Disease, mental laziness, doubt, carelessness, laziness , non-abstention , false perception , failing to obtain stages of practice and inability to stay in that state - These distractions of the mind are the impediments.

Verse 30

व्याधि स्त्यान संशय प्रमादाअलस्याविरति भ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपाः ते अन्तरायाः ॥३०॥

vyādhi styāna saṁśaya pramāda-ālasya-avirati bhrāntidarśana-alabdha-bhūmikatva-anavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepāḥ te antarāyāḥ ॥30॥

Disease, mental laziness, doubt, carelessness, laziness , non-abstention , false perception , failing to obtain stages of practice and inability to stay in that state - These distractions of the mind are the impediments.

These nine types of obstacles usually prevent the meditators from progressing on the path of Yoga. The souls who did not have strong previous birth sanskaras surely face it but they should not leave yoga fearing these problems. In fact, yoga should be practised continuously.

Maharshi has organized these obstacles in a chronological order which is quite scientific. In case the meditator is suffering from a disease then he cannot sit for yoga practice and he will be distracted due to unwellness of his heart. So, disease is called the first obstacle by the Maharshi. Therefore, good health is the foremost requirement to take the first step on the path of yoga.

So the first obstacle should always be focused upon in order to work hard to overcome other obstacles too. You will not be able to cross the other hurdles if you are unable to walk the path of yoga. 

You may reach your destination one day if you continue the journey, but those who have not even started their journey will be lost. Therefore, it is very important that we either overcome the first hurdle on the path of yoga or do not let it appear.

The remaining 8 obstacles are related to body, boastfulness, intellect, ignorance etc. These can be removed with internal effort, understanding, practice, detachment and wisdom.

But the yogic meditators will have to constantly remember that we have to work hard to stay away from the first obstacle/disease to yoga.

The other 8 obstacles will become mild due to the meditator’s efforts made for total physical health. Meaning thereby, if the efforts for physical health are made with full concentration, then the other 8 obstacles will also get removed.

Complete physical health also includes dietary habits, thoughts, day to day behavior, samskaras and habits.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

From that comes realization of the Individual Self and the destruction of obstacles.

Verse 29

ततः प्रत्यक्चेतनाधिगमोऽप्यन्तरायाभवश्च ॥२९॥

tataḥ pratyak-cetana-adhigamo-'py-antarāya-abhavaś-ca ॥29॥

From that comes realization of the Individual Self and the destruction of obstacles.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

When repeating this and meditating on the Pranava one can become one with the ultimate.

Verse 28

तज्जपः तदर्थभावनम् ॥२८॥

taj-japaḥ tad-artha-bhāvanam ॥28॥

The repetition of this (OM-Pranava) and meditating on its meaning is the way.

Om kara. Ishwara is OM is what Patanjali says.

To go deeper the manifestation process is from moola - Pranava - prana - jeeva.

This is how the manifestation of world occurs. 

And here Patanjali stresses o meditation on Pranava. Pranava is underlying reality the background vibration of this existence.

When repeating this and meditating on the Pranava one can become one with the ultimate.

In Verse 28, Patanjali lays emphasis on the repetition and meditation on this Pranava mantra i.e. Aum. 

Why should there be repetition? We have not forgotten that theory of Samskaras, that the sum-total of impressions lives in the mind. Impressions live in the mind, the sum-total of impressions, and they become more and more latent, but remain there, and as soon as they get the right stimulus they come out. Molecular vibration will never cease. When this universe is destroyed all the massive vibrations disappear, the sun, moon, stars, and earth, will melt down, but the vibrations must remain in the atoms. Each atom will perform the same function as the big worlds do. So the vibrations of this Chitta will subside, but will go on like molecular vibrations, and when they get the impulse will come out again. We can now understand what is meant by repetition. 

It is the greatest stimulus that can be given to the spiritual Samskaras. “One moment of company with the Holy makes a ship to cross this ocean of life.” Such is the power of association. So this repetition of Om, and thinking of its meaning, is keeping good company in your own mind. Study, and then meditate and meditate, when you have studied. The light will come to you, the Self will become manifest.

