The Remedies for the Antarāyas — In the Voice of Sage Patañjali (PYS 2)

The mind that seeks Yoga encounters many impediments. These obstacles disturb the steadiness of consciousness and hinder the attainment of samādhi. Therefore, I have first described the obstacles and then the means by which they may be overcome.

The Obstacles

Know these to be the obstacles that scatter the mind: illness, dullness, doubt, negligence, laziness, attachment to sensory pleasures, mistaken understanding, failure to attain the desired stage, and instability after attainment.

These do not arise from the Self, which is ever pure, but from the fluctuations of the mind. As long as these disturbances prevail, the mind cannot rest in its own nature.

The Signs of Their Presence

When these obstacles arise, suffering appears. The mind becomes dejected, the body restless, and the breath loses its natural rhythm.

The Remedies

Single-minded effort - Yoga Sūtra I.32

To remove these obstacles, practise one principle with unwavering constancy.

Do not allow the mind to wander from one method to another. Choose that which leads toward truth and remain steadfast in it. Repeated practice of one truth gathers the scattered rays of the mind into a single stream. In that steadiness, the obstacles lose their strength.

तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमेकतत्त्वाभ्यासः॥ ३२॥

Tat-pratiṣedhārtham eka-tattvābhyāsaḥ.

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Purify the Heart - Yoga Sūtra I.33

If the mind is disturbed by its relation to others, cultivate these attitudes:

Maitrī - Be friendly toward those who are happy.

Karunā - Be compassionate toward those who suffer.

Muditā - Rejoice in the virtues of the righteous.

Upekșā - Remain equanimous toward those who act without wisdom.

In this way the heart becomes clear, free from envy, anger, pride, and resentment. A serene heart is the foundation of a steady mind.

मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम्॥ ३३॥

Maitrī-karuṇā-muditā-upekṣāṇāṁ sukha-duḥkha-puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaś citta-prasādanam.

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Steady the Breath - Yoga Sūtra I.34

Or, let the breath become your means.

By conscious exhalation and gentle retention, the movements of prāṇa become calm. When prāṇa becomes tranquil, the mind follows, for the two move together like flame and wind.

प्रच्छर्दनविधारणाभ्यां वा प्राणस्य॥ ३४॥

Pracchardana-vidhāraṇābhyāṁ vā prāṇasya. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fix the Mind -Yoga Sūtra I.35

Meditate upon a subtle and uplifting experience that steadies the mind.

Whatever brings the mind into quiet concentration may become a support for Yoga, provided it leads toward stillness rather than attachment. विषयवती वा प्रवृत्तिरुत्पन्ना मनसः स्थितिनिबन्धिनी॥ ३५॥ Viṣayavatī vā pravṛttir utpannā manasaḥ sthiti-nibandhinī.

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Meditate upon the Inner Light-Yoga Sūtra I.36

Contemplate the inner light that is untouched by sorrow.

That light is not diminished by pleasure or pain. Resting the mind upon this inner radiance, grief dissolves and clarity arises.

विशोका वा ज्योतिष्मती॥ ३६॥ Viśokā vā jyotiṣmatī

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Remember the Detached - Yoga Sūtra I.37

Meditate upon one who is free from attachment.

The mind takes the form of that upon which it dwells. Contemplating one established in freedom awakens the same freedom within yourself. वीतरागविषयं वा चित्तम्॥ ३७॥ Vīta-rāga-viṣayaṁ vā cittam.

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Use the Silence Already Known - Yoga Sūtra I.38

Meditate upon the knowledge gained from dream or deep sleep.

Within dreamless sleep there is a taste of stillness beyond ordinary mental activity. Let that remembrance guide the mind toward inner quietude. स्वप्ननिद्राज्ञानालम्बनं वा॥ ३८॥ Svapna-nidrā-jñānālambanaṁ vā.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Choose a Worthy Object - Yoga Sūtra I.39

Meditate upon any object that elevates the mind toward steadiness and truth.

The object itself is secondary. What is essential is that it gathers the wandering mind into one-pointed absorption. यथाभिमतध्यानाद्वा॥ ३९॥ Yathābhimata-dhyānād vā.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Supreme Means - Yoga Sūtra I.23 & 1.29

Through surrender to Īśvara, the highest Reality, the burden of ego is relinquished. ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा॥ २३॥

Īśvara-praṇidhānād vā.

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Through contemplation of Praṇava (Aum) and its meaning, inward awareness awakens, and the obstacles disappear.

ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभावश्च॥ २९॥

Tataḥ pratyak-cetanādhigamo'pyantarāyābhāvaś ca.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Final Teaching

• Do not contend with each obstacle separately. Instead, cultivate steadiness.

  
  

• Practise one truth without interruption.

• Purify your heart through friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

  
  

• Steady the breath.

  
  

• Meditate with unwavering attention.

  
  

• Surrender the fruits of practice to Īśvara.

  
  

When the mind becomes one-pointed, the obstacles cease of themselves. Then consciousness rests in its own nature, and Yoga shines forth. The teachings of Sage Patanjali have stood the test of time, and for good reason. They continue to offer profound guidance to anyone walking the path of yoga.

Yet, after learning about the nine antarāyas and the methods to overcome them, a natural question arises:

Where does an ordinary person begin? Stay tuned for my next post...