“The mind is subject to change or Pariṇāma and as such can be channelised.
Certain movements can be emphasised or de-emphasised.”
– TKV Desikachar on 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

“Anubhūta is the change that
occurs in one’s state of mind
when it is related to external objects
through the involvement of the senses.
This is also known as experience.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 11

Yoga is about recognising change and
recognising that which recognises change.
– Commentary around Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 16

“The Yoga Sūtra says you can’t change your life,
however you can change your perception of it.”
– Reflections on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 5

“The association with the world full of form and change starts with the mind.
Suffering caused because of this association is an eye opener.
Who is suffering?
Who is recognising it?
What can release this suffering?
All these questions exist because of this association,
even though it may often be painful”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 23

“The mind has the characteristics that make other things possible.
To develop tendencies or Saṃskāra.
The mind can also adapt and change or Pariṇāma.
Saṃskāra is the opposite of Pariṇāma.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“Without Saṃskāra there can be no evolution, memory, action.
There would only be Pariṇāma or constant change.
So Saṃskāra can be good or bad.
The mind is basically neutral.
It depends on what happens to us.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“Depending on what and how you feed Pariṇāma and Saṃskāra you can have good or bad reactions.
Pariṇāma relates to perception, Saṃskāra relates to memory.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“Pariṇāma is change and can be from one moment to the next.
Suppose we are listening to music we like, a Saṃskāra or tendency,
and something happens to jar the appreciation.
The change is immediate and opposite to how we were.
Thus the Saṃskāra of listening to a particular style of music causes friction when there is change.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“The learning process is only possible with Pariṇāma.
Remembering what you have learned is only possible with Saṃskāra.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“When Saṃskāra takes one view and Pariṇāma another there is friction.
Coming to Madras is Pariṇāma, being unable to have those things you had before causes friction.
When you want those things you are used to through Saṃskāra,
then the Pariṇāma which caused this can bring Duḥkha.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“There is a relationship between Pariṇāma, Tāpa and Saṃskāra.
When you recognise this phenomena there is something that recognises it.
That something is not part of the phenomena.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“Depending on what and how you feed Pariṇāma and Saṃskāra you can have good or bad reactions.
Pariṇāma relates to perception, Saṃskāra relates to memory.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“Duḥkha and the absence of Duḥkha on the mental level is due to Saṃskāra and Pariṇāma.
With no Saṃskāra the mind is dead.
With no Pariṇāma the mind is not alive.
With the two we try to strike a balance,
to have the two in harmony.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“A Yogi is one in who Pariṇāma and Saṃskāra are in harmony.
When there is no harmony there is the wrong combination of Pariṇāma and Saṃskāra.
This is known as Avidyā or not knowing a thing as it is.
The right combination is Vidyā.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“The practice of Yoga is an attempt to influence Saṃskāra and Pariṇāma in a  positive way.
If not the practice is wrong.
Therefore Yoga is a Saṃskāra which gradually changes from old Saṃskāra.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 8th 1979 on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“We must consider the direction of one’s Āsana Practice.
Where are we starting from?
Where are we going to?
Is this journey of Pariṇāma working with immediate needs in mind?
Is this journey of Pariṇāma working with long term needs in mind?
Is this journey of Pariṇāma trying to integrate both immediate needs and long term needs?”
– TKV Desikachar 1980

“In observing, we must remember a few more things:
We must respect time and change,
although the tendency nowadays is otherwise.
We must wait and observe more than once
so as not to be trapped by the fact
that things appear like this one day
and like that another day.”
– TKV Desikachar 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

Question to TKV Desikachar on Pariṇāma:
“Change is universal but not the same for everybody.
Pariṇāma gives life to Saṃskāra.
Saṃskāra gives stability to Pariṇāma.
So there is an order in any change.
If there is no Pariṇāma or Saṃskāra there is no Vidyā or Avidyā.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“We can summarise all the Bheda into three:
– Saṃskāra Bheda (division by tendencies)
– Pariṇāma Bheda (division by transformation or change)
– Avidyā Bheda (division by illusion)
They are not bad things, only different.
We need to recognise and do something so the negative differences don’t take us over.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“What we observe today might not be the same tomorrow.”
– From study notes with TKV Desikachar England 1992

“Yoga is about recognising change and recognising that which recognises change.”

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

“According to the teachings of Krishnamacharya,
you must first change the mind In order to meditate,
rather than trying to meditate in order to change the mind.”