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Kriya Blog # 5 - Kriyā & The Yoga Sutra

The word Kriya is found in the Yoga Sutras of Sage Patanjali four times.  Interestingly it is only used in the second chapter called the Sadhana Pada.  We could translate this as the chapter relating to spiritual practice.  Kriya Yoga is mentioned in the 1st Sutra and then reiterated in a similar context in Sutra 32.  The word Kriya is then used two other times without referring to Kriya Yoga.  In Sutra 18 and 36 the word Kriya is used to describe actions.  Kriya Yoga in the Yoga Sutras does not explain Yoga sequencing, use of Pranayama, Bandha etc. but it does highlight Bhakti as īśvarapraṇidhāna,  Karma as tapaḥ (tapasya)  and Jnana Yoga as svādhyāya. The first Sutra of the Sadhana Pada states:

तपः सवाधयायेशवरपरणिधानानि करियायोगः ॥॥

tapaḥ svādhyāy iśvarapraṇidhānāna kriyā yogaḥ ॥1॥

Austerity (tapaḥ), self-inquiry (svādhyāya), and devotional surrender to the Supreme being (īśvarapraṇidhāna) are the...