54th Sutra Chapter 2

When consciousness gets centered within by uncoupling from external objects, the senses do likewise;

this is called withdrawal of the senses, Pratyahara.

Pratyahara, or withdrawal of the senses and moving them inwards,

away from external stimuli, is equated with a turtle pulling its limbs into its shell.

Pratyahara is the fifth limb of Maharishi Patanjali’s ashtanga yoga,

the eightfold path of Yoga

- and it serves as a foundation for meditation, self realization and enlightenment.

It is one of the most crucial and important Sutras of Maharishi Patanjali.

Pratyahara is the point of transition where the body, mind and soul meet. ​​

It is here that all three:​

body, mind and soul are worked upon simultaneously.

It is also here that the three aspects of Kriya Yoga meet.

The body is worked upon through Tapas, Self Discipline or Karma Yoga.​​​​​​

The mind is worked upon through Swadhyaya, Self Study or Jnana Yoga.​​​​​​

And the soul is worked upon to be realized through Iswara Pranidhana, Self Surrender or Bhakti Yoga.

We find that as the second chapter, Sadhana Pada is coming to an end, how all the three elements of Kriya Yoga are coming together.​​​​

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स्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्य स्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः॥२.५४॥

svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ ॥2.54॥

• sva: their own

• visaya: objects

• asamprayoge: not coming in contact with

• cittasya: of the thinking faculty, of the conscious faculty

• svarupa: own form, natural form

• anukarah: imitation, following

• iva: as if, as it were

• indriyatam: senses

pratyaharah: withdrawal of the senses

(prati + ang + hr = pratyahara, i.e., to drawn towards the opposite. Prati = opposite, against, in return; ang = near, near to, towards, strength; hr = to take, bear, carry; hr is the root of pratyahara) drawing back, marching back, retreating, restraining, withholding, withdrawal of the senses

स्वविषयासंप्रयोगे चित्तस्य स्वरूपानुकार इवेन्द्रियाणां प्रत्याहारः॥२.५४॥

• स्वविषय - अपने- अपने विषयों अर्थात कार्यों के साथ

• असम्प्रयोगे - संपर्क सम्बन्ध न होने से

• चित्तस्य- स्वरूपानुकार - चित्त के वास्तविक स्वरूप के

• इव- समान या अनुसार

• इन्द्रियाणाम् - इन्द्रियों का होना

• प्रत्याहार:- प्रत्याहार कहलाता है ।

जब सभी इन्द्रियों का अपने –अपने कार्यों के साथ सम्बन्ध न होने से वे इन्द्रियां चित्त के वास्तविक स्वरूप के जैसे हो जाती हैं । इन्तोद्रियों की ऐसी स्थिति को प्रत्याहार कहते हैं ।