Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras 1.6–1.11: Mapping the Vṛttis
Exploring the Five Vṛttis: From Knowing to Remembering
Introduction
Welcome back. In the previous section, we saw how Yoga is defined as the stilling of the mind-field. Now, in Sūtras 1.6 to 1.11, Patañjali classifies the five types of mental activity—what they are, how they arise, and why they matter.
📖 Missed the first part? Read Sūtras 1.1–1.5 here.
Audio Recordings for Sūtras 1.6–1.11
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Sūtra 1.6
Devanāgarī
प्र॒मा॒णवि॒प॒र्ययवि॒क॒ल्पनि॒द्रास्मृ॒तयः॑ ॥ १.६॥Transliteration
pramāṇaviparyayavikalpanidrāsmṛtayaḥ || 1.6 ||Chanting
pra-mā-ṇa-vi-par-ya-ya vi-kal-pa-ni-drā-smṛ-ta-yaḥMeaning
(Vṛttis are) correct perception, incorrect perception, imagination, sleep, and memory.
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Pronounce pramāṇa with a retroflex ṇa (ण), not the dental na (न).
In viparyaya, emphasize each syllable in ya-ya
Grammatical Breakdown
pramāṇa (प्रमाण)
Meaning: Right knowledge; valid cognition; correct perception
Form: Neuter noun; first in the grouping of the five vṛttis
Origin: From pra- (forth) + root √mā (to measure) + suffix -aṇa (instrumental noun)
Context: Refers to correct knowledge obtained through pratyakṣa (direct perception), anumāna (inference), or āgamāḥ (authoritative testimony).
viparyaya (विपर्यय)
Meaning: Wrong knowledge; misperception; error
Form: Masculine noun; second vṛtti
Origin: From vi- (apart, false) + pari- (around) + root √i (to go) + suffix -ya (abstract noun)
Context: Refers to mistaken or inverted cognition, where an object is perceived incorrectly or something unreal is imagined as real.
vikalpa (विकल्प)
Meaning: Imagination; verbal delusion; conceptualization
Form: Masculine noun; third vṛtti
Origin: From vi- (apart) + kalpa (formation), from root √kḷp (to form, imagine)
Context: Denotes mental constructs not grounded in perception—thoughts based purely on words or concepts, such as imagining a unicorn.
nidrā (निद्रा)
Meaning: Sleep; mental state of voidness
Form: Feminine noun; fourth vṛtti
Origin: From ni- (down) + root √drā (to sleep)
Context: Not a complete absence of awareness, but a fluctuation marked by the lack of specific mental content. Still counted among the vṛttis due to its distinct mental state.
smṛtayaḥ (स्मृतयः)
Meaning: Memories; recollections
Form: Feminine noun; nominative plural
Origin: From root √smṛ (to remember) + suffix -ti (abstract noun) + plural ending -yaḥ; a Dvandva (copulative) compound
Context: Refers to the retention and recollection of past experiences, whether accurate or distorted, stored in the citta.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra names the five kinds of mental activity (vṛttis) that a yogi must observe and gradually quiet. All movements of the mind-field—whether in waking, dreaming, sleeping, remembering, or imagining—fit into these five.
Vyāsa notes that waking and dream states aren't listed separately because they are made up of these vṛttis. The waking state mostly involves pramāṇa (right knowledge), while the dream state tends to reflect viparyaya (wrong knowledge). Both include imagination and memory. Even volitions like desire and intention are not listed because they arise from these five core movements.
