Now, the teachings of yoga [are presented].

Yoga is the stilling of the changing states of the mind.

When that is accomplished, the seer abides in its own true nature.

Otherwise, at other times, [the seer] is absorbed in the changing states [of the mind].

There are five kinds of changing states of the mind, and they are either detrimental or nondetrimental [to the practice of yoga].

[These five vṛttis are] right knowledge, error, imagination, sleep, and memory.

Right knowledge consists of sense perception, logic, and verbal testimony.

Error is false knowledge stemming from the incorrect apprehension [of something].

Metaphor consists of the usage of words that are devoid of an actual object.

Deep sleep is that state of mind which is based on an absence [of any content].

Memory is the retention of [images of] sense objects that have been experienced.

[The vṛtti states of mind] are stilled by practice and dispassion.

From these, practice is the effort to be fixed in concentrating the mind.

Practice becomes firmly established when it has been cultivated uninterruptedly and with devotion over a prolonged period of time.

Dispassion is the controlled consciousness of one who is without craving for sense objects, whether these are actually perceived, or described [in scripture].

Higher than renunciation is indifference to the guṇas [themselves]. This stems from perception of the […]

Samprajñāta [samādhi] consists of [the consecutive] mental stages of absorption with physical awareness, absorption with subtle awareness, absorption with bliss, and absorption with the sense of I-ness.

The other samādhi [asamprajñāta-samādhi] is preceded by cultivating the determination to terminate [all thoughts]. [In this state] only latent impressions remain.

For [some], those who are unembodied and those who are merged in matter, [the state of samprajñāta is characterized] by absorption in [subtle] states of prakṛti.

[But] for others, [the state where only subconscious impressions remain] is preceded by faith, vigor, memory, samādhi absorption, and discernment.

[This state of samprajñāta] is near for those who apply themselves intensely.

Even among these, there is further differentiation [of this intensity into degrees of] mild, mediocre, and ardent.

Or, [this previously mentioned state is attainable] from devotion to the Lord.

The Lord is a special soul. He is untouched by the obstacles [to the practice of yoga], karma, the fructification [of karma], and subconscious predispositions.

In him, the seed of omniscience is unsurpassed.

Īśvara was also the teacher of the ancients, because he is not limited by Time.

The name designating him is the mystical syllable oṁ.

Its repetition and the contemplation of its meaning [should be performed].

From this comes the realization of the inner consciousness and freedom from all disturbances.

These disturbances are disease, idleness, doubt, carelessness, sloth, lack of detachment, misapprehension, failure to attain a base for concentration, and instability. They are distractions for the mind.

Suffering, dejection, trembling, inhalation, and exhalation accompany the distractions.

Practice [of fixing the mind] on one object [should be performed] in order to eliminate these disturbances.

By cultivating an attitude of friendship toward those who are happy, compassion toward those in distress; joy toward those who are virtuous, and equanimity toward those who are non-virtuous, lucidity arises in the mind.

Or [stability of mind is gained] by exhaling and retaining the breath.

Or else, focus on a sense object arises, and this causes steadiness of the mind.

Or [steadiness of mind is gained when] the mind is pain-free and luminous.

Or [the mind becomes steady when it has] one who is free from desire as its object.

Or [the mind can become steady when it has] the knowledge attained from sleep and dreams as its support.

Or [steadiness of the mind is attained] from meditation upon anything of one’s inclination.

The yogī’s mastery extends from the smallest particle of matter to the totality of matter.

Samāpatti, complete absorption of the mind when it is free from its vṛttis, occurs when the mind becomes just like a transparent jewel, taking the form of whatever object is placed before it, whether the object be the knower, the instrument of knowledge, or the object of knowledge.

In this stage, savitarka-samāpatti, “samādhi absorption with physical awareness” is intermixed with the notions of word, meaning, and idea.

Nirvitarka [samāpatti], “absorption without conceptualization,” occurs when memory has been purged and the mind is empty, as it were, of its own [reflective] nature. Now only the object [of meditation] shines forth [in its own right].

The states of samādhi with “subtle awareness” and without “subtle awareness,” whose objects of focus are the subtle nature [of things], are explained in the same manner.

The subtle nature of things extends all the way up to prakṛti.

These above mentioned samāpatti states are [known as] samādhi meditative absorption “with seed.”

Upon attaining the clarity of nirvicāra-samādhi, there is lucidity of the inner self.

In that state, there is truth-bearing wisdom.

It [seedless samādhi] has a different focus from that of inference and sacred scripture, because it has the particularity of things as its object.

The saṁskāras born out of that [truth-bearing wisdom] obstruct other saṁskāras [from emerging].

Upon the cessation of even those [truth-bearing saṁskāras], nirbīja-samādhi, seedless meditative absorption, ensues.