Dattātreyayogaśāstra 189–191: Study, Teach, and Practise Steadily

One who regularly studies the text and shares it with suitable people is promised gradual success; sustained yoga practice is therefore called the fruit of life.

Dr. Ronald Steiner

Nils Jacob Liersch 20.05.2023

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 189

य इदं पठते नित्यं साधुभ्यः श्रावयेदपि |

ya idaṃ paṭhate nityaṃ; sādhubhyaḥ śrāvayed api | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yaḥ nominative singular masculine	yad pronoun rel	whoever
idam accusative singular neuter	idam pronoun dem	this
paṭhate 3rd person singular medial present	paṭh verbal root	studies
nityam	nityam adverb	regularly
sādhubhyaḥ dative plural	sādhu substantive masculine	to good people
śrāvayet 3rd person singular aktive optative causative	śru verbal root	should teach
api	api particle	also

तस्य योगः क्रमेणैव सिध्यत्येव न संशयः ||189||

tasya yogaḥ krameṇaiva; sidhyaty eva na saṃśayaḥ ||189|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tasya genitive singular masculine	tad pronoun dem	his
yogaḥ nominative singular	yoga substantive masculine	yoga
krameṇa instrumental case singular	krama substantive masculine	gradually
eva	eva particle	surely
sidhyati 3rd person singular aktive present	sidh verbal root	succeeds
eva	eva particle	indeed
na	na particle	no
saṃśayaḥ nominative singular	saṃśaya substantive masculine	doubt

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Whoever regularly studies this text and teaches it to suitable people is promised gradual success in yoga.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

api | JM2024 ] api || DYŚ

saṃśayaḥ || JM2024 ] saṃśayaḥ | DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 190

योगिनो ऽभ्यासयुक्ता ये ह्यरण्येषु गुहासु वा |

yogino 'bhyāsa-yuktā ye; hy araṇyeṣu guhāsu vā | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yoginaḥ nominative plural	yogin substantive masculine	yogins
abhyāsa tatpuruṣa-compound instrumental case	abhyāsa substantive masculine	in practice
yuktāḥ nominative plural masculine past participle passive	yuj verbal root	engaged
ye nominative plural masculine	yad pronoun rel	who
hi	hi particle	indeed
araṇyeṣu lokative plural	araṇya substantive neuter	in forests
guhāsu lokative plural	guhā substantive feminine	in caves
vā	vā particle	or

बहुकालं रमन्ते स्म जनसङ्गविवर्जिताः ||190||

bahu-kālaṃ ramante sma; jana-saṅga-vivarjitāḥ ||190|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

bahu karmadhāraya-compound	bahu adjective	a long
kālam accusative singular	kāla substantive masculine	time
ramante 3rd person plural medial present	ram verbal root	have lived happily
sma	sma particle	(past-tense marker)
jana tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	jana substantive masculine	people
saṅga tatpuruṣa-compound ablative	saṅga substantive masculine	company
vivarjitāḥ nominative plural masculine past participle passive	vi previx vṛj verbal root	free from

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Yogis who withdraw to forests or caves and avoid human company have practised in this way, contentedly, for long periods.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

guhāsu em. Mallinson (JM2024) ] gṛheṣu DYŚ

Critical Apparatus

Dattātreyayogaśāstra 191

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन योगमेव सदाभ्यसेत् |

tasmāt sarva-prayatnena; yogam eva sadābhyaset | Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

tasmāt ablative singular neuter	tad pronoun dem	therefore
sarva karmadhāraya-compound	sarva adjective	every
prayatnena instrumental case singular	prayatna substantive masculine	with effort
yogam accusative singular	yoga substantive masculine	yoga
eva	eva particle	only
sadā	sadā adverb	always
abhyaset 3rd person singular aktive optative	abhyas verbal root	one should practise

योगाभ्यासो जन्मफलं निष्फला हि तथाक्रियाः ||191||

yogābhyāso janma-phalaṃ; niṣphalā hi tathākriyāḥ ||191|| Analysis ▾ Analysis ▴

yoga tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	yoga substantive masculine	yoga
abhyāsaḥ nominative singular	abhyāsa substantive masculine	practice
janman tatpuruṣa-compound genitive	janman substantive neuter	of birth
phalam nominative singular	phala substantive neuter	reward
niṣphalāḥ nominative plural masculine	niṣphala adjective	without that reward
hi	hi particle	indeed
tathā	tathā adverb	in that way
akriyāḥ nominative plural masculine	akriya adjective	those who do not practise

Metre: Anuṣṭubh

Therefore (tasmāt), one should always (sadā) practise (abhyaset | 3p sg act opt) yoga (yogam | acc sg), and yoga alone (eva), with every effort (sarva-prayatnena | ins sg). The practice of yoga (yogābhyāsaḥ | nom sg) is the fruit of birth (janma-phalam | nom sg); those who do not practise in this way (tathākriyāḥ | nom pl m) are indeed (hi) without that fruit (niṣphalāḥ | nom pl m).

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

Yoga should therefore be practised constantly and with total commitment. Such practice is the reward of human birth; those who do not practise are without that reward.

Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - modern transfer

sadābhyaset | JM2024 ] sadābhyaset || DYŚ

niṣphalā hi tathākriyāḥ JM2024 ] viphalā hi tathā kriyāḥ DYŚ

tathākriyāḥ || JM2024 ] kriyāḥ | 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 189–191: Study, Teach, and Practise Steadily

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