A brief overview of each:
Pramāṇa (Right Knowledge)
This refers to correct perception. Still, in Yoga, even right knowledge is a fluctuation. It raises a deeper question: if even truth is a movement in the mind-field, how do we go beyond it?Viparyaya (Wrong Knowledge)
False perception is not just about being wrong. It stems from deeper patterns in the mind. The yogi learns to recognize these patterns and quiet the mental energy that produces them.Vikalpa (Imagination)
Imagination often leads the mind away from what is real. Yoga disciplines this faculty so that imagination transforms from a source of distraction into a gateway to subtle perception.Nidrā (Sleep)
Sleep is also considered a mental fluctuation, though a passive one. A yogi doesn’t eliminate sleep but learns to reduce its heaviness and recharge through refined awareness.Smṛti (Memory)
Memory activates automatically, often pulling the mind into old impressions. Yoga helps create space between stimulus and response, so we’re not bound by what we remember.
Together, these five categories give us a complete map of how the mind-field moves. Understanding them marks the beginning of inner transformation. In the next few sūtras, we’ll explore each one more closely.
Sūtra 1.7
Devanāgarī
प्र॒त्यक्षा॒नु॒माना॒ग॒माः प्र॑माणा॒नि ॥ १.७॥Transliteration
pratyakṣānumānāgamāḥ pramāṇāni || 1.7 ||Chanting
prat-yak-ṣā-nu-mā-nā-ga-māf pra-mā-ṇā-niMeaning
Valid Cognitions (pramāṇa) are direct perception (pratyakṣa), inference (anumāna), and testimony (āgama).
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Stretch the long ā in between: prat-yak-ṣā-nu-mā-nā-ga-māf
Āgamāḥ ends in visarga (ḥ), which is pronounced as a soft “f” —āgamāf pramāṇāni.
Grammatical Breakdown
pratyakṣa (प्रत्यक्ष)
Meaning: Direct perception; sensory cognition
Form: Neuter noun; first source of valid knowledge (pramāṇa)
Origin: From prati (before, in front) + akṣa (sense organ), from root √akṣ (to reach, embrace)
Context: Refers to direct experience through the senses, unmediated by inference or teaching.
anumāna (अनुमान)
Meaning: Inference; reasoning; deduction
Form: Neuter noun; second source of pramāṇa
Origin: From anu- (after, following) + māna (means of proof), from root √mā (to measure, consider)
Context: Knowledge obtained by reasoning based on observation, such as seeing smoke and inferring the presence of fire.
āgamāḥ (आगमाः)
Meaning: Testimony; authoritative source
Form: Masculine noun; nominative plural
Origin: From ā- (toward) + gama (going), from root √gam (to go); a Dvandva (copulative) compound
Context: Refers to teachings or scriptural authority received from a trustworthy and realized source, such as a guru or sacred text.
pramāṇāni (प्रमाणानि)
Meaning: Valid sources of knowledge; correct cognition
Form: Neuter noun; nominative plural; main subject of the sentence
Origin: Plural of pramāṇa, from pra- (forth) + māna (means of proof), from root √mā (to measure, demonstrate)
Context: Denotes the recognized threefold sources of valid knowledge in Yoga philosophy: perception, inference, and testimony.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra elaborates on the first type of vṛtti introduced in 1.6—pramāṇa, or valid knowledge. Patañjali tells us there are three ways we gain this kind of clarity: through seeing, reasoning, and listening.
Pratyakṣa – Direct perception through the senses
Example: “I see the fire burning.”Perception means the mind has made direct contact with something through the senses. But clear seeing doesn’t happen automatically. Two things must come together: the senses need to be sharp, and the mind needs to be steady. A perfect telescope won’t show anything if the sky is cloudy—and in the same way, even a sharp intellect gets lost if the mind is restless or distracted. The yogi works on both: purifying the mind and preparing it to receive truth clearly.
Anumāna – Inference based on logic or observation
Example: “I see the smoke, therefore, there must be a fire.”Inference is what happens when we notice patterns. We see smoke and conclude there’s fire. But to do that well, we need a calm, trained mind—and enough past experience to make the connection. Otherwise, we risk jumping to conclusions. Yoga helps develop that quiet, steady intelligence that doesn’t rush, but sees the links carefully.
