Ignorance and Karma YS IV - 11

Yoga Sutra - IV- 11 - HETU PHALASRAYALAMBANAIH SAMGRHITATVAD ESAM ABHAVE TADABHAVAH- The impressions being held together by cause, effect, basis and support, they disappear with the disappearance of these four.

Swami Satchidananda translated this sutra without commentary.

"How to Know God - The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali" translated and commented on by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood :

"Karma can only operate and produce tendencies as long as certain causes are present. These causes (II, 3) are ignorance, egoism, attachment, aversion, and the desire to cling to life. The effects of these causes (II, 13), are rebirth, a long or a short life, and the experiences of pleasure or pain. Basically , karma is rooted in the ignorance of the Atman. Remove this ignorance, and you destroy karma."

We are informed that the Swetaswatara Upanishad says "This vast universe is a wheel. Upon it are all creatures that are subject to birth, death, and rebirth. Round and round it turns, and never stops. " It is the wheel of Brahman. As long as the individual self thinks it is separate from Brahman, it revolves upon the wheel...But when through the grace of Brahman it realizes its identity with him, it revolves upon the wheel no longer. It achieves immortality."

See related posts:

• Five Obstacles -YS II-3
• Roots and Fruits YS II- 13

Five Obstacles -YS II-3

Yoga Sutra II-3 -AVIDYASMITA RAGA DVESABHINIVESAH KLESAH - Ignorance, egoism, attachment, hatred, and clinging to bodily life are the five obstacles.

Swami Satchidananda says that in this sutra Patanjali gives the names of the obstacles (klesas) which are explained separately in the following Sutras. The obstacles are given in significant order. The ignorance of the Self breeds egoism and when there is ego there is the attachment to things "for the ego's selfish pleasure." Hatred comes into play when the attachment to things are not satisfied, especially if someone got in the way of those attachments. "And finally, because we are attached to things and afraid of death, there is clinging to life in the body."