Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2.15

Patanjali Yoga Sutra Transcribed from Parisamvad at The Yoga Institute.

Chapter 2, Sutra 15

 

Parinama-Tapa-Samskara-Duhkaih-Gunavritti-Virodhat-Ca-Dukham-Eva-Sarvam-Vivekinah

Parinama: of change, transformation
Tapa: anxiety, anguish, torment
Samskara: imprints in the unconscious
Duhkaih: by reason sorrows
Guna: of the qualities
Vrttih: activities, fluctuations, modifications, changes
Virodhat: contradictory
Cha: and
Duhkham: because sorrow
Eva: is only
Sarvam: all
Vivekinah: to one who discriminates

(Material Objects) Being Of The Nature Of Pain, Resulting From Changes, Anxiety, And Memory-Potential And By Reason Of The Opposition Of The Modifications Of The Qualities – To The Discriminating All Is Nothing But Pain.

 

Commentary taken from ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – Stray Thoughts of Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra & Hansaji’

“The changefulness of things becomes a factor contributing to pain. A wise Yogi sees this. The fool does not. The presence of impressions becomes a source of unhappiness. One cannot forget the earlier pleasure. Old memories remain and cause sadness. The very nature of the Gunas is changing and while Sattva is pleasant, Rajas is painful and Tamas us dulling. These keep on changing and all these things make the wise man understand the nature of the external world.

The Yogi therefore remains wise and maintains a distance. He does not want to suffer in the end; not that he does not contribute to life, but he contributes knowingly. Unfortunately, most of us in the world do not understand this nature of change and pain. So we falsely ascribe so much to experiences that we come to falsely believe that there can be a continuous run of pleasure in life. We do not behave like realists but become sentimentalists – those who indulge in emotions excessively. It is like the assurances of a lover to the beloved to bring down the stars from the heaven.”

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