Āgama – Reliable verbal testimony from those who know
Example: “Someone told me there is a fire.”Listening and learning from someone who knows—whether that’s a teacher, a text, or a tradition. But this isn’t blind belief. Yoga asks us to listen with both openness and discrimination. True āgama comes from those whose insight is grounded in experience. It’s not just information—it’s a living transmission. And the yogi learns to tell the difference between empty words and real wisdom.
At first glance, these three may seem straightforward. But Patañjali invites us to ask deeper questions: Is my perception really clear? Is my reasoning sound? Is my source trustworthy? In yoga, valid knowledge isn’t just about the facts. It’s about cultivating a mind that can recognize the truth when it appears.
Sūtra 1.8
Devanāgarī
वि॒प॒र्य॒यो मि॑थ्याज्ञा॒नमतद्रूप॑प्रति॒ष्ठम् ॥ १.८॥Transliteration
viparyayo mithyājñānamatadrūpapratiṣṭham || 1.8 ||Chanting
vi-par-ya-yo mithyā-jñā-nam-a-tad-rū-pa-pra-tiṣ-ṭhamMeaning
Misconception (viparyaya) is based on mistaking something for what it is not.
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Break viparyayo into four parts: vi-par-ya-yo, giving each syllable space.
In mithyājñānam, keep jñā clear as a single compound sound (not j-na).
Grammatical Breakdown
viparyayaḥ (विपर्ययः)
Meaning: Wrong knowledge; misperception; error
Form: Masculine noun; subject of the sentence
Origin: From vi- (false, apart) + root √ṛ (to move) + suffix -ya + nominative singular ending -ḥ; appears as viparyayo due to sandhi when followed by a voiced sound
Context: Refers to mistaken cognition, where something is perceived contrary to what it actually is.
mithyā-jñānam (मिथ्याज्ञानम्)
Meaning: False knowledge; incorrect cognition
Form: Neuter noun; predicate of viparyayaḥ
Origin: Compound of mithyā (false, untrue) + jñāna (knowledge), from root √jñā (to know)
Context: Captures the essence of viparyaya—knowledge not grounded in reality, but distorted or misidentified.
atad-rūpa (अतद्रूप)
Meaning: Not of that form; appearing otherwise
Form: Adjective; qualifying jñānam
Origin: From prefix a- (not) + tad (that) + rūpa (form, appearance)
Context: Indicates the core distortion of viparyaya—when something is perceived as being what it is not.
pratiṣṭham (प्रतिष्ठम्)
Meaning: Based upon; established in; resting upon
Form: Neuter noun; predicate of mithyā-jñānam
Origin: From prefix prati- (toward, upon) + root √sthā (to stand, to establish) + suffix -ta + neuter ending -m; a Locative Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: False knowledge is rooted in a distorted appearance rather than in what is actually present.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra defines viparyaya, incorrect knowledge, as the perception of something as other than it truly is. Though it may appear convincing, it is rooted in illusion and leads to suffering.
How does this happen? The mind receives information from the senses, and the intellect (buddhi) often accepts that information without questioning it. But our senses can be misleading. If the mind always believes them, it ends up forming wrong ideas.
A yogi learns to change this pattern. Through pratyāhāra (withdrawal of the senses), the yogi starts turning attention inward, away from external distractions. With prāṇāyāma (breath practice), the energy behind the senses becomes more refined. As the senses get clearer, they stop feeding the mind with false impressions—and the mind becomes more reliable.
Wrong knowledge isn’t just a one-time mistake. It’s a pattern that leads to suffering. In yoga philosophy, this includes five main forms of inner confusion, called the kleśas: ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion, and fear of death. These are all forms of viparyaya: deep misunderstandings that affect how we see the world and ourselves.
The good news is: they can be cleared. Through right knowledge (pramāṇa) and inner stillness, these wrong impressions begin to dissolve. Over time, the yogi learns to see things as they really are, not as the mind falsely imagines them to be.
