Sanskrit  |  Yoga Sūtras  |  Lists
(these are a work in progress)

The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali

1.10

Original Text

abhāva-pratyayālambanā vṛttir nidrā

Translation

Deep sleep is a mental activity based on the absence of content.

Terms

abhāva (absence)
ālambana (support)
vritti (fluctuation)
nidrā (sleep)

Background

Even in dreamless sleep, the mind is still at work. Patanjali teaches that nidra — deep, dreamless sleep — is not the absence of mind, but a subtle mental state marked by the perception of "nothingness." It’s not pure stillness or liberation (kaivalya). Rather, it’s a temporary quieting where no specific thoughts arise, yet a kind of awareness remains. This reminds us that not all stillness is the goal of yoga. True meditation goes beyond unconscious rest: it’s a conscious, clear stillness. Sleep can refresh us, but it doesn’t free us. Yoga invites us to notice the difference between unconscious rest and awakened clarity.