Yogaśāstra 1.19–22: Mode of Existence and Method

For bodiless beings and those dissolved in prakṛti, the state is conditioned by their mode of existence; other yogins approach it through faith, energy, memory, samādhi, and insight.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Laura von Ostrowski

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 1.19

भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानाम् ||19||

bhava-pratyayo videha-prakṛti-layānām ||19|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

bhava tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	bhava substantive masculine	through mode of existence
pratyayaḥ nominative singular	pratyaya substantive masculine	conditioned
videha dvandva-compound	videha substantive masculine	disembodied beings
prakṛti tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	prakṛti substantive feminine	in Prakṛti
layānām genitive plural	laya substantive masculine	of those absorbed

[For] the disembodied and those absorbed in Prakṛti (videha-prakṛti-layānām | gen pl), [the other Samādhi] is conditioned by [their] mode of existence (bhava-pratyayaḥ | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Some abilities come easily from the beginning; others grow slowly. Neither measures your worth: begin with the conditions your life and body offer today.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya distinguishes bhava-pratyaya from upāya-pratyaya. For the disembodied gods (videha), the state arises from their mode of existence: with a citta that employs only its own saṃskāras, they experience something like kaivalya while those saṃskāras mature. In those absorbed into Prakṛti (prakṛtilaya), the not-yet-discharged citta is dissolved into Prakṛti; they too experience something like kaivalya until citta returns because its task remains unfinished.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

Of (the meditative state attained to by the two classes of aspirants, technically called) ‘the unembodied and resolved into nature’, the world is the cause.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

The world-caused belongs to the Disembodied and to the Resolved-into-Nature.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

[Der bewußte samādhi] hat die Entstehung als Ursache (ist von Geburt an vorhanden) bei den körpererhabenen (vgl. 3, 43), in der prakṛti Aufgehenden (vgl. Mahābh. XII, 306,17 und Sāṃkhya-Kārikā 45, oben S. 100 und 451).

Paul Deussen - 1908

[Concentration not conscious of objects] caused by worldly [means] is the one to which the discarnate attain and to which those [whose bodies] are resolved into primary-matter attain.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 1.20

श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृतिसमाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम् ||20||

śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām ||20|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

śraddhā dvandva-compound	śraddhā substantive feminine	faith
vīrya dvandva-compound	vīrya substantive neuter	energy
smṛti dvandva-compound	smṛti substantive feminine	memory
samādhi dvandva-compound	samādhi substantive masculine	Samādhi
prajñā tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case	prajñā substantive feminine	through insight
pūrvakaḥ nominative singular masculine	pūrvaka adjective	preceded
itareṣām genitive plural masculine	itara adjective	of the others

[For] the other [yogins] (itareṣām | gen pl m), [this Samādhi] is preceded by faith, energy, memory, Samādhi and insight (śraddhā-vīrya-smṛti-samādhi-prajñā-pūrvakaḥ | nom sg m).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Trust yourself (śraddhā), take action (vīrya), reflect (smṛti), observe yourself (samādhi), and integrate your experiences (prajñā) to develop a deep sense of inner balance. When one of these qualities is weak, strengthen another and let it set a new cycle in motion.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

For yogins, asaṃprajñāta-samādhi arises through means (upāya-pratyaya). Faith (śraddhā) is clarity of citta and protects the yogin like a benevolent mother. From it grow vigor, memory, and an unconfused, collected citta; this produces discriminative prajñā, which knows an object as it truly is. Cultivating it together with dispassion toward its respective objects leads to asaṃprajñāta-samādhi.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

(In the practice) of others this (meditation) is preceded by faith, energy memory, meditation and discernment.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

Of others, preceded by faith, energy, memory, meditation and discrimination.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Bei den andern [die nicht videha-prakṛitilaya sind] setzt er (der bewußte samādhi) voraus: Vertrauen, Kraft, Gedächtnis und Bewußtsein des [als Ziel vorschwebenden] samādhi.

Paul Deussen - 1908

[Concentration not conscious of objects,] which follows upon belief [and] energy [and] mindfulness [and] concentration [and] insight, is that to which the others [the yogins] attain.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 1.21

तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः ||21||

tīvra-saṃvegānām āsannaḥ ||21|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tīvra karmadhāraya-compound	tīvra adjective	keen
saṃvegānām genitive plural	saṃvega substantive masculine	of ardent practitioners
āsannaḥ nominative singular masculine	āsanna adjective	near

[The attainment of Samādhi] is near (āsannaḥ | nom sg m) for those of keen ardour (tīvra-saṃvegānām | gen pl).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

What you tend with undivided attention and inner urgency (saṃvega) draws closer. Intensity means wholeheartedness, not harshness towards yourself.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Bhāṣya first classifies yogins by mild, medium, or strong means, and within each group by mild, medium, or intense saṃvega. For those whose means are strong and whose saṃvega is intense, both the attainment of samādhi and its fruit are near.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

The attainment of the state of abstract meditation is speedy in the case of the hotly impetuous.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

the ardently—dispassionate, proximate,

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Den [durch die genannten Mittel] heftig Anstürmenden ist er (der bewußte samādhi) nahe.

Paul Deussen - 1908

For the keenly intense, [concentration] is near.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 1.22

मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततो ऽपि विशेषः ||22||

mṛdu-madhyādhimātratvāt tato 'pi viśeṣaḥ ||22|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

mṛdu dvandva-compound	mṛdu adjective	mild
madhya dvandva-compound	madhya adjective	moderate
adhimātratvāt ablative singular	adhimātratva substantive neuter	because of utmost intensity
tatas	tatas adverb	further
api	api particle	also
viśeṣaḥ nominative singular	viśeṣa substantive masculine	gradation

Because [ardour can be] mild, moderate or extremely intense (mṛdu-madhyādhimātratvāt | abl sg), there is further (tataḥ) also (api) a gradation (viśeṣaḥ | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Your energy may be mild, moderate, or intense today. Match the practice to what is genuinely available and remain sincere at every level.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Even within intense saṃvega, the Bhāṣya distinguishes mildly intense, moderately intense, and exceedingly intense. Samādhi and its fruit are accordingly near, nearer, or nearest; they are nearest for the yogin with strong means and exceedingly intense saṃvega.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

Through the ‘mild’, the ‘medium’ and the ‘transcendent’ (nature of the methods adopted) there is thence also a distinction (among the ascetics who adopt the methods).

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

A further distinction, on account of the mild, the moderate and the excessive.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Weil es Schwache, Mittlere und Übermäßige gibt, folgt auch daraus ein Unterschied.

Paul Deussen - 1908

Because [this keenness] is gentle or moderate or keen, there is a [concentration] superior even to this [near kind].

James Haughton Woods - 1914

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

From 89075 Ulm

The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

Laura von Ostrowski

Ich bin 2004 das erste Mal mit Yoga in Berührung gekommen und habe seitdem unendlich viele Facetten kennengelernt. Einerseits die vielfältigen praktischen Seiten von Yoga - in Form verschiedener Ausbildungen (500 h... more ›

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Yogaśāstra 1.19–22: Mode of Existence and Method

Yogaśāstra 1.19–22: Mode of Existence and Method

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