This is one of the quiet goals of yoga: not just to still the mind, but to purify how we see.
Sūtra 1.9
Devanāgarī
श॒ब्दज्ञा॒ना॒नुपा॒ती वस्तुशून्यो॑ विक॒ल्पः ॥ १.९॥Transliteration
śabdajñānānupātī vastuśūnyo vikalpaḥ || 1.9 ||Chanting
śab-da-jñā-nā-nu-pā-tī vas-tu-śūn-yo vi-kal-paḥMeaning
Imagination (vikalpa) is absence of real object — dependent (only) upon verbal knowledge.
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Break śab-da-jñā-nā-nu-pā-tī carefully: it's a long compound. Focus on the the jñā-nā-nu.
In śab-da and śūn-yo, focus on the ś sound—ensure it's distinct from the regular 's'.
Grammatical Breakdown
śabda-jñāna (शब्दज्ञान)
Meaning: Verbal knowledge; knowledge in the form of words
Form: Compound noun; part of the compound qualifying vikalpaḥ
Origin: Compound of śabda (sound, word, speech) + jñāna (knowledge), from root √jñā (to know)
Context: Refers to conceptual knowledge derived solely from language, without experiential or perceptual basis.
anupātī (अनुपाती)
Meaning: Following; derived from; dependent upon
Form: Adjective; masculine nominative singular; qualifying śabda-jñāna
Origin: From anu- (after, along) + root √pā (to go, to move) + present participle suffix -tī
Context: Indicates that the knowledge arises as a result of or in dependence on verbal expression, not from actual perception.
vastu-śūnyaḥ (वस्तुशून्यः)
Meaning: Devoid of a real object; lacking substance
Form: Compound adjective; masculine nominative singular; qualifying vikalpaḥ
Origin: From vastu (object, thing, from root √vas, to dwell or abide) + śūnya (empty, void)
Context: Describes verbal constructs that have no corresponding object in reality—empty forms not grounded in substance.
vikalpaḥ (विकल्पः)
Meaning: Imagination; verbal conception; conceptualization
Form: Masculine noun; nominative singular; subject of the sentence
Origin: From vi- (apart) + root √kḷp (to imagine, to create) + suffix -a + nominative ending -ḥ
Context: A type of vṛtti arising purely from conceptual or verbal thought, independent of actual perception. It is not an error but an ideation lacking tangible referent.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra defines vikalpa as a kind of thought that comes from words but has no real object behind it. It’s imagination shaped by language—ideas that seem meaningful but don’t point to anything actually seen or experienced.
Think of phrases like “square circle” or “sky flower.” The words are clear. The mind may even picture something. But such things don’t exist in the real world.
Even spiritual language can fall into this category. Vyāsa gives the example “Consciousness is the nature of Puruṣa.” Though the words may point toward truth, if we haven’t directly experienced that truth, the phrase remains just a concept. It can still be helpful, but until it’s confirmed through deep inner experience, it stays within the realm of imagination.
We rely on such words more often than we realize. Take the word ananta (infinite). We know what finite means, and from that we try to stretch toward what infinite might be. If we use the word simply to mean “too large to measure,” it makes sense. But if we treat infinite as a thing with shape or boundary, then it becomes a verbal illusion.
Vyāsa describes three kinds of vikalpa:
Vague notion of things: Describing something that is beyond conceptual grasp.
Example: “Consciousness is the nature of Puruṣa”
Vague notion of action: Non-existent entity is imagined as performing as object.
Example: “Space eats”, “Time heals all wounds”
Vague notion of nothingness: Using words to represent an absence.
Example: “The void is eternal”, “Puruṣa is uncreated”
In all of these, the mind creates images or beliefs from words alone. Still, yoga does not say that imagination is always a problem. It’s a tool.
