Yogaśāstra 3.9–12: Nirodha, Samādhi, Ekāgratā

Imprints of cessation overcome activity, distraction gives way to one-pointedness, and homogeneous cognitions form an uninterrupted peaceful flow.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Laura von Ostrowski

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 3.9

व्युत्थाननिरोधसंस्कारयोरभिभवप्रादुर्भावौ निरोधक्षणचित्तान्वयो निरोधपरिणामः ||9||

vyutthāna-nirodha-saṃskārayor abhibhava-prādurbhāvau nirodha-kṣaṇa-cittānvayo nirodha-pariṇāmaḥ ||9|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

vyutthāna dvandva-compound	vyutthāna substantive neuter	active, outward state
nirodha tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	nirodha substantive masculine	cessation
saṃskārayoḥ genitive dual	saṃskāra substantive masculine	subliminal impressions
abhibhava dvandva-compound	abhibhava substantive masculine	overcoming
prādurbhāvau nominative dual	prādurbhāva substantive masculine	arising
nirodha tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	nirodha substantive masculine	cessation
kṣaṇa tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	kṣaṇa substantive masculine	moment, instant
citta tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	citta substantive neuter	Citta
anvayaḥ nominative singular	anvaya substantive masculine	connection, succession
nirodha tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	nirodha substantive masculine	cessation
pariṇāmaḥ nominative singular	pariṇāma substantive masculine	transformation

When, among the imprints of activity and inhibition (vyutthāna-nirodha-saṃskārayoḥ | gen du), the [former] is overcome and the [latter] arises (abhibhava-prādurbhāvau | nom du), the conjunction of Citta with the moment of inhibition (nirodha-kṣaṇa-cittānvayaḥ | nom sg) [is] the transformation into inhibition (nirodha-pariṇāmaḥ | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Notice transformation (pariṇāma) as movement subsides and stillness emerges. In a posture or after a movement, feel the moment when there is no need to continue.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

The Vyāsa-Bhāṣya calls both the imprints of emergence (vyutthāna-saṃskāra) and the imprints of cessation (nirodha-saṃskāra) properties of Citta. In nirodha-pariṇāma, the former diminish while the latter are established; at each moment of cessation, Citta follows this change in its imprints. Even in nirodha-samādhi, it therefore remains as the bearer of imprints.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

Out of the two trains of self-reproductive thought, resulting from the Vyutthāna and the Nirodha, when the former is subdued and the latter is manifested and at that moment of manifestation, the internal organ (Citta) is concerned in both of the trains, then, such modification of the internal organ is the modification in the shape of Nirodha.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

Suppressive (or interceptive) modification is the conjunction of the mind with the moment of suppression, on the overthrow and prevalence of the distractive (waking) and suppressive impressions (respectively).

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Die Überwindung des Zustandes des Wachseins und das Zutagetreten des Zustandes der Unterdrückung bilden den das Cittam im Augenblicke der Unterdrückung betreffenden Unterdrückungsakt.

Paul Deussen - 1908

When there is a becoming invisible of the subliminal-impression of emergence and a becoming visible of the subliminal-impression of restriction, the mutation of restriction is inseparably connected with mind-stuff in its period of restriction.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 3.10

तस्य प्रशान्तवाहिता संस्कारात् ||10||

tasya praśānta-vāhitā saṃskārāt ||10|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tasya genitive singular	tad pronoun dem	whose
praśānta karmadhāraya-compound	praśānta adjective	calmed, calm
vāhitā nominative singular	vāhitā substantive feminine	flow
saṃskārāt ablative singular	saṃskāra substantive masculine	imprint, old impression

The tranquil flow (praśānta-vāhitā | nom sg) of that [Citta] (tasya | gen sg) [arises] from the imprint [of inhibition] (saṃskārāt | abl sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Every moment of consciously experienced stillness leaves an imprint (saṃskāra). With repeated practice, this can become a quiet, sustaining current (praśānta-vāhitā) in daily life.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

According to the Vyāsa-Bhāṣya, the tranquil flow (praśānta-vāhitā) of Citta depends on the strength acquired by repeatedly cultivating the imprints of cessation. When these grow weak, they are again overwhelmed by the imprints that belong to emergence.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

A uniform flow (of modifications of the internal organ arises) from the (aforesaid) train of self-reproductive thought.

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

Its flow becomes tranquil from residual habit.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Für dieses [das Cittam] ergibt sich aus jenem Zustande [der Unterdrückung] in beruhigtes Dahinfließen.

