Shankaracharya Swami Brahmanand Saraswati
Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath (1941-1953)

The Teaching of Yoga
Translated by Premanand Paul Mason  © Paul Mason 2021


from page 86 of 'Shri Shankaracharya Vaaksudhaa'  (published 1947)


'According to the Upasana Kand of the Vedas we are told:- '"yoga" is stopping the fluctuations of consciousness'
[ref: 'yogash-chitta-vR^itti-nirodhaH' - YogaDarshanam (Patanjali's Yoga Sutras) 1:2].
The ultimate aim is this, that by the practice of having stopped the fluctuations of the inner self, to experience Paramaatmaa (the Supreme Being, Transcendental Being). Calm without a ripple in any part of the pool of water, that manner a person can see his own face. That really is the method, niruddha (stopping) the chitta -vR^ittiyaaN (fluctuations of the consciousness) is really giving a clear reflection of the imperishable aatmaa (soul) in the instrument of inner vision (mind). This indeed is darshana (sight) of the aatma (divine self or soul).'