Dattātreyayogaśāstra 27–31: Eight Limbs and Kapila’s Physical Methods

The text places an eight-limbed yoga beside Kapila’s Haṭha system and lists mudrās, bandhas, inversion, Vajrolī, Amarolī, and Sahajolī.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Nils Jacob Liersch 21.07.2019

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 27

यमश्च नियमश्चैव आसनं च ततः परम् |

yamaś ca niyamaś caiva; āsanaṃ ca tataḥ param | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yamaḥ nominative singular	yama substantive masculine	restraint
ca	ca particle	and
niyamaḥ nominative singular	niyama substantive masculine	observance
ca	ca particle	and
eva	eva particle	indeed
āsanam nominative singular	āsana substantive neuter	posture
ca	ca particle	and
tataḥ	tatas adverb	then
param	param adverb	next

प्राणायामश्चतुर्थः स्यात्प्रत्याहारस्तु पञ्चमः ||27||

prāṇāyāmaś caturthaḥ syāt; pratyāhāras tu pañcamaḥ ||27|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

prāṇa tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	prāṇa substantive masculine	of the breath
āyāmaḥ nominative singular	āyāma substantive masculine	control, restraint
caturthaḥ nominative singular masculine	caturtha adjective	the fourth
syāt 3rd person singular aktive optative	as verbal root	would be
pratyāhāraḥ nominative singular	pratyāhāra substantive masculine	withdrawal of the senses
tu	tu particle	indeed
pañcamaḥ nominative singular masculine	pañcama adjective	the fifth

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

This path begins with ethical restraints, personal observances, and posture. Breath control and withdrawal of the senses follow.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 28

ततस्तु धारणा प्रोक्ता ध्यानं सप्तममुच्यते |

tatas tu dhāraṇā proktā; dhyānaṃ saptamam ucyate | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tataḥ	tatas adverb	then
tu	tu particle	indeed
dhāraṇā nominative singular	dhāraṇā substantive feminine	concentration
proktā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	pra previx vac verbal root	is taught
dhyānam nominative singular	dhyāna substantive neuter	meditation
saptamam nominative singular neuter	saptama adjective	the seventh
ucyate 3rd person singular passive present	vac verbal root	is called

समाधिरष्टमः प्रोक्तः सर्वपुण्यफलप्रदः ||28||

samādhir aṣṭamaḥ proktaḥ; sarva-puṇya-phala-pradaḥ ||28|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

samādhiḥ nominative singular	samādhi substantive masculine	absorption
aṣṭamaḥ nominative singular masculine	aṣṭama adjective	the eighth
proktaḥ nominative singular masculine past participle passive	pra previx vac verbal root	is taught
sarva karmadhāraya-compound	sarva adjective	all
puṇya tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	puṇya substantive neuter	merit
phala tatpuruṣa-compound accusative	phala substantive neuter	fruit
pradaḥ nominative singular masculine	prada adjective	giving

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Then (tataḥ) concentration (dhāraṇā | nom sg) is taught [as the sixth limb] (proktā | nom sg), and meditation (dhyānam | nom sg) is called the seventh [limb] (saptamam ucyate). Samādhi (samādhiḥ | nom sg) is taught as the eighth [limb] (aṣṭamaḥ proktaḥ) and grants the fruit of every merit (sarva-puṇya-phala-pradaḥ | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Next come concentration, meditation, and Samādhi, which is said to bestow the fruit of every merit.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

dhyānaṃ JM2024 ] dhyanaṃ DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 29

एवमष्टाङ्गयोगं च याज्ञवल्क्यादयो विदुः |

evam aṣṭāṅga-yogaṃ ca; yājñavalkyādayo viduḥ | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

evam	evam adverb	thus
aṣṭa dvigu-compound	aṣṭa numeral	eight
aṅga karmadhāraya-compound	aṅga substantive neuter	of the limbs
yogam accusative singular	yoga substantive masculine	yoga
ca	ca particle	and
yājñavalkya dvandva-compound	yājñavalkya substantive masculine	Yājñavalkya
ādayaḥ nominative plural	ādi substantive masculine	and the others
viduḥ 3rd person plural perfekte	vid verbal root	knew

कपिलाद्यास्तथा सिद्धा हठं कुर्युस्तदन्यथा ||29||

kapilādyās tathā siddhā; haṭhaṃ kuryus tad-anyathā ||29|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

kapila dvandva-compound	kapila substantive masculine	Kapila
ādyāḥ nominative plural	ādi substantive masculine	and the others
tathā	tathā adverb	likewise
siddhāḥ nominative plural	siddha substantive masculine	the accomplished adepts
haṭham accusative singular	haṭha substantive masculine	Haṭha
kuryuḥ 3rd person plural aktive optative	kṛ verbal root	should practise
tad avyayībhāva-compund	tad pronoun dem	than that
anyathā	anyathā adverb	otherwise

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Thus Yājñavalkya and others (yājñavalkyādayaḥ | nom pl) knew (viduḥ | 3p pl perf) eight-limbed yoga (aṣṭāṅga-yogam | acc sg). Likewise, accomplished adepts such as Kapila (kapilādyāḥ siddhāḥ | nom pl) practised Haṭha differently from that [eight-limbed yoga] (haṭhaṃ kuryus tad-anyathā).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Yājñavalkya and others knew eight-limbed yoga. Accomplished adepts such as Kapila practised Haṭha in a different way.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

yājñavalkyādayo JM2024 ] yājñavalkādayo DYŚ

tathā siddhā haṭhaṃ kuryus tadanyathā JM2024 ] tu śiṣyāś ca haṭhaṃ kuryus tato yathā DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 30

तद्यथा च महामुद्रा महाबन्धस्तथैव च |

tad yathā ca mahā-mudrā; mahā-bandhas tathaiva ca | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tad nominative singular neuter	tad pronoun dem	that
yathā	yathā adverb	as follows
ca	ca particle	and
mahā karmadhāraya-compound	mahat adjective	great
mudrā nominative singular	mudrā substantive feminine	mudrā
mahā karmadhāraya-compound	mahat adjective	great
bandhaḥ nominative singular	bandha substantive masculine	bandha, lock
tathā	tathā adverb	likewise
eva	eva particle	indeed
ca	ca particle	and

ततश्च खेचरीमुद्रा बन्धो जालन्धरस्तथा ||30||

tataś ca khecarī-mudrā; bandho jālandharas tathā ||30|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tataḥ	tatas adverb	thereafter
ca	ca particle	and
khecarī tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	khecarī substantive feminine	Khecarī
mudrā nominative singular	mudrā substantive feminine	mudrā
bandhaḥ nominative singular	bandha substantive masculine	the lock
jālandharaḥ nominative singular	jālandhara substantive masculine	Jālandhara
tathā	tathā adverb	likewise

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

And that [Haṭha] is as follows (tad yathā ca): Mahāmudrā (mahā-mudrā | nom sg), Mahābandha (mahā-bandhaḥ | nom sg), then Khecarīmudrā (tataś ca khecarī-mudrā | nom sg), and likewise Jālandhara Bandha (bandho jālandharaḥ | nom sg).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Haṭha includes Mahāmudrā, Mahābandha, Khecarīmudrā, and Jālandhara Bandha.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

tataś ca JM2024 ] tataḥ syāt DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 31

उड्डियाणं मूलबन्धो विपरीतकृतिस्तथा |

uḍḍiyāṇaṃ mūla-bandho; viparīta-kṛtis tathā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

uḍḍiyāṇam nominative singular	uḍḍiyāṇa substantive neuter	Uḍḍiyāṇa
mūla tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	mūla substantive neuter	root
bandhaḥ nominative singular	bandha substantive masculine	bandha, lock
viparīta karmadhāraya-compound	viparīta adjective	inverted
kṛtiḥ nominative singular	kṛti substantive feminine	action
tathā	tathā adverb	likewise

वज्रोली चामरोली च सहजोली त्रिधा मता ||31||

vajrolī cāmarolī ca; sahajolī tridhā matā ||31|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

vajrolī nominative singular	vajrolī substantive feminine	Vajrolī
ca	ca particle	and
amarolī nominative singular	amarolī substantive feminine	Amarolī
ca	ca particle	and
sahajolī nominative singular	sahajolī substantive feminine	Sahajolī
tridhā	tridhā adverb	threefold
matā nominative singular feminine past participle passive	man verbal root	is held to be

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

It also includes Uḍḍiyāṇa, Mūlabandha, and Viparītakṛti, as well as the three related methods Vajrolī, Amarolī, and Sahajolī.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

viparītakṛtis JM2024 ] viparītakaraṇī 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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06.10.2021

Shavasana als einzige Körperhaltung? Da würde sich meine Praxis erheblich reduzieren .......

07.10.2021

Oh nein. Später kommt auch noch (mindestens) eine andere Körperhaltung. :)

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 27–31: Eight Limbs and Kapila’s Physical Methods

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