The Two Ripples: Choosing Your Waves (Sutra 1.5)

Shahid Khan - Yogveda Yoga
17 hours ago
2 min read

Two ripples on the same lake. One reflects the light, the other is lost in shadow. Which one will you follow?

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः ॥ १.५ ॥ Transliteration: vṛttayaḥ pañcatayyaḥ kliṣṭākliṣṭāḥ

Translation: "There are five types of mental fluctuations, and they are either painful (klishta) or not painful (aklishta)."

Sorting the Waters

In Sutra 1.2, Patanjali gave us the ultimate goal: stopping all the waves of the mind. But he is practical. He knows a beginner cannot jump from a raging storm into absolute stillness.

Before you can empty the mind, you must sort the mind.

Look at the image above. There are two distinct ripples on the same lake. One catches the golden, warm light. The other is lost in the dark shadows. They are both movements, but their quality is entirely different. Patanjali says our thousands of daily thoughts fall into two master categories:

Klishta (Painful): Thoughts rooted in fear, anger, ego, and attachment. These waves muddy the water and trap you in the drama of Sutra 1.4.
Aklishta (Peaceful/Not Painful): Thoughts rooted in discipline, study, focus, and compassion. These are "clean" waves that help calm the storm.

The Question: What Are You Cultivating?

We have tens of thousands of thoughts a day. You cannot stop the flow yet, but you can choose what you nurture. Are you watering the weeds, or are you watering the flowers? When a thought enters your mind today, ask yourself: Is this thought binding me, or is it freeing me?

The Dialogue: The Medicine

Student: "Master, if the ultimate goal of Yoga is total stillness, isn't a 'peaceful' thought still a wave? Isn't it still a distraction?"

Master Khan: "Yes. But imagine you are sick with a severe fever. The doctor gives you strong medicine. The medicine fights the disease. But once you are completely healthy, do you keep taking the pills every day?"

Student: "No, I stop. Otherwise, the medicine becomes a poison."

Master Khan: "Exactly. A painful thought (Klishta) is the disease. A peaceful thought (Aklishta)—like focusing on your breath or a mantra—is the medicine. You use the medicine to cure the mind. Eventually, in the highest state of Yoga, you drop the medicine, too. But for now, you need it."

Student: "How do I know which thoughts are the disease?"

Master Khan: "During the day, what thoughts do you have? Peaceful or non-peaceful? Keep a journal to keep track. Write them down. Once you see the pattern, you can choose the cure."