Jaganath Carrera - Inside the Yoga Sutras: A Comprehensive Sourcebook for the Study & Practice of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras

A COMPREHENSIVE SOURCEBOOK FOR

THE STUDY AND PRACTICE OF PATANJALIS YOGA SUTRAS

REVEREND JAGANATH CARRERA

Integral Yoga Publications
Yogaville, Virginia

Copyright 2006 Jaganath Carrera.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form.

Cover Art 2006 Satchidananda AshramYogaville

Printed in the United States of America

Second Printing 2008

Third Printing 2011

Library of Congress Control Number: 2005907687

ISBN - 13: 978-0-932040-57-2

Cover design by Tim Barrall

Layout by Kemper Conwell, Pixels of Charlottesville, Virginia.

Integral Yoga Publications

Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville

Route 1 Box 1720

Buckingham, Virginia 23921

The Cosmic Drama:
What You Perceive Is What You Believe

Appendix:
The Yoga Sutras, the Dualism of Classical
Sankhya, and the Nondualism of Advaita Vedanta

This book is dedicated to all who seek peace and understanding, both individual and universal. May you soon experience the unbounded peace and joy of your own Self.

It is also dedicated to that great light of Yoga, Sri Patanjali Maharaj. A compassionate and brilliant teacher, his universal teachings have informed and guided countless seekers to realize the Self and be free.

Above all, I offer this book with humility, love, and gratitude to my revered master, Rev. Sri Swami Satchidanandaji Maharaj, whose very life embodies and exemplifies the truths of Sri Patanjalis Sutras.

He is the root; this text, the fruit. His teachings, humor, vivid stories, and memorable analogies are for me the foundation for understanding the Yoga Sutras and permeate this publication. This, along with his admonition always to look beyond the letter, to find the spirit of the law, encouraged me to express my own humble thoughts regarding this classic text.

I can never repay him for all he has done for me. To him, I offer my prostrations.

This text has been published through the dedicated and loving efforts of many. I can never repay them for their selfless efforts in bringing this text to light. They truly embody Yoga in action.

To my wife, Rev. Janaki Carrera, who patiently reviewed draft after draft, providing organization, commonsense guidance, and the title of this volume.

To Swami Karunananda Ma and Swami Sharadananda Ma, masterful teachers of Raja Yoga, whose countless hours of service provided both insights into these teachings and perceptive editing. They helped give clarity and depth to the text.

To Paraman Barsel, a great Raja yogi (and the teacher in the first Raja Yoga class I attended) whose editing skills helped elevate both the ideas and prose of this text. He was on call at all hours to serve.

To Rev. Prem Anjali for her unflagging support, Ganesh MacIsaac for his advice and help, Gill Kent for the clear editing that put the polish on the apple, and the many students and teachers of Yoga who encouraged and inspired me.

To Tim Barrall, a great artist and Karma Yogi, for his inspired cover design and to Kemper Conwell who did a masterful job with the layout of the text, making it clear and inviting.

To the countless wise teachers, authors, and commentators whose profound knowledge and insights into this holy text inspired and informed me. Thank you.

I love the Yoga Sutras. They have been a part of my life, as both a student and a teacher of Raja Yoga, for over thirty years. Yet to comment on a sacred text requires a particular inspiration or, failing that, a peculiar type of daring or arrogance. After all, every spiritual classic is surrounded by the wise words of great sages and scholars. Before adding another viewpoint, one must ask: Do I have anything worthwhile to add to the discussion? Will it be a useful service to others?

The book you hold in your hands began as a personal project: to organize notes that had been jotted down on receipts, envelopes, and notebooks over years of study and contemplation. At the urging of students, this straightforward task transformed into the formidable undertaking of writing a commentary. Their requests gave birth to a rumor that took on a life of its own. Soon I was being asked when my book would come out!

In spite of the interest, the project initially seemed unnecessary to me, especially since my own master, Sri Swami Satchidananda (Sri Gurudev) had authored a magnificent translation and commentary. That text has been a treasured bible for me as well as countless others for almost two decades. I thought it might be impertinent even to suggest that my small voice should be added alongside his and the other brilliant translators and commentators on the Yoga Sutras that are available. Still, students continued their requests. Finally I found it hard to ignore the realities of students interest and my expanding compilation of notes.

One day, during a meeting I had with Sri Gurudev, I brought these developments to his attention. His response provided insightful guidance along with his blessings: If its a good service to others, why not? Ive been thinking that it is time for a new approach. Go. Do it. On another occasion, in response to my lingering hesitancy, he added, Someone motivated by their ego would not even be asking these questions. Its a good idea to do this. Yes, lets do it. His blessings instilled a special life and spirit to this project and initiated five years of joyfully consuming effort.

My prayer is that this publication fulfills my masters charge to provide a useful service to others.

you agree with this fundamental truth: everyone wants to be happy, peaceful, and fulfilled.

If you are completely at peace, if there is no lack in your life, if nothing has the power to make you sad, anxious, or unsure, then perhaps for you the study and practice of the Yoga Sutras is not necessary; you are already living the goal. If, on the other hand, you feel there is something missing in fleeting occasions of joy; if you yearn to experience an abiding peace, are searching for meaning and a vision of life that will help you make sense out of the unexpected twists and turns you face; or if you would like to bring your mind to a clear and focused stillness, then consider reading on.

The Yoga Sutras of Sri Patanjali is the science of joy and a blueprint for living a deeply satisfying life. It is a timeless spiritual classic whose appeal is founded on a profound and unerring understanding of the human condition. Not simply a philosophy, it presents a holistic system of practices that provide clear progressive steps towards the elimination of suffering and attainment of spiritual liberation. These teachings reach beyond age, occupation, gender, and faith tradition. They touch the heart of the struggle to find peace amidst a world of uncertainties and challenge. They boldly proclaim that the joy we seek is within us, as none other than our True Identity.

Everything begins in the mind. If you want to see clearly, you need clear vision.

Sri Swami Satchidananda

Perception is reality is an adage understood by publicists and ad executives. They understand thataccurate or notwhat we perceive to be true determines our responses. Imagine walking into a dimly lit room. As we look around, we notice a coiled shape in a corner. A snake! Our heart beats faster. Breathing becomes agitated. Adrenaline pours into the bloodstream. Our mind frantically searches for the proper course of action: Should we run, call 911, scream for help? Fear-based thoughts repeatedly interrupt reason: What if its poisonous and I get bitten? Who will care for my children if I die! Then, instinctively, we reach for the light switch. Light has the power to disclose the mysteries written by shadows. There is no snake; there never was. What we thought was a snake was nothing but a coiled piece of rope. Even though we were never in any danger, by falsely perceiving the rope for a snake, we experienced the same thoughts, physiological responses, and actions as if it were a snake. Our perception of the coiled rope in the dim light becamefor a whileour reality.