Initiation through Patanjali Yoga Sutras

On Vrittis through Yoga Sutra for Inner Work by Rithambara Ashram

sutra 1.5 vRttayaH pancatayyaH kliShTAkliShTAH

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः ॥ ५ ॥

The activities or movements (of the citta) are of 5 types. They either lead to or away from suffering.

vRttayaH                    activities, movements, transactions through the instruments of consciousness, citta vyApAram

pancatayyaH             five types

kliShTA                    residue, reaction. That which afflicts, causes pain and suffering. kliShnAti iti kliShTaH

akliShTAH                no residue, no reaction

There are five activities of the mind and these are capable of generating disturbances, pain/problems and residues or not. These are either kliShTa or akliShTa vRttikliShnAti iti kliShTA means it creates suffering, creates some kind of constriction, pain, sorrow, or residue. The processes of perception sometimes lead to correct decisions i.e., there are no residues and the action goes with the flow of life. The process can also oppose the flow of life resulting in sorrow/ pain/ residue in the mind.

sutra 1.6 pramANa-viparyaya-vikalpa-nidrA-smRtayaH

प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतय ॥ ६ ॥

These 5 types of activities are comprehension, misapprehension, imagination, sleep and recall.

pramANa            Measure, testimony, evidence, proof (comprehension), pramA karaNam

viparyaya            The opposite, reverse, inversion (misapprehension), viruddham eti vyApnoti

vikalpa                 Imagination fit or adequate for, vividham kalpayate iti

nidrA                    Sleep, nitarAm drAti iti

smRtayaH             Memory, recall, smR cintAyAm

Traditional Foundation of Vrittis