Yoga Sūtra Chapter One Title
समाधिपादः
samādhi-pādaḥ
The Chapter on Integration.
samādhi - putting together; communion; combining; integrationpāda - the chapter of a book; section; a quarter, a fourth part; foot, leg; on foot; the act of locomotionCommentaries and Reflections
Commentary by T Krishnamacharya:
“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.”
Commentary by TKV Desikachar:
“The beauty of the Sūtra is that they are only related to the mind.
Thus they stand above various religions and can be studied and related to by all types of persons from all types of religions.”
Commentary by Paul Harvey:
“The chapter on the assimilation
of what thinks it perceives,
with the source of perception.”
“In the Yoga Sūtra, the pre-eminent text on Dhyānam within Yoga.
Chapter One is about the Refinement of the practice of Dhyānam;
Chapter Two is about the Preparation for the practice of Dhyānam;
Chapter Three is about the Outcome of the practice of Dhyānam;
Chapter Four is about the Goal of the practice of Dhyānam.”
“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.”