CHAPTER I.
EXISTENCE ONE ONLY.
KNOWLEDGE only is eternal; it is without beginning or end; there exists no other real substance. The diversities which we see in the world are results of sense-condition; when the latter cease, then knowledge only, and nothing else, remain. 2-3. Shiva, the lover of his devotees, and giver of spiritual emancipation to all creatures, having discarded all those doctrines of the wranglers which cause false knowledge thus declares the science of Yoganusasan (the exposition of Yoga). It is for the spiritual disenthralment of persons whose minds are undistracted.
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
- Some praise truth, others purificatory rites and austerities; some praise forgiveness, others justice and sincerity. 5. Some praise alms-giving, others laud works done for the good of one’s ancestors; some praise action (Karma), others think (vairagya) indifference to be the best.
- Some praise the works of the householder; other authorities hold up fire-sacrifice, &c., as the highest. 7. Some praise Mantra Yoga, others pilgrimage; thus manifold have been the ways declared for emancipation. 8. Those who know what actions are good and what evil, though free from sin are deceived; and are even more subjected to bewilderment. 9. Persons who following these doctrines, have commited good and bad actions, continue to move in this world in the cycle of births and deaths through dire necessity. 10. Others, wiser among the wise, and eagerly devoted to the occult, declare spirits are many, and eternal, and omni-present. 11. Others say “only those things can be said to exist which are perceived through the senses; Where is heaven or hell?” Such is their firm belief. 12. Others believe only in an ocean of knowledge; some call the void space as the greatest. Others believe in two essences—Matter (Prakriti) and Spirit (Purusha). 13-14. Thus believing in widely different doctrines, devoid of real meaning (the sublime truth), they think according to their limited sense that this universe is without God; others believe there is a God; basing their assertions on arguments as full of contradictions as they are untenable. 15-16. These and many other sages with various different denominations, have been declared in the Shastras as leaders of the human mind into delusion. I cannot uphold their doctrines as they are fond of quarrel and contention, and wander in this universe, being driven away from the path of emancipation.
YOGA THE ONLY TRUE METHOD. - Having studied all the Shastras and having pondered over them well, again and again, this Yoga Shastra has been found to be the only true and firm one. 18. When by that Yoga all this cosmos is certainly known, it ought to be practiced with industry and labor. What is the necessity then of any other doctrines? 19. This Yoga Shastra now being declared by me is a very secret doctrine, only to be revealed to a high souled, pious devotee throughout the three worlds.
KARMA KANDA. - There are two doctrines (as found in the Vedas). Karma Kanda (sacrificial works, etc.,) and Jnana Kanda (science and knowledge). Jnana Kanda and Karma are sub-divided into two parts. 21. The Karma Kanda is twofold—lawful (good), and prohibited (bad) acts. 22. Prohibited acts when done, will certainly bring forth sin; from lawful acts there certainly results good. 23. The lawful acts are threefold—nitya (regular), naimityka (occasional), and kamya (optional). Daily rites procure freedom from sin; occasional and optional duties if done or left undone produce merit and demerit. 24. Fruits of actions are twofold—heaven or hell. There are many enjoyments in heaven; in hell there are many sufferings. 25. From good actions heaven is obtained; and sinful deeds, hell; the creation is caused through the bondage of Karma and nothing else. 26. Creatures enjoy many pleasures in heaven; many intolerable pains are suffered in hell. 27. From sinful acts pain, from good acts happiness result. For the sake of happiness, men constantly (should) perform good actions. 28. When the suffering for evil actions are gone through, then there take place many re-births; when the fruits of good actions have been exhausted then also verily the result is the same. 29. Even in heaven there is sorrow from desire for others, women, &c.; verily there is no doubt in it that this whole universe is full of sorrow. 30. The classifiers of Karma have divided it into two parts: good and bad actions are the veritable bondage of the embodied souls. 31. Those who are not desirous of enjoying the fruits of their actions in this or the next world, should renounce all actions together with their fruits; and having discarded daily, occasional, and naimityka acts should employ themselves in the practice of Yoga.
