Ripping through the Sādhana Pāda, we continue our journey through the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. This is the chapter on spiritual practice, but it can relate perfectly to practice in general, whether it's yoga, meditation, or even disciplines like music, sports, or writing. The emphasis on practice is universal.
We are now on Yoga Sūtra 2.12:
kleśa-mūlaḥ karmaśayo dṛṣṭādṛṣṭā-janma-vedanīyaḥ
"The repository of karma (karmaśaya), rooted in the afflictions (kleśas), is experienced in both seen (dṛṣṭā) and unseen (adṛṣṭā) births."
We will read the Sanskrit and then explore Swami Satchidānanda's commentary. This sūtra introduces the profound connection between kleśas (afflictions) and karmaśaya (the storehouse of karma). The word karma itself means action, but it also implies the results of action. Every action leaves an imprint, a stored consequence, which influences future experiences.
The age-old philosophical question of which came first—the chicken or the egg, the seed or the tree—is especially relevant here. This discussion leads us to revisit the three different types of karma: prārabdha, āgāmi, and sañcita.
Swami Satchidānanda explains that prārabdha karma is "expressed and exhausted" in this life, meaning it is the portion of past karma unfolding as our present experience. The other two forms of karma pertain to rebirth and the accumulation of actions that are yet to manifest.
Satchidānanda gives us the analogy of the bowman and his quiver of arrows to explain karma. The arrows already released represent prārabdha karma—actions whose consequences we live through. The arrows in the quiver symbolize sañcita karma, the vast storehouse of accumulated past actions. The arrow about to be shot represents āgāmi karma, the actions we are performing now, which will bear fruit in the future.
Understanding karma in this way provides insight into how our actions shape our lives and future experiences. It also emphasizes the importance of conscious living, as our present choices contribute to our future outcomes. This is the essence of self-awareness in yoga practice—the ability to recognize our patterns and actively shape our path forward.
But that is it, friends.
The journey continues as we dive deeper into the wisdom of the Yoga Sūtras.
