Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two Title
साधनपादः
sādhana-pādaḥ
The Chapter on the Means to Accomplish.
sādhana - means to accomplish; leading straight to a goal; guiding well; furthering; propitiation, worship, adorationpāda - 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:
“What about others who are known as Vyutthita Citta,
a mind easily prone to agitations and distractions?
This second chapter known as Sādhana Pādaḥ caters to them.”
Commentary by TKV Desikachar:
“Chapter Two is for those who want to move to the state of Chapter One.”
“Whether Yoga is Sādhana or Siddhi?
Sādhana is the means to achieve something.
Siddhi is where something has happened.
For Siddhi to happen there has to be Sādhana, some preparation, some effort.
So how is it possible for something to be both Sādhana and Siddhi?
Each gain we make is a Siddhi.
Each Siddhi helps us to go further with Sādhana.”
Commentary by Paul Harvey:
“The Section on the means
to help do something for
the practitioner starting
with an agitated psyche.”
“More usually the past dominates the present.
Through Yoga Sādhana we work towards
the present dominating the past.”
“Chapter Two is about the Preparation for the practice of Dhyānam.”
“In the Yoga Sūtra,
a 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.”