Yoga-sutras (with Bhoja’s Rajamartanda)
by Rajendralala Mitra | 1883 | 103,575 words
The Yoga-Sutra 1.30, English translation with Commentaries. The Yogasutra of Patanjali represents a collection of aphorisms dealing with spiritual topics such as meditation, absorption, Siddhis (yogic powers) and final liberation (Moksha). The Raja-Martanda is officialy classified as a Vritti (gloss) which means its explanatory in nature, as opposed to being a discursive commentary.
Sūtra 1.30
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.30:
व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानव स्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः ॥ १.३० ॥
vyādhistyānasaṃśayapramādālasyāviratibhrāntidarśanālabdhabhūmikatvānava sthitatvāni cittavikṣepāste'ntarāyāḥ || 1.30 ||
30. Disease, Langour, Doubt, Carelessness, Idleness, Worldly-mindedness, Mistaken notions, Unattainment of any stage of abstraction, and Instability therein; these, causing distractions, are the obstacles.
The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:
[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]
[Sanskrit text for commentary available]
Now, a doubt arising as to what are the obstacles? He says:
[Read Sūtra 1.30]
These nine, impelled by the force of foulness and darkness, become the causes of “distractions,” i.e., by these enemies to concentration the thinking principle is disturbed. Of the nine
(1) “Sickness” (vyādhi) is fever and the like, resulting from disordered humours.
(2) “Langour” (styāna) is an indisposition of the thinking principle to work.
(3) “Doubt” (saṃśaya) is the disposition of the thinking principle which relies on both sides of a question, as whether Yoga is practicable or not.
(4) “Carelessness” (pramāda) is a disposition not to exert, or indifference in performing meditation.
(5) “Idleness” (ālasya) is a heaviness of the body and of the thinking principle, which is the cause of want of interest in matters relating to Yoga.
(6) “Worldly-mindedness” (avirati) is the inclination of the thinking principle to enjoy the pleasures of the world.
(7) “Mistaken notion” (bhrāntidarśana) is wrong perception, such as taking a bit of mother-o’pearl to be silver.
(8) “Unattainment of any stage” (alabdha-bhūmikatva) is not attaining, for some cause or other, a particular stage of abstraction.
(9) “Instability” (anavasthitatva) is the condition in which the thinking principle having attained a stage cannot abide in it.
These being opposed to the practice of concentration of meditation, are called “obstacles,” (antarāya).
To shew that there are other causes which produce distraction of the mind, he says:—