1.9 sabdajnana anupati vastusunyah vikalpah

sabdajnana: verbal knowledge anupati: followed in sequence, pursued vastusunyah: devoid of meaning vikalpah: imagination Verbal knowledge devoid of substance is fancy or imagination. Having an imagination is helpful (and fun) but we cannot live in this realm all the time. At some point the imaginary words or thoughts can become an untruth.  

1.8 viparyayah mithyajnanam atadrupa pratistham

viparyayah: perverse, unreal mithyajnanam: illusory knowledge atadrupa: not in its own form pratistham: occupying, standing, seeing, beholding Illusory or erroneous knowledge is based on non-fact or the non-real. A false conception can generate wrong feelings. Our consciousness then responds to the wrong feelings by generating more thoughts, based on the original false impression. A vicious…

1.4 vrtti sarupyam itaratra

vrtti: fluctuations, modifcation sarupyam: indetification itaratra: at other times At other times, the seer identifies with the fluctuation consciousness. When the consciousness is not stilled the seer gets caught up in the fluctuations. The fluctuations appear as a reverie which take one away from the present moment.

1.1 atha yoganusasanam

atha: now, auspiciousness, a prayer yoga: joining, union, junction, combination anusasanam: advice, direction, order, command, instructions With prayers for divine blessings, now begins an exposition of the sacred art of yoga. We can begin our study of yoga now. Anytime. Patanjali gives the instructions to follow on the path.