Eventually, for deep meditation to unfold, vikalpa must quiet down. The mind must let go of concepts and verbal images. Only then can a deeper insight emerge—what Patañjali later calls ṛtambharā prajñā, a form of wisdom rooted in truth, not language. This understanding and refinement of vikalpa becomes especially important for the emergence of nirvikalpa samādhi.
Sūtra 1.10
Devanāgarī
अ॒भा॒वप्रत्ययालम्बना वृ॑त्तिर्नि॒द्रा ॥ १.१०॥Transliteration
abhāvapratyayālambanā vṛttirnidrā || 1.10 ||Chanting
a-bhā-va-prat-ya-yā-lam-ba-nā vṛit-tir-ni-drāMeaning
Deep Sleep (nidrā) is a vṛtti [that is] based on the experience of absence.
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Emphasize the aspirated bhā in abhāva
In pratyaya, emphasize each syllable in ya-ya
Grammatical Breakdown
abhāva-pratyaya (अभावप्रत्यय)
Meaning: Experience of absence; cognition of non-being
Form: Compound noun; qualifier of vṛttiḥ
Origin: From abhāva (absence, from a- not + bhāva being, from root √bhū, to be) + pratyaya (experience, impression), from prati- (toward) + root √i (to go); a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Refers to the subtle mental impression during deep sleep, where the mind registers a blank—an absence of particular content, not an object.
ālambanā (आलम्बना)
Meaning: Support; basis; what is depended upon
Form: Feminine noun; nominative singular; modifying vṛttiḥ
Origin: From ā- (toward) + root √lamb (to hang or rely) + suffix -anā; a Locative Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Denotes the basis of the mental fluctuation during sleep—the mind rests upon the absence of content.
vṛttiḥ (वृत्तिः)
Meaning: Mental fluctuation; movement of the mind
Form: Feminine noun; nominative singular; predicate of nidrā
Origin: From root √vṛt (to turn, to move) + suffix -ti + feminine ending -ḥ; a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Confirms that even nidrā is considered a mental fluctuation, though marked by voidness rather than active content.
nidrā (निद्रा)
Meaning: Deep sleep
Form: Feminine noun; nominative singular; subject of the sentence
Origin: From ni- (down, inward) + root √drā (to sleep)
Context: A mental state where the mind is absorbed in tamas, lacking specific awareness, but still forming a subtle impression that can be recalled upon waking.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra defines nidrā, or dreamless sleep, as a real mental activity. It might feel like “nothing happened,” but the mind is still active in a subtle way. How do we know? Because when we wake up, we say things like, “I slept deeply,” or “I didn’t sleep well at all.” This ability to remember the experience means there was a mental impression, even if it was just the experience of blankness.
Patañjali tells us that sleep is a kind of vṛtti supported by abhāva, the feeling of absence. The mind doesn’t stop completely. Instead, it becomes absorbed in a kind of void. This is not unconsciousness, but a state where the usual objects of awareness—thoughts, sensations, emotions—drop away.
Vyāsa explains that in the waking state, all parts of the system are active: the senses, the body, and the mind. In dreams, the body and senses rest while the mind continues to generate images. But in deep sleep, all three go quiet. The body becomes still, the senses shut down, and even the thinking mind becomes inactive. This quieting is caused by tamas, the heavy, inert force of nature.
But not all stillness is the same. Sleep may seem calm, but it's murky and unconscious. It's like still water that’s cloudy and dull. Meditation is also stillness, but it is light-filled and alert, like a clear and tranquil lake. Sleep is passive and involuntary. Meditation is conscious and refined.
Sleep arises when we fall into inertia, but it can be gradually refined. Through smṛti-sādhana (cultivation of steady remembrance) and sattva-saṁśe vana (refinement of inner clarity), the yogi begins to reduce the heaviness of sleep. Over time, the mind no longer needs to collapse into unconsciousness for rest. Instead, it learns to rest in awareness.
Some yogis, through long practice, may even reach states where they naturally require little or no sleep. But this is not insomnia. Their energy is clear and steady, and the system no longer depends on tamasic rest. This is a side effect, not a goal.
