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Yoga-sūtra with Vyāsa's bhāṣya · 1.33

maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṇāṃ sukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇyaviṣayāṇāṃ bhāvanātaś cittaprasādanam

Translation. Through cultivation (bhāvanā) of friendliness (maitrī) toward beings enjoying happiness, compassion (karuṇā) toward those in pain, appreciative joy (muditā) toward the virtuous, and equanimity (upekṣā) toward the unvirtuous, there is clarification of the mind (citta-prasādana).

Grammar check: 3 words pass / 0 flagged / 1 beyond the checkerPāṇini-verified

Every word's claimed grammar is re-derived with vidyut-prakriya, software implementing Pāṇini's rules. Flags are shown, never hidden; some are the text taking epic or Vedic liberties the classical rules do not generate.

Word by word

surfacelemmagrammar
maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṇāmmaitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāpass
sukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇyaviṣayāṇāmsukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇyaviṣayāpass
bhāvanātaḥbhāvanātaḥunsupported
cittaprasādanamcittaprasādanapass

How the commentary settled it

Where the verse alone is ambiguous, the reading follows Vyāsa's commentary; the deciding lines are quoted below each decision.
The first expression is a four-member itaretara-dvandva, not a single undifferentiated quality. Its genitive plural is governed by bhāvanātaḥ.
→ Four-member itaretara-dvandva: maitrī, karuṇā, muditā, and upekṣā.
ys [1, 2, 3, 4]tatra sarvaprāṇiṣu sukhasaṃbhogāpanneṣu maitrīṃ bhāvayet. duḥkhiteṣu karuṇām. puṇyātmakeṣu muditām. apuṇyaśīleṣūpekṣām.
There one should cultivate friendliness toward all living beings who have attained the enjoyment of happiness; compassion toward those in pain; appreciative joy toward those whose nature is virtuous; and equanimity toward those of unvirtuous conduct.
The second compound is an adjectival bahuvrīhi modifying the four attitudes, with a distributive same-order relation: happiness corresponds to maitrī, suffering to karuṇā, virtue to muditā, and vice to upekṣā. In application, the commentary construes these as beings characterized by the respective conditions.
→ A distributive bahuvrīhi: the four conditions are respectively the objects of the four attitudes.
ys [1, 2, 3, 4]tatra sarvaprāṇiṣu sukhasaṃbhogāpanneṣu maitrīṃ bhāvayet. duḥkhiteṣu karuṇām. puṇyātmakeṣu muditām. apuṇyaśīleṣūpekṣām.
One should cultivate friendliness toward beings enjoying happiness, compassion toward those in pain, appreciative joy toward the virtuous, and equanimity toward those of unvirtuous conduct.
Bhāvanātaḥ is analyzed as a -tas indeclinable, not as the ablative singular of feminine bhāvanā. The supplied MW sense “reflection, contemplation” ([MW s.v. bhāvanā, 755,1]) supplies the lexical background, while grammar excludes the analyzer’s proposed feminine ablative.
→ A -tas indeclinable meaning “through/from cultivation.”
ys []
The cultivation expressed by bhāvanātaḥ has scope over all four attitudes and is the cause or means of the ensuing clarification. Bhāvayataḥ and tataḥ in the commentary make this sequence explicit.
→ Cultivation applies to the entire paired series and produces clarity of mind.
ys [5, 6]evam asya bhāvayataḥ śuklo dharma upajāyate. tataś ca cittaṃ prasīdati.
As he cultivates in this way, a pure disposition arises in him; and from that the mind becomes clear.
Cittaprasādanam is “clarification of the mind,” a genitive tatpuruṣa and nominative result, rather than “pleasing the mind” as a transitive action. This agrees with the supplied sense “clearing, rendering clear” ([MW s.v. prasādana, 697,1]).
→ The resulting clarification and serenity of the mind.
ys [6, 7]tataś ca cittaṃ prasīdati. prasannam ekāgraṃ sthitipadaṃ labhate.
Then the mind becomes clear. Once clear, it becomes one-pointed and attains a state of stability.
Upekṣā is translated as cultivated “equanimity,” not as contempt or negligent disregard. Although the supplied dictionary includes “indifference” and “contempt” among its possibilities ([MW s.v. upekṣā, 215,3]), the commentary presents it as an intentionally cultivated response that generates śukla dharma and mental clarity.
→ Equanimity toward those of unvirtuous conduct.
ys [4, 5, 6]apuṇyaśīleṣūpekṣām. evam asya bhāvayataḥ śuklo dharma upajāyate. tataś ca cittaṃ prasīdati.
Toward those of unvirtuous conduct, equanimity. As he cultivates in this way, a pure disposition arises in him; then the mind becomes clear.
The lexical renderings “friendliness,” “compassion,” and “appreciative joy” follow the supplied entries [MW s.v. maitrī, 834,2], [MW s.v. karuṇā, 255,3], and [MW s.v. muditā, 822,2]; the commentary determines their respective practical objects.
→ Relational attitudes directed respectively toward happy, suffering, and virtuous beings.
ys [1, 2, 3]tatra sarvaprāṇiṣu sukhasaṃbhogāpanneṣu maitrīṃ bhāvayet. duḥkhiteṣu karuṇām. puṇyātmakeṣu muditām.
One should cultivate friendliness toward beings enjoying happiness, compassion toward those in pain, and appreciative joy toward the virtuous.

Vyāsa's commentary on this unit

1tatra sarvaprāṇiṣu sukhasaṃbhogāpanneṣu maitrīṃ bhāvayet.
2duḥkhiteṣu karuṇām.
3puṇyātmakeṣu muditām.
4apuṇyaśīleṣūpekṣām.
5evam asya bhāvayataḥ śuklo dharma upajāyate.
6tataś ca cittaṃ prasīdati.
7prasannam ekāgraṃ sthitipadaṃ labhate.
81.33
9pracchardanavidhāraṇābhyāṃ vā prāṇasya