Download - Poetry Of The Yoga Sutras
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