Sanskrit: “Maitri-karuna-mudita-upekshanam sukha-duhkha-punya-apunya-visayanam bhavanatah chitta-prasadanam”
Translation (Iyengar): “By cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the suffering, delight in the virtuous, and equanimity toward the unwholesome, the mind becomes serene and clear.”
In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the mind is naturally restless, easily pulled toward judgment, attachment, or aversion. Sutra 1.33 offers a practical prescription: the quality of the mind is shaped by the attitudes we cultivate toward the world around us.
B.K.S. Iyengar emphasizes that these four attitudes are essential for achieving clarity, steadiness, and benevolence:
Maitri (मैत्री) – Friendliness: Develop goodwill toward those who are happy or fortunate. Instead of envy (īrṣyā) or comparison, allow their happiness to inspire warmth and connection.
Karuna (करुणा) – Compassion: Extend empathy toward those who are suffering or unhappy. Recognize that everyone experiences challenges, and respond with kindness rather than judgment.
Mudita (मुदिता) – Delight: Take joy in the virtues and successes of others. Celebrate goodness wherever you see it, allowing admiration to spark inspiration within yourself.
Upeksha (उपेक्षा) – Equanimity: Cultivate calm and impartiality toward those who act harmfully or unethically. This does not mean ignoring wrongdoing or condoning harmful behavior. Instead, Upeksha allows you to maintain inner balanceso you can respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. By protecting your own mental steadiness, you create space to act skillfully and with clarity, even in a world that can feel overwhelming or chaotic.
Why This Sutra Matters
Iyengar explains that cultivating these attitudes purifies the mind (chitta-prasādanam), creating a foundation for concentration, discernment, and clarity. When the mind is dominated by envy, aversion, or agitation, even the most devoted practice can feel shallow or frustrating. Sutra 1.33 reminds us that mental cultivation is as important as physical practice, and that benevolent awareness is a skill to develop gradually.
Common Obstacles
Even with awareness, the mind resists:
Habitual judgment: Quickly noticing flaws in others or ourselves.
Emotional reactivity: Feeling irritated, impatient, or anxious in response to situations.
Misunderstanding equanimity: Upeksha is often mistaken for indifference; true equanimity is a conscious, balanced response that preserves inner peace.
Iyengar Yoga addresses these obstacles through alignment, breath awareness, and precise, mindful practice, giving the mind a stable container to observe and transform its habitual patterns.
Applying the Sutra in Daily Life
Sutra 1.33 is not just a philosophical ideal — it is a practical guide for living with clarity and calm. As you move through the day:
Notice when envy, irritation, or judgment arises.
Pause and consciously cultivate the opposite attitude: Maitri (friendliness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (delight), or Upeksha (equanimity).
Recognize that each small effort strengthens the mind’s capacity for steadiness, resilience, and clarity.
Over time, these attitudes shape how we engage with the world, creating a mind that is naturally more serene, benevolent, and clear.
Iyengar Yoga Source | Building steadiness, clarity, and benevolence, one breath, one pose, one thought at a time.