Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are often viewed as a guide solely for deep meditation, but they are, in fact, an intricate map for navigating the complex terrain of the human mind. The ultimate goal of classical yoga is citta-prasādanam—the achievement of a clear, tranquil mind. One powerful technique Patanjali offers to achieve this clarity is found in Book 1, a verse that serves as a profound prescription for social well-being and emotional hygiene.
This crucial verse is Sutra 1.33: Maitrī karuṇā muditopekṣāṇāṁ…
Patanjali teaches us that mental clarity is directly dependent on how we relate to others, dividing our response into four specific attitudes, often called the Brahmaviharas or Divine Abodes:
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Maitrī (Friendliness/Loving-kindness): Cultivate sincere goodwill toward those who are happy or successful. When we witness others thriving—whether a peer, a friend, or a stranger on social media—instead of allowing comparison or jealousy to take root, we consciously practice celebrating their joy. This is a powerful shield against envy.
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Karuṇā (Compassion): Direct kindness and active sympathy toward those who are suffering or miserable. This attitude compels us to acknowledge their pain without becoming paralyzed by it, allowing us to respond thoughtfully rather than reacting emotionally.
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Muditā (Joy): Express empathetic joy toward the virtuous and those performing good deeds. This practice expands your heart and prevents the creeping sense of cynicism that often plagues modern life. We affirm the goodness we see in the world.
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Upekṣā (Equanimity/Indifference): Maintain a sense of neutrality or non-reaction toward those who are actively wicked, critical, or focused on creating discord (the ‘sinful’). This does not mean approval of their actions, but rather the wisdom to conserve your mental energy by withholding reaction from conflicts that cannot be resolved by your involvement.
Practicing Sutra 1.33 is a powerful daily exercise in filtering external stimuli. By consciously choosing these four responses—friendship, compassion, joy, and equanimity—we prevent the external world from dictating our inner state. This ancient wisdom provides an essential tool for purifying the mind stream, ensuring that true, steady peace is always accessible.
The peace you seek is often found not in changing the world, but in refining your reaction to it.