Verse 20 - Sanskrit Study of Shri Guru Gita

The most powerful yoga, O Noble One, is not
the pranayama with its windy breathing
exercises, nor hatha yoga with its challenging
and difficult positions – rather, it is the Guru
Yoga, the supreme yoga, which grants the
spontaneous state, whereby the powerful
prana becomes still of its own accord, without
effort.
devanagari

	Abhyastaih
	u – bhyu – stye
	Note: This verse is full of the 'ai' sound. The 'ai' is pronounced like "I", like pie, aisle. Throughout the verse, there are hints to make this easier. The last syllable is pronounced as though you have an eye stye. The 'h' at the end is visargha, but the bounce is not really heard since this word is not at the end of the sentence. This verse is full of them - so that's the case in most of these words too. Abhyasa is a beautiful word meaning spiritual practices, with the implication of those that are engaged in regularly and with constant practice over a long period of time. In essence it means Never Give Up. It is mentioned early in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (v. 12): abhyasa vairagyabhyam tan-nirodhah. "practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness". One writer gives us an interesting comparison in the distinctions between abhyasa and sadhana: Abhyasa means practice, but in a very general, all encompassing way. It means choosing the wiser of alternative courses of action. It means making decisions on the basis of what will bring greater tranquility or peace of mind, as these are the preparation for the deeper, subtler practices leading to Self-realization. Sadhana also means practice, but is more specific, relating to the direct practices one does. These include the specific methods or techniques of working with the body, breath, and mind, as well as the specific principles applied in working with the external world and other people. For example, the eight rungs of Yoga are all a part of sadhana.

	sakalaih
	su – ku – lye
	Note: again, the last syllable is like stye, or adding lye to your washing machine.

	sudir ghamanilair
	soo – dir ghu – muni – liar (layr)
	Note: the 'i' in sudir is the short, quick 'i' sound. The last syllable is pronounced like you are calling someone a liar (as in, not telling the truth).

	vyaadhi pradair
	vyaa – dhee pru – diar
	Note: the 'i' in 'dhi' is long. The long syllable is like liar above, just starting with a 'd'. Note how this 'dh' is aspirated (like 'doghouse'), while the 'd' in the next phrase is not.

	dushkaraih
	doosh – ku – rye
	Note: the last syllable is like rye bread. The meaning of this word is 'difficult'. It's a similar grammatical root to durlabham, that we saw in verses 4 and 17 (and will see in 44). Du is hard, Su is easy.

	Now link these phrases together into one...
	Abhyastaih sakalaih sudir ghamanilair, vyaadhi pradair dushkaraih

	pranaayaama
	pru – naa – yaa – mu
	Note: The main trick here is just to notice the differing lengths of the 'a'. In English, when we say pranayama (yogic breath techniques) our pronunciation of the second 'a' may be haphazard. It is long, because it is actually two words put together, one ending in 'a' and the second beginning with 'a'; so they become long when combined. Pranayama is of course the control of the prana through breathing exercises. Literally ayama means the lengthening or extension:

	shatair
	shu – tiar (tayr)
	Note: The last syllable is like a tire on a car.

	aneka karanair
	u – nay – ku ku – ru – niar (nayr)
	Note: below we see that eka means one. In Sanskrit, when you put 'a' before a word, it negates it. Since you can't grammatically put an 'a' before an 'e', we see here 'an' with the 'n' to bridge the two vowel sounds. Not one = many, referencing the many difficult breathing exercises most seekers perform to try to attain inner silence.

	Now link these phrases together into one...
	pranaayaama shatair aneka karanair

	duhkhaatmakair
	dooh –khaat – mu – kiar (kayr)
	Note: you can basically ignore the 'h' after the 'du'. The consonant combination "kh" means there is a slight aspiration, as though you have extra air following the pronunciation of the k – kh is pronounced like 'cough'. Again, kair is pronounced like a liar, beginning with the 'k' sound. And again, we see a dukha mean meaning painful or difficult.

	durjayaihi
	door – ju – yie
	Note: Caution - in English, when we see 'jay' we make the 'ay' into a dipthong and pronounce it like we just saw a blue jay bird. Don't do that here. Let the 'ja' be its own thing, and the 'yai' be its own thing - then glue them together. For the last syllable, think of a cherry 'pie', then begin it with the 'y' sound.

	Link them together...
	duhkhaatmakair durjayaihi

	Now link the whole first phrase...
	Abhyastaih sakalaih sudir ghamanilair, vyaadhi pradair dushkaraih, pranaayaama shatair aneka karanair, duhkhaatmakair durjayaihi

	Yasminn abhyudite
	yus - meen ubh - yoo - dhee - tay
	Note: both 'i' sounds are long;

	vinashyati bali
	vee - nush - yu - tee bu - li
	Note: both 'i' sounds in vinashyati are long;

	link...
	Yasminn abhyudite vinashyati bali

	vaayuh svayam
	vaa - yooh svu - yum
	Note: vaayuh means wind or breath; svayam means itself - as in of its own accord.

	tat kshanaat
	tut - kshu - naat
	Note: the 'n' is cerebral - mid-way back of the mouth

	praaptum tat
	praap - toom tut

	sahajam
	su - hu - jum
	Note: we often hear Mark speak of sahaj samadhi. Here this references the supreme state of stillness where the breath spontaneously stops in deep samadhi.

	svabhaavam anisham
	svu - bhaa - vum u - nee - shum
	Note: sva means one's own, or self. Bhaava is a mood, feeling or inner state. The reference here is to the inner awareness of one's Self.

	glue...
	praaptum tat sahajam svabhaavam anisham

	sevadhvam
	say - vudh - vum
	Note: seva = service

	ekam gurum
	ay - kum goo - room
	Note: eka means one

	and now here's the second stanza all together...
	Yasminn abhyudite vinashyati bali, vaayuh svayam tat kshanaat, praptum tat sahajam svabhaavam anisham, sevadhvam ekam gurum

	Now repeat the entire verse all together:
	Abhyastaih sakalaih sudir ghamanilair, vyaadhi pradair dushkaraih, pranaayaama shatair aneka karanair, duhkhaatmakair durjayaihi; Yasminn abhyudite vinashyati bali, vaayuh svayam tat kshanaat, praptum tat sahajam svabhaavam anisham, sevadhvam ekam gurum.
	and with awareness of the keywords...
	Abhyastaih sakalaih sudir ghamanilair, vyaadhi pradair dushkaraih, pranaayaama shatair aneka karanair, duhkhaatmakair durjayaihi; Yasminn abhyudite vinashyati bali, vaayuh svayam tat kshanaat, praptum tat sahajam svabhaavam anisham, sevadhvam ekam gurum.
	The most powerful yoga, O Noble One, is not the pranayama with its windy breathing exercises, nor hatha yoga with its challenging and difficult positions – rather, it is the Guru Yoga, the supreme yoga, which grants the spontaneous state, whereby the powerful prana becomes still of its own accord, without effort.

~ Verse 20 ~