S Sridharan was until recently the Managing Trustee, Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, Chennai.  During his long association with KYM, he had the privilege of learning the nuances of Yoga Sastra directly under Yogi TKV Desikachar.  Sridharan is now an expert Yogi and a Yogic teacher.  In this series on Yogasutra, Yogi S Sridharan elucidates every aspect of YOGA.
The definition of Yoga, which is also the aim of Yoga, is to bring the Mind to a state of rest and attention so that it can be directed towards a chosen object. To achieve this, ab initio, Practice (abhyasam) to move towards the goal and Detachment (vairagyam) from objects which are distractions in the path are prescribed as tools.
Yoga Sutra says “abhyasa vairagyabhyam tan nirodhaha” (1.12) which means that the mind which generally wanders behind objects can be brought to a state of attention by Practice and Detachment.
 
These two, are the basic tools which are common to any achievement in life, whether it is for worldly or spiritual pursuit.  They are like the wings for a bird.
 
In Bhagavad Gita, another important text on Yoga (yoga shastra) Lord Krishna gives these two tools, in reply to the question of Arjuna as to, how to control the habitually wandering Mind. The verse goes as under:
 
“Asamsayam mahabaho mano durnirgraham chalam
Abhyasena to kounteya vairagyena ca grahyate”
 
[O, mighty warrior, without doubt, the mind always wanders and is difficult to control, but, O son of Kunti, through Practice and Detachment, it (the Mind) can be governed]
 
Yoga sutra further elaborates in two sutras the definition and qualities of Practice.
 
What is meant by Practice?
 
Practice calls for certain characteristics built in to give the desired results. 
 
Yoga Sutra puts it as “tatra sthithou yatno abhyasaha” (1.13).  That is called  Practice, where there is an effort to achieve the goal of controlling the Mind. There must be “effort” (yatna) to reach the goal and after reaching stay there.
 
(More to come)