Compassion in the Yoga Sutras?

July 2nd, 2008 • By Swami Nirmalananda Giri

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Q: In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the section on Yama does not talk about helping others, being compassionate and loving to others. Why is this?

First, because yama (See “The Ten Commandments of Yoga“) means “self-restraint”–what we do not do. However, since the qualities of non-violence and non-injury (ahimsa), truthfulness and honesty (satya), non-stealing and non-misappropriativeness (asteya), unselfishness (aparigraha), peacefulness (santosha), and spiritual orientation (Ishwarapranidhana), are listed by Patanjali as part of Yama, a yogi will have a truly positive attitude toward others and be very considerate of them.

Patanjali focuses only on yoga in a very specialized sense. A continual, in-depth study of the Bhagavad Gita will give a full picture of authentic spiritual life. For the Gita embodies the wisdom of the upanishads and the discipline of the Yoga Sutras in a totally practical manner. It is the guide to higher consciousness in all aspects of life.