Sutra 30 from Patanjali’s Yogasutras

व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्तरायाः ॥३०॥

पदविभाग: व्याधि-स्त्यान-संशय-प्रमाद-आलस्य-अविरति-भ्रान्तिदर्शन-अलब्धभूमिकत्व-अनवस्थितत्वानि, चित्त-विक्षेपाः, ते, अन्तरायाः।

(Note: This sutra features one of the longest compound words (Samasa) in the text, strung together with consecutive Dirgha (long vowel) Sandhis: 

1. प्रमाद + आलस्य = प्रमादालस्य (a + ā = ā) 

2. आलस्य + अविरति = आलस्याविरति (a + a = ā) 

3. भ्रान्तिदर्शन + अलब्धभूमिकत्व = भ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्व (a + a = ā) 

4. अलब्धभूमिकत्व + अनवस्थितत्वानि = अलब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि (a + a = ā) 

Outside the compound, we see: 

5. Visarga to Sibilant: चित्तविक्षेपाः + ते = चित्तविक्षेपास्ते (visarga turns to ‘s’ before ‘t’) 

6. Purvarupa Sandhi: ते + अन्तरायाः = तेऽन्तरायाः (‘e’ followed by short ‘a’ swallows the ‘a’, marked by the avagraha ‘ऽ’).)

अन्वय: व्याधि-स्त्यान-संशय-प्रमाद-आलस्य-अविरति-भ्रान्तिदर्शन-अलब्धभूमिकत्व-अनवस्थितत्वानि (एते नव) चित्तविक्षेपाः ते अन्तरायाः (सन्ति)। 

प्रतिपदार्थ: व्याधि = disease / physical illness, स्त्यान = mental apathy / dullness / lack of inclination, संशय = doubt / indecision, प्रमाद = carelessness / negligence, आलस्य = physical laziness / lethargy, अविरति = lack of detachment / sensual clinging, भ्रान्तिदर्शन = false perception / delusion / blind alleys, अलब्धभूमिकत्व = failing to attain a (higher) stage of practice, अनवस्थितत्वानि = inability to maintain a stage (once attained) / instability, चित्तविक्षेपाः = distractions of the mind, ते = they / these, अन्तरायाः = (are the) obstacles.

तात्पर्यम्: The distractions of the mind like disease, mental dullness, doubt, carelessness, physical lethargy, sensual clinging, false perception, failing to attain a stability, and the inability to maintain are the obstacles.

Further context on the 30th Sutra from Patanjali’s Yogasutras

Sutra 1.30 gives us the exact clinical diagnosis of what are the obstacles that hinder the mind. 

• व्याधि (Vyādhi) vs. आलस्य (Ālasya): Vyādhi is an actual physiological illness where the body breaks down. Ālasya is physical heaviness (Tamas) where the body is healthy but refuses to move.
• स्त्यान (Styāna): This refers to mental apathy. The mind simply lacks the desire or motivation to sit for practice.

• संशय (Saṃśaya – Doubt): “Is this path actually real? Am I doing it right? Does Yoga even work?” If left unchecked, doubt destroys Shraddha (faith).
• प्रमाद (Pramāda – Carelessness): Once doubt sets in, the yogi loses precision. They skip days, compromise their rules, and practice without attention.
• अविरति (Avirati – Sensual Clinging): Because the mind is no longer anchored in the joy of practice, it hungers for external stimulation and crashes back into worldly desires.
• भ्रान्तिदर्शन (Bhrāntidarśana – False Perception): Bhranti means being deluded by the mind. One might mistake a minor hallucination for a profound spiritual vision, or imagine that they are enlightened.

• अलब्धभूमिकत्व (Alabdhabhūmikatva): Hitting a plateau. You practice for years, but cannot seem to break through to the next state of concentration.
• अनवस्थितत्व (Anavasthitatva): You finally reach a profound state of deep meditation, but the moment you get off the cushion, you lose it. The mind is unstable and slips backward.

Patanjali unifies all nine under the term: चित्तविक्षेप (Citta-vikṣepa), which refers to the shattering or scattering of the mind. And Swami Vivekanada warns us that all progress proceeds by rise and fall. These mental agitations are listed in this verse.