“The Yoga Sūtra is divided into four chapters.
The first chapter called Samādhi Pādaḥ assumes the aspirant
has progressed adequately to be in a state called Samāhita.
Such a person is not easily agitated.
They have a clearer perception to comprehend concepts such as Īśvara and Vairāgya.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One

“In this Sūtra Patañjali states that there are two ways
to discipline the five types of mental activity.
They are Abhyāsa and Vairāgya.
Abhyāsa is practice.
In order to discipline the mind,
we need to develop a mental practice
that clearly reveals the distinction
between the nature of Jīva and Prakṛti.
Vairāgya is to disconnect or sever the link
between the Citta and external objects.
These two, Abhyāsa and Vairāgya,
always go together as a pair.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“In Sūtra 1.12 Patañjali defines Abhyāsa
and Vairāgya in relation to Nirodha.
A question we can explore as
an avenue towards grasping this
Sūtra is, what is the relationship
of these two seeming polarities?
Namely, what are the qualities of
Abhyāsa, in relation to the qualities
of its seeming counterpart, Vairāgya?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Jñāna Dhyānam is the dynamic yoking of
the two qualities of Abhyāsa and Vairāgya.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Abhyāsa and Vairāgya
Within the effort of trying to remain there not clinging to what arises
within the effort of trying to remain there not clinging to what arises
within the effort of trying to remain there not clinging to what arises
within the effort of trying to remain there not……..”
abhyāsa vairāgyābhyāṃ tat nirodhaḥ
“By both practice and dispassion that contained.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Abhyāsa or Practice is,
the effort to remain within
the stillness of the present.
Vairāgya or Dispassion is,
the absence of thirst towards
the dance of the past.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verses 12

“According to Patañjali, the process of Abhyāsa needs
to be in place before Vairāgya is a viable reality,
as one is an increasingly subtle developmental process
arising from the initial engagement with the other.
Hence Abhyāsa is the attentive and consistent effort
to remain there and Vairāgya is our relationship with
what arises from and within our effort to remain there.
Here is a psychological drama where the internal play
of our neuroses acts itself out on the stage of the mind.
Though at least, with our efforts with Abhyāsa, the inner
audience can look at the play, rather than from the play.
Until we embrace the skills to remain there consistently,
we cannot consistently engage within the very erratic
relationship we have with the neurotic characters
that populate the drama/mystery/romance plays we
stage on a daily basis in our mind, as if a plat du jour.
Essentially until we choose to desist from not stopping,
we cannot begin to observe how much movement there is.
Thus, firstly there needs to be a consistent effort at
Abhyāsa Dhyānam, then we have the developmental
correlative of Vairāgya to help contend with what arises.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Detachment can imply an attachment elsewhere.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 15

“In Sūtra 1.15 Patañjali introduces Vairāgya
as dispassion arising from an absence of thirst.
Towards what and how would you interpret its
relevance towards your outer and inner life?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 15

“When Jīva, attached to Prakṛti,
realizes its own true nature with
clear understanding, all desires,
arising from the three Guṇa and
their variations cease entirely.
This state of Vairāgya,
free from all types of desire,
is called Para Vairāgya.”
– T Krishnamacharya on  Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 16

“In Veda, Āyurveda and Yoga Sūtra,
various techniques are offered to aid in healing the sick.
In addition to herbs and medicines,
Patañjali suggests that Āsana, Prāṇāyāma and Vairāgya
are particularly beneficial and, as any medicine,
should be used with care and discipline.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 34

“Among the disciplines to be applied are:
– Using appropriate breathing technique when moving the body in Āsana practice.
– Eliminating unnecessary travel.
– Regulating the intake of food.
Without these disciplines, the practice of Āsana, Prāṇāyāma and Vairāgya will not be effective.”
–  T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 34

“From this, the role of senses and sense objects
in causing a ground for disease becomes evident.
They are chiefly responsible for creating disturbance in the mind.
Hence the value of Vairāgya insisted as an aid to help the student.
Otherwise the whole system is sure to reach a state of chaos
because of the erratic movement of vital energy all over the body.
To put it another way, disease results from excess of contact
with objects not conducive to the individual system.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 34

“Vyutthāna happens because of Rāga.
Nirodha happens because of Vairāgya.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 9

“The message of the Bhagavad Gītā is:
The vision of the lord is certain through
singular devotion developed by honouring ones Dharma
in a spirit that leads to clarity and detachment.”
– TKV Desikachar on Gītārtha Saṃgraha of Śrī Yāmunācārya Śloka One

“Then he has certain ideas also about Kuṇḍalinī.
The force is Prāṇa,
the force called Śakti or Kuṇḍalinī is indeed Prāṇa.
The only means that can have any effect is the use of Prāṇāyāma,
with emphasis on exhalation and the Bandha,
aided by devotional chantings.
And the evolution of Kuṇḍalinī is very much linked to the person’s state of mind and Vairāgya.”
– TKV Desikachar from lectures on ‘The Yoga of T Krishnamacharya’,
given at Zinal, Switzerland 1981.

“The concepts of Abhyāsa (Practice) and Vairāgya (Dispassion) in Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verses 12-16
are co-essential in the teaching of Patañjali.
Discuss their relationship and list and comment on the attitudes that support their practice.”
To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet

Links to Related Posts:

• Compendium of Quotes from TKV Desikachar on the Yoga of T Krishnamacharya……
• T Krishnamacharya on Kriyā Yoga from the Yogavallī