What is the meaning of Yoga Sutra 1.1?
What is the first sutra (Yoga Sutra 1.1) translated as?
Sanskrit: अथ योगानुशासनम्
English Spelling: atha yoga-anuśāsanam
Pronunciation Guidance: at-THA yoga-anushaa-sanam
Sanskrit Breakdown:
Atha = now, here, from this point on, auspiciousness, a prayer/blessing, benediction, authority, a connection between two activities
yoga = yoke, joining, union, deep meditation, contemplation of the supreme spirit (see definition in Sutra 1.2)
anusasanam = instructions to the practice/discipline, advice, direction, introduction, order, guide in procedural form, following law and order, in accordance with, execution
English Translation: Now, the teachings of yoga.
Background on the Yoga Sutras:
It’s useful to understand the context behind Yoga sutra 1.1 before discussing it. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjaliyoga is considered the foundational text of the ancient insight practice known as yoga which originated in the Indian subcontinent many thousands of years ago, and long predates the text itself. Because knowledge and wisdom teachings were traditionally passed down orally from teacher to student, it wasn't until the early centuries (an estimated 2200 years ago) that the sutras were compiled and transcribed by a sage known as Patanjali.
Patanjali is credited as the author of other famous works including a commentary on Sanskrit grammar, and another on ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine). Because these three texts are from different periods, debate over whether Patanjali was a single person or a pseudonym used by a collection of sages throughout history remains. Modern scholars assert that the timeline makes a singular author impossible, while many religious followers believe Patanjali to be a divine figure subject to mystical forces such as reincarnation.
Regardless, the yoga sutras have acted as a guidebook for those seeking spiritual advancement and clarity of mind for millennia. Its 195 statements (or 196 depending on who you ask) are broken down into four chapters and detail the eight limbs of yoga knowns as Ashtanga which lead to samadhi (spiritual enlightenment.) Interestingly, many of the concepts presented in the eight limbs of yoga closely resemble the components of the eight-fold path of Buddhism (the Astangika-marga) which was first verbalized by the Buddha Siddartha Guatama in his sermon around the 6th or 5th century. Having grown up as a prince near the border between modern-day India and Nepal, the Buddha himself was a known practitioner of yoga.
The word "Sutra" can mean string or thread and implies that which connects or 'sews together’ much like the medical term suture which is derived from the same root. In both Hindu and Buddhist traditions sutras refer to aphorisms (concise and memorable phrases) that communicate more complex wisdom teachings so they can be easily remembered by students.
Disclaimer from the author:
It is important to recognize how different identities and lived experiences color the interpretation of information, especially that of spiritual wisdom teachings (like yoga sutra 1.1) transcribed many years ago. One of the most powerful and beautiful characteristics of the yoga sutras is their simplicity and conciseness. This leaves room for the reader to interpret the lessons through the lens of their own consciousness without undue exertions of control by the author. Therefore, my interpretation and reflections on the yoga sutras will undoubtedly contain my own biases and preferential translations. I don't think this is a bad thing, so long as both author and reader are conscious of the phenomenon.
We need people who have been on a worthy path and experienced its benefits to share their experiences and teach those of us who are just setting out on our own journey. However, it is important to remember that human beings can fall into harmful ideological thought patterns or be exploited by unethical teachers when we abandon our agency and critical thinking skills. While we should respect our teachers and recognize the value of occasionally surrendering our egos to a trustworthy mentor, discarding our own intuition and reasoning abilities completely is antithetical to the yogic goals self-discovery and freedom. Any sincere teacher knows this and does not seek to tell students the answers, but instead guides them to develop the personal discernment to discover their own answers. Beware of anyone who tells you their way is the one and only way.
It is for this reason that I have decided to write a series of blogs and personal reflections on each sutra. I am an agnostic but spiritual, American, cis, queer, white, woman, living with cPTSD, a formal education and professional background in scientific research, and considerable privilege as well as experience with poverty and gender based violence, and my perspectives reflect that identity.
