Dattātreyayogaśāstra 184–187: From Sustained Practice to Niṣpatti

One reaches Rāja Yoga by practising the taught methods at the proper time, not through knowledge alone, and gains freedom of action; from this arises the Niṣpatti stage, which bestows enjoyment and liberation.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Nils Jacob Liersch 20.05.2023

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 184

एतैः सर्वैस्तु कथितैरभ्यसेत्कालकालतः |

etaiḥ sarvais tu kathitair; abhyaset kāla-kālataḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

etaiḥ instrumental case plural masculine	etad pronoun dem	with these
sarvaiḥ instrumental case plural masculine	sarva pronoun quant	all
tu	tu particle	now
kathitaiḥ instrumental case plural masculine past participle passive	kath verbal root	taught
abhyaset 3rd person singular aktive optative	abhyas verbal root	one should practise
kāla karmadhāraya-compound	kāla substantive masculine	appropriate
kālatas	kālatas adverb	at the proper time

ततो भवेद्राजयोगो नान्तरा भवति ध्रुवम् ||184||

tato bhaved rāja-yogo; nāntarā bhavati dhruvam ||184|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tatas	tatas adverb	from that
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	would arise
rāja tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	rājan substantive masculine	Royal
yogaḥ nominative singular	yoga substantive masculine	Yoga
na	na particle	not
antarā	antarā adverb	otherwise
bhavati 3rd person singular aktive present	bhū verbal root	arises
dhruvam	dhruvam adverb	certainly

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

[The yogi] should practise (abhyaset | 3p sg act opt) with all these taught [methods] (etaiḥ sarvaiḥ kathitaiḥ | ins pl m), each at its proper time (kāla-kālataḥ). From that (tataḥ) Royal Yoga (rāja-yogaḥ | nom sg) would arise (bhavet | 3p sg act opt); it certainly (dhruvam) does not (na) arise (bhavati | 3p sg act pres) otherwise (antarā).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Each of the techniques should be practised at the appropriate time. Only from their proper use, the text insists, does Royal Yoga arise.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

kālakālataḥ | JM2024 ] kālakālataḥ || DYŚ

dhruvam || JM2024 ] dhruvam | DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 185

न दिङ्मात्रेण सिद्धिः स्यादभ्यासेनैव जायते |

na diṅ-mātreṇa siddhiḥ syād; abhyāsenaiva jāyate | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

na	na particle	not
diś tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	diś substantive feminine	an indication, a hint
mātreṇa instrumental case singular	mātra substantive neuter	merely by
siddhiḥ nominative singular	siddhi substantive feminine	success
syāt 3rd person singular aktive optative	as verbal root	would arise
abhyāsena instrumental case singular	abhyāsa substantive masculine	through practice
eva	eva particle	alone
jāyate 3rd person singular medial present	jan verbal root	arises

राजयोगपदं प्राप्य सर्वसत्त्ववशंकरम् ||185||

rāja-yoga-padaṃ prāpya; sarva-sattva-vaśaṃ-karam ||185|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

rāja tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	rājan substantive masculine	Royal
yoga tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	yoga substantive masculine	Yoga
padam accusative singular	pada substantive neuter	the level
prāpya absolutus	pra previx āp verbal root	having reached
sarva karmadhāraya-compound	sarva adjective	all
sattva tatpuruṣa-compound accusative	sattva substantive neuter	beings
vaśam tatpuruṣa-compound accusative	vaśa substantive masculine	under control
karam accusative singular neuter	kara adjective	bringing

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

A mere hint cannot bring success; repeated practice is essential. On reaching Royal Yoga, the yogi gains mastery over all beings.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

jāyate | JM2024 ] jāyate || DYŚ

rājayogapadaṃ JM2024 ] rājayogaṃ varaṃ DYŚ

sarvasattvavaśaṃkaram || JM2024 ] sarvasattvavaśaṃkaram | DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 186

सर्वं कुर्यान्न वा कुर्याद्यथारुचि विचेष्टितम् |

sarvaṃ kuryān na vā kuryād; yathā-ruci viceṣṭitam | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

sarvam accusative singular neuter	sarva pronoun quant	anything
kuryāt 3rd person singular aktive optative	kṛ verbal root	may do
na	na particle	not
vā	vā particle	or
kuryāt 3rd person singular aktive optative	kṛ verbal root	may do
yathā avyayībhāva-compund	yathā adverb	according to
ruci	ruci substantive feminine	liking
viceṣṭitam accusative singular neuter past participle passive	vi previx ceṣṭ verbal root	behaving

यदा तु राजयोगेन निष्पन्ना योगिनः क्रिया ||186||

yadā tu rāja-yogena; niṣpannā yoginaḥ kriyā ||186|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yadā	yadā adverb	when
tu	tu particle	now
rāja tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	rājan substantive masculine	Royal
yogena instrumental case singular	yoga substantive masculine	through Yoga
niṣpannā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	nis previx pad verbal root	perfected
yoginaḥ genitive singular	yogin substantive masculine	of the yogin
kriyā nominative singular	kriyā substantive feminine	activity

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Such a yogi is free to act or refrain from acting and to live as he chooses. In Royal Yoga, all his activity reaches completion.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

yathāruci viceṣṭitam JM2024 ] yathāruciviceṣṭitam DYŚ

viceṣṭitam | JM2024 ] yathāruciviceṣṭitam || DYŚ

yadā tu rājayogena JM2024 ] yathāntarā ca yogena DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 187

तदावस्था हि निष्पत्तिर्भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदा भवेत् |

tadāvasthā hi niṣpattir; bhukti-mukti-pradā bhavet | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tadā	tadā adverb	then
avasthā nominative singular	avasthā substantive feminine	the stage
hi	hi particle	indeed
niṣpattiḥ nominative singular	niṣpatti substantive feminine	perfection
bhukti dvandva-compound	bhukti substantive feminine	enjoyment
mukti tatpuruṣa-compound dative	mukti substantive feminine	liberation
pradā nominative singular feminine	prada adjective	bestowing
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	would arise

सर्वं ते कथितं ब्रह्मन्सांकृते योगमाचर ||187||

sarvaṃ te kathitaṃ brahman; sāṃkṛte yogam ācara ||187|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

sarvam nominative singular neuter	sarva pronoun quant	everything
te dative singular	yuṣmad pronoun pers 2p	to you
kathitam nominative singular neuter past participle passive	kath verbal root	taught
brahman vokative singular	brahman substantive masculine	O Brahmin
sāṃkṛte vokative singular	sāṃkṛti substantive masculine	O Sāṃkṛti
yogam accusative singular	yoga substantive masculine	yoga
ācara 2nd person singular aktive imperative	ā previx car verbal root	practise

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

The stage of Niṣpatti then arises, bestowing enjoyment and liberation. Dattātreya closes his instruction and tells Sāṃkṛti to practise yoga.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

bhuktimuktipradā bhavet JM2024 ] bhuktimuktiphalapradā DYŚ

bhavet | JM2024 ] bhuktimuktiphalapradā || DYŚ

ācara || JM2024 ] ācara | DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

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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 ›

Nils Jacob Liersch

Meine Begeisterung für Yoga, indische Philosophie und Sanskrit führte mich zum Studium der Indologie und Religionswissenschaft an der Universität Heidelberg. Seit 2004 befinde ich mich auf meinem persönlichen Yogaweg... more ›

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Dattātreyayogaśāstra 184–187: From Sustained Practice to Niṣpatti

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