Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Book II · 14 of 55 · tr. Charles Johnston
Sutra 14
These bear fruits of rejoicing, or of affliction, as they are sprung from holy or unholy works. Since holiness is obedience to divine law, to the law of divine harmony, and obedience to harmony strengthens that harmony in the soul, which is the one true joy, therefore joy comes of holiness: comes, indeed, in no other way. And as unholiness is disobedience, and therefore discord, therefore unholiness makes for pain; and this two-fold law is true, whether the cause take effect in this, or in a yet unmanifested birth.
§ Ask Guru about this passage →Themes
Dharmacosmology
The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed.' Sits beside asha_cosmic_order and maat_cosmic_order as a right-order concept but is distinct in individuating the order into personal vocation; distinct from good_thought_word_deed (ethical triad) in binding duty to cosmic station.
The passage explicitly defines holiness as obedience to divine law and harmony, aligning directly with the concept of dharma as cosmic duty and order.
All passages →Soul Migrationcosmology
The transmigration of the soul across lives.
The passage explicitly mentions that unholiness makes for pain whether the cause takes effect in this life or in an 'unmanifested birth' across lives.
All passages →Related passages · 13 parallels
neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 300
“Section 13 13. The Ineluctable, the Kosmic Law is, thus, rooted in a natural principle under which each several entity is overruled to go, duly and in order, towards that place and Kind to which it characteristically tends, that is towards…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)
western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Ancient Mysteries and Secret Societies Which Have Influenced Modern Masonic Symbolism-g
“In the present world, said they, Good and Evil are so exactly balanced that man has the utmost freedom and is able to choose or reject either.
The Welsh Triads tell us there are three objects of metempsychosis: to collect into the soul the…”
Shared concept: Soul Migration — The transmigration of the soul across lives. (derived)
western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter X (part 7)
“An age of great inspiration and unconscious productiveness is invariably followed by an age of criticism and consciousness.
The one affords material for the analyzing and critical intellect of the other.
Thus all those great characters wh…”
Shared concept: Soul Migration — The transmigration of the soul across lives. (derived)
native_american|The Soul of the Indian|Chapter II-c
“The betrothal might or might not be discussed and approved by the parents, but in either case it was customary for the young pair to disappear into the wilderness, there to pass some days or weeks in perfect seclusion and dual solitude, aft…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)
native_american|The Soul of the Indian|Chapter IV-e
“Crow Dog was under a vow to slay the chief, in case he ever betrayed or disgraced the name of the Brule Sioux.
There is no doubt that he had committed crimes both public and private, having been guilty of misuse of office as well as of gro…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)
native_american|Myths of the Cherokee|Myth 23
“THE RABBIT DINES THE BEAR The Bear invited the Rabbit to dine with him. They had beans in the pot, but there was no grease for them, so the Bear cut a slit in his side and let the oil run out until they had enough to cook the dinner. The Ra…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)
native_american|Myths of the Cherokee|Myth 46
“WHY THE BUZZARD’S HEAD IS BARE The buzzard used to have a fine topknot, of which he was so proud that he refused to eat carrion, and while the other birds were pecking at the body of a deer or other animal which they had found he would stru…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 92 (part 3)
“Let the Evolutionists push back the process into the preceding Eocene, if they prefer to do so; let them even trace both Man and Dryopithecus to a common ancestor; the unpleasant consideration has, nevertheless, to be faced that in Eocene s…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 47 (part 1)
“The Secret Doctrine by H.
P.
Blavatsky -- Vol.
1 [[Vol.
1, Page]] 634 THE SECRET DOCTRINE.
[[This page continued from previous section ]] XVI.
CYCLIC EVOLUTION AND KARMA.
I T is the Spiritual evolution of the inner , immortal man tha…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)
renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Third Dialogue-h
“In which generation finding themselves once more through the changes which permutably succeed, they return again to the superior forms.
Cic .
So that they mean, that souls are impelled by the necessity of fate, and have no proper counsel…”
Shared concept: Soul Migration — The transmigration of the soul across lives. (derived)
western_esoteric|The Secret Teachings of All Ages (Manly P. Hall)|The Life and Philosophy of Pythagoras-f
“It is probable that Pythagoras obtained his concept of the Υ from the Egyptians, who included in certain of their initiatory rituals a scene in which the candidate was confronted by two female figures.
One of them, veiled with the white ro…”
Shared concept: Soul Migration — The transmigration of the soul across lives. (derived)
neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 401
“Section 1 1. Many times it has happened: Lifted out of the body into myself; becoming external to all other things and self-encentered; beholding a marvellous beauty; then, more than ever, assured of community with the loftiest order; enact…”
Shared concept: Soul Migration — The transmigration of the soul across lives. (derived)
theosophy|The Secret Doctrine|Page 24 (part 3)
“This is corroborated by the writer of the said intensely learned and Kabalistic revelation himself, when he closes the above-quoted passages by adding: -- "If to these organs as symbols of creative cosmic agencies the idea of the origin of…”
Shared concept: Dharma — The cosmic law that manifests as each being's own duty — right order known not as abstract truth but as the specific obligation of one's nature and station (svadharma), so that maintaining the cosmos and performing one's proper work are one act; the Gita's 'one's own duty, though defective, is better than another's well performed. (derived)