But one must think of this Om, and of its meaning too. Avoid evil company, because the scars of old wounds are in you, and this evil company is just the heat that is necessary ot call them out. In the same way we are told that good company will call out the good impressions that are in us, but which have become latent. There is nothing holier in this world than to keep good company, because the good impressions will have this same tendency to come to the surface.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

The word to designate Him (Isvara) is Pranava or OM.

Verse 27

तस्य वाचकः प्रणवः ॥२७॥

tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ ॥27॥

The word to designate Him (Isvara) is Pranava or OM.

In the verse 27, Sage Patanjali is stressing on the Ishvara and the symbol, the mark of His, i.e. Aum. 

Symbol is the manifestor of the thing signified, and if the thing signified has already existence, and if, by experience, we know that the symbol has expressed that thing many times, then we are sure that there is the real relation between them. Even if the things are not present, there will be thousands who will know them by their symbols. There must be a natural connection between the symbol and the thing signified; then, when that symbol is pronounced, it recalled the thing signified. 

Patanjali says the manifesting word of God is Om. Why does he emphasize this? There are hundreds of words for God. One thought is connected with a thousand words; the idea, God, is connected with hundreds of words, and each one stands as a symbol for God. 

 

But there must be a generalization among all these words, some substratum, some common ground of all these symbols, and that symbol, which is the common symbol will be the best, and will really be the symbol of all. In making a sound we use the larynx, and the palate as a sounding board. Is there any material sound of which all other sounds must be manifestations, one which is the most natural sound? Om (Aum) is such a sound, the basis of all sounds. 

The first letter, A, is the root sound, the key, pronounced without touching any part of the tongue or palate; M represents the last sound in the series, being produced by the closed lip, and the U rolls from the very root to the end of the sounding board of the mouth. Thus, Om represents the whole phenomena of sound producing. As such, it must be the natural symbol, the matrix of all the variant sounds. It denotes the whole range and possibility of all the words that can be made. Apart from these speculations we see that around this word Om are centered all the different religious ideas in India; all the various religious ideas of the Vedas have gathered themselves round this word Om. 

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Patanjali is talking about Omniscience of Ishvara and His significance in attaining the Yoga.

Verse 26

स एष पूर्वेषामपिगुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ॥२६॥

sa eṣa pūrveṣām-api-guruḥ kālena-anavacchedāt ॥26॥

That (Isavara) is the Teacher of even the ancient teachers, since He is not limited by time.

In these verses, Sage Patanjali is talking about Omniscience of Ishvara and His significance in attaining the Yoga. 

In verse 26, Ishvara is called as the Adi-Guru, the Adi-Yogi. It is true that all knowledge is within ourselves, but this has to be called forth by another knowledge. Although the capacity  

to know is inside us, it must be called out, and that calling out of knowledge can only be got, a Yogi maintains, through another knowledge. Dead, insentient matter, never calls out  

knowledge. It is the action of knowledge that brings out knowledge. Knowing beings must be with us to call forth what is in us, so these teachers were always necessary. The world was never without them, and no knowledge can come without them. God is the Teacher of all teachers, because these teachers, however great they may have been—gods or angels—were all bound and limited by time, and God is not limited by time. These are the two peculiar distinctions of the Yogis. The first is that in thinking of the limited, the mind must think of the unlimited, and that if one part of the perception is true the other must be, for the reason that their value as perceptions of the mind is equal. The very fact that man has a little knowledge, shows that God has unlimited knowledge. If I am to take one, why not the other? Reason forces me to take both or reject both. If I believe that there is a man with a little knowledge, I must also admit that there is someone behind him with unlimited knowledge. The second deduction is that no knowledge can come without a teacher. It is true as the modern philosophers say, that there is something in man which evolves out of him; all knowledge is in man, but certain environments are necessary to call it out. We cannot find any knowledge without teacher, if there are men teachers, god teachers, or angel teachers, they are all limited; who was the teacher before them? We are forced to admit, as a last conclusion, One Teacher, Who is not limited by time, and that One Teacher or infinite knowledge, without beginning or end, is called God.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

In Him (in Isvara), the seed of Omniscience is unsurpassed.

Verse 25

तत्र निरतिशयं सर्वज्ञबीजम् ॥२५॥

tatra niratiśayaṁ sarvajña-bījam ॥25॥

In Him (in Isvara), the seed of Omniscience is unsurpassed.

