūrvaḥ saṃskāraśēṣō'nyaḥ ॥ 18 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The other absorption is preceded by repeated practice of cessation, leaving only latent impressions.

bhavapratyayō vidēhaprakṛtilayānām ॥ 19 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
For the disembodied and those absorbed into nature, this state is caused by their condition of existence (their birth-state).

śraddhā vīrya smṛti samādhiprajñā pūrvaka itarēṣām ॥ 20 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
For other practitioners, it is preceded by trust, energy, mindfulness, steady focus, and insight.

tīvrasaṃvēgānāmāsannaḥ ॥ 21 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
For those with intense ardor and urgency, realization is near.

mṛdumadhyādhimātratvāttatō'pi viśēṣaḥ ॥ 22 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Even among seekers, there are distinctions based on whether the intensity is mild, moderate, or intense.

īśvarapraṇidhānādvā ॥ 23 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Alternatively, it can be attained through devoted surrender to the Lord.

klēśa karma vipākāśayairaparāmṛṣṭaḥ puruṣaviśēṣa īśvaraḥ ॥ 24 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The Lord is a special seer, untouched by afflictions, actions, their fruits, and the storehouse of latent impressions.

tatra niratiśayaṃ sarvajñabījam ॥ 25 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
In the Lord lies the unsurpassed seed of omniscience.

sa ēṣaḥ pūrvēṣāmapi guruḥ kālēnānavachChēdāt ॥ 26 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
He is also the teacher of the ancient teachers, being unbounded by time.

tasya vāchakaḥ praṇavaḥ ॥ 27 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The sacred syllable Om is the expressive symbol of the Lord.

tajjapastadarthabhāvanam ॥ 28 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Its repetition should be accompanied by contemplation of its meaning.

tataḥ pratyakchētanādhigamō'pyantarāyābhāvaścha ॥ 29 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From that comes direct realization of inner consciousness, and the removal of obstacles.

vyādhi styāna saṃśaya pramādālasyāvirati bhrānti
darśanālabdhabhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni chittavikṣēpāstēṃ'tarāyāḥ ॥ 30 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Illness, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, lack of restraint, mistaken perception, failure to attain stages, and instability are the obstacles that scatter the mind.

duḥkha daurmanasyāṅgamējayatva śvāsapraśvāsā vikṣēpasahabhuvaḥ ॥ 31 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Suffering, dejection, bodily agitation, and irregular breathing accompany mental distraction.

tatpratiṣēdhārthamēkatattvābhyāsaḥ ॥ 32 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
To counter these obstacles, practice one-pointed focus on a single principle.

maitrī karuṇā muditōpēkṣāṇāṃ sukha duḥkha puṇyāpuṇya viṣayāṇām-bhāvanātaśchittaprasādanam ॥ 33 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The mind becomes serene by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion toward the suffering, appreciative joy toward the virtuous, and equanimity toward the non-virtuous.

prachChardana vidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya ॥ 34 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Or, by working with the breath through exhalation and retention.

viṣayavatī vā pravṛttirutpannā manasaḥ sthiti nibandhinī ॥ 35 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Or, the mind can be steadied by an object-centered flow of attention that arises through the senses.

viśōkā vā jyōtiṣmatī ॥ 36 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Or, steadiness can arise through a luminous, sorrowless state of awareness.

vītarāga viṣayaṃ vā chittam ॥ 37 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Or, the mind can be steadied by taking as its object one who is free from attachment.

svapna nidrā jñānālambanaṃ vā ॥ 38 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Or, steadiness may be supported by insight gained from dreams and sleep.

yathābhimatadhyānādvā ॥ 39 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Or, by meditating on anything that is personally agreeable and elevating.

paramāṇu parama mahattvāntō'sya vaśīkāraḥ ॥ 40 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Mastery of the mind extends from the smallest to the greatest.

kṣīṇavṛttērabhijātasyēva maṇērgrahītṛgrahaṇa grāhyēṣu tatstha tadañjanatā samāpattiḥ ॥ 41 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When the mind's fluctuations are weakened, the mind becomes like a clear jewel, taking on the tint of the knower, the act of knowing, and the known - this is complete absorption.

tatra śabdārtha jñāna vikalpaiḥ saṅkīrṇā savitarkā samāpattiḥ ॥ 42 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
There, absorption accompanied by gross conceptual activity is the state in which word, meaning, knowledge, and conceptualization are intermingled.

smṛti pariśuddhau svarūpa śūnyēvārtha mātranirbhāsā nirvitarkā ॥ 43 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When memory is purified, the mind becomes as if empty of its own form, and only the object shines forth in awareness.

ētayaiva savichārā nirvichārā cha sūkṣmaviṣayā vyākhyātā ॥ 44 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
By the same reasoning, absorptions on subtle objects - with or without subtle reflection - are explained.

sūkṣma viṣayatvaṃ chāliṅgaparyavasānam ॥ 45 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The subtle-object domain culminates in the unmanifest.

tā ēva sabījaḥ samādhiḥ ॥ 46 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
These are forms of absorption with a supporting seed.

nirvichāra vaiśārādyē'dhyātmaprasādaḥ ॥ 47 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
From the lucidity of reflection-free absorption arises inner serenity and clarity.

ṛtambharā tatra prajñā ॥ 48 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
In that state, the insight is truth-bearing.

śrutānumāna prajñābhyāmanyaviṣayā viśēṣārthatvāt ॥ 49 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
It is different from knowledge gained through scripture or inference, because it pertains to the direct apprehension of the specific reality.

tajjaḥ saṃskārō'nyasaṃskāra pratibandhī ॥ 50 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
The impression born of that insight blocks other impressions.

tasyāpi nirōdhē sarvanirōdhānnirbījassamādhiḥ ॥ 51 ॥

Translation (bhāvārtha):
When even that impression is stilled, through complete cessation, seedless absorption is realized.

iti pātañjalayōgadarśanē samādhipādō nāma prathamaḥ pādaḥ ।

Translation (bhāvārtha):
Thus ends the first chapter, called "Samadhi Pada," in Patanjali's Yoga Darshana.

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