Critical Edition
याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच सांख्यज्ञानं मया प्रोक्तं योगज्ञानं निबोध मे यथाश्रुतं यथादृष्टं तत्त्वेन नृपसत्तम
AI Translation: Yājñavalkya said: I have explained the knowledge of Sāṃkhya. Understand from me the knowledge of Yoga. As I have heard and seen, O best of
नास्ति सांख्यसमं ज्ञानं नास्ति योगसमं बलम् तावुभावेकचर्यौ तु उभावनिधनौ स्मृतौ
AI Translation: There is no knowledge equal to Sāṃkhya, there is no strength equal to Yoga. Both of them are the same in practice, both are said to be immortal.
पृथक्पृथक्तु पश्यन्ति येऽल्पबुद्धिरता नराः वयं तु राजन्पश्याम एकमेव तु निश्चयात्
AI Translation: Those who are of little intelligence, who see separately, We, O king, see only one thing, through certainty.
यदेव योगाः पश्यन्ति तत्सांख्यैरपि दृश्यते एकं सांख्यं च योगं च यः पश्यति स तत्त्ववित्
M. N. Dutt: What the Yogins have in view is the very same which the Sankhyas also have in view. He who sees both the Sankhya and the Yoga systems to be one and the same is to be considered as truly conversant with the principles that ordain the universe.
रुद्रप्रधानानपरान्विद्धि योगान्परंतप तेनैव चाथ देहेन विचरन्ति दिशो दश
M. N. Dutt: Know, O king, that the vital airs and the senses are the chief instruments for practising Yoga. By only regulating those vital airs and the senses, Yogins go everywhere at their will.
यावद्धि प्रलयस्तात सूक्ष्मेणाष्टगुणेन वै योगेन लोकान्विचरन्सुखं संन्यस्य चानघ
M. N. Dutt: When the gross body is destroyed, Yogins, gifted with subtile bodies possessed of the eight Yoga powers wander over the universe, enjoying all sorts of happiness, O sinless one.
वेदेषु चाष्टगुणितं योगमाहुर्मनीषिणः सूक्ष्ममष्टगुणं प्राहुर्नेतरं नृपसत्तम
M. N. Dutt: The wise have, in the scriptures, spoken of Yoga as giving eight sorts of power. They have spoken of Yoga as gifted with eight limbs.
द्विगुणं योगकृत्यं तु योगानां प्राहुरुत्तमम् सगुणं निर्गुणं चैव यथाशास्त्रनिदर्शनम्
M. N. Dutt: Indeed, O king, they have not spoken of any other sort of Yoga. It has been said that the practices of Yogins, excellent as those are of two sorts. Those two sorts, according to the characteristics described in the scriptures, are practices endued with attributes and those freed from attributes.
Supplementary Passages:
12.304.8 After 8, B8.9 ins.: *774 अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि प्राणायामं च पार्थिव
धारणा चैव मनसः प्राणायामश्च पार्थिव प्राणायामो हि सगुणो निर्गुणं धारणं मनः
AI Translation: O son of Pritha, there is also the retention of the mind and the control of the breath. For the control of the breath is with attributes, and the retention of the mind is
Supplementary Passages:
12.304.9 After 9ab, K6 V1 B0. 6-9 Da3.a4 Dn1.n4 Ds D2.3.5.8 G2 Cs ins.: *775 एकाग्रता च मनसः प्राणायामस्तथैव च
यत्र दृश्येत मुञ्चन्वै प्राणान्मैथिलसत्तम वाताधिक्यं भवत्येव तस्माद्धि न समाचरेत्
M. N. Dutt: The, again, Regulation of the Vital air is Yoga with qualities. In Yoga without qualities, the mind, freed from its functions, should be fixed. Only the regulation of the vital air which is said to be endued with qualities should, in the first instance, be practised, for, O king of Mithila, if the vital air be exhaled without mentally thinking upon a definite image, the wind in the neophyte's system will increase to his great injury.
निशायाः प्रथमे यामे चोदना द्वादश स्मृताः मध्ये सुप्त्वा परे यामे द्वादशैव तु चोदनाः
M. N. Dutt: In the first period of the night, twelve ways of suppressing the vital air are recommended. After sleep, in the last period of the night, other twelve ways of doing the same have been laid down.
तदेवमुपशान्तेन दान्तेनैकान्तशीलिना आत्मारामेण बुद्धेन योक्तव्योऽऽत्मा न संशयः
M. N. Dutt: Forsooth, one endued with tranquillity, of controlled senses, living in retirement, rejoicing in one's in one's own self, and fully conversant with the meaning of the scriptures, should fix his Soul.
