Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.30

Sanskrit Sutra

व्याधि-स्त्यान-संशय-प्रमादालस्याविरति-भ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः॥३०॥

Swami Vivekananda's translation

Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of enthusiasm, lethargy, clinging to sense-enjoyments, false perception, non-attaining concentration, and falling away from the state when obtained, are the obstructing distractions.

Vyasa Bhashya (Sanskrit)

व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चितविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः ॥ ३० ॥

नवान्तरायाश्चित्तस्य विक्षेपाः। सहैते चित्तवृत्तिभिर्भवन्ति। एतेषामभावे न भवन्ति पूर्वोक्ताश्चित्तवृत्तयः। व्याधिर्धातुरसकरणवैषम्यम्। स्त्यानमकर्मण्यता चित्तस्य। संशय उभयकोटिस्पृग्विज्ञानं स्यादिदमेवं नैवं स्यादिति। प्रमादः समाधिसाधनानामभावनम्। आलस्यं कायस्य चित्तस्य च गुरुत्वादप्रवृत्तिः। अविरतिश्चित्तस्य विषयसंप्रयोगात्मा गर्धः। भ्रान्तिदर्शनं विपर्यज्ञानम्। अलब्धभूमिकत्वं समाधिभूमेरलाभः। अनवस्थितत्वं यल्लब्धायां भूमौ चित्तस्याप्रतिष्ठा। समाधिप्रतिलम्भे हि सति तदवस्थितं स्यादिति। एते चित्तविक्षेपा नव योगमला योगप्रतिपक्षा योगान्तराया इत्यभिधीयन्ते ॥ ३० ॥

Vyasa Bhashya (English Translation)

Disease, mental laziness, doubt, lack of enthusiasm, lethargy, clinging to sense-enjoyments, false perception, non-attaining concentration, and falling away from the state when obtained, are the distractions of the mind and they are the obstacles. || 30 || The nine obstacles (antarayas) are the distractions of the mind (citta-vikshepa). They arise together with the mental modifications. In their absence, the previously mentioned mental modifications do not arise.

1. Disease (Vyadhi): Imbalance of the humors (dhatu), secretions (rasa), or organs (karana).
2. Mental laziness (Styana): Inactivity/dullness of the mind.
3. Doubt (Samshaya): A cognition touching both alternatives, like ‘It might be like this, it might not be like this.’
4. Carelessness (Pramada): Non-cultivation of the means to samadhi.
5. Lethargy (Alasya): Inactivity due to heaviness of the body and mind.
6. Craving/Worldly-mindedness (Avirati): Desire, the essence of which is the mind’s attachment to sense objects.
7. False perception (Bhranti-darshana): Delusive/false knowledge.
8. Failing to attain stages (Alabdha-bhumikatva): Non-attainment of the stages of samadhi.
9. Instability (Anavasthitatva): When a stage has been attained, the mind’s failure to establish itself firmly there. When samadhi is attained, it should become established. These nine distractions of the mind are called the impurities of yoga (yoga-mala), the opponents of yoga (yoga-pratipaksha), and the obstacles of yoga (yoga-antaraya). || 30 ||

The Nine Obstacles (Antarayas) of Yoga

Obstacle	Translation	Sanskrit Definition	English Definition
Vyadhi	Disease	धातुरसकरणवैषम्यम्	Imbalance of humors (dhatu), secretions (rasa), or organs (karana).
Styana	Mental laziness / Dullness	अकर्मण्यता चित्तस्य	Inactivity of the mind.
Samshaya	Doubt	उभयकोटिस्पृग्विज्ञानं स्यादिदमेवं नैवं स्यादिति	Cognition touching both alternatives (“might be”, “might not be”).
Pramada	Carelessness / Lack of enthusiasm	समाधिसाधनानामभावनम्	Non-cultivation of the means to samadhi.
Alasya	Lethargy	कायस्य चित्तस्य च गुरुत्वादप्रवृत्तिः	Inactivity due to heaviness of body and mind.
Avirati	Craving / Clinging	चित्तस्य विषयसंप्रयोगात्मा गर्धः	Desire born of the mind’s attachment to sense objects.
Bhranti-darshana	False perception / Delusion	विपर्यज्ञानम्	False knowledge.
Alabdha-bhumikatva	Failing to attain stages	समाधिभूमेरलाभः	Non-attainment of the stages of samadhi.
Anavasthitatva	Instability	यल्लब्धायां भूमौ चित्तस्याप्रतिष्ठा	Inability to firmly establish the mind in a stage once attained.

Chapter link: Yoga Sutra Chapter 1