# **Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra** The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali offer profound wisdom about the workings of the human mind, and one of the key concepts explained is [Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra](https://www.yogkulam.org/blog/yoga-sutra-1-4-vritti-sarupyam-itaratra). This phrase appears in the second sutra of the first chapter, where Patanjali states, “Yoga chitta vritti nirodhah,” meaning yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. The following sutra explains, “Vritti sarupyam itaratra,” which means that at other times, when the mind is not in the state of yoga, a person identifies with the modifications or fluctuations of consciousness.  In simple terms, the mind is constantly influenced by thoughts, emotions, memories, and perceptions, and in the absence of awareness, we mistake these temporary states for our true self. Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra describes the human tendency to become entangled with mental activity and lose connection with pure consciousness. This concept emphasizes that our suffering often arises not from the external world itself but from over-identification with the restless patterns of the mind. Through dedicated yogic practices such as meditation, pranayama, and mindfulness, one learns to break free from this identification and rest in the pure awareness that lies beyond all fluctuations. Understanding Vritti Sarupyam Itaratra is therefore essential for any seeker on the yogic path, as it reveals both the problem of mental identification and the solution of transcending it through inner discipline.