Niyamasara sketches liberation as a gradual unfolding of inner purity, where every thought, word and deed aligns with the soul’s true nature. Two broad arenas pave this journey: external disciplines (sthulāniyama) and internal disciplines (sūkṣhma­niyama). Together they form a kind of spiritual boot camp—think of it as a rigorous yet rewarding retreat into self-awareness.

1. External Disciplines (Sthulāniyama)
   • Right Faith (Samyak Darśana): Embracing the nonviolent, eternal nature of the soul.
   • Right Knowledge (Samyak Jñāna): Disentangling from misconceptions—similar to fact-checking in today’s age of information overload.
   • Right Conduct (Samyak Cāritra): Translating belief and knowledge into action, from harmless speech to mindful living.

2. Internal Disciplines (Sūkṣhma­niyama)
   • Sense-Restraint: Steering the mind away from sensory cravings—rather like a digital detox for the soul.
   • Soul-Centered Austerity (Tapas): Embracing voluntary hardships—fasts, silence or solitude—that burn away karmic baggage.
   • Equanimity: Meeting pleasure and pain with the same calm, much as modern mindfulness apps encourage observing feelings without judgment.

Niyamasara zeroes in on karma as the real hurdle. Each lapse in restraint deposits new karmic “shadows,” while every act of discipline sheds old ones. Liberation dawns when all karmas are exhausted—no residues left to cloud the soul. In a world chasing quick fixes, this text insists on steady, lifelong commitment.

These teachings resonate widely today—minimalists, digital well-being advocates and eco-activists all stress letting go of the superfluous. Niyamasara simply pulls the lens inward, showing that at the end of the day, true freedom arises from mastering one’s own inner landscape.