PYS 3.38: Eintritt in einen fremden Körper
PYS 3.38: Eintritt in einen fremden Körper

Yogaśāstra 3.38: Citta Leaves Its Bond

Loosening the karmic bond to the body and knowing the paths of citta's movement enable its actual entry into another body.

Dr. Ronald Steiner Dr. Ronald Steiner Laura von Ostrowski Laura von Ostrowski
Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 3.38
बन्धकारणशैथिल्यात्प्रचारसंवेदनाच्च चित्तस्य परशरीरावेशः ||38||
bandha-kāraṇa-śaithilyāt pracāra-saṃvedanāc ca cittasya para-śarīrāveśaḥ ||38|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴
bandha
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
substantive masculine
Binding, bondage
kāraṇa
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
substantive neuter
cause, reason
śaithilyāt
ablative singular
substantive neuter
loosening, slackening
pracāra
tatpuruṣa-compound genitive
substantive masculine
movement, circulation, path
saṃvedanāt
ablative singular
substantive neuter
Becoming conscious, perception
ca
particle
and
cittasya
genitive singular
substantive neuter
Perceptual space, mind
para
karmadhāraya-compound
adjective
different, foreign
śarīra
tatpuruṣa-compound lokative
substantive neuter
body, body
āveśaḥ
nominative singular
substantive masculine
Entrance, going in
Through the loosening of the [karmic] cause of bondage (bandha-kāraṇa-śaithilyāt | abl sg) and (ca) through awareness of [Citta’s] pathways of movement (pracāra-saṃvedanāt | abl sg), [there occurs] the entry of Citta (cittasya | gen sg) into another body (para-śarīrāveśaḥ | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
For a moment, loosen your attachment to your habitual bodily perspective. Imagine, in your own body, what another person’s posture, breath, and mood might feel like—as an exercise in embodied empathy, not as knowledge about them.
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Vyāsa-Bhāṣya explains entry into another body through the samādhi-induced loosening of the Karma that anchors unstable Citta in its body, together with knowledge of Citta’s pathways. The yogin draws Citta out of the original body and places it in another; the senses follow it as bees follow their queen.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya
From the looseness of the cause of bondage and from knowing the passage of the internal organ, arises the entering of the mind into another body.
James R. Ballantyne - 1852
From relaxation of the cause of bondage, and by a knowledge of the method of passing, (proceeds) the entrance of the mind into another body.
Ganganatha Jha - 1907
Aus der Lockerung der Ursache der Bindung und aus der Wahrnehmung des Ganges [des Cittam] erfolgt das Eingehen des Cittam in einen fremden Körper.
Paul Deussen - 1908
As a result of the slackening of the causes of bondage and as a result of the consciousness of the procedure [of the mind-stuff], the mind-stuff enters into another body.
James Haughton Woods - 1914

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

From 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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