Yoga Sutra I,1: Opening Aphorism

Yoga Discussion Structural Yoga Therapy
#1

[b]I, 1 Atha yoganusasanam

With great respect and love,
now the blessings of
Yoga instruction
are offered.[/b]

M. Stiles

I liked Sw. Satchidananda’s opinion that the choice of the word ?anusasaman? which means instruction is deliberate because practice is required to achieve the goals of Yoga or union; contemplation of these sutras without implementation will not lead one to the True Self.

Swami Satchidananda. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Buckingham, VA: Integral Yoga Publications. 2004

Comments by Helen Barker
I K Taimni says that Sanskrit works generally begin with a Sutra that gives an idea to the nature of the undertaking. The author (Patanjali) isn?t claiming to be the discoverer of the Science but is trying to condense all the essential knowledge concerning the Science which a student ought to possess.

Regarding the Sutra method of learning he says, ?The necessity of struggling with the words and ideas and digging out their hidden meanings ensures a very thorough assimilation of knowledge and develops simultaneously the powers and faculties of the mind, especially that important and indispensable capacity of digging out of one?s own mind the knowledge which lies buried in its deeper recesses.? Let?s hope so.

Bernard Bouanchaud says that, ?The first term (atha) of the first sutra refers to God, ?. I found this quite disconcerting when I first picked up this translation ? my understanding of yoga was that it is accessible for all ? so starting with God seemed to cut out a lot of students straight away. However, he asks some useful questions e.g. ?Can I openly question the text in a way that does not cast doubt on it??

IK Taimni. The Science of Yoga. The theosophical Publishing House, Adyar 2005

Bernard Bouanchaud. The Essence of Yoga. Rudra Press. 1997

#2

My understanding of the Yogic tradition was that the practices have been passed down from Guru to Student over thousands of years. This Sutra for me is the preperation to learn. Are you sitting comfortabley? Ready and prepared to listen? Then we shall begin. When the student is ready…

“And now the teaching on yoga begins”

Alistair Shearer, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Bell Tower 2002

#3

The Yogic style of ‘Sutra’ is that of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings, which is largely oral and so the writings are specifically precise and brief. This means that for effective study we need a teacher to explain the ‘hidden’ meanings as they have learnt it from their teacher. This is important for me.

#4

Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. B.K.S.Iyengar 1993

page 49
So, this sutra may be taken to mean: the disciplines of intergration are here expounded through experience, and are given to humanity for the exploration and recognition of that hidden part of man which is beyond the awareness of the senses.