पञ्चानामिन्द्रियाणां तु दोषानाक्षिप्य पञ्चधा शब्दं स्पर्शं तथा रूपं रसं गन्धं तथैव च
AI Translation: But the five senses are to be blamed for five things: Sound, touch, form, taste, and smell.
प्रतिभामपवर्गं च प्रतिसंहृत्य मैथिल इन्द्रियग्राममखिलं मनस्यभिनिवेश्य ह
AI Translation: Having withdrawn from the radiance and the liberation, O son of Mithila, Having withdrawn the entire group of senses into the mind,
मनस्तथैवाहंकारे प्रतिष्ठाप्य नराधिप अहंकारं तथा बुद्धौ बुद्धिं च प्रकृतावपि
M. N. Dutt: The mind should then be fixed on Consciousness, O king; Consciousness should next be fixed on Intelligence, and Buddhi should then be fixed on Nature.
एवं हि परिसंख्याय ततो ध्यायेत केवलम् विरजस्कमलं नित्यमनन्तं शुद्धमव्रणम्
AI Translation: Having thus enumerated, then meditate on it alone, The stainless lotus, eternal, infinite, pure, and unblemished,
तस्थुषं पुरुषं सत्त्वमभेद्यमजरामरम् शाश्वतं चाव्ययं चैव ईशानं ब्रह्म चाव्ययम्
AI Translation: The eternal, the imperishable, the undecaying, the indestructible, the eternal, the imperishable, the lord, the imperishable Brahman.
युक्तस्य तु महाराज लक्षणान्युपधारयेत् लक्षणं तु प्रसादस्य यथा तृप्तः सुखं स्वपेत्
M. N. Dutt: Listen, now, O king, to the marks of one that is Yoga. All the marks of cheerful contentment that are his who is sleeping in contentment are seen in the person, that is in Samadhi.
निवाते तु यथा दीपो ज्वलेत्स्नेहसमन्वितः निश्चलोर्ध्वशिखस्तद्वद्युक्तमाहुर्मनीषिणः
M. N. Dutt: The person in contemplation, the wise hold looks like the fixed and upward flame of a lamp that is full of oil and that burns in a spot where there is no air.
पाषाण इव मेघोत्थैर्यथा बिन्दुभिराहतः नालं चालयितुं शक्यस्तथा युक्तस्य लक्षणम्
M. N. Dutt: He is like a rock which is incapable of being moved in the last by even a heavy downpour from the clouds.
शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषैर्विविधैर्गीतवादितैः क्रियमाणैर्न कम्पेत युक्तस्यैतन्निदर्शनम्
M. N. Dutt: He is incapable of being moved by the sound of couchs and drums, or by songs, or the sound of hundreds of musical instruments beat or blown together. Even this is the characteristic of one in contemplation.
तैलपात्रं यथा पूर्णं कराभ्यां गृह्य पूरुषः सोपानमारुहेद्भीतस्तर्ज्यमानोऽसिपाणिभिः
AI Translation: Just as a man, holding a pot of oil in his hands, would climb a ladder, being threatened by men with swords.
संयतात्मा भयात्तेषां न पात्राद्बिन्दुमुत्सृजेत् तथैवोत्तरमाणस्य एकाग्रमनसस्तथा
AI Translation: With a controlled mind, out of fear of them, one should not let a drop fall from the vessel. Similarly, for one who is restrained, with a concentrated mind,
स्थिरत्वादिन्द्रियाणां तु निश्चलत्वात्तथैव च एवं युक्तस्य तु मुनेर्लक्षणान्युपधारयेत्
AI Translation: But for the steadfastness of the senses and for the same reason of immobility, Thus one should understand the characteristics of the sage who is thus concentrated.
स युक्तः पश्यति ब्रह्म यत्तत्परममव्ययम् महतस्तमसो मध्ये स्थितं ज्वलनसंनिभम्
M. N. Dutt: While in contemplation, the Yogin sees Brahma which is Supreme and Immutable, and which is situated like a burning Effulgence in the midst of thick Darkness.
एतेन केवलं याति त्यक्त्वा देहमसाक्षिकम् कालेन महता राजञ्श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी
M. N. Dutt: It is by this means that he acquires, after many years, Liberation after renouncing this inanimate body. Even this is what the eternal Shruti says.
एतद्धि योगं योगानां किमन्यद्योगलक्षणम् विज्ञाय तद्धि मन्यन्ते कृतकृत्या मनीषिणः
M. N. Dutt: This is called the Yoga of the Yogins. What else is it? Knowing it, they who are gifted with wisdoin consider themselves as crowned with Success.