Yoga Sutras, Patanjali. Chapter 3: Vibhūti Pāda

deśa bandhaḥ cittasya dhāraṇā

Linking of the attention to a concentration force or person,
involves a restricted location in the mento-emotional energy.

tatra pratyayaḥ ekatānatā dhyānam
When in that location, there is one continuous threadlike flow
of one’s instinctive interest that is the effortless linking
of the attention to a higher concentration force or person.

tadeva arthamātranirbhāsaṁ
svarūpaśūnyam iva samādhiḥ
That same effortless linkage of the attention when experienced
as illumination of the higher concentration force or person,
while the yogi feels as if devoid of himself,
is samādhi or continuous effortless linkage of his attention
to the special person, object, or force.

trayam ekatra saṁyamaḥ
The three as one practice is the complete restraint.

tajjayāt prajñālokaḥ
From the mastery of that complete restraint
of the mento-emotional energy,
one develops the illuminating insight.

tasya bhūmiṣu viniyogaḥ
The practice of this complete restraint occurs in stages.

trayam antaraṅgaṁ pūrvebhyaḥ
In reference to the preliminary stages of yoga,
these three higher states concern the psychological organs.

tadapi bahiraṅgaṁ nirbījasya
But even that initial mastership
of the three higher stages of yoga,
is external in reference to meditation,
which is not motivated by the mento-emotional energy.

abhibhava prādurbhāvau nirodhakṣaṇa
cittānvayaḥ nirodhapariṇāmaḥ
When the connection
with the mento-emotional energy momentarily ceases
during the manifestation and disappearance phases
when there is expression or suppression of the impressions,
that is the restraint of the transforming mento-emotional energy.

tasya praśāntavāhita saṁskārāt
Concerning this practice of restraint,
the impressions derived cause a flow of spiritual peace.

sarvārthatā ekāgratayoḥ kṣaya udayau
cittasya samādhipariṇāmaḥ
The decrease of varying objectives
in the mento-emotional energy
and the increase of the one aspect within it,
is the change noticed
in the practice of continuous effortless linking of the attention
to higher concentration forces, objects or persons.

tataḥ punaḥśānta uditau tulya pratyayaḥu
cittasya ekāgratāpariṇāmaḥ
Then again, when the mind’s content is the same as it was
when it is subsiding and when it is emerging,
that is the transformation called
“having one aspect in front of, or before the attention”.

etena bhūtendriyeṣu dharma lakṣaṇa avasthā
pariṇāmāḥ vyākhyātāḥ
By this description of the changes, quality and shape,
the changing conditions of the various states of matter,
as well as of the sensual energy, was described.

śānta udita avyapadeśya dharma anupātī dharmī
When the collapsed, emergent and latent forces
reach full retrogression, that is the most basic condition.

karma anyatvaṁ pariṇāma anyatve hetuḥ
The cause of a difference in the transformation
is the difference in the sequential changes.

pariṇāmatraya saṁyamāt atīta anāgatajñānam
From the complete restrain of the mento-emotional energy
in terms of the three-fold transformations within it,
the yogi gets information about the past and future.

śabda artha pratyayānām itaretarādhyāsāt
saṅkaraḥ tatpravibhāga saṁyamāt
sarvabhūta rutajñānam
From the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
In relation to mental clarity,
regarding the intermixture resulting from the superimposition
one for the other, of sound, its meaning and the related mentality, knowledge about the language of all creatures is gained.

saṁskāra sākṣātkaraṇāt pūrvajātijñānam
From direct intuitive perception of the subtle impressions
stored in the memory, the yogi gains knowledge of previous lives.

pratyayasya paracittajñānam
A yogi can know the contents
of the mental and emotional energy
in the mind of others.

na ca tat sālambanaṁ tasya aviṣayī bhūtatvāt
And he does not check a factor
which is the support of that content,
for it is not the actual object in question.