In verse 25, The all knowingness of Ishvara is emphasized. The mind must always travel between two extremes. You can think of limited space, but the very idea of that gives you also unlimited space. Close your eyes and think of a little space, and at the same time that you perceive the little circle, you have a circle round it of unlimited dimensions. It is the same with time. Try to think of a second, you will have, with the same act of perception, to think of time which is unlimited. So with knowledge. Knowledge is only a germ in man, but you will have to think of infinite knowledge around it, so that the very nature of your constitution shows us that there is unlimited knowledge, and the Yogis call that unlimited knowledge God.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Samadhi is attained by devotion to Ishwara.

Verse 23

ईश्वरप्रणिधानाद्वा ॥२३॥

īśvara-praṇidhānād-vā ॥23॥

Samadhi is attained by devotion to Ishwara.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Isvara is the Supreme Purusha, unaffected by misery, actions, fruits of action or desires.

Verse 24

क्लेश कर्म विपाकाअशयैःअपरामृष्टः पुरुषविशेष ईश्वरः ॥२४॥

kleśa karma vipāka-āśayaiḥ-aparāmr‌ṣṭaḥ puruṣa-viśeṣa īśvaraḥ ॥24॥

Isvara is the Supreme Purusha, unaffected by misery, actions, fruits of action or desires.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

They again differ according as the means are mild, medium or supreme.

Verse 22

मृदुमध्याधिमात्रत्वात्ततोऽपि विशेषः ॥२२॥

mr̥du-madhya-adhimātratvāt-tato'pi viśeṣaḥ ॥22॥

They again differ according as the means are mild,

medium or supreme.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Success is speeded for the extremely energetic.

Verse 21

तीव्रसंवेगानामासन्नः ॥२१॥

tīvra-saṁvegānām-āsannaḥ ॥21॥

Success is speeded for the extremely energetic.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

This Samadhi, when not followed by extreme non-attachment becomes the cause of the re-manifestation of the gods and of those that become merged in nature

Verse 19

भवप्रत्ययो विदेहप्रकृतिलयानम् ॥१९॥

bhava-pratyayo videha-prakr‌ti-layānam ॥19॥

bhava = being, becoming

pratyayah = perception, thought, intention, representation

videha = bodiless

prakriti = nature

layaanaam = clasped, merged

in 1.19 he patanjali says Bhava pratyayo videha prakriti layaanaam

These latent impressions or Samskaras are bodyless in nature and are bound together. 

Here he's indicating that our sadhana and spiritual progress is not gonna go waste after death, its carried by samskaras and they dont die with the body, they are carried on in our next janmas

.This Samadhi, when not followed by extreme non-attachment becomes the cause of the re-manifestation of the gods and of those that become merged in nature

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

To others (this Samadhi) comes through faith, energy, memory, concentration, and discrimination of the real.

Verse 20

श्रद्धावीर्यस्मृति समाधिप्रज्ञापूर्वक इतरेषाम् ॥२०॥

śraddhā-vīrya-smr‌ti samādhi-prajñā-pūrvaka itareṣām ॥20॥

To others (this Samadhi) comes through faith, energy, memory, concentration, and discrimination of the real.

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

This absolute knowledge is engendered incrementally by divination, experience, joy, and ultimately the feeling of oneness. ||17||

Verse 17

वितर्कविचाराअनन्दास्मितारुपानुगमात्संप्रज्ञातः ॥१७॥

vitarka-vicāra-ānanda-asmitā-rupa-anugamāt-saṁprajñātaḥ ॥17॥

This absolute knowledge is engendered incrementally by divination, experience, joy, and ultimately the feeling of oneness. ||17||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

The other state of insight, which is based on persistent practice, arises when all perception has been extinguished and only non-manifest impressions remain. ||18||

Verse 18

विरामप्रत्ययाभ्यासपूर्वः संस्कारशेषोऽन्यः ॥१८॥

virāma-pratyaya-abhyāsa-pūrvaḥ saṁskāra-śeṣo-'nyaḥ ॥18॥

virama = cessation

pratyaya = perception, thought, intention, representation

abhyasa = practice, action, method

purvah = earlier

samskara = latent impressions

sheshah = store, residuum

anyaha = other

After one practices to still the thoughts, these four kinds of cognition fall away(mentioned in previous sutra 1.17), leaving only a store of latent impressions (samskara) in the depth memory.

