Iśvarapraṇidhāna

By Swami Harshananda

Iśvarapraṇidhāna literally means ‘devotion to īśvara or God’.

Is is a special word used in the Yogasutras of Patañjali (200 B. C.). After describing a few methods for suppressing the modifications of mind, Patañjali apparently recognized the desire of a sādhaka for an easy method. Hence he introduced the sutra.

Iśvara means God and praṇidhāna signifies devotion. This devotion must express itself in the form of dedicating the fruits of all our actions unto him. When he is pleased, he may even give samādhi.

References

• The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

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Deval Sancheti

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