Sūtra 1.31

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.31:

दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः ॥ १.३१ ॥

duḥkhadaurmanasyāṅgamejayatvaśvāsapraśvāsā vikṣepasahabhuvaḥ || 1.31 ||

31. Pain, Distress, Trembling, Inspiration and Expiration are the companions of distractions.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

[English translation of the 11th century commentary by Bhoja called the Rājamārtaṇḍa]

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

To shew that there are other causes which produce distraction of the mind, he says:—

[Read Sūtra 1.31]

Whenever from any cause distractions are produced then pain &c., come on. Thereof—

(1) “Pain” (duḥkha) is a modification of the foulness of the thinking principle; it is characterised by pain, which living beings exert to remove.

(2) “Distress” (daurmanasya) is the agitation of the mind proceeding from external or internal causes.

(3) “Trembling” (aṅgamejayatva) is the shaking of the body which causes unsteadiness in the posture (of a Yogī).

(4) “Inspiration” (śvāsa) is a drawing in of the external air. The expulsion of the air from the lungs is “expiration” (praśvāsa).

These existing along with the (other) distractions, should be removed by the exercise and dispassion already described; (A. XII) and therefore they are noticed here.

Notes and Extracts

[Notes and comparative extracts from other commentaries on the Yogasūtra]

[Pain here referred to is described in the Pātañjala Bhāṣya as of three kinds: mental, physical and supernatural. That which affects the mind without touching the body is mental, that which proceeds from disorders in the body is physical, and that which proceeds from evil spirits &c., is supernatural. The Sāṅkhya Kārikā notices all the three. (Wilson’s Sāṅkhya Kārikā, p. 2.)

The Pātañjala Bhāṣya gives pīḍā ‘disease’ as the equivalent of Duḥkha.]

Another expedient for overcoming the obstacles with their accompaniments is now being pointed out.