The other state of insight, which is based on persistent practice, arises when all perception has been extinguished and only non-manifest impressions remain. ||18||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Success can definitely be achieved via sound and continuous practice over an extended period of time, carried out in a serious and thoughtful manner. ||14||

Verse 14

स तु दीर्घकाल नैरन्तर्य सत्काराअदराअसेवितो दृढभूमिः ॥१४॥

sa tu dīrghakāla nairantarya satkāra-ādara-āsevito dr‌ḍhabhūmiḥ ॥14॥

Success can definitely be achieved via sound and continuous practice over an extended period of time, carried out in a serious and thoughtful manner. ||14||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Imperturbability results from a balance in the consciousness, and when the desire for all things that we see or have heard of is extinguished. ||15||

Verse 15

दृष्टानुश्रविकविषयवितृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्णा वैराग्यम् ॥१५॥

dr‌ṣṭa-anuśravika-viṣaya-vitr‌ṣṇasya vaśīkāra-saṁjṇā vairāgyam ॥15॥

Imperturbability results from a balance in the consciousness, and when the desire for all things that we see or have heard of is extinguished. ||15||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

The highest state of imperturbability arises from the experience of the true self; in this state even the basic elements of nature lose their power over us. || 16||

Verse 16

तत्परं पुरुषख्यातेः गुणवैतृष्ण्यम् ॥१६॥

tatparaṁ puruṣa-khyāteḥ guṇa-vaitr‌ṣṇyam ॥16॥

tat = this

param = ultimate, highest, purest

purusha = pure awareness

khyateh = clear seeing

guña = fundamental qualities of nature

vaitrshñyam = without wanting or attachment

When the ultimate level of desirelessness has been reached, pure awareness can clearly see itself as independent from the fundamental qualities of nature (the 3 gunas- Sattva, rajas and tamas).

The highest state of imperturbability arises from the experience of the true self; in this state even the basic elements of nature lose their power over us. || 16||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Recollections are engendered by the past, insofar as the relevant experience has not been eclipsed. ||11||

Verse 9

शब्दज्ञानानुपाती वस्तुशून्यो विकल्पः ॥९॥

śabda-jñāna-anupātī vastu-śūnyo vikalpaḥ ॥9॥

Imaginings are engendered by word knowledge without regard for what actually exists in the real world. ||9||

Verse 10

अभावप्रत्ययाअलम्बना तमोवृत्तिर्निद्र ॥१०॥

abhāva-pratyaya-ālambanā tamo-vr‌ttir-nidra ॥10॥

Deep sleep is the absence of all impressions resulting from opacity in that which is mutable in human beings (chitta). ||10||

Verse 11

अनुभूतविषयासंप्रमोषः स्मृतिः ॥११॥

anu-bhūta-viṣaya-asaṁpramoṣaḥ smr‌tiḥ ॥11॥

Recollections are engendered by the past, insofar as the relevant experience has not been eclipsed. ||11||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

The state of yoga is attained via a balance between assiduousness (abhyasa) and imperturbability (vairagya). ||12||

Verse 12

अभ्यासवैराग्याअभ्यां तन्निरोधः ॥१२॥

abhyāsa-vairāgya-ābhyāṁ tan-nirodhaḥ ॥12॥

abhyāsa = assiduousness; cheerfulness; practice

vairāgya = imperturbability; indifference

ābhyāṁ = both

tan = this

nirodha = tranquility; tranquility of all mutable things, i.e. attaining the state of yoga.

The state of yoga is attained via a balance between assiduousness (abhyasa) and imperturbability

 (vairagya). ||12||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS

Assiduousness means resolutely adhering to one’s practice of yoga. ||13||

Verse 13

तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासः ॥१३॥

tatra sthitau yatno-'bhyāsaḥ ॥13॥

tatra = here; there; so that

sthitau = resolutely; continuously; constantly;

yatna = effort; practice

abhyāsaḥ = cheerfulness; assiduousness

Assiduousness means resolutely adhering to one’s practice of yoga. ||13||

PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS