“In the Yogavallī, T Krishnamacharya’s commentary on the Yoga Sūtra,
Śraddhā has been seen in a different, very interesting way.
In it, he has said that Śraddhā is a symbol for a special meditation
and he calls this meditation, Ahaṃ Graha Upāsana.
Ahaṃ is the I, Graha is to grasp and Upāsana is to stay near.
Where a person wants to grasp the true nature of the I,
it is called Ahaṃ Graha Upāsana.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 20

“In Yoga Sutra Chapter One, the role for
Īśvara Praṇidhānā in the  Samādhi Yoga section can
be as an appropriate Upāya for a Śikṣaṇa situation,
Here, its purpose is in turning inwards. as in
realising what is consciousness, through a Japam
Mantra practice within an Antar Aṅga Sādhana.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 23

“In Yoga Sutra Chapter Two, the role for
Īśvara Praṇidhānā in the Kriya Yoga section, can
be as an appropriate Upāya for a Cikitsā situation.
Here, as one of a triad in the cultivation of helpful
lifestyle habits, its purpose is in reducing agitation.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1

“In Yoga Sutra Chapter Two, the role for
Īśvara Praṇidhānā in the Bāhya Aṅga section can
be as an appropriate Upāya for a Rakṣaṇa situation.
Here, as part of a cultivation of Niyama within the Bāhya
Aṅga Sādhana, its purpose is in accessing Antar Aṅga.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 32

“In the Yoga Sūtra
it is said that in the
beginning of one’s Sādhana,
clarity and confusion follow
each other in cycles,
like a wave form.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 9

“The Yoga Sūtra says that as we practice Prāṇāyāma,
more and more of the covering of the mind,
Avidyā, is removed and there is clarity.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Ten Page 137

“Āsana and Prāṇāyāma can, according to the Yoga Sūtra,
create a condition where the mind is fit for Dhāraṇā.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Eleven Page 156

Question: How does the ‘I’ influence Dhyāna?
“Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra, which describes
every aspect of mental activity,
provides an answer to this question…….”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988

“The Yoga of Patañjali, presented in very brief pithy statements,
asserts that all human problems emanate from the mind
and can be resolved by changing the quality of this mind.
Not only can they be resolved, but a person can also
utilise this refined mind for every use possible,
including comprehending the divine mystery.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras 1996

Different Types of Postural Activity in Āsana Practice
“Finally, the consideration of movement
or stasis sits within a relationship to the
deeper purpose of Āsana within our journey
through the body and the breath, to the mind
and beyond, through considerations such as:
In relation to the psychological ideal of remaining there.
According to the definition in  Chapter Three verse 2 of
the Yoga Sūtra, a continuity of psychic activity is the ideal.
This is seen as the ability to stay, as if in the same moment, as
one moment melds into the next moment and the next moment.
In other words, the ability to internally maintain a continuity of
experience as if maintaining an apparent stillness of movement.
Access to such subtle states requires a containment of movement
that ultimately extends from the body to the breath to the mind.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated

“The First and Second Chapters of the Yoga Sūtra
can be linked to the teaching concepts of
Śikṣaṇa, Rakṣaṇa and Cikitsā Krama.
In that the Samādhi Yoga in Chapter One
can be seen as apt for a Śikṣaṇa situation,
whereby the primary aim is discernment, as in
exploring what lies within the sense of I-Am.
Whereas in Chapter Two, the Kriya Yoga section
can be seen as being apt for a Cikitsā situation,
whereby the primary aim is recovering, as in
reducing agitation through lifestyle changes.
and the Bāhya Aṅga section of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga
can be seen as being apt for a Rakṣaṇa situation,
whereby the primary aim is establishing stability,
through a formal practice within a Yoga Sādhana.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

Legend of Patañjali
– Dhyānaṃ Ślokam for Yoga Sūtra as MP3 Sound file
“It was learnt by heart as a Bhāvana for Dhyānam,
to create a meditational mood linked to Patañjali
prior to commencing, either Chanting practice
or textual study of the Yoga Sūtra.
As taught to TKV Desikachar by T Krishnamacharya.”
From Paul’s chant study recordings of TKV Desikachar

Links to Related Posts:

• Īśvara Praṇidhānā appears as a Sādhana Upāya at three unique reference points…
• T Krishnamacharya Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated
• TKV Desikachar Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated
• Paul’s Yoga Mālā – A Thread of Pearls from Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra
• Paul’s Yoga Sūtra Study Keywords – Collected & Collated into Chapters
• Paul’s Yoga Sūtra Study Questions – Collected & Collated into Chapters
• Collected Yoga Sūtra Study Questions – by Paul Harvey
• Yoga Sūtra Translations – More Liberal & More Literal Renditions by Paul Harvey
• Yoga Sūtra Chapters One to Four – Word by Word Personal Study Workbooks
• Yoga Sūtra Chanting Practice – PDF and MP3 Support Resources