Muni's PlayIn the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Vrittis are the waves or ripples that arise in the mind-stuff (Chitta). To reach the state of Yoga is to restrain these modifications so that the Seer (Purusha) can rest in its own nature.
Sutras 1.5 through 1.11 identify and define the five classes of Vrittis, which can be either painful (klishta) or not painful (aklishta).
Classification of Vrittis
| # | Vritti | Sanskrit | Transliteration | Description | Key Sutra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Right Knowledge | प्रमाण | Pramana | Valid cognition (Perception, Inference, Testimony) | Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.7 |
| 2 | False Knowledge | विपर्यय | Viparyaya | Misconception or Indiscrimination | Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.8 |
| 3 | Verbal Delusion | विकल्प | Vikalpa | Imagination based on words without reality | Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.9 |
| 4 | Sleep | निद्रा | Nidra | The modification embracing voidness | Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.10 |
| 5 | Memory | स्मृति | Smrti | Recalling past impressions | Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.11 |
Detailed Breakdown
1. Pramana (Right Knowledge)
Valid knowledge is derived from three sources (Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.7):
| Source | Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Perception | प्रत्यक्ष | Pratyakṣa | Evidence gathered through the senses |
| Inference | अनुमान | Anumāna | Logical conclusion based on signs/reasoning |
| Competent Evidence | आगम | Āgama | The testimony of the Aptas (attained ones) |
2. Viparyaya (False Knowledge)
False knowledge not established in the real nature of the object. Example: mistaking mother-of-pearl for silver (Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.8).
3. Vikalpa (Verbal Delusion)
A mental image produced by words that have no corresponding physical reality (Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.9).
4. Nidra (Sleep)
A specific Vritti that focuses on the absence of content (voidness). Retained as memory upon waking (Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.10).
5. Smriti (Memory)
The retention and recalling of previous impressions (Samskaras) without additions (Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.11).
See also:
- Yoga Sutra Chapter 1
- Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.2 (Definition of Yoga as restraint of Vrittis)