।। ॐ।।
।।श्रीगुरुभ्यो नमः।।

What is a sūtra?

अल्पाक्षरमसन्दिग्धं सारवद्विश्वतो मुखम्।

अस्तोभमनवध्यञ्च सूत्रं सूत्रविदो विदुः।।

(अल्प-अक्षरम् असन्दिग्धम् सारवत् विश्वतः मुखम्।

अस्तोभम् अनवध्यम् च सूत्रम् सूत्र-विद: विदुः।।)

ālpākṣaramasandigdhaṁ sāravadviśvatomukham
astobhamanavadhyañca sūtraṁsūtravido viduḥ

Knowers of sūtra consider a sūtra to be brief, clear, pithy, multifaceted, devoid of expletives, and incontrovertible.

What is a bhāṣya?

सूत्रार्थं वर्ण्यते यत्र पदैः सूत्रानुकारिभिः। स्वपदानि च वर्ण्यन्ते भाष्यं भाष्यविदो विदुः।।

(सूत्रार्थम् वर्ण्यते यत्र पदैः सूत्र-अनुकारिभिः। स्व-पदानि च वर्ण्यन्ते भाष्यम् भाष्यविदः विदुः।।)

sūtrārthaṁ varṇyate yatra padaiḥ sūtrānukāribhiḥ
svapadāni ca varṇyante bhāṣyaṁ bhaṣyavido viduḥ

Knowers of bhāṣya (commentary) consider a commentary to be that which elaborates the meaning of the sūtra using words in consonance with those of the sūtra and which explains the words used in the commentary as well.

What is a vivaraṇa?

A vivaraṇa is an elaboration of another work, usually a commentary on a text. One can call this an exposition to a commentary (e.g., Śaṅkara’s exposition of Vyāsa’s commentary on Patañjali sūtras).

What is a vārttika?

उक्तानुक्तदुरुक्तार्थव्यक्तीकरग्रन्थो वार्त्तिकम्।

(उक्त-अनुक्त-दुरुक्त-अर्थ-व्यक्तीकर-ग्रन्थः वार्त्तिकम्।)

uktānuktaduruktārthavyaktIkaraṇagrantho vārttikam

A vārttika is a book that clarifies what is stated, left unstated, and unclearly expressed in an original work, usually of a commentary (e.g., Vijñanabhiksu’s Yogavivaraṇa on Vyāsa’s commentary).

 What is anubandha-catuṣṭaya, the four-fold connection?

अनुबन्धचतुष्टयम् – अधिकारिसंबन्धविषयप्रयोजनानि।

(अनुबन्ध-चतुष्टयम् – अधिकारि-संबन्ध-विषय-प्रयोजनानि।)

Anubandhactuṣḥṭayam: adhikāri-saṁbandha-viṣaya-pryojanāni

Any book has to have these four connections: the person for whom it is intended, otherwise called a qualified person; the relationship between that person and the book; the subject matter; and the use of the book. These must be explicitly or implicitly stated in the book itself. But in a sūtra work, this is task is usually left to commentators or to those who elaborate on the commentary. This is elaborated by Śaṅkara in his vivaraṇa to Vyāsa’s commentary on Patañjali’s sūtras.

What is ṣaḍliṅga-vicāra, the six-fold analysis of a text?

उपक्रमोपसंहाराभ्यासोऽपूर्वताफलम्। अर्थवादोपपत्ती च लिङ्गं तात्पर्यनिर्णये।।

(उपक्रम-उपसंहार-अभ्यास-अपूर्वता-फलम्। अर्थवाद-उपपत्ती च लिङ्गं तात्पर्य-निर्णये।।)

Upakramopasaṁhārābhyāso’pūrvataphalam
ArthavādopapattI ca liṅgam tātparyanirṇaye

Any text can cover a large amount of material, and this analytical method is therefore intended to illuminate the main purport of the book. The six-fold indicators are: beginning, end, repetition, novelty, use, praise, and logical reasoning. Usually, the beginning statement will be the final statement as well, but in Patañjali’s sūtras, the first one is is yoga and the last one is kaivalya. Sūtra works typically include no extraneous rhetorical devices, like praise, but will employ most of the others.

What is the meaning of the word guru?

गुकारश्चान्धकारश्च रुकारस्तन्निवर्त्तकः।

अन्धकारनिवर्त्तित्वाद्गुरुरित्यभिधीयते।।

Gukāraścāndhakāraśca rukārastannivarttakaḥ
Andhakānivarttitvādgururityabhidhīyate

The letter gu means “darkness” (ignorance), and the letter ru represents “the one who removes.” Thus, one who removes the darkness of ignorance is called guru.

What is the meaning of the word ācārya?

आचिनोति च शास्त्रार्थमाचारे स्थापयति। स्वमाचरते यस्तु स आचार्य इति स्मृतः।।

(आचिनोति च शास्त्र-अर्थम् आचारे स्थापयति। स्वम् आचरते यः तु सः आचार्यः इति स्मृतः।।)

Ācinoti ca śāstrārthamācāre sthāpayati
Svamācarate yastu sa ācārya iti smṛtaḥ

Ācārya is one who gathers the meaning of śāstra (for the student), follows the right conduct, and establishes (the student) in the right conduct (as well).

On the sanctity / propitious nature of words Om and atha.

ओङ्कारश्चाथ शब्दश्च द्वावेतौ ब्रह्मणः पुरा। कण्ठं भित्वा विनिर्यातौ तस्मान्माङ्गलिकावुभौ।।

(ओं-कारः च अथ शब्दः च द्वौ एतौ व्रह्मणः पुरा। कण्ठम् भित्वा वि-निर्-यातौ तस्मात् माङ्गलिकौ उभौ।।)

Oṅkāraścātha śabdaśca dvāvetau brahmaṇaḥpurā
Kaṇṭham bhitvā viniryātau tasmānmāṅgalikāvubhau

The sounds Om and atha emanated from the throat of Brahmā before (creation). So both are considered to be auspicious.