taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga-viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo 'nirviṇṇa-cetasā
"Let this disconnection from union with sorrow be known as yoga. This yoga should be practiced with determination, with an undismayed mind."
What This Means:
Krishna defines yoga as 'separation from union with sorrow.' In other words, yoga breaks the bond between you and suffering. Practice this with firm determination and an unwavering mind.
Going Deeper:
A powerful definition: yoga is duhkha-samyoga-viyoga—disconnection from the connection with suffering. We're normally 'married' to our suffering. Yoga is the divorce. Nirvinna-chetasa (undismayed mind) indicates the patient persistence required.
How To Apply This:
You're not trying to eliminate sorrow from life—that's impossible. You're trying to end your identification with it. When suffering arises, practice: 'This sorrow exists, but I am not bound to it.' This is yoga.
Key Sanskrit Terms: