“Kriyā Yoga means to have certain qualities in our actions.
e.g. listening to this lecture
Natural for people with a stable mind.
So something has to be done for others.”
– TKV Desikachar Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“No medicine can reduce Duḥkha, only Kriyā Yoga.”
– TKV Desikachar commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

‎”It is not enough to clean a vessel,
you must put something in.”
– TKV Desikachar 1998 on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“The order is important
– from gross to subtle,
we need one to appreciate the next.”
– TKV Desikachar Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“What are the effects of Kriyā Yoga?
Samādhi Bhāvana –
The ability to pursue the right practice that brings one closer to Īśvara.
Kleśa Tanū Karaṇa –
Reduction of those obstacles that we have somehow acquired through wrong actions,
leading to undesirable and bitter experiences.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 2

Question to TKV Desikachar:
How rigorous should we be in the practice of Tapas?
“Tapas is not the rejection of everything around us.
In the Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1,
Tapas means to be able to discipline oneself.
So if you are too fat eat less.
If you are too thin eat more.
Tapas which harms the mind should be rejected.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 21st 1988

“No medicine can reduce Duḥkha, only Kriyā Yoga.”
– TKV Desikachar commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“In the Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1 Patañjali introduces the term Kriyā Yoga,
a Yoga that anyone can practice,
as distinct from the Yoga practiced by those who devote themselves totally to Yoga,
those whose only concern in life is too reach the highest.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 20th 1988

“Kriyā Yoga emphasises that the Kleśa cannot be reduced instantly.
It is a gradual process.
Further Kleśa can only be reduced to the limit they become ineffective.
They cannot be destroyed.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 2

“Kriyā Yoga emphasises that the Kleśa cannot be reduced instantly.
It is a gradual process.
Further Kleśa can only be reduced to the limit they become ineffective.
They cannot be destroyed.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 2

“Kleśa are not always dominant.
Through Kriyā Yoga they become weaker and weaker.
How is it possible to completely subdue them?
No mental effort can help as Mind is the storehouse of the Kleśa.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 10

“When Kleśa are on  the move, time should not be lost.
Reflection is a must.
Reduction of all the factors that increase Rajas and Tamas,
including right food, company, study and Niyama is a must.
Without them, reflection leading to a reduction of the power of Kleśa will not work.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 11

“He has very clear ideas on the Ṣat Kriyā and the Mudrā.
He believes that if a person does Āsana properly, with breathing,
and has certain restraints regarding food, there is no need for these Kriyā.”
– TKV Desikachar from lectures on ‘The Yoga of T Krishnamacharya’,
given at Zinal, Switzerland 1981.

“In addition, the use of Kriyā,
without a knowledge of the individuals Doṣa
is certainly going to do more harm than good.
Doṣa, briefly, means the constitution of the individual;
some are fat, some tend to get a lot of colds,
some have acid problems, some are nervous.
So different beings show different predominances in the Doṣa,
and Kriyā must be considered in relation to these varying constitutions.”
– TKV Desikachar from lectures on ‘The Yoga of T Krishnamacharya’,
given at Zinal, Switzerland 1981.

“Patañjali has proposed 3 approaches to verify the indications.
Tapas – Process of action
Food, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma.
You will be doing something that you will not be habitually doing.
For example one day no salt, cigarettes, Prāṇāyāma.
Tapas is from the root to create thirst.
It means to deprive.
It will tell us about ourselves.
It will reveal our Saṃskāra and Pariṇāma or changes in ourselves.
From this Tapas we will start to get an indication of our individual nature.
For example active or lazy.
Tapas indicates the the beginning of the Bheda, through the Bhāva.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

Links to Related Posts:

Though there are many different aspects to formal ‘home’ practice……

T Krishnamacharya on Kriyā Yoga from the Yogavallī

The three Upāya to take control of our inability to see things clearly…….

I do feel that verses 10 and 11 Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two offer……

Introduction to the Yoga Makaranda by TKV Desikachar

Laṅghana Kriyā can be used for pacification or for purification

We can learn how we can fine tune our practice according to our basic nature…

Primary Prāṇāyāma Techniques as taught by Krishnamacharya and Desikachar