kāya rūpa saṁyamāt tadgrāhyaśakti
stambhe cakṣuḥ prakāśa asaṁprayoge 'ntardhānam
From the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy in relation to the shape of the body, on the suspension of the receptive energy,
there is no contact between light and vision, which results in invisibility.

etena śabdādi antardhānam uktam
By this method,
sound and the related sensual pursuits, may be restrained, which results in the related non -perceptibility.

sopakramaṁ nirupakramaṁ ca karma
tatsaṁyamāt aparāntajñānam ariṣṭebhyaḥ vā
Complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
in relation to current and destined cultural activities
results in knowledge of entry into the hereafter.
Or the same result is gained
by the complete restraint in relation to portents.


maitryādiṣu balāni
By complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
in relation to friendliness, he develops that very same power.

baleṣu hasti balādīni
By complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
in relation to strength,
the yogin acquires strength of an elephant.
The same applies to other aspects.

pravṛitti āloka nyāsāt sūkṣma
vyavahita viprakṛṣṭajñānam
From the application of supernatural insight
to the force producing cultural activities,
a yogi gets information about what is subtle, concealed
and what is remote from him.

bhuvanajñānaṁ sūrye saṁyamāt
From the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
in relation to the sun god or the sun planet,
knowledge of the solar system is gained.

candre tārāvyūhajñānam
By complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy,
in reference to the moon or moon-god,
the yogi gets knowledge about the system of stars.

dhruve tadgatijñānam
By the complete restrain of the mento-emotional energy
in relation to the Pole Star,
a yogi can know of the course of planets and stars.

nābhicakre kāyavyūhajñānam
By complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
in relation to the focusing on the navel energy-gyrating center,
the yogi gets knowledge about the layout of his body.

kaṇṭhakūpe kṣutpipāsā nivṛttiḥ
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
in focusing on the gullet,
a yogi causes the suppression of hunger and thirst.

kūrmanāḍyāṃ sthairyam
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
in focusing on the kurmanadi subtle nerve,
a yogi acquires steadiness of his psyche.

mūrdhajyotiṣi siddhadarśanam
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
as it is focused on the shining light in the head of the subtle body,
a yogi gets views of the perfected beings.

prātibhāt vā sarvam
By complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy,
while focusing on the shining organ of divination
in the head of the subtle body,
the yogin gets the ability to know all reality.

hṛdaye cittasaṁvit
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
as it is focused on the causal body in the vicinity of the chest,
the yogi gets thorough insight
into the cause of the mental and emotional energy.

sattva puruṣayoḥ atyantāsaṁkīrṇayoḥ
pratyayaḥ aviśeṣaḥ bhogaḥ parārthatvāt
svārthasaṁyamāt puruṣajñānam
Experience results from the inability to distinguish
between the individual spirit
and the intelligence energy of material nature,
even though they are very distinct.
By complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
while focusing on self-interest distinct from the other interest,
a yogi gets knowledge of the individual spirit.

tataḥ prātibha śrāvaṇa vedana
ādarśa āsvāda vārtāḥ jāyante
From that focus is produced smelling, tasting, seeing,
touching and hearing, through the shining organ of divination.

te samādhau upasargāḥ vyutthāne siddhayaḥ
Those divination skills are obstacles
in the practice of continuous effortless linkage of the attention
to a higher concentration force, object or person.
But in expressing,
they are considered as mystic perfectional skills.

bandhakāraṇa śaithilyāt pracāra
saṁvedanāt ca cittasya paraśarīrāveśaḥ
The entrance into another body is possible
by slackening the cause of bondage
and by knowing the channels of the mento-emotional energy.

udānajayāt jala paṅka kaṇṭakādiṣu asaṇgaḥ utkrāntiḥ ca
By mastery over the air
which rises from the throat into the head,
a yogi can rise over or not have contact
with water, mud or sharp objects.

samānajayāt jvalanam
By conquest of the samana digestive force,
a yogi’s psyche blazes or shines with a fiery glow.

