Samadhi Pada • sutra 26
| पूर्वेषामपि गुरुः कालेनानवच्छेदात् ॥१.२६॥ pūrveṣām-api guruḥ kālena-anavacchedāt ॥1.26॥ |
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| Īśvara is also (api) the guru of the ancients (pūrveṣām), because he is not limited (anavacchedāt) by time (kālena). |
| Commentary After describing Īśvara as a consciousness free from afflictions (sutra 1.24) and the source of all knowledge (sutra 1.25), Patañjali now adds a further attribute to the profound vision of his nature: she is not subject to the constraints of time (kālena-anavacchedāt). Īśvara is not only a point of reference for those walking the spiritual path today, but also for all who have come before (pūrveṣām api guruḥ). Her presence transcends time, connecting past and present. The word guru in this sutra does not merely refer to a human guide. Īśvara is the supreme guru, the universal Master, the source from which every teaching originates and to which all returns. Her wisdom remains unchanged and accessible in every moment to those who wish to receive it. This timeless continuity is what makes the teaching of Ashtanga Yoga, and of spirituality more broadly, eternally valid. The notion that Īśvara is beyond temporal limits also invites reflection on the fact that, ultimately, there is no separation between the masters of the past and those of the present. The words of the sages who came before are still alive, as if spoken today, and our practice is a direct connection with that wisdom. It is not merely about repeating external forms or physical exercises: it is a passing of the torch between the inner teacher, present in each of us, and the universal teacher, who resides beyond time. In this light, every moment of learning becomes a manifestation of the divine, flowing through all ages and generations. Īśvara, then, is not just a religious concept, but an experiential reality that every practitioner can recognise in their own life, as an inner silent presence and constant support. Truth has never changed. If we are quiet enough and willing enough, we can hear the truth that is within us.  Daily Mindfulness Bites“Poor Fletch. Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly. The shimmering stopped. Jonathan Seagull had vanished into empty air.“ – Richard Bach, Jonathan Livingston Seagull |
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