Dattātreyayogaśāstra 103–105: Teaching Must Not Displace One’s Own Practice

Students bring care, duties, and recognition; the yogi should prevent these responsibilities from interrupting regular practice.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Nils Jacob Liersch 23.07.2019

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 103

तथा वर्तेत लोकेषु स्वसामर्थ्यस्य गुप्तये |

tathā varteta lokeṣu; sva-sāmarthyasya guptaye | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tathā	tathā adverb	likewise
varteta 3rd person singular medial optative	vṛt verbal root	should behave
lokeṣu lokative plural	loka substantive masculine	among people
sva karmadhāraya-compound	sva adjective	own
sāmarthyasya genitive singular	sāmarthya substantive neuter	of his power
guptaye dative singular	gupti substantive feminine	for concealing

नो चेच्छिष्या हि बहवो भवन्त्येव न संशयः ||103||

no cec chiṣyā hi bahavo; bhavanty eva na saṃśayaḥ ||103|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

no	no particle	not
cet	cet particle	if
śiṣyāḥ nominative plural	śiṣya substantive masculine	disciples
hi	hi particle	indeed
bahavaḥ nominative plural masculine	bahu adjective	many
bhavanti 3rd person plural aktive present	bhū verbal root	they arise, become
eva	eva particle	precisely
na	na particle	not
saṃśayaḥ nominative singular	saṃśaya substantive masculine	doubt

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

This protects the yogi’s powers from notice. Otherwise many disciples gather and quickly become a distraction.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

varteta JM2024 ] vartteta DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 104

स्वस्वकार्येषु योगीन्द्रं प्रार्थयन्ति न संशयः |

sva-sva-kāryeṣu yogīndraṃ; prārthayanti na saṃśayaḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

sva karmadhāraya-compound	sva adjective	own
sva karmadhāraya-compound	sva adjective	own
kāryeṣu lokative plural	kārya substantive neuter	about their affairs
yogi tatpuruṣa-compound lokative	yogin substantive masculine	of yogis
indram accusative singular	indra substantive masculine	lord
prārthayanti 3rd person plural aktive present	prārth verbal root	they ask, petition
na	na particle	not
saṃśayaḥ nominative singular	saṃśaya substantive masculine	doubt

तत्कर्मकरणव्यग्रः स्वाभ्यासे विस्मृतो भवेत् ||104||

tat-karma-karaṇa-vyagraḥ; svābhyāse vismṛto bhavet ||104|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tat tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	tad pronoun	their
karma tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	karman substantive neuter	action
karaṇa karmadhāraya-compound	karaṇa substantive neuter	carrying out
vyagraḥ nominative singular masculine	vyagra adjective	distracted, preoccupied
sva karmadhāraya-compound	sva adjective	own
abhyāse lokative singular	abhyāsa substantive masculine	in his practice
vismṛtaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	vi previx smṛ verbal root	forgetful
bhavet 3rd person singular aktive optative	bhū verbal root	becomes

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Disciples continually ask for help with their affairs. Becoming entangled in their concerns makes the yogi neglect personal practice.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

svasvakāryeṣu yogīndraṃ prārthayanti na saṃśayaḥ JM2024 ] om. DYŚ

bhavet || JM2024 ] bhavet | DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 105

अभ्यासेन विहीनस्तु ततो लौकिकतां व्रजेत् |

abhyāsena vihīnas tu; tato laukikatāṃ vrajet | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

abhyāsena instrumental case singular	abhyāsa substantive masculine	of practice, through practice
vihīnaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	vi previx hā verbal root	deprived
tu	tu particle	but
tataḥ	tatas adverb	then
laukikatām accusative singular feminine	laukika adjective tā suffix	ordinary worldliness
vrajet 3rd person singular aktive optative	vraj verbal root	he should enter

अविस्मृत्य गुरोर्वाक्यमभ्यसेत्तदहर्निशम् ||105||

avismṛtya guror vākyam; abhyaset tad ahar niśam ||105|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

avismṛtya absolutus	a previx vi previx smṛ verbal root	not forgetting
guroḥ genitive singular	guru substantive masculine	of the guru
vākyam accusative singular	vākya substantive neuter	teaching, words
abhyaset 3rd person singular aktive optative	abhi previx as verbal root	should practise
tat accusative singular neuter	tad pronoun	that
ahar accusative singular	ahar substantive neuter	by day
niśam accusative singular	niś substantive feminine	at night

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Neglecting practice leads back into ordinary life. The yogi therefore keeps the teacher’s instruction in mind and practises day and night.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

vrajet | JM2024 ] vrajet || DYŚ

niśam || JM2024 ] niśam | DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Continue with AYI Free

Illustrations: AI-generated.

Editor

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 ›

Messages and ratings

0 messages

Please log in to write a message. Go to login

No messages yet.

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 103–105: Teaching Must Not Displace One’s Own Practice

Continue with AYI Free

Choose your privacy settings.

Adjust your preferences.

Optional