Ultimately, the yogi must also quiet the sleep vṛtti itself. Only then can they enter the deeper stages of meditation. In asaṁprajñāta samādhi, even the subtle sense of absence drops away. What remains is pure awareness, untouched by thought, sensation, or sleep.
Sūtra 1.11
Devanāgarī
अ॒नु॒भूतविषया॒सम्प्रमोषः॑ स्मृ॒तिः ॥ १.११॥Transliteration
anubhūtaviṣayāsaṁpramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ || 1.11 ||Chanting
a-nu-bhū-ta-vi-ṣa-yā-saṁ-pra-mo-ṣas smṛ-tiḥMeaning
Memory (smṛti) is the retention of an experienced object.
Audio Recordings
🎧 Listen – Vaishali’s Recitation
🎧 Listen – Rohit’s Recitation
Chanting Tips
Pronounce ṣa in vi-ṣa-ya with a retroflex ṣ (ष), not ś (श)
pra-mo-ṣaḥ becomes pra-mo-ṣas due to Sanskrit pronunciation rule where “ḥ” is turned to “s”.
Grammatical Breakdown
anubhūta-viṣaya (अनुभूतविषय)
Meaning: Experienced object; perceived condition
Form: Compound noun; object of retention (smṛtiḥ)
Origin: From anubhūta (experienced, from anu- after + root √bhū to be) + viṣaya (object, sphere of activity), from root √viṣ (to act) or √si (to extend); a Karmadhāraya (adjectival) compound
Context: Refers to anything that was once directly perceived and has left an impression capable of being recalled.
asaṁpramoṣaḥ (असंप्रमोषः)
Meaning: Not lost; retained; recollected
Form: Masculine noun; nominative singular; qualifier of smṛtiḥ
Origin: From a- (not) + sam- (together) + pra- (forth) + root √muṣ (to rob or lose) + suffix -a + ending -ḥ; a Genitive Tatpuruṣa compound
Context: Describes the uninterrupted retention of an experienced object. The memory remains intact and has not been forgotten or erased.
smṛtiḥ (स्मृतिः)
Meaning: Memory
Form: Feminine noun; nominative singular; subject of the sentence
Origin: From root √smṛ (to remember) + suffix -ti + feminine ending -ḥ
Context: The mental faculty by which past perceptions are retained and recalled, even in the absence of the original stimulus.
Commentary & Insights
This sūtra defines smṛti, or memory, as the retention of past experience that has not been lost or overwritten. The mind recalls a previously experienced object or impression without altering it or mixing in new input.
Patañjali emphasizes that memory is not just a random resurfacing of the past, but a specific mental function: the mind revisits something it has known before, just as it was. That’s why we can say, “I remember,” with confidence, because that imprint was retained.
This ability to hold onto past impressions can be both helpful and limiting. On one hand, memory allows us to learn, retain teachings, and develop wisdom. On the other hand, it can trap us in old patterns, replaying experiences that reinforce our attachments, aversions, or identities.
The Yoga tradition compares memory to the reverse gear in a car—it doesn’t move us forward, but replays what’s already been. If not carefully managed, these retained impressions feed into imagination, reaction, and habitual thinking, keeping the mind from experiencing reality freshly.
Yoga offers tools to purify memory. By cultivating awareness (smṛti-sādhana), the yogi learns to notice when past impressions are driving present thoughts. With steady practice, these memories can be observed without being reactivated.
As with the other vṛttis, memory is not inherently a problem—but it must be recognized and eventually quieted for deep meditation to arise. When memory no longer pulls us back, we become free to experience the present as it is, not as we remember it.
Summary
These sūtras laid out the five vṛttis and helped us begin to recognize their patterns. In the next lesson, we’ll learn about abhyāsa (practice) and vairāgya (dispassion)—the two pillars that lead to stilling these vṛttis.