It is important to me that the wisdom of yoga be accessible to anyone who seeks to learn, and, I recognize that a modern perspective helps make these teachings relevant and applicable to our present-day lives. It is also important to me to respect the cultural origins of yoga rather than appropriate it or water it down to be more palatable to a western audience.
I will do my best to walk the line of making yogic philosophy accessible and relevant, while also respecting its origins and traditional perspectives in this (Yoga sutra 1.1) and future blog posts. I hope my content will serve as an inspiration for others to explore these concepts further on their own.
Finally, for each sutra I also include the translations of several renowned teachers and sages after my own as I am not an expert in Sanskrit (only beginning to study it) nor am I a scholar in eastern theology, merely a passionate researcher and dedicated practitioner of yoga and all its limbs.
And now, back to yoga sutra 1.1.
What does Yoga Sutra 1.1 mean?
In its simplest translation, Yoga sutra 1.1 reads "Now, the teachings of yoga." Patanjali is essentially announcing the commencement of his instruction, grabbing our attention and inviting us to listen carefully. It is easy to skim over sutra 1.1 as merely an introduction for the juicier lessons to follow, but as previously mentioned, a fundamental theme of the yoga sutras is brevity. So, we can ascertain that each and every word has value and intention behind it.
In sutra 1.1, the use of 'atha' or 'now' conveys a multitude of rich meanings. In some branches of Hinduism the word atha is believed to have been first uttered by Brahma, god of creation, along with the sacred sound of Om. Atha is also used to begin other spiritual Sanskrit texts such as the Vedantic Brahma sutras and Mimamsa darsana and denotes the power and sacred nature of the words to follow.
By beginning with atha Patanjali asks us to give the teachings their due respect and to consider why we are studying them in the first place. What preceded “now” and brought us here, to this present moment, seeking knowledge? What do we hope to gain? We need clarity around our intention in order to track whether we are making progress toward our goal. In many ways, intention is the prerequisite for a sincere student of yoga. In fact, Krishnamacharya, B.K.S. Iyengar, and K. Pattabhi Jois all famously turned potential students away on multiple occasions and required them to demonstrate their commitment to learning before accepting them into their tutelage.
"Atha" is Patanjali’s equivalent of a call to attention, similar to how we stand straight before an asana practice (known as "Samasthitihi" in Ashtanga yoga) or the “preparatory beat” that a maestro signals to their orchestra to beckon them to assume their preparatory postures before a performance.
Yoga is both a philosophical and experiential practice. Pattabhi Jois famously said “Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory.” This means that the scholar who voraciously consumes spiritual literature but neglects the practice itself cannot fully understand the teachings. The same is true for the advanced asana (physical postures) practitioner who has never cracked open the foundational texts. However, it is my experience that with enough yoga practice (of any kind) these wisdom teachings spontaneously become self-evident. As their practice reveals these elusive truths, most practitioners will eventually become interested in acquiring at least some familiarity with theory as well.
“Anusasanam” refers to the “teachings” in “Now, the teachings of yoga.” It can mean “instructions to the practice/discipline,” “advice,” as well as “execution.” So here again, it appears as if Patanjali is beckoning us to come closer, to get ready to receive his teachings by setting our intention and making a commitment. It’s as if he is saying, to gain the insights we seek, we must first commit to a disciplined practice under the guidance of an experienced and knowledgeable teacher.
Discipline is a word that can come with a lot of weight in the modern-day Western world where hyper-productivity is endemic and burnout as status is the norm. If it triggers you as it previously did me, I ask that you withhold your judgments for a future post where I will cover it in more depth. For now, suffice it to say that discipline is the act of choosing to do hard things in the present moment out of love and compassion for our future selves. It is not an integral quality we are born with, but a muscle we build over time with practice and grace for ourselves. True discipline is not born out of extortion or pressure, but is instead a code we pursue of our own volition.
I especially like Swami Vivekananda's yoga sutra 1.1 commentary on this concept.