Paul Deussen - 1908

This [mind-stuff] flows peacefully by reason of the subliminal-impression.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 3.11

सर्वार्थतैकाग्रतयोः क्षयोदयौ चित्तस्य समाधिपरिणामः ||11||

sarvārthataikāgratayoḥ kṣayodayau cittasya samādhi-pariṇāmaḥ ||11|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

sarvārthatā dvandva-compound	sarvārthatā substantive feminine	Dispersion, multidirectionality
ekāgratayoḥ genitive dual	ekāgratā substantive feminine	One-pointedness, one-pointedness
kṣaya dvandva-compound	kṣaya substantive masculine	diminishing, fading
udayau nominative dual	udaya substantive masculine	Rising, emerging
cittasya genitive singular	citta substantive neuter	Perceptual space
samādhi tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	samādhi substantive masculine	Samādhi, perfect concentration
pariṇāmaḥ nominative singular	pariṇāma substantive masculine	transformation

The Samādhi-transformation (samādhi-pariṇāmaḥ | nom sg) of Citta (cittasya | gen sg) [is] the respective waning and arising (kṣayodayau | nom du) of many-directedness and one-pointedness (sarvārthataikāgratayoḥ | gen du).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

When your attention is pulled in many directions, gather it at one point (ekāgratā)—in the breath, a sensation of touch, or a single task. Do not fight distraction; give it a clear direction.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Dispersion across many objects (sarvārthatā) and one-pointedness (ekāgratā) are both properties of Citta according to the Vyāsa-Bhāṣya. Its samādhi-pariṇāma consists in the concealment of the former and the manifestation of the latter, while Citta persists as the bearer of both.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

Out of the two (properties) of the internal organ citta- which consists of sarvārthatā (that is its comprehension of several object) and ekāgratā (i.e., its intentness on a single point): (when) the first is utterly destroyed and the second is manifested– (at that time the connection of the internal organ with both of the properties or the state in which it exists as Dharmī i.e., endowed with the two properties) is the modification of the internal organ in the shape of Samādhi (meditation).

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

The destruction and enlivenment (respectively) of the multifunctionality and concentration of the mind is (its) meditative modification.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Die Vernichtung der Vielgeschäftigkeit des Cittam und das Hervortreten seiner Konzentration ist der Versenkungsakt.

Paul Deussen - 1908

The mutation of concentration is the dwindling of dispersiveness and the uprisal of singleness-of-intent belonging to the mind-stuff.

James Haughton Woods - 1914

Patañjali Yoga Sūtra 3.12

ततः पुनः शान्तोदितौ तुल्यप्रत्ययौ चित्तस्यैकाग्रतापरिणामः ||12||

tataḥ punaḥ śāntoditau tulya-pratyayau cittasyaikāgratā-pariṇāmaḥ ||12|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tatas	tatas adverb	then
punar	punar adverb	again, again, finally
śānta dvandva-compound	śānta adjective	calmed down, gone, extinguished
uditau nominative dual masculine	udita adjective	emerged, emerged
tulya karmadhāraya-compound	tulya adjective	same, similar
pratyayau nominative dual	pratyaya substantive masculine	Ideas, impressions
cittasya genitive singular	citta substantive neuter	Perceptual space
ekāgratā tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	ekāgratā substantive feminine	One-pointedness, one-pointedness
pariṇāmaḥ nominative singular	pariṇāma substantive masculine	transformation

Then (tataḥ) again (punaḥ), the one-pointedness-transformation (ekāgratā-pariṇāmaḥ | nom sg) of Citta (cittasya | gen sg) [occurs] when the subsided [preceding cognition] and the arisen [following cognition] (śāntoditau | nom du m) are of the same kind (tulya-pratyayau | nom du).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Let one breath fade and the next arise while the focus remains the same. In this continuity, one-pointedness (ekāgratā) becomes alive rather than rigid.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

In ekāgratā-pariṇāma, the preceding cognition of the collected Citta has become quiescent and the succeeding cognition has arisen; both are alike. Citta in samādhi follows both without falling out of concentration.

Yoga Śāstra Vyāsa-Bhāṣya

tataḥ ] tatra PM2026

Critical Apparatus

tataḥ presents the transformation into one-pointedness as following from the preceding process (“then/from that”). tatra instead locates it “there/in that state.” Both are grammatically straightforward but give the argument a slightly different emphasis. The Sūtra meter label does not decide the reading.

Apparatus Comment

(When) the two particular states or modifications (Pratyayhs) the one tranquil (Śānta) and the other risen (Udita) of the internal organ become equal, then its connection with both of the states is (its) modification in the shape of an intentness on a single point (Ekāgratā).

James R. Ballantyne - 1852

Then again, the concentrative modification of the mind is that in which both the reppressed and the revived are equally recognised.

Ganganatha Jha - 1907

Der beruhigte [Unterdrückungsakt] und der erhabene [Versenkungsakt] des Cittam, wenn sie gleichstark eintreten, bilden den Konzentrationsakt.

Paul Deussen - 1908

Then again when the quiescent and the uprisen presented ideas are similar [in respect of having a single object], the mind-stuff has a mutation single-in-intent.

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 3.9–12: Nirodha, Samādhi, Ekāgratā

Yogaśāstra 3.9–12: Nirodha, Samādhi, Ekāgratā

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