Poetry of the Yoga Sutras

Sutra translations by I.K. Taimni, The Science of Yoga

Poetry copyright Shelley Lynne Cummins

Photography by Shelley Lynne Cummins

The yoga sutras were the first known documentation of the arts of yoga. Yoga means union, combining all parts into wholeness.

Sutra means thread or cord. Each sutra is a drop of truth merging into the ocean of unity.

These truths are to be sung, chanted, reverberated, contemplated, danced,and celebrated into all layers of existence.

Yoga Sutra 1

Ata Yoga Nusashanam

(atah~yoga~new~sa~sha~nam)

Now the Discipline of Yoga

Disciple of my lord

Living as me

The Guide

Through layers of existence

Live now

Enter in

Know eternity

Yoga Sutra 2

Yogas chitta - vritti nirodhah

(Yoga ~schitah~vritee~ni~ro~da~ha)

Yoga is the selective awareness of the waves of the mind

When awakeI watch

The dream of night and dayWhen awake

I chooseTo live as radiating

All encompassing light

Yoga Sutra 3

Tada drastuh svarupe 'vastanam(Ta~da~drash~tu~sva~ru~pay~vash~tanam)

The seer is established in his or her own essential and fundamental nature

The gold at the seat of the rainbowA moving foundation

KnowingI Am

All~ways at home

Yoga Sutra 4

Vritti-sarupyam itaratra(Vritee~sa~rupyum~i~tara~tra)

In states of mind other than yoga,

the seer is identified with the waves of the mind

As parts of me dispatch and fleeDreams go on endlessly

Company of asuras I keepIn sufferings and rebirth

Yet in an instantI can choose anew

Re~memberingI Am free, gone, and beyond

Only as the One

Yoga Sutra 5

Vrttayah pancatayyah klistaklistah(Vritya~pancha~taya~klistah~klistah)

The waves or modifications of the mind are five-fold

and are painful or non-painful.

A pendulum the mindAbility to live extremeA pleasure and a pain

Great God withinChose to know

All experience of all terrains

Yoga Sutra 6

Pramana-viparay-vikalpa-nidra-smrtayah(Pra~manah~vi~paray~vi~kalpah~ni~dra~smar~ta~yah)

They are right knowledge, wrong knowledge, fancy, sleep, and memory.

I knowThe truth within

The falsity of my lieThe wisdom from my process

Illusions flying in my mindMy karmas acting out in astral worlds

And my forever changing pastAll are there for me to know, use, and grow

Yoga Sutra 7

Pratyaksanumanagamah prmanani(Pratyak~shanum~anag~amah~praman~ani)

Facts of right knowledge are based on direct cognition, inference, ortestimony.

Truth Is that

Found within the well of youDrunken till all is wet

& experiences have paved the lessons

and the way

Yoga Sutra 8

Viparyayo mithya jnanam atad ~rupa~pratistham(Vipar~ya~yo~mit~ya~janan~am~rupa~prat~ish~tam)

Wrong knowledge is a false conception of a thing whose real form doesnot correspond to such a mistaken concept.

When the well is hiddenMortal liquids still are found

Yet only divine nectarCan quench a never~ending thirst

Yoga Sutra 9

Sabda~jnananupati~vast~sunyo vikalpah(Shabda~janan~anupati~vast ~shunyo~vi~kal ~pah)

An image conjured up by words without any substance behind it , is fancy.

Oh wordsThat wander far from homePicking up colorful delusions

As they strayTruth awaits the real thoughts

Sent to form From the eternal home

Yoga Sutra 10

Abava-pratyayalambana vrittir nidra(A-bava-pratya-ya-lam-bana-vrit-tir-ni-dra)

That modification of the mind which is based on the absence of anycontent in it is sleep.

There is a partIn me

That can live ignorantly freeA sleepwalking giant

UnawareIn duality & suffering

Yoga Sutra 11

Anubhata-Visayasampramosah smrith(Anu-ba-tah-Vishaya-sam-pramosh-ah-smir-ti)

Memory is not allowing an object which has been experienced to escape.

My prisonerRefusing to evolveJourney to new

Until I release the pastForgive, allow the nowReforming my prisoner Into the beloved true

Yoga Sutra 12

Abhyasa-vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah(A-biyasa-varigya-biyam-tan-ni-ro-di-ha)

The selective awareness of mental waves is brought about by persistentpractice and non-attachment.

How do I chooseThe absolute of truthfulness?

Death of desiresAnd everything I knew

Immortality appearsAnd dawns the wishes which have always been here

In the blessed now

Yoga Sutra 13

Tatra Sthitau yatno bhyasah(Ta-tra-Shtit-ow-yat-no-bi-ya-sah)

Abhaysa is the effort for being firmly established in the yogic state.

A quality of the beyondThe desire to be

An all encompassing selfThis unity lives in me

I free this lordInto now

Yoga Sutra 14

Sa tu dirgha-kala-nairantarya-satkarasevito drdha-bhumih(Sa-tu-dir-gha-ka-la-nairan-tar-ya-satkar-ashi-vi-to-dir-dah-bu-mih)

Steady practice becomes firmly grounded on being continued for a long time,without interruption and with reverent devotion.

Truth takes it's rootsBlooms & perfumesWith constant sun,

Watering, maintenance,And love

Yoga Sutra 15

Drstanusravika-visaya-vitrsnasya vasikara-samjna vairagyam(Drish-stanu-shra-vika-vish-aya-vitra-shna-sya-va-shikara-sam-jna-va-rigyam)

The consciousness of perfect mastery of desires in the case of one who hasceased to crave for objects, seen or unseen, is Vairagya.

As the wishes For worldly charms And ideas of such

Be simple play

A yogi's inner garden bloomsAll truth is cared forGrown, ingested,

And showered out to others

This place of bliss Heaven has an earthly temple

Inside this glorious vehicleKnown as me

Jai Sri Yogis!

Praise to the Beloved One

www.JaiSriYogis.com

Shelley Lynne Cummins