Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras 1.1–1.5: Now Begins Yoga
A Deep Dive into the First Five Sūtras
Introduction
Welcome to this exploration of the opening aphorisms of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras (Sūtras 1.1 to 1.5). These foundational verses contain the entire architecture of Yoga in seed form—what it is, why it matters, and what kind of mind is ready for the path.
This article is designed to support both beginners and seasoned students with a clear, layered format that allows you to absorb each sūtra slowly and deeply.
For each sūtra, you’ll find:
Devanāgarī Text: The original Sanskrit script.
Roman Transliteration: For those not familiar with Devanāgarī script.
Chanting: A syllable-by-syllable guide for accurate recitation, including classical pronunciation adjustments.
Meaning: A literal, word-for-word translation—without interpretation or embellishment—to preserve the original meaning of the sūtra.
Audio Recording: Short clips- to help with accurate pronunciation and chanting.
Chanting Tips: Notes on articulation and meter to refine your recitation.
Grammatical Breakdown: A word-by-word analysis to build deeper understanding.
Commentary & Insights: Brief yet meaningful reflections, based on Vyāsa’s classical commentary—the earliest and most respected explanation of the Yoga Sūtras.
Whether you are reading, chanting, or reflecting, may this serve as a companion in your abhyāsa (steadfast practice) and svādhyāya (self-study) on the path of yoga.
Audio Recordings for Sūtras 1.1–1.5
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Sūtra 1.1
Devanāgarī
अ॒थ योगानु॑शास॒नम् ॥ १.१॥Transliteration
atha yogānuśāsanam || 1.1 ||Chanting
a-tha yo-gā-nu-śā-sa-namMeaning
Now, the instruction in Yoga.
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Pronounce tha in atha with a aspirated sound—tha (थ), not the unaspirated ta (त). This is a common mistake.
Pause slightly after atha to honor its significance—it marks not just the start of a text, but a turning inward for the student.
Grammatical Breakdown
atha (अथ)
Meaning: Now; an auspicious beginning
Form: Indeclinable adverb
Origin: Traditional word used to begin sacred texts; not derived from a verbal root and does not inflect
Context: Traditionally marks the sacred opening of spiritual discourse. According to Vyāsa, atha signifies that the student has undergone inner preparation: ethical living, introspection, and cultivation of faith.
yoga (योग)
Meaning: Yoga; union; integration; discipline
Form: Masculine noun; used in compound (yogayoḥo anuśāsanam - instruction in yoga)
Origin: From root √yuj (to unite, join, employ, connect) + suffix -a (forms a masculine noun)
Context: In this sūtra, yoga is defined as samādhi, the deep and sustained concentration of the mind. It sets the tone for the text, presenting yoga as an inner mental discipline rather than external ritual.
anuśāsanam (अनुशासनम्)
Meaning: Teaching; instruction; authoritative discipline
Form: Neuter noun; nominative singular
Origin: From anu- (following, after) + śāsana (instruction), from root √śās (to teach, govern, chastise), with suffix -ana (action noun); a Locative Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Refers to a structured, experiential system of transmission, an authoritative and time-tested body of teaching passed down through lineage.
Commentary & Insights
This opening sūtra is not merely a prologue—it is an invitation into a living discipline.
The word atha announces readiness. It signals that the student is no longer simply seeking knowledge, but is prepared to enter the path of transformation. Vyāsa makes it clear: this teaching begins when the student has cultivated enough clarity, steadiness, and sincerity to take it up with commitment.
Yoga, as introduced here, is not posture or union—it is Samādhi, the stillness and concentration of the mind. The next sūtra will define it precisely, but this verse sets the ground.
Anuśāsanam tells us this is not philosophical speculation—it is a method. A system. A transmission. And it exists for the sake of liberation.
According to Vyāsa, there are five states of mind, each indicating a different level of readiness for Yoga:
Kṣipta (restless) – Scattered, impulsive, dominated by passion or aversion; incapable of sustained attention.
Mūḍha (stupefied) – Dull or obsessed, absorbed in sense objects; clouded by inertia (tamas).
Vikṣipta (distracted) – Sometimes calm, sometimes agitated; common in practitioners.
Ekāgra (one-pointed) – Steady focus on one object; capable of deep insight and meditation.
Niruddha (arrested) – All mental activity has been voluntarily stilled through prolonged discipline.
Yoga, in its truest sense, begins only in the final two: ekāgra and niruddha. While temporary concentration may arise in other states, it does not last or lead to transformation. Real Yoga begins when the mind is prepared to stay—quietly, steadily—with what is real.
This sūtra sets the stage: the practice of Yoga begins when the mind is ready to receive and be transformed by discipline.