GYANA KANDA
- The wise Yogi, having realised the truth of Karma Kanda (works), should renounce them; and having left both virtue and vice, he must engage in Jnana Kanda (knowledge). 33. The Vedic texts, “The spirit ought to be seen;”—“About it one must hear,” &c., are the real saviours and givers of true knowledge. They must be studied with great care. 34. That intelligence which incites the functions into the paths of virtue or vice “am I.” All this universe, moveable and immoveable, are from me; all things are seen through me; all are absorbed into me (at the time of pralaya); because there exists nothing but spirit and “I am that spirit.”—There exists nothing else. 35. As in innumerable cups full of water, many reflections of the sun are seen, but the substance is the same; similarly individuals, like cups, are innumerable, but the vivifying spirit like the sun is one. 36. As in dream one substance appears many, but on awaking every thing vanishes but the one; so is this universe. 37. As through illusion a rope appears like a snake, or nacre silver; similarly all this universe exists in the Paramatma (the Universal Spirit). 38. As when the knowledge of nacre is obtained, the erroneous notion of its being silver does not remain; so through the knowledge of spirit the world always appears a delusion. 39. [no paragraph number “39.” – editor.] 40. As when a man besmears his eyelids with the collyrium prepared from the fat of frogs, a bamboo appears like a serpent, so the world appears in the Paramatma owing to the delusive pigment of habit and imagination. 41. As through knowledge of rope the serpent appears a delusion; similarly through spiritual knowledge, the world. As through jaundiced eyes white appears yellow; similarly through the disease, ignorance, this world appears in the spirit;—an error very difficult to be removed. 42. As when the jaundice is removed the patient sees the white colour as it is, so when delusive ignorance is destroyed, the true nature of the spirit is made manifest. 43. As a rope can never become a snake in the past, present or future; so the spirit which is without any attributes, and which is pure, never becomes the universe. 44. Some wise men well versed in Scriptures, receiving the knowledge of spirit, have declared that even gods like Indra, etc., are non-eternal; as are the sacred writings transient and of short duration. 45. Like a bubble in sea rising through the agitation of the wind, this transitory world arises from spirit. 46. The Spirit always exists without any difference; there is no divisibility of substance in it; two-fold; three-fold; and manifold distinctions arise only through error. 47. Whatever was, is or will be, either formed or formless, in short, all this universe exists in the Spirit. 48. Imagined through ignorance, born of untruth, whose very essence is unreal, how can this world with such antecedents (foundations), be true?
THE SPIRIT. - All this universe, moveable or immoveable, has come out of Intelligence. Renouncing everything else, take shelter of it (Intelligence). 50. As space pervades a jar both in and out, similarly within and beyond this ever changing universe there exists one universal Spirit. 51. As the space pervading the five false states of matter, does not mix with them, so the Spirit does not mix with this ever changing universe. 52. From gods down to this material universe all are pervaded by one Spirit. There is one Sachchidananda (Existence, Intelligence and Bliss) all-pervading and secondless. 53. Since it is not illumined by another, therefore self-luminous; and for that self-luminosity, the Spirit is like the light. 54. Since the Spirit is not limited by time, or space or form, it is therefore infinite, all-pervading and full.
- Since the Spirit is unlike this world, which is composed of five states of matter, that are false and subject to destruction, therefore it is eternal. It is never destroyed. 56. Save and beyond it, there is no other substance, therefore, it is one; without it everything else is false; therefore, it is True Existence. 57. Since in this world created by ignorance, sorrows are destroyed and happiness gained through it, and through its knowledge immunity from all sorrow ensues; therefore the Spirit is Bliss. 58. Since from knowledge of that Cause of the universe, ignorance is destroyed, therefore the Spirit is Knowledge; and this Knowledge is everlasting. 59. That Spirit from which this manifold universe existing in time takes its origin is one, and unthinkable. 60. Neither ether, air, fire water, earth, their force, nor the gods are full [perfect]; the Spirit alone is so. 61. All these external substances will perish in the course of time; [but] that Spirit which is indescribable (will exist) without a second.
YOGA AND MAYA. - Having renounced all false (worldly) desires and chains, the Sannyasi and Yogi see certainly in their own spirit the universal Spirit. 63. Having seen the Spirit, that brings forth happiness, in their own spirit, they forget this universe, and enjoy the ineffable bliss of Samadhi (profound meditation). 64 Maya (illusion) is the mother of the universe. Not from any other principle has the universe been created; when this Maya is destroyed, the world certainly does not exist. 65. He to whom this world is but the pleasure ground of Maya, therefore, contemptible and worthless, cannot find any happiness in riches, body, etc., and pleasure. 66. This world appears in three different aspects to men—either friendly, inimical or indifferent; such is always found in worldly dealings; there is distinction also in substances, as they are good, bad or indifferent. 67. That one Spirit through differentiation verily becomes a son, father, etc. The Sacred Scriptures have demonstrated the universe to be the freak of Maya (illusion). The Yogi destroys this phenomenal universe by realising that it is but the result of Adhyaropa (illusory attribution), and Apabad (withdrawl or rescission). 68. When a person is freed from the infinite distinctions and states of existence as caste, individuality, etc., then can he say that he is indivisible, intelligence, pure,—Brahma.