śrotra ākāśayoḥ saṁbandha saṁyamāt divyaṁ śrotram
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy,
while focusing on the hearing sense and space,
a yogin develops supernatural and divine hearing.

kāya ākāśayoḥ saṁbandha saṁyamāt
laghutūlasamāpatteḥ ca ākāśagamanam
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy,
while linking the mind
to the relationship between the body and the sky
and linking the attention to being as light as cotton fluff,
a yogi acquires the ability to pass through the atmosphere.

bahiḥ akalpitā vṛttiḥ mahāvidehā tataḥ
prakāśa āvaraṇakṣayaḥ
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy
which is external, which is not formed,
a yogi achieves the great bodiless state.
From that the great mental darkness which veils the light,
is dissipated.

sthūla svarūpa sūkṣma anvaya arthavatva
saṁyamāt bhūtajayaḥ
By the complete restraint of the mento-emotional energy,
while linking the attention to the gross forms, real nature,
subtle distribution and value of states of matter,
a yogi gets conquest over them.

tataḥ aṇimādi prādurbhāvaḥ kāyasaṁpat
taddharma anabhighātaḥ ca
From minuteness and other related mystic skills
come the perfection of the subtle body
and the non-obstructions of its functions.

rūpa lāvaṇya bala vajra saṁhananatvāni kāyasaṁpat
Beautiful form, charm, mystic force, diamond-like definition
come from the perfection of the subtle body.

grahaṇa svarūpa asmitā anvaya arthavattva
saṁyamāt indriyajayaḥ
From the continuous effortless linkage of the attention
to sensual grasping, to the form of the sensual energy,
to its identifying powers, to its connection instinct
and to its actual worth,
a yogi acquires conquest over his relationship with it.

tataḥ manojavitvaṁ vikaraṇabhāvaḥ pradhānajayaḥ ca
Subsequently, there is conquest
over the influence of subtle matter
and over the parting away or dispersion
of the mento-emotional energy,
with the required swiftness of mind.

sattva puruṣa anyatā khyātimātrasya
sarvabhāva adhiṣṭhātṛtvaṁ sarvajñātṛtvaṁ ca
Only when there is distinct discrimination
between the clarifying perception of material nature
and the spiritual personality,
does the yogi attain complete disaffection
and all-applicative intuition.

tadvairāgyāt api doṣabījakṣaye kaivalyam
By a lack of interest, even to that
(discrimination between the clarifying mundane energy
and the self) when the cause of that defect is eliminated,
the absolute isolation of the self from the lower psyche of itself,
is achieved.

sthānyupanimantraṇe saṅgasmayākaraṇaṁ
punaraniṣṭa prasaṅgāt
On being invited by a person
from the place one would attain if his body died,
a yogi should be non-responsive, not desiring their association
and not being fascinated,
otherwise that would cause unwanted features of existence
to arise again.

kṣaṇa tatkramayoḥ saṁyamāt vivekajaṁ jñānam
By the continuous effortless linkage of the attention
to the moment and to the sequence of the moments,
the yogi has knowledge caused by the subtle discrimination.

jāti lakṣaṇa deśaiḥ anyatā anavacchedāt
tulyayoḥ tataḥ pratipattiḥ
Subsequently, the yogi has perception of two similar realties
which otherwise could not be sorted
due to a lack of definition in terms of their general category, individual characteristic and location.

tārakaṁ sarvaviṣayaṁ sarvathāviṣayaṁ
akramaṁ ca iti vivekajaṁ jñānam
The distinction caused by subtle discrimination
is the crossing over or transcending
of all subtle and gross mundane objects
in all ways they are presented,
without the yogi taking recourse
to any other sequential perceptions of mind reliance.

sattva puruṣayoḥ śuddhi sāmye kaivalyam iti
When there is equal purity between the intelligence energy
of material nature and the spirit,
then there is total separation
from the mundane psychology.