Sadhana means practice. By the practice of yogic discipline, one is led towards spiritual illumination. A sadhaka is one who practices, applying his mind and intelligence with skill, dedication and devotion.

Samadhi pada prescribes a certain level of sadhana for those of balanced mind and stable spiritual attainment. Nevertheless, Patanjali does not neglect beginners. In sadhana pada, they too are told how to begin their sadhana and work towards spiritual emancipation. Here, the art of practice, abhyasa is fully laid out to uphold the sadhaka in the uninterrupted maintenance of his sadhana, to guide him around pitfalls so that he may gain great clarity by acute observation and reflection and immaculate precision in practice.

Sadhana pada, therefore, carries the torch for both the spiritually evolved and the uninitiated. It teaches the complete beginner, who knows no yoga, how he may rise, through his sadhana, to the level of high aspirants. In this chapter, Patanjali introduces Kriyayoga, the yoga of action. Kriyayoga gives us the practical disciplines needed to scale the spiritual heights.

Sadhana is a discipline undertaken in the pursuit of a goal. Although Patanjali is held to have been a self-incarnated, immortal being, he must have voluntarily descended to the human level, submitted himself to intellectual weaknesses of average individuals, and studied human nature from its nadir to its zenith. He guides us from our shortcomings towards emancipation through the devoted practice of yoga. This chapter, which may be happily followed for spiritual benefit by anyone, is his gift to humanity.

Cause of Afflictions (Klesas)
Affliction is the Diseases of the Mind There are five afflictions: worldly or erroneous knowledge (avidya), sense of `I` ness (asmita), desire and attachment (raga), dislike (dvesa) and attachment to life and fear of death (abhinivesah). Pain and sorrow (duhkha) result from the affliction (klesha) of dislike (dvesha). The prime cause of afflictions is avidya: the failure to understand the conjunction between the seer and the seen: purusa and prakrti. The external world lures the seer towards its pleasures, creating desire. The inevitable non-fulfillment of desires in turn creates pain, which suffocates the inner being. Nature and her beauties are there for enjoyment and pleasure (bhoga) and also for freedom and emancipation (yoga). If we use them indiscriminately, we are bound by the chains of pleasure and pain. A judicious use of them leads to the bliss which is free from pleasure mixed with pain. Twin paths to this goal are practice (abhyasa), the path of evolution, of going forward and detachment or renunciation (vairagra), the path of involution abstaining from the fruits of action and from worldly concerns and engagements.

How to minimize affliction
Patanjali counsels dispassion towards pleasures and pains and recommends the practice of meditation to attain freedom and beatitude. First he describes in detail the eightfold path of yoga. Following this path helps one to avoid the dormant, hidden sufferings which may surface when physical health, energy and mental poise are disturbed. This suggests that the eightfold path of yoga is suitable for the unhealthy as well as for the healthy, enabling all to develop the power to combat physical and mental diseases.

Seven states of Wisdom
Patanjali calls the soul as seer. He says that the seer or the soul is absolute pure knowledge. He further explains about nature`s evolution and its relation with the seer. After explaining the functions of nature and of the seer, Patanjali speaks of the seven states of understanding or wisdom (prajna) that emerge from the release of nature`s contact with the seer. The seven states of wisdom are interpreted as right desire, right reflection, disappearance of memory and mind, experiencing pure sattva or the (truth reality), indifference to praise and blame, reabsorption of phenomental creation and living in the vision of the soul. These seven states are essential to be followed by the sadhaka to maintain yogic discipline.

The yogic Disciplines
The yogic disciplines are yama (restraint) and niyama (practice or observance). These disciplines channel the energies of the organs of action and the senses of perception in the right direction. Asana (posture) results in balance, stillness of mind and power to penetrate the intelligence. Through asana we learn to know the body well and to distinguish between motion and action: motion excited the mind while action absorbs it. Pranayama (control senses) help the sadhaka to explore his hidden facets, and enable him to penetrate the core of his being. Dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (total absorption) are the fulfillment of yogic discipline, the essence or natural constituents of yoga. They develop when the other five disciplines have been mastered. Actually, all eight intermingle and interweave to form the whole seamless body of yoga.

Yama
Yama means restraint or self-control. There are five yamas: ahimsa (non-violence or non-injury), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacarya (continence) and aparigraha (freedom from avarice or non-covetousness). Intending no harm in word, thought or deed; being sincere, honest and faithful; being careful not to misappropriate another`s weath; being chaste and not coveting the possessions of others or accepting gifts, are the practices of yama. It is essential they be observed and followed. They are to be practiced individually and collectively irrespective of lineage, place, time, condition or career. The yamas are mighty universal vows, says Patanjali.

Niyama
Niyama means practice or observance. The five niyamas are to be followed not merely as individual, but also as spiritual, disciplines. They are sauca (clealiness or purity), santosa (contentment), tapas (religious fervour), svadhyaya (study of the sacred scriptures and of one`s own self) and Isvara pranidhana (surrender of the self to God).

Actually, the observance of yama brings about niyama, and the practice of niyama disciplines one to follow the principals of yama. For example, non-violence brings purity of thought and deed, truthfulness leads to contentment, and non-covetousness leads to tapas. Chastity leads to the study of the self, and non-possessiveness to surrender to God. Similarly, cleanliness leads towards non-violence, and contentment towards truthfulness. Tapas guides one not to misappropriate another`s wealth. Study of the self leads towards chastity and surrender to God frees one from possessiveness.

Asana and its effects
Another important aspect of yaga is Asana which means posture, the positioning of the body as a whole with the involvement of the mind and soul. Asana has two facets, pose and repose. Pose is the artistic assumption of a position. `Reposing in the pose` means finding the perfection of a pose and maintaining it, reflecting in it with penetration of the intelligence and with dedication. When the seeker is closer to the soul, the asanas come with instantaneous extension, repose and poise. Asanas act as bridges to unite the body with the mind, and the mind with the soul. They lift the sadhaka from the clutches of afflictions and lead him towards disciplined freedom. They help to transform him by guiding his consciousness away from the body towards awareness of the soul.

Pranayama and its effects
Pranayama is the next level. Patanjali states that pranayama should be attempted only after perfection is attained in asana. This does not mean one asana alone, as is sometimes suggested. In pranayama, the spine and the spinal muscles are the sources of action and the lungs are the receiving instruments. Therefore training is a necessity.

Shlok in Sadhana pada
Patanjali`s yoga Sutras also known as Slhok were the earliest and are still the most profound and enlightening-study of the human psyche. There are 55 slhoks in the Sadhana pada where Patanjali explains how a Sadhak can begin his sadhana.