Think of the Yoga Sutras as a concise roadmap, carved into four “chapters” or padas, each one unfolding a different layer of practice and insight.

• Samadhi Pada (51 sutras)
– Lays out the theory of concentration and meditative absorption.
– Defines yoga as “citta-vṛtti-nirodha” (cessation of mental fluctuations) and sketches the stages leading to samadhi.
– Feels like the nuts and bolts of the inner journey, setting the tone for everything that follows.

• Sadhana Pada (55 sutras)
– Dives into practical steps, including Kriya Yoga (tapas, svadhyaya, Ishvara-pranidhana) and the famous eight-limbed path in Sutra 2.29.
– Yamas and niyamas, breath control, posture, sense withdrawal, concentration—each limb serves as a rung on the ladder toward deeper awareness.
– Acts like a well-tested recipe, blending discipline and devotion in equal measure.

• Vibhuti Pada (56 sutras)
– Explores the “supernatural” side of sustained practice: siddhis or special powers.
– Emphasizes that these abilities emerge incidentally, warning not to get sidetracked by the glitter.
– Feels a bit like a modern neuroscience deep-dive: mind-over-matter phenomena, yet always circling back to inner freedom.

• Kaivalya Pada (34 sutras)
– Paints the final frontier: kaivalya, pure isolation of spirit from material conditioning.
– Reflects on the nature of Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (matter), offering a philosophical flourish to the journey’s climax.
– Leaves one with the sense of cosmic release—aligning with today’s talks about mindfulness and mental health breakthroughs.

Altogether, these 196 aphorisms function like a time-tested training manual—brief enough to memorize, rich enough to unpack at every stage of life. Just as World Yoga Day sparks global conversations on well-being, the structure of the Yoga Sutras continues to guide practitioners, scholars and curious minds toward balance, resilience and that elusive taste of inner freedom.