Yogash Chitta-Vritti-Nirodhah (Yoga Sutra 1.2) — Benefits & How to Chant
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
Complete guide to chanting correctly for maximum benefit
Benefits of Chanting Yogash Chitta-Vritti-Nirodhah (Yoga Sutra 1.2)
Provides the classical, authoritative definition of yoga
the cornerstone of Patanjali's entire system of Raja Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga).
Contemplating it reveals that the true aim of yoga is mastery over the mind, not merely physical postures.
A powerful focus for meditation, turning attention inward toward the stilling of thought-waves.
Cultivates inner peace, mental clarity and one-pointed concentration (ekagrata).
Recited and reflected upon by yoga practitioners worldwide as the heart of yogic philosophy.
Guides the seeker from outward restlessness toward the silent witness within.
How to Chant Yogash Chitta-Vritti-Nirodhah (Yoga Sutra 1.2)
Instructions
Recite the sutra slowly three times before beginning meditation, letting the meaning settle: that yoga is the quieting of the mind's fluctuations. Then sit and observe the thought-waves arising and dissolving, allowing them to grow still. It is meant to be contemplated as much as chanted — a direct pointer to the practice itself.
Spiritual Significance
Generations of yogis have testified that as the thought-waves of the chitta grow still through steady practice, an unshakable inner peace and self-knowledge dawns — the seer resting in its own nature, untouched by the restlessness of the world.
Origin & History
Source: Patanjali Yoga Sutras 1.2
Author: Patanjali
This is the second aphorism of the Samadhi Pada, the first chapter of Maharshi Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. After the opening sutra 'Atha yoganushasanam' (Now, the teaching of yoga), Patanjali immediately gives the definition that has guided practitioners for two millennia: yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. It establishes the entire purpose and method of Raja Yoga.