Yoga s

140 YOGA SŪTRAS
on a cannibal, or flesh-eater. This is because the lower tendencies may be so
strong as to resist saintly influence or it may be that the yogin assumes a
sensual withdrawal attitude, intending not to adjust the life style of others.
Verse 36
sTyàitóaya< i³ya)laïyTvm!
satyapratiṣṭhāyāṁ kriyāphalāśrayatvam
satya – realism; pratiṣṭhāyāṁ – on being established; kriyā – actions;
phalāḥ – results; āśryatvam – what serves as a support for something else.
On being established in realism,
his actions serve as a basis for results.
Commentary:
It may be contested that in all cases, a person’s action serve as the basis of the
results he will be afforded by providence, either for good or bad, according to
what was committed. However the yogi is more conscious of his actions and
their potential results than others. This is because of mystic perception in the
truths of how this world operates. Thus a yogi’s actions, particularly his mystic
actions do confirm with reality and are consistent with realism.
In these verses instead of using the term tiṣṭha, Śrī Patañjali uses pratiṣṭhā
which means to be firmly established, not just to be initially or haphazardly
established. This comes after sufficient practice or in the case of the divine
beings, it is from their superior nature.
Verse 37
ASteyàitóaya< svRrÆaepSwanm!
asteyapratiṣṭhāyāṁ sarvaratnopasthānam
asteya – non-stealing; pratiṣṭhāyāṁ – on firmly establishing; sarva – all;
ratna – gems, precious things; upasthānam – approaching, waiting upon.
On being firmly established in non-stealing,
all precious things wait to serve a yogin.
Commentary:
Still, usually a yogin is not concerned about these things. This is because his
mind is fixed on the most precious thing, which is his yoga practice. Thus many
opportunities for exploitation come to a yogin but he does not take advantage
of them. People often wonder why a great yogi wastes his life away, and why he
does not exploit all the people and resources which are in a position to be used
by him. The answer is that a yogi is too preoccupied with yoga practice. A great
yogin is easily discovered if one searches for the person around whom, all sorts
of wealth manifest but who does not use any of that wealth and who is
indifferent to it, seemingly stupid, seemingly not realizing the worth in
valuables and in the cheap labor which could be derived from others.