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Yoga Sutra 1.30
व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः ॥३०॥
vyādhi-styāna-saṁśaya pramāda-ālasya-avirati bhrānti-darśana-alabdha-bhūmikatva-anavasthitatvāni citta-vikṣepāḥ te antarāyāḥ ॥30॥
- vyādhi: disease, illness, sickness
- styāna: mental laziness, idleness, dullness
- saṁśaya: doubt
- pramāda: procrastination, carelessness
- ālasya: laziness, sloth
- avirati: craving for enjoyment
- bhrānti-darśana: erroneous perception
- alabdha-bhūmikatva: inability to achieve a finer state
- anavasthitatvā: instability, inability to maintain
- citta-vikṣepāḥ: distractions of the mind
- te: they are, these are
- antarāyāḥ: obstacles, impediments
- Disease, dullness, doubt, procrastination, laziness, craving, erroneous perception, inability to achieve finer stages and instability are the obstacles.
Obstacles in the path of Sadhana - As per this sutra, these are nine disruptive forces of consciousness.
Nine kinds of distractions naturally encountered on the path of this sadhana. They are physical illness, tendency of the mind to not work efficiently, doubt or indecision, lack of attention to pursuing the means of samadhi, laziness in mind and body, failure to regulate the desire for worldly objects, incorrect assumptions or thinking, failing to attain stages of the practice, and instability in maintaining a level of practice once attained.
These distractions can become obstacles, hence an aspirant should be aware of these issues to overcome them easily before they become obstacles and make it harder for the aspirant to come out of them.
An aspirant should also know that it is natural to face these issues while in this journey. It is normal to get ailments, various hormones will distract the body and mind, and metabolism functions will alter once seated for a long time. Also it is natural to become carelessness towards social obligations and doubts will cloud your mind while practicing the sadhana. Irrespective of all these, an aspirant should continue the practice with determination, then only (s)he will succeed.
References
- Four Chapters on Freedom by Swami Satyananda Saraswati, published in 1976.
