“The first four verses of Chapter One of the Yoga Sūtra are said to encapsulate the essence of the whole chapter.
Summarise them in a way so as to interest someone who knows little about Yoga.”
To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet

“What is Yoga?
Yoga is Nirodha of the different activities and fluctuations of the mind,
the leader of the senses.
Nirodha is to completely cover.
Thus this Sūtra implies the Nirodha of involvement of the mind in objects
that distract from a chosen direction of contemplation.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

”Citta Vṛtti Nirodha, the state of mind in which no distractions arise from undesirable external stimuli and the individual is able to choose an object of focus, ideally Īśvara.”
– T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

”Another term for Citta Vṛtti Nirodha is Dhyānam,
the state of mind in which an individual focuses on,
visualises and remains with Īśvara.”
– T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

“The mind is like a fluid,
which can modify into different things.
A sense of change.
Thus restraining modifications is cnannelising.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

“Yoga is stopping the mind,
from becoming involved,
in activities that distract,
one from a chosen direction.”
– TKV Desikachar commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

“Nirodha is a restraining of OTHER things,
not a cessation of activity.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

“Restraint is in the sense of if I am here I am not elsewhere.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

“Cit is always the same.
Nirodha always refers to Citta.
Thus Cit is a witness.
What changes is only Citta.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

“Nirodha always refers to Citta.
Thus Cit is a witness.
What changes is only Citta.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2 is a Lakṣaṇa Sūtra in that it
describes the characteristics of Yoga as Citta Vṛtti Nirodha.”
– TKV Desikachar

“Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2 is not Yoga Sarva Citta Vṛtti Nirodha.
This is a relative Sūtra, which allows for a gradual evolution.”
– TKV Desikachar

Yoga arises from the containment of,
Our propensity to fluctuate.
– Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

To experience the spaciousness of Cit,
Yoga says practice enclosing the Citta.
– Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2-3

“During such a moment, without distractions,
the power of the source of perception,
full of clarity and completeness, shines forth.”
– T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 3

“The greater the Śraddhā, the more meaning there is in the techniques such as Āsana, Prāṇāyāma, Dhyānam, Bhāvana and all the others. Without Śraddhā, these techniques have little effect on the state of the mind and the progress to Citta Vṛtti Nirodha.

However, sometimes some minor benefits that we get through Āsana or Prāṇāyāma practice, open up the Śraddhā within us. Śraddhā is within each of us but is covered. It could be any experience that uncovers it.”
– TKV Desikachar on Śraddhā in the Yoga Sūtra

“It can be said that sickness is Citta Vikṣepa and health is Citta Nirodha.”
–  T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 34

“Without Āsana,
Prāṇāyāma cannot become accomplished.
Without containing Prāna,
the mind cannot achieve steadiness.”
– From T Krishnamacharya’s composition,
The Yoga Rahasya Chapter One verse 45

“From Meditation (Dhyānam),
arises Integration (Samādhi),
merging the experience of,
Moments of Containment (Nirodha Kṣana)
without Transformation (Pariṇāma).”

Links to Related Posts:

Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verses 1-4 epitomise our Yoga Journey in……