Chitta Vikshepah- Antarayaha

Ashoka.V
Director, Pranava Yoga Prathishtana

Phd scholar, SVYASA University, Bengaluru.

ANTHARAYAS- OBSTACLES IN THE PATH
OF SADHANA

YOGA
SADHAKA SADHYAM
SADHANA
Seeker Goal
Pursuit

ANTHARAYA (OBSTACLES)

Every sadhaka who is in the path of sadhana to achieve the goal of life must be
careful enough to eliminate these obstacles to achieve the goal of life quickly
 Yoga- Course of discipline

Maharshi Patanjali prescribes the course of

discipline to achieve the goal and advices
sadhaka to be mindful of the Antharayas
(possible obstacles).
 Patanjala Yoga Sutra (1.30) –

vyadhi styana samshaya pramada

alasya avirati bhranti-darshana
alabdha-bhumikatva anavasthitatva
chitta vikshepaste antarayah
Chitta Vikshepa Antharaya

Chitta: Mind

Vikshepas: Distractions

Antharaya: Obstacles
 Chitta Bhumika- State of the mind
There are 5 states of the mind
• Mudha- Dull
• Khsipta- Disturbed
• Vikshipta- Distracted
• Ekagratha-Concentration
• Niruddha- Focus/mastery
 CHITTA VIKSHEPA ANTARAYA
Distractions of the Mind
There may be many distractions in the path Maharshi Patanjali
classifies all of them to nine types, they are

• Vyadhi- Physical disease

• Sthyana- Mental Laziness
• Samashaya- Doubt/Indecision
• Pramadha- Lack of inspiration
• Alasya: Dullness/physical laziness
• Avirathi: Greed,Lack of renunciation
• Bhranthidarshana: Halucination
• Alabdhabhumikatva: Inability to hold on to chitta bhumi
• Anavasthitatva: Instability
• VYADHI (Illnes): vyadhi is illness or state of disturbed
balance at the level of gross body, according to
Ayurvedha, the balance between tridoshas- Vata, Pitta,
Kapha determines how well or ill the body feels. When
the body is upset, the body exhibits various
modifications & mind gets distracted
• STYANAM(Mental laziness): Lack of interest &
Perseverance where the mind is unable to function as
required.
• SAMSHAYA(Doubt/Indecision): where the mind is
undecided, full of doubt, where both sides of the
question seem plausible and once does not know how
to chose; hence confused.
• PRAMADHA(Lack of inspiration): Lack of inspiration to
for pursuing the sadhana.

• ALASYA (Dullness/physical laziness): The state where

the body becomes heavy , the mind grows dull, one is
unable to move either the body or mind.

• AVIRATHI (Greed): Avirathi is absence of dispassion.

The mind which is greedy, which is unable to set the
limit to wants is not fit for sadhana. One must learn to
say no in life to conquer to greed. Only greed free mind
be can be controlled & focused on the goal.
• .
• BHRANTHI DARSHANA (Halucination):
Misconceptions; delusion.
• ALABDHABHUMIKATVA: In spite of trying
hard inability to reach or hold on to a specific
state of mind. i.e Ekagrata.
• ANAVASTHITATVAH (Unsteadiness): It so
happens that once in a while mind is calm &
quiet. Then we reach the Ekagrata state, but
we are not able to stay there & revel it. It is
called Anavasthitava. One is unable to stay
focused
 The Effect of Nine Obstacles:

• These nine Obstacles are the Vikshepas

(distractions) of the mind.
• They are also called as the Yoga Malaha, Yoga
Pratipakshaa & Yoga Antarayaha.
• They are the impurities on the Path of
Yogabhyasa. They are enemies of the sadhaka.
• These are the chitta vikshepa, the hindrances of
the chitta, which prevent progress on the
evolutionary path of yoga/goal.
• These nine obstacles are also barriers to
evolutionary transformation.
 VIKSHEPA SAHABHUVAHA
(Subsidiary distractions)
There are further impediments associated with
the earlier mentioned nine obstacles in the
mind of the sadhaka in the path of sadhana.