EMANATION OR EVOLUTION. - The Lord willed to create his creatures; from his will came out Avidya (Ignorance), the mother of this false universe. 70. The connotation “Pure Brahma” is applicable to Knowledge (wisdom) only; that which is not Brahma is ignorance (Avidya), from which emanated the ether (akas). 71. From the ether emanated the air; from air came the fire; from fire—water; and from water came the earth. This is the order of emanation. 72. From the ether, air; from the air and ether combined came fire; from the triple compound of ether, air and fire came water; and from the combination of ether, air, fire and water was produced the earth. 73. The quality of ether is sound; of air motion and touch. Form is the quality of fire, and taste of water. And smell is the quality of the earth. There is no gain saying this. 74. Ether has one quality; air two, fire three, water four, and earth five qualities, viz:—sound, touch, taste, form and smell. This has been declared by the wise. 75-76. Form is perceived through the eyes, smell through the olfactory nerves, tastes through the tongue, touch through the skin and sound through the ear. These are verily the organs of perception. 77. From Intelligence is come out all this universe, moveable and immoveable; whether or not Its existence can be inferred, the “All Intelligence” One does exist.
ABSORBTION OR INVOLUTION. - The earth becomes subtle and is dissolved in water; water in fire; fire in air; air in ether; and either in Avidya (Ignorance), which merges into the great Brahma. 79. There are two forces—vikshepa, (the force of creation or projection), and avarana (concealment), which are of great potentiality and power, and whose form is happiness. The great Maya, when nonintelligent and material, has three attributes satwa (good) rajas (active) and tamas (bad). 80. The intelligent form of Maya covered by the avarana force (concealment), manifests itself as the universe, owing to the nature of vikshepa force. 81. When the avidya has an excess of tamas (bad), then it manifests itself as the beautiful Lakshmi; the intelligence which presides over her is called Vishnu. 82. When the avidya has an excess of rajas (active), it manifests itself as the wise Saraswati; the intelligence which presides over her is known as Brahma. 83. Gods like Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, etc., are all seen in the great Spirit; bodies and all material objects are the various products of avidya. 84. The wise have thus explained the creation of the world—tatwas (elements) and non-tatwas (nonelements) are thus produced—not otherwise. 85. All things are seen as finite, etc., (endowed with qualities etc.), and there arise various distinctions merely through words and names; but there is no real difference: 86. Therefore the things do not exist; the great and glorious One that manifests them, alone exists; though things are false and unreal, yet, as the reflection of the real, they, for the time being, appear so. 87. The One Entity, blissful, full and all-pervading, alone exists, and nothing else; he who constantly realises this knowledge is freed from death and the sorrows of the world. 88. When through the knowledge of illusory attribution and withdrawl this universe is annihilated, there exists that One and nothing else; then this is clearly perceived by the mind.
KARMA CLOTHES THE JIVA WITH BODY. - From the Annamaya Kosha (the sheath of food) of the father, and in accordance with its past karma the human soul is re-born; therefore, consider this beautiful body as a punishment, for the suffering of the effects of past Karma. 90. This temple of suffering and enjoyment (human body) made up of flesh, bones, nerves, marrow, blood, and intersected with blood vessels, etc., is only for the sake of suffering punishment. 91. This body, the abode of Brahma, and composed of five elements and known as Brahmanda (The egg of Brahma or microcosm) has been made for enjoyment of pleasure or suffering pain. 92. From the combination of the sperm, which is Shiva and the ovum which is Shakti, and through the action of material forces, all creatures are born. 93. From the combination of all subtle elements, in this universe, gross innumerable objects are produced. The intelligence that is in them confined, through Karma, is called the Jiva. All this world is derived from the five elements. The Jiva is the enjoyer of the fruits of action. 94. In conformity with the effects of past karma, I regulate all these events. Jiva is immaterial, and is in all things; but it enters the material body to enjoy the fruits of karma. 95. Bound in the chain of matter by their karma, the Jiva receives various names. In this world, they come again and again to undergo the consequences of their karma. 96. When the fruits of karma have been enjoyed, the Jiva is absorbed in the Parambrahma.
