Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Action (or Kriya) Yoga

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are a brilliant exposition of the philosophical principles, profound truths, and disciplines of yoga. He organizes the disciplines into eight “tips” or categories of yoga practice. No specific meditation techniques are given; only types of the disciplines are discussed. Many of his sutras (aphorisms) describe and comment on these practices. This timeless treatise by an enlightened yogi addresses the universal human condition of apparent separation from God (avidyaignoring the Supreme Reality) and shows us how to overcome mental tendencies and illusions that keep us in this condition.

Like the branches of the trees, which emerge in sequence, the first disciplines come first. As they develop, mature and bear fruit, the following are practiced. For example, yama prepares one to practice niyama. Patanjali calls the last three elements of niyama “kriya yoga” (“kriya” means action). Marshall Govindan takes the position that these three elements of kriya (or action) yoga constitute the entirety of Patanjali’s yoga. However, the eight limbs are discussed in great detail in verses 2.30 to 3.8 of the Sutras and give a much more comprehensive description of yoga.

In verse 2.1, Patanjali says, “Kriya yoga consists of tapas (austerity, self-discipline), svadhyaya (self-study), and Ishvara pranidhana (devotional surrender to God).” (Note: Words in parentheses are commonly accepted translations of Sanskrit terms.) In the path of the “eight limbs”, the kriya yoga practices of niyama precede asana (meditative posture), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses from their objects), dharana (concentration), dhyana (deep and uninterrupted concentration) and samadhi (unity with the object of meditation). For this reason, “kriya yoga” is sometimes interpreted as “preliminary yoga.” However, the first of the eight limbs, yama, consists of five abstentions (no), and the five elements of niyama are observances (two), so the kriya yoga practices of niyama can also be interpreted as “action yoga.” “, that doing implies something.

The following comments from Govindan’s book on the Sutras contradict Yogananda and other enlightened yogis, who agree that Patanjali’s yoga is the path of “eight limbs.”

Foreword (xiv, xv) by G. Feuerstein: “…while Patanjali’s teaching has been virtually equated with eight-limbed yoga (ashtanga yoga), he himself called his path action yoga (kriya yoga) on pada 2.1”. “The aphorisms in the Yoga Sutras that deal specifically with the eight limbs appear to have been quoted by Patanjali or later added to his text. There is no really satisfactory explanation as to why Patanjali used the label kriya yoga for his teachings.” .

Introduction Part 2 (xxiii) by M. Govindan: “Feuerstein has pointed out, however, that Patanjali’s yoga was not the “ashtanga” or “eight-limbed” yoga, described in verses 2.28 to 3.8, as has been commonly thought by most translators. Textual analysis has revealed that these verses were simply quoted from another unknown source.”

By contrast, Patanjali never called his path action (or kriya) yoga; neither in verse 2.1 (pada 2.1), nor in any other verse, nor did he say it consisted of anything other than ashtanga yoga. And if he had quoted the verses pertaining to ashtanga yoga, he would indicate that he agreed with them.

In the third chapter of the holy science by Swami Sri Yukteswar presents a yoga teaching that includes the practices of ashtanga yoga, but is somewhat different from that of the Yoga Sutras and seems to represent a different school of yoga. This illustrates that the principles, truths and practices of yoga are universal and can be discovered by yogis independently of each other. Of course, no two different people would ever perceive, categorize, or explain these principles, truths, and practices in exactly the same way, so unless verses 2.28 to 3.8 of the Sutras have been compiled from various sources, they are the unique creation. of a single person. That person seems to be Patanjali because there is a perfect agreement and harmony between these verses and the other verses of the Sutras.

Regarding the idea that Patanjali’s yoga was not the path of eight limbs but only kriya yoga and that verses 2.28 to 3.8 were quoted by him or added to his text later, the following points should be considered. If Patanjali had quoted these verses it would mean that he agreed with what they say. One of them, verse 2:29, states that yoga consists of eight branches, and other verses discuss each of the kriya yoga practices, treating them as elements of the second branch. Furthermore, apart from the verses on ashtanga yoga, which Govindan and Feuerstein say do not come from Patanjali, there are only two verses on kriya yoga in the Yoga Sutras. If Patanjali’s path was kriya yoga and verses pertaining to ashtanga yoga were added to his text later, we would expect him to have spent more than two verses describing and commenting on his path.

As mentioned above, kriya yoga consists of tapas, svadhyaya, and Ishvara pranidana. The austerities or self-disciplines of tapas imply rising above bodily desires and enduring pain or discomfort, through determination and will; “svadhyaya” means deep study of the nature of the Self; and Ishvara pranidhana includes both devotion to God and acceptance of God’s will.

Verses 1.23, 2.2 and 2.45 of the Sutras tell us that Ishvara pranidhana and kriya yoga lead to samadhi. Through devotional surrender to God, one rises above the influence of the ego, harmful desires and illusions, which darken the mind and prevent one from knowing God. The natural love of the heart shines and illuminates the inner life. One follows the guidance of the Spirit and practices the moral disciplines of yama with greater resolution. Not only do the blessings of yama come into one’s life, but also the first two stages of niyama arise naturally: one’s thoughts and body become purer and one finds inner satisfaction. Through devotional surrender to God, one eventually becomes fully absorbed in God. However, according to the Yoga Sutras, limbs three to seven, practiced together with the first two limbs, also lead to samadhi, and all eight limbs constitute yoga. (The seventh branch of yoga, “dhyana,” is usually translated as “meditation,” but in modern everyday usage, “meditation” is often understood as all or several of the branches that follow niyama: taking a proper posture, controlling the breath and life force, withdrawing consciousness from sense objects, calming and focusing the mind, deep concentration on a particular aspect of God and merging completely with God in blissful unity).

In verses 3.16 to 3.54, verses attributed to him by Govindan and Feuerstein, Patanjali discusses various functions of samyama, which consists of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Since his teachings included these final and culminating branches of ashtanga yoga, to be complete they must also have included the five disciplines that precede samyama and facilitate its practice. Because he never said that his path was kriya yoga, and because the verses on ashtanga yoga describe what are generally considered to be essential components of yoga and fit with his teachings elsewhere in the Sutras, it seems highly unlikely. that his path was kriya yoga. instead of ashtanga yoga, and that these verses were quoted by him or added to his text later. They are an integral part of his masterly treatise, in perfect accord with the other aphorisms in the Sutras, and appear to be his own teachings.