Sūtra 2.32

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of sūtra 2.32:

शौचसंतोषतपःस्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः ॥ २.३२ ॥

śaucasaṃtoṣatapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni niyamāḥ || 2.32 ||

(32) Cleanliness, contentment, austerity (mental and physical discipline), svādhyāya (study of scriptures and chanting of mantras) and devotion to God are the niyamas (observances).

Ancient and Modern interpretation:

Vyāsa says,^[1] cleansing of mind of impurities like arrogance, conceit, malice is internal purification. Contentment implies absence of desire for any possession in excess of the immediate necessities for maintaining one’s life.Austerity is ability to bear pains of extremes like hunger, thirst, heat and cold, kāṣṭha mauna (absence of all expressions) and akāra mauna (absence of speech). Svādhyāya includes study of the śāstras related to liberation and chanting of OM.So citta is like a child and it should be transformed step by step,it shouldnot be punished.

Yamas are the reaction of a person in public forum.So, if one stays in forest, he will have less chance for putting yamas into practice. But niyamas involve practices which one should practise regularly.

Taimni has compared^[2] this purity with the purity of vehicle, its material,fuel etc. So sāttvika food,purity of thoughts and emotions, mantras and prayers causing vibrations are all purifying things. In Svādhyāya, he gives importence to constant reflection which prepares mind for reception of real knowledge from within.

In the following sūtras, Patañjali explains how yama– niyamas, provided they are observed as mahāvrata (great vow), unfold various supernatural powers latent in the Yogī.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Araṇya, op.cit.,p.213-214

[2]:

Taimni, op. cit., p.223-227