Patanjali in his yoga sutra called them as

Vikshepa Sahabhuvah- Subsidiary distractions
of the mind.
 VIKSHEPA SAHABHUVAHA
(Subsidiary distractions)
Yoga Sutra (1.31) – duhkha daurmanasya
angam-ejayatva shvasa prashvasah vikshepa
sahabhuva.
• Dukha- Sorrow/Pain
• Daurmanasya: Depression
• Angamejayatva: Unsteadiness of limbs
• Shvasa & Prasvasa: unrhythmic breathing
• DUKHA(Pain): Dukham is pain which we suffer
on account of various reasons. The causes of
pain are three Kinds- Adhibhoutika, Adhi
daivika, & Adhyatmika. DUKHAM is at two
levels: one when the misery is or pain is
experienced and second when one struggles
to end the misery.
• DAURMANAHA (Mental agitation): When our
desires cannot be fulfilled, mind gets
frustrated and agitated
• ANGAMEJAYATVA(Unsteadiness of limbs): The
body does not remain still. It is restless &
unsteady. This is an inhibiting factor on the
seat of dhyana.
• SHVASA(Inhalation) &
PRASHVASA(Exhalation): Irregular &
Spasmodic breathing due to various causes.
 Different methods to stabilize and
clear the mind
• Maharishi Patañjali then goes on to suggest
different methods to stabilize and clear the
mind in his sutras I.32 - I.39
 Yoga Sutra (1.32) – tat pratisedha
artham eka tattva abhyasah
• Tat equals those or their.
• Pratisedha means prevent, reduce, diminish.
• Artham is for the purpose of or in order to.
• Eka is one, single,
• Tattva means truth, principle or topic.
• Abhyasah is practice (enthusiastic).
 (ekatatwa abhyasa – I.32)
• Focused practice of one principle (ekatatwa
abhyasa – I.32) is stated to be the best
method to prevent and deal with the
obstacles and their manifestations.
How do we deal with these obstacles,
the antaraya, & their manifestations?
• Make the minds one-pointed and follow one path.
One must follow one principle and work on it relentlessly,
never giving up!

• Practice with single-minded and dedicated effort

Practice (abhyasa)-regular, rhythmic, repetitive, single-
minded and dedicated effort.

Ex: Swami Vivekananda’s quote of One goal

• Sadhakas must be gold miners. To mine gold, one
must dig deep; go through obstacles, face trials
and tribulations until the treasure is found.
• Constant self-analysis is required to know what
we are and where we are going on our chosen
path.
• Once the path has been chosen with awareness
and consciousness, there should be no hesitation
in digging deep, deep and deeper.
Ex- Sri Ramakrishna's quote of 10 wells
• Most self-styled aspirants do not have
discernment in choosing their path. They jump
from one teacher to the next, leap from one
path to the other, focusing here and there and
everywhere.
• They end up nibbling on everything without
getting the real taste of anything
 Adoption of positive attitudes (I.33)
Yoga Sutra 1.33: Maitri karuna muditopekshanam
sukha dukha punyaapunya vishayanaam
bhavanataha chitta prasadhanam
Maharshi Patanjali advocates the adoption of
positive attitudes such as
Maitri friendliness towards those who are at
ease with themselves
Karuna compassion towards the suffering
Mudita cheerfulness towards the virtuous and
Upekshanam avoidance and indifference
towards the non-virtuous.
These magnificent ideas clarify the mind and
produce equanimity and peace. These
attitudes also aid the sadhaka in avoiding
many problems
 Other methods to ward of Obstacles
There are numerous other methods also mentioned in
Yoga Sutra to weaken and get rid of the obstacles

➢ Single-minded Concentration On The Prana (I.34)

➢ The Sensory Experiences (I.35)
➢ The Inner Light (I.36)
➢ Detached Attitude (I.37) With
➢ Deepening Of One's Knowledge Through An
Understanding Of The Dream (I.38) And
➢ Meditative States (I.39).
Thank You