By: Dr. Pravin Kumar

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Life is like a pendulum moving between happiness and suffering. In year 2008 the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University USA acquired data between 17 to 85years of age and demonstrated that people are more happy after 50 years because the level of stress, due to duties and responsabilities, starts to decrease at that age. Stress was the highest between 22-25 years. In Bhagvadgita, the worrier Arjuna finds difficulties and stress doing his duties. Krishna,his Guru, explained him the reason of stress and sorrow: overthinking on object generates attachment that in turn generates desire and lust for that object. When finally you obtain that object, you fear to lose it while if you are not able to get it, you are anger and disappoint. This vicious circle is cause of all stress and sorrow.  To resolve the problem and carry out all the duties happily, Krishna says to his disciple to be a YOGI. But, what a Yogi does? Obviously!! he does Yoga!

The detailed explanation of Yoga is described in Patanjali Yoga Sutra composed of 196 sutras (formulas to be happy) divided into four chapters. According to positive psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky happiness has two components.  First, it is positive emotions such as joy, containment, affection etc. and second, it is self satisfaction. Yoga philosophy considers self satisfaction as the root of happiness and the others positive emotions are just reflection of it.

First sutra of Patanjali is (अथ योगानुशासनम्॥१)'ATHA YOGA ANUSHASANAM'.  The simple translation is "Now, begins the instruction in the discipline of yoga according to the tradition". There are many layers of meaning of this sutra depending on the experience of practitioners. According to Krishnamacharya this is sutra is a firm commitment of both teacher and student that they will continue to practice of yoga to experience the true meaning of it. In absence of this commitment both teacher and disciple can lose the interest. In another interpretation Atha defines special samskara that lead one to start the study of yoga sutra in this precise moment 'now'.

It also means commitment to finish with same energy which one start with.

Yoga = author used this word first time.  Here it means the discipline of Yoga philosophy. The  root of yoga is 'yuj' that has different meanings. According to first Sanskrit Dictionary called Amrit-Cosha there are five synonyms of yoga:  Sanahnam (Protection), Upayam (Instrument), Sangati (Together), Dhyanam (meditation), Yukti (Intelligence).

Anu-shasnam = comes from root 'Sashu Anu sistau'. It means a kind of teaching which has to be followed as tradition. Here author means to say that even, he learnt it from someone. So he is not founder of Yoga but codifier of this discipline which already existed. Also making clear that it need teacher to practice. So basically first verse is commitment, determination and expected effort for happiness.

Second Sutra: (योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥) Yogash Chitta-Vritti-Nirodhah. Simple meaning is that, Yoga is the control of the modifications of the mind-field. Mind is the means of perseption through senses. Here mind has four folded functioning called Manas, budhhi, Ahamkara, Chitta. Yoga philosophy  target direct the mind in detailed possible formate. Body and breath are considered lated as instrument to control the mind. Later when the modifications of mind get controled it get self satisfied. The four foldings of minds are as follows:

Manas: Mind that receives sensations from the senses and sends forth reactions to them.

Budhhi: The twofold faculty of discrimination, with its outward face, the intellect and inward face, the intuitive wisdom.

Ahamkara: Ego, the faculty by which the personality establish its identity.

Chitta: The intire mind-field, including the universal and individual unconscious, as well as manas, budhi and ahamkara.Author does not says yoga is controling of Manas modification or Bhuddi or Ahamkara but only controling the modifications of Chitta. The modifications of entire mind has to be in control to call it Yoga.  

Third Sutra:(तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम्॥३॥)tada drashtuh sva-rupe'vasthanam. It means 'then (upon the dissolution of vrittis) the seer rest in his own true nature'. When mind is with single object of concentration without attachment, free from all other thought of the background of the mind. Then seer observe the object in its true nature, without lust to it. Here mind become self-satisfied and stay in its true nature which brings happiness and it reflact as joy and empathy and other positive emotions which is expression of happiness. All other 193 verser of yoga sutras are means, instruments and practices to control of mind's modifications.