{{Short description|Concentration concept in yoga}} {{italic title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2014}} '''''Dhāraṇā''''' ({{Langx|sa|धारणा}}) is the sixth limb of eight elucidated by Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga or Raja Yoga in his ''Yoga Sutras of Patanjali''.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Seeking Samadhi|url=http://www.yogajournal.com/article/yoga-101/seeking-samadhi/|journal= Yoga Journal|date = 29 August 2007}}</ref> It is directing and maintaining the mind's attention to a specific location of the body after sense-withdrawal has been attained.

==Etymology== ''Dhāraṇā'' is translated as "firmness, steadfastness, certainty," as "the act of holding, bearing, wearing, supporting, maintaining, retaining, keeping back (in remembrance), a good memory," and also as "collection or concentration of the mind (joined with the retention of breath)."<ref name="SED">Sanskrit-English Dictionary by Monier Monier-Williams, (c) 1899</ref> This term is related to the verbal Sanskrit roots ''dha'' and ''ana'', to hold, carry, maintain, resolve. Dharana is the noun.

==Yoga Sutras== Yoga Sutras verse III.1 states ''deśa-bandhaś cittasya dhāraņā'',{{sfn|Bryant|Patañjali|2009|p=301}} meaning: * ''deśa'': "place"{{sfn|Bryant|Patañjali|2009|p=301}} "location," "spot" * ''bandhaś'' (''bandhah''): "bound, fixed"{{sfn|Bryant|Patañjali|2009|p=301}} * ''cittasya'': "of the mind,"{{sfn|Bryant|Patañjali|2009|p=301}} "whose mind,"<ref>Sanskrit Dictionary, [https://sanskritdictionary.org/cittasya cittasya]</ref> "senses"<ref>Yoga Philosophy Institute, [https://yogaphilosophy.com/8-limbs-of-yoga/dhara%E1%B9%87a/ dharana]</ref> * ''dhāraņā'': "concentration,"{{sfn|Bryant|Patañjali|2009|p=301}} "maintain"<ref name="SED"/>

According to Bryant, in Yoga Sutras verse III.1 Patanjali defines ''dharana'' as "concentration is the fixing of the mind in one place,"{{sfn|Bryant|Patañjali|2009|p=301}} maintaining the mind's attention in one fixed place.

==Interpretation== In the commentarial tradition, ''dhāraṇā'' is interpreted as "holding", "holding steady", "concentration", or "single focus."<ref>{{cite journal |title=Dharana|url=http://yoga.iloveindia.com/limbs-of-yoga/dharana.html|website=yoga.iloveindia.com}}</ref> The ''Yogabhashya'' in its commentary on Yoga Sutras verse III.1 mentions focal points like the navel or the heart, while later commentators like Vacaspati Misra and Ramananda Sarasvati refer to the Vishnu Purana, which highlights theistic meditation, particularly visualizing Vishnu's form.{{sfn|Bryant|Patañjali|2009|p=301-303}}

==Practice== The prior limb Pratyahara involves withdrawing the senses from external phenomena. ''Dhāraṇā'' builds further upon this by refining it further to ''ekagrata'' or ''ekagra chitta'', that is continuous, uninterrupted lucid awareness. The commentarial tradition interprets it as single-pointed concentration and focus, which is in this context cognate with Samatha.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Yoga System|url=http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/yoga/yoga_11.html|journal=Swami-krishnananda.org}}</ref> Gregor Maehle defines Dharana as: "The mind thinks about one object and avoids other thoughts; awareness of the object is still interrupted."{{sfn||Maehle|2006|p=234}} The difference between ''Dhāraṇā'', Dhyāna, and Samādhi, which together are called Samyama, is a gradual one of intensity and uninterruptedness.

==See also== * Ekagrata * Beginner's mind * Ganana * Tratak * Drishti

==References== {{reflist}}

==Sources== {{refbegin}} <!-- --> * {{Cite book | last =Bryant | first=Edwin F. | last2 =Patañjali | date=2009 | title =The Yoga sūtras of Patañjali: a new edition, translation, and commentary with insights from the traditional commentators | publisher =North Point Press | isbn =978-0-86547-736-0 |edition =1st | location =New York | pages =301-303 | oclc =243544645|url=https://www.worldcat.org/title/243544645 }} <!-- --> * {{cite book |last1= Maehle |first1= Gregor |title= Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy |year= 2006 |publisher= Kaivalya Publications |location= Doubleview, Western Australia |isbn= 978-0-9775126-0-7 |oclc= 71245040 }}

{{refend}}

{{Yoga}} {{Meditation}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dharana}} Category:Eight limbs of yoga Category:Meditation