Yogaśāstra 4.22–24: Colored by Seer and Seen

Citta assumes the form of objects and of the power of consciousness. Colored by seer and seen, this composite mirror organ, marked by vāsanās, serves puruṣa.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Laura von Ostrowski 10.03.2020

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 4.22

चितेरप्रतिसंक्रमायास्तदाकारापत्तौ स्वबुद्धिसंवेदनम् ||22||

citer apratisaṃkramāyās tad-ākārāpattau sva-buddhi-saṃvedanam ||22|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

citeḥ genitive singular feminine	citi substantive feminine	of the power of consciousness
apratisaṃkramāyaḥ genitive singular feminine	apratisaṃkrama adjective	non-transferring
tad tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	tad pronoun dem	its
ākāra tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	ākāra substantive masculine	form
āpattau lokative absolutus singular feminine	āpatti substantive feminine	assumption
sva karmadhāraya-compound	sva adjective	own
buddhi tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	buddhi substantive feminine	Buddhi
saṃvedanam nominative singular neuter	saṃvedana substantive neuter	awareness

When [Citta] assumes that form (tad-ākārāpattau | loc absl sg)—the form of [Puruṣa’s] non-transferring power of consciousness (citer apratisaṃkramāyāḥ | gen sg)—[there is] awareness of its own Buddhi (sva-buddhi-saṃvedanam | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

When your thinking takes on the form of awareness (citi), it can recognize itself. Notice not only what you perceive, but also that you are perceiving.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The power of experience (citi) is immutable and does not actually pass into the mutable buddhi; it follows buddhi’s vṛtti only as if it had passed into it. Because the buddhi-vṛtti has come under the influence of consciousness, the cognition-vṛtti appears indistinguishable from it. One’s own buddhi is thus experienced without attributing an actual transfer or transformation to puruṣa.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

The self-knowledge of cognition takes place when the intelligence (soul) which is non-transeunt acquires the shape of understanding.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

The non-transitional spirit (obtains) the consciousness of its own cognition, when it takes its form.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Indem der unwandelbare Puruṣa in die Gestalt seines Cittam eingeht, gelangt er zum Bewusstsein seiner eigenen Buddhi.

Paul Deussen - 1908

The Intellect (citi) which unites not [with objects] is conscious of its own thinking-substance when [the mind-stuff] takes the form of that [thinking-substance by reflecting it].

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 4.23

द्रष्टृदृश्योपरक्तं चित्तं सर्वार्थम् ||23||

draṣṭṛ-dṛśyoparaktaṃ cittaṃ sarvārtham ||23|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

draṣṭṛ dvandva-compound	draṣṭṛ substantive masculine	Seer
dṛśya dvandva-compound	dṛśya adjective	seen
uparaktam nominative singular neuter	uparakta adjective	colored
cittam nominative singular neuter	citta substantive neuter	Citta
sarva karmadhāraya-compound	sarva adjective	every
artham nominative singular neuter	artha substantive masculine	object

Citta (cittam | nom sg n), colored by the Seer [Puruṣa] and the seen [the object] (draṣṭṛ-dṛśyoparaktam | nom sg n), [is] directed toward every object (sarvārtham | nom sg n).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Your perception is shaped both by your perspective (draṣṭṛ) and by what you encounter (dṛśya). In conversation, make room for both: your experience and the other person’s reality.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Colored by the object and, through its own vṛtti, by puruṣa, citta appears like a crystal as both object and subject, insentient and sentient; in this sense it is sarvārtha. According to the Bhāṣya, this double appearance tempts some to regard citta itself as conscious or the entire world as nothing but citta. In samādhi cognition, however, the reflected object, the instrument of cognition, and puruṣa as knower are to be distinguished.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

The thinking principle (i.e. intellect) tinged by the knower and the knowledge is the totality of objects.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

The mind tinged by the seer and the seen, is (able to perceive) all objects.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Überfärbt von dem Puruṣa und dem Objekte, wird das Cittam fähig, alle Zwecke zu vollbringen.

Paul Deussen - 1908

Mind-stuff affected by the Seer and by the object-for-sight [leads to the perception of] all intended-objects.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 4.24

तदसंख्येयवासनाभिश्चित्रमपि परार्थं संहत्यकारित्वात् ||24||

tad asaṃkhyeya-vāsanābhiś citram api parārthaṃ saṃhatya-kāritvāt ||24|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tat nominative singular neuter	tad pronoun dem	that [Citta]
asaṃkhyeya karmadhāraya-compound	asaṃkhyeya adjective	countless
vāsanābhiḥ instrumental case plural feminine	vāsanā substantive feminine	latent impressions
citram nominative singular neuter	citra adjective	variegated
api	api particle	although
parārtham nominative singular neuter	parārtha adjective	for another
saṃhatya absolutus	saṃ previx han verbal root	after combining
kāritvāt ablative singular neuter	kārin adjective tva suffix	because of functioning

Although (api) that [Citta] (tat | nom sg n) is variegated (citram | nom sg n) by countless Vāsanās (asaṃkhyeya-vāsanābhiḥ | ins pl), it [exists] for the sake of another [namely, Puruṣa] (parārtham | nom sg n), because it functions as a composite (saṃhatya-kāritvāt | abl sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Countless experiences leave traces (vāsanā) and make your inner world many-colored (citra). No single trace has to define who you are today.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Although citta is variegated by countless vāsanā, it exists for another because of its composite activity (saṃhatyakāritva), like a house. Pleasure and cognition do not serve themselves but the particular, noncomposite puruṣa for bhoga and apavarga. Citta is therefore parārtha, not itself the experiencer.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

Though variegated by innumerable impressions (mental deposits) it exists for the sake of another because it operates in association.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

Though variegated by innumerable impressions, it exists for another, because it operates by association.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Obgleich das Cittam mit unzähligen Eindrücken erfüllt ist, dient es doch nur einem fremden Zwecke, weil es als ein Aggregat wirkt.

Paul Deussen - 1908

This [mind-stuff], although diversified by countless subconscious-impressions, exists for the sake of another, because its nature is to produce [things as] combinations.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

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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 4.22–24: Colored by Seer and Seen

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