"The author of the Yoga Sutras does not claim to be the authority, nor does he impose the teaching upon anyone. It is only anusasanam - a piece of wholesome advice. So, here there is no compulsion or coercion, because when there is coercion, there is no action at all. For instance, if you tell someone to speak the truth always, and they say they will, that is already the first lie! The mind immediately wants to find ways and means of satisfying itself without violating the letter of the commandment. So anusasanam means 'optional' teaching'. The choice is entirely yours. This must be very clearly understood, otherwise the whole Scripture is misunderstood.” - Swami Vivekananda
Most people want some authority figure to give them answers to the hardest questions in their lives so they don’t have to wrestle with them. Questions such as “What is the meaning of life?” or “How can I be a good person?” are not easy. They’re not supposed to be. Religion can give people some comfort by providing universal answers to these questions.
Ancient gurus or modern-day life coaches can tell us how many hours to meditate and exactly what foods to eat to achieve a peaceful mind but their prescriptions are futile. The act of wrestling with these difficult questions on a personal level is what yields the most fruitful insights. Answers obtained through the discomfort of hard work are more meaningful and long-lasting because they are anchored in the context of our unique experiences, rather than forcing someone else’s answer to fit our lives. Yoga sutra 1.1 supports this idea by implying that the rest of the sutras are not a list of dogmatic rules, but an optional guide to anyone who seeks to suffer less. The power of personal choice is preserved.
The familiar translation of atha as "now" also directs us into present-moment awareness, a theme that will arise throughout the first chapter (samadhi pada) of the yoga sutras repeatedly. Suffering exists in regrets about and longing for the past, and fear and yearning for an imagined future. But yoga asks us to continually come back to what is real— the here and now— so that we might see things more clearly as they are. Yoga sutra 1.1 sets a strong foundation for the sacred teachings to follow by calling students to attention and action, asking us to be sufficiently prepared, dedicated to our learning, and present here and now.
As for what yoga itself is, I'll cover that in my next blog post on Yoga sutra 1.2.
Yoga Sutra 1.1 translations from renowned teachers:
"Now concentration is explained." - Swami Vivekananda
"With prayers for divine blessings, now begins an exposition of the sacred art of yoga." - B.K.S. Iyengar
"The science of instructions on yoga is understood as begun. " - Sage Vyasa
"To gain a direct experience of yoga, you must commit yourself to a methodical practice." - Pandit Rajmani Tigunait
"Now, when a sincere seeker approaches an enlightened teacher, with the right attitude of discipleship - free of preconceived notions and prejudices, and full of intelligent faith and receptivity - and with the right spirit of inquiry, at the right time and the right place, communication of yoga takes place." - Swami Venkatesananda
Sources Cited:
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Dehnke, Andrea. “Yoga Sutra 1.1: The Power of Now.” Yoga Journal, 18 Nov. 2021, www.yogajournal.com/yoga-101/philosophy/yoga-sutras/the-power-of-atha.
Gabriel, Roger. “Yoga Sutras 101: Everything You Need to Know.” Chopra, 8 Apr. 2022, chopra.com/articles/yoga-sutras-101-everything-you-need-to-know.
Iyengar, B. K. S., et al. Light on Yoga and Light on Pranayama 2 Books Collection Set by B.K.S. Iyengar. Thorsons/HarperCollins Publishers, 2023.
The Pranava or Omkara - the Mandukya Upanishad - Section 1. www.swami-krishnananda.org/mand/mand_1.html.
S., Sarah, and Ann Bennett. “The History and Westernisation of Yoga | Superprof.” The Superprof Blog - UK, 9 Nov. 2019, www.superprof.co.uk/blog/westernisation-of-yoga-classes.
“Samkhya-Yoga.” Yogapedia.com, www.yogapedia.com/definition/10906/samkhya-yoga.
Venkatesananda, Commentary By Swami. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Divine Life Society, 2001.
Vivekananda, Swami. Patanjali Yoga Sutras. 2023.
Well, The. “The Yogasūtras Explained: Translating Patañjali’s Yogasūtras 1.1 and 1.2.” Yoga Well Institute, 4 Oct. 2022, www.yogawell.com/blog/patanjalis-yogasutras-explained-yoga-sutra-1-1-and-yoga-sutra-1-2.
Wikipedia contributors. “Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.” Wikipedia, 18 Jan. 2023, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali.
