Sūtra 1.33

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation of Sūtra 1.33:

मैत्रीकरुणामुदितोपेक्षाणां सुखदुःखपुण्यापुण्यविषयानां भावनातश्चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥ १.३३ ॥

maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṇāṃ sukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇyaviṣayānāṃ bhāvanātaścittaprasādanam || 1.33 ||

33. The cheerfulness of the thinking principle, through friendliness, compassion, complacency and indifference in regard to happiness, grief, virtue and vice.

The Rajamartanda commentary by King Bhoja:

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

[Sanskrit text for commentary available]

Now he describes another expedient with advertence to certain works which help to purify the thinking principle.

[Read Sūtra 1.33]

“Friendliness” (maitrī) disposition to be friendly. “Compassion,” (karuṇā) mercy. “Complacency” (muditā) to be pleased. “Indifference” (upekṣā) to feel neither pleasure nor pain. These feelings should be felt, in due order, for the happy, the grieved, the virtuous, and the sinful. Thus, to the happy one should be friendly, (saying) “blessed is their happiness;” and not be envious to them. For persons in grief he should show mercy, and desire how to relieve them from their grief, and not remain indifferent to their suffering. To the virtuous, with a view to encourage virtue, he should express satisfaction, and not be envious of them (saying) “Forsooth, are these virtuous”? For the vicious a feeling of indifference should be practised, neither encouraging nor hating them. In the aphorism, the word “happiness” &c. are intended to stand for persons possessing those qualities. These feelings of friendliness &c., producing cheerfulness in the thinking principle, easily bring on the condition of Samādhi. These acts are external (and not intrinsic parts of the Samādhi). Even as in arithmetic, addition and the like are useful in the calculation of alligation, &c., (but are not in themselves integral parts of the main object), so the feelings of friendship, &c., antagonistic to envy, passion &c., producing cheerfulness, prepare the thinking principle for the conscious form of Samādhi. Passion and envy are the chief causes of distractions. When these are thoroughly eradicated, the cheerfulness induced, effects the concentration of the mind (to one object).

Notes and Extracts

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

[The Aphorism suggests a second expedient that of cheerfulness. Unless the mind is cheerful it cannot be steady, and this cheerfulness is to be brought on by friendliness towards the happy, compassion for those who are in distress, complacency in regard to virtue, and indifference in respect to vice. Indifference in respect to vice might at first sight appear a very mild feeling, but hatred, detestation or other strong manifestation of feeling towards vice would mar cheerfulness, and itself be a cause of pain and unsteadiness; hence it is avoided.]

He points out another expedient.