Sūtra 1.2
Devanāgarī
योगश्चित्तवृत्ति॑निरो॒धः ॥ १.२॥Transliteration
yogaś cittavṛttinirodhaḥ || 1.2 ||Chanting
yo-gaś chit-ta vṛit-ti ni-ro-dhaḥMeaning
Yoga is the stilling of the vṛttis (fluctuations) of the citta (mind-field).
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Pronounce ś in yogaś like “sh” in “shine.”
Pronounce vṛtti as vrit-ti, with a rolled ṛ and two distinct t sounds.
Pronounce dha in nirodhaḥ with an aspirated sound—dha (ध), not the unaspirated da (द). This is a common mistake.
The final word nirodhaḥ should land softly—it’s the heart of the definition.
Grammatical Breakdown
yogaḥ (योगः)
Meaning: Yoga; integration; discipline
Form: Masculine noun; nominative singular; main subject of the sentence
Origin: From root √yuj (to yoke, to unite) + suffix -a + nominative singular ending -ḥ
Context: Yoga is defined here as stilling, not union or posture. The word becomes yogaś before words starting with c, like citta, due to Sanskrit sandhi rules.
citta (चित्त)
Meaning: Mind-field; composed of manas (mind), buddhi (intellect), and ahaṅkāra (ego or I-ness)
Form: Neuter noun; used in compound (cittasya vṛttyāḥ)
Origin: From root √cit (to perceive, to be conscious) + suffix -ta (abstract noun)
Context: Refers to the subtle inner instrument through which we perceive, think, and identify. All mental activity arises and subsides within the citta.
vṛtti (वृत्ति)
Meaning: Fluctuation; modification; movement in the mind
Form: Feminine noun; used in compound (cittasya vṛttīnām nirodhaḥ)
Origin: From root √vṛt (to turn, move, revolve) + suffix -ti (abstract noun); a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Denotes the patterns or waves in the mind—thoughts, emotions, memories, and tendencies that shape one’s mental landscape.
nirodhaḥ (निरोधः)
Meaning: Stilling; restraint; quieting
Form: Masculine noun; nominative singular
Origin: From prefix ni- (down, inward) + root √rudh (to block, restrain) + suffix -a + nominative singular ending -ḥ; a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Refers to the mastery over mental activity through awareness and clarity. It is not suppression but a stilling of thought through deep understanding.
Commentary & Insights
This is the definition sūtra—the distilled essence of Yoga.
Yoga, says Patañjali, is not something we do. It is what remains when the fluctuations of the mind (vṛttis) are stilled. In that quiet, the true nature of consciousness reveals itself.
But there’s a curious detail here—he doesn’t say “all vṛttis.”
Sūtras are meant to be exact. So why not say: Yoga is the stilling of all vṛttis?
Take a moment to reflect. Could it be that not all mental activity is an obstacle? That some mental states—such as discernment, inquiry, or devotion—help lead us toward stillness? Vyāsa suggests that not every movement needs suppression; only those that obscure clarity.
Vyāsa also turns our attention to the guṇas—the three subtle forces that color the mind:
Sattva – clarity and wisdom
Rajas – agitation and craving
Tamas – dullness and inertia
When the mind is colored by rajas and tamas, it moves outward—toward sense pleasure, ego, or confusion. But as sattva increases, the mind becomes luminous and inward-facing. Eventually, even sattva is transcended, and the mind rests entirely in the Seer.
This sūtra is about freedom—freedom from distortion, distraction, and false identification. And that begins not by doing more, but by observing deeply, and learning to rest in stillness.
Yoga is not what we add.
It is what remains when we let go.
Sūtra 1.3
Devanāgarī
त॒दा द्र॒ष्टुः स्व॒रू॒पेऽ॑वस्था॒नम् ॥ १.३॥Transliteration
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe’vasthānam || 1.3 ||Chanting
ta-dā draṣ-ṭus sva-rū-pe’va-sthā-namMeaning
Then, [there is] abiding in the Seer’s own true form.
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Due to classical pronunciation rules, draṣṭuḥ svarūpe is pronounced draṣṭus svarūpe.
Pronounce draṣṭus with a clear retroflex ṣ, curling the tongue slightly back.
Pronounce thā in avasthā with a aspirated sound—tha (थ), not the unaspirated ta (त). This is a common mistake.
Slightly lengthen the pause after tadā—it marks a shift into the heart of yoga.
Grammatical Breakdown
tadā (तदा)
Meaning: Then; at that time
Form: Indeclinable adverb
Origin: From tad (that) in adverbial form + suffix -ā (indicates time)
Context: Refers to the moment described in 1.2, when mental fluctuations cease. Only then does the Seer abide in its true nature.
draṣṭuḥ (द्रष्टुः)
Meaning: Of the Seer; the witness; pure awareness
Form: Masculine noun; genitive singular
Origin: From root √dṛś (to see) + agentive suffix -tṛ (doer) + genitive ending -uḥ
Context: Refers to pure witnessing consciousness, distinct from the mind. Through sandhi, draṣṭuḥ becomes draṣṭus before svarūpe.
svarūpe (स्वरूपे)
Meaning: In its own form; in its true nature
Form: Neuter noun; locative singular
Origin: From sva (own) + rūpa (form) + locative ending -e
Context: Refers to the Seer’s essential, unchanging nature, unaffected by thoughts or mental activity.
avasthānam (अवस्थानम्)
Meaning: Abiding; resting; remaining
Form: Neuter noun; nominative singular
Origin: From prefix ava- (within, downward) + root √sthā (to stand, to stay) + suffix -ana (action noun) + ending -m
Context: Indicates a steady, undisturbed presence. The Seer rests in itself, unshaken by the movements of the mind.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra describes the fruit of the previous one:
When the fluctuations of the mind are stilled—then the Seer abides in its own nature.
Vyāsa explains that ordinarily, the Seer (pure awareness) appears entangled with the mind-field. It seems to become the thoughts, emotions, and impressions it witnesses. We say, “I am sad,” “I am thinking,” “I see,” and this “I” seems to be the self. But it is not.
This is the confusion Yoga resolves.
Vyāsa, quoting the ancient teacher Pañcaśikha, notes how consciousness and mental activity are often mistaken as one. The mind is illuminated by the Seer—just as a magnet influences iron nearby—but the Seer itself remains untouched.
As long as the citta is active, the Seer reflects what arises in it, like a still lake reflecting clouds. But when those ripples subside, the Seer no longer identifies with any object. It abides in its svarūpa—its own formless, luminous presence.
This is not something added. It is what’s left when everything else falls away.
When the Seer rests in itself:
The mind becomes an object, not the subject
Ahaṅkāra (I-sense) is recognized and transcended
Buddhi is no longer mistaken for awareness
The Seer is known as the self-luminous principle—revealing, but not needing to be revealed
This is self-realization, not as a concept but as a direct recognition. It is the experience of I am before any thought, role, or story.
This sūtra quietly assures us:
The Self is not hidden.
It’s just been obscured by movement.
Still the waves—and you will see.
Sūtra 1.4
Devanāgarī
वृत्तिसारूप्यमि॑तर॒त्र ॥ १.४॥Transliteration
vṛttisārūpyamitaratra || 1.4 ||Chanting
vṛit-ti sā-rū-pyam i-ta-ra-traMeaning
At other times, [the Seer] identifies with the vṛttis (fluctuations of the mind-field).
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Pronounce vṛtti as vrit-ti, with a rolled ṛ and two distinct t sounds.
The word itaratra contrasts sharply with tadā from the previous sūtra—emphasize that reversal.
Grammatical Breakdown
vṛtti (वृत्ति)
Meaning: Fluctuation; modification; mental activity
Form: Feminine noun; used in compound (vṛttīnām sārūpyam)
Origin: From root √vṛt (to turn, revolve, move) + suffix -ti (abstract noun); a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Refers to any movement in the citta, including thoughts, emotions, sensations, and memories.
sārūpyam (सारूप्यम्)
Meaning: Conformity; identification; sameness in form
Form: Neuter noun; nominative singular
Origin: From sa (with) + rūpa (form, shape) + suffix -yam (abstract noun); a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Indicates that the Seer identifies with the mind's contents and seems to become whatever the mind reflects, losing awareness of its own nature.
itaratra (इतरत्र)
Meaning: At other times; elsewhere
Form: Indeclinable adverb
Origin: From itara (other) + suffix -tra (locative/adverbial)
Context: Refers to times when the Seer is not established in its true form and instead merges with the fluctuations of the mind.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra is the counterpart to 1.3. When the mind is stilled, the Seer abides in its own nature. But itaratra—at other times—the Seer becomes absorbed in the vṛttis.
Vyāsa explains that the mind and awareness often get mixed up. The mind reflects the light of the Seer, so it appears conscious—but it isn’t. It only seems that way because of the Seer’s presence. Just as a lamp lights up everything in a room without becoming any of those things, the Seer lights up the mind without ever becoming the mind.
This confusion deepens through asmita—the sense of “I.” Every thought carries a trace of “I am thinking,” “I am feeling,” “I am doing.” But this “I” is not the real Self—it’s a reflection of it. With quiet observation, we begin to notice: even the sense of “I” is just another wave in the mind.
Vyāsa takes it a step further: even buddhi, the sharpest part of the mind, is not aware on its own. It only seems intelligent because it borrows the light of the Seer. Once this is seen clearly, everything in the mind—including thoughts, emotions, ego, even buddhi—becomes an object. Only the Seer remains as the subject.
Yoga helps us make this shift. Not by adding anything, but by revealing what was always there—pure awareness, silently watching.
When the mind is turbulent, the Seer reflects that turbulence. When the mind is quiet, the Seer shines clearly. But the Seer never is the mind. The error lies in misidentification.
Yoga is the process of reversing that mistake—gently turning awareness back on itself, until the Seer sees only itself.
This sūtra reminds us: Until we rest in the clarity of 1.3, we are living in 1.4—mistaking the wave for the ocean.
Sūtra 1.5
Devanāgarī
वृ॒त्त॒यः पञ्चतय्यः क्लि॑ष्टाऽक्लि॒ष्टाः ॥ १.५॥Transliteration
vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ || 1.5 ||Chanting
vṛit-ta-yaf pañ-ca-ta-yyaf kli-ṣṭā-kli-ṣṭāḥMeaning
The vṛttis (fluctuations of the mind-field) are of five kinds—[either] afflicted (kliṣṭāḥ), or unafflicted (akliṣṭāḥ).
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Pronounce vṛtti as vrit-ti, with a rolled ṛ and two distinct t sounds.
The end (ḥ) of vṛttayaḥ and pañcatayyaḥ is pronounced as a soft “f” sound when followed by a voiceless consonant:
vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ is pronounced vṛttayaf pañcatayyaḥ
pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭā is pronounced pañcatayyaf kliṣṭā
Slightly pause after pañcatayyaḥ to highlight the structure: fivefold in nature, then their moral quality.
Grammatical Breakdown
vṛttayaḥ (वृत्तयः)
Meaning: The fluctuations; thought patterns
Form: Feminine noun; nominative plural; subject of the sentence
Origin: From root √vṛt (to move, turn) + suffix -ti (abstract noun) + plural ending -yaḥ (feminine nominative plural); a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Plural of vṛtti. Refers to the various movements in the citta including thoughts, emotions, sensations, and memories.
pañcatayyaḥ (पञ्चतय्यः)
Meaning: Fivefold; of five types
Form: Adjective; feminine plural
Origin: From pañca (five) + taya (group, type) + adjectival ending -yaḥ (feminine plural)
Context: Indicates that the fluctuations occur in five distinct types, which are elaborated in the following sūtras.
kliṣṭāḥ (क्लिष्टाः)
Meaning: Afflicted; troubled; suffering-inducing
Form: Adjective; feminine plural
Origin: From root √kliś (to torment or distress) + past participial suffix -ta (afflicted) + plural ending -āḥ
Context: Refers to vṛttis influenced by the five kleśas: ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and fear.
akliṣṭāḥ (अक्लिष्टाः)
Meaning: Unafflicted; uncolored; non-harming
Form: Adjective; feminine plural
Origin: From prefix a- (not) + kliṣṭa (afflicted) + plural ending -āḥ; a Dvandva (copulative) compound
Context: Refers to vṛttis that are free from the kleśas and aligned with clarity, discernment, and inner peace.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra lays the foundation for everything that follows. Patañjali now classifies the mental fluctuations—not by content, but by quality.
According to Vyāsa, all vṛttis fall into one of two categories:
Kliṣṭāḥ – afflicted vṛttis, colored by ignorance (avidyā), ego (asmitā), attachment, aversion, or fear.
Akliṣṭāḥ – unafflicted vṛttis, which purify the mind and support freedom.
What makes a vṛtti kliṣṭa isn’t always the topic—but the lens through which it’s seen. Even spiritual thoughts can be kliṣṭa if driven by pride or fear. And even analytical thoughts can be akliṣṭa if they cut through ignorance.
Vyāsa notes that these two types of vṛttis can interweave. A pure insight can arise in the midst of confusion, and ego can creep into even the highest contemplations. But with steady practice (abhyāsa) and dispassion (vairāgya), the unafflicted vṛttis grow stronger and begin to displace the afflicted ones.
Even akliṣṭa vṛttis leave impressions (saṃskāras)—but ones that move the mind toward stillness. Eventually, they too are released.
Patañjali is giving us a powerful lens here: don’t just observe what you're thinking. Observe what kind of thought it is.
Is it binding, or liberating?
Summary
As we close this first section, take a moment to reflect—not just on what you've read, but on how it lands in your own experience. In the next lesson, we’ll explore the five types of vṛttis in more detail and begin to recognize them more clearly.
