The One-Line Answer
Vritti means “modification” or “wave” of the mind—any mental activity including thoughts, memories, desires, imaginations, doubts, decisions, and emotions—which arises in the mind (Antahkarana), stays for a moment, and then dissolves, like ripples on the surface of a lake.
In one line: Thoughts are waves; you are the ocean.
Key points:
- Vritti comes from the root “vrit” meaning “to turn” or “to revolve”
- The mind is naturally restless and produces countless vrittis every moment
- Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra defines yoga as the stilling of all vrittis
- Vrittis are of five main types: right knowledge, error, imagination, sleep, and memory
- You are not your vrittis; you are the witness of vrittis
The Simple Meaning
The word Vritti comes from the Sanskrit root vrit, meaning “to turn,” “to revolve,” or “to exist.” A vritti is a “whirlpool” or “wave” in the mind—a mental modification that arises, stays for a moment, and then dissolves.
| What Vrittis Are | What Vrittis Are Not |
|---|---|
| Thoughts | The thinker of thoughts |
| Emotions | The witness of emotions |
| Memories | The one who remembers |
| Desires | The one who desires |
| Doubts | The awareness in which doubts arise |
| Decisions | The awareness in which decisions appear |
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (1.2) gives the famous definition:
“Yogash chitta vritti nirodhah” — “Yoga is the stilling of the modifications (vrittis) of the mind.”
The mind is like a lake. Vrittis are ripples or waves on the surface. When the lake is still, it reflects the moon clearly. When the lake is agitated, the reflection is distorted. The goal is not to destroy the lake, but to calm the waves.
The Five Types of Vrittis (Patanjali)
Patanjali classifies all vrittis into five categories. Some lead to suffering; some lead to freedom.
| Type | Sanskrit | Description | Leads to Suffering? | Leads to Freedom? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right knowledge | Pramana | Valid perception, inference, or scripture | No (if not clung to) | Yes |
| Error | Viparyaya | Mistaken knowledge (rope mistaken for snake) | Yes | No |
| Imagination | Vikalpa | Verbal or conceptual knowledge without real object | Yes (if believed) | No |
| Sleep | Nidra | The vritti of absence of other vrittis (deep sleep) | No | No (still ignorance) |
| Memory | Smriti | Recollection of past experiences | Yes (if clung to) | No |
Not all vrittis are bad. Right knowledge (Pramana) is essential for learning Vedanta. The Mahavakyas (“Tat Tvam Asi”) are vrittis of right knowledge. They are used to remove ignorance, then they too are let go.
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6, Verse 19) uses the analogy of a lamp:
“As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, so is the mind of a yogi, controlled and steady, fixed in meditation on the Self.”
The flickering flame is the vrittis. The steady flame is the still mind.
Vrittis in the Three States of Consciousness
Vrittis operate differently in the three states.
| State | Vrittis Present? | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Waking (Jagrat) | Yes | Vrittis of perception, thought, emotion, desire, memory |
| Dreaming (Svapna) | Yes (subtle) | Vrittis create the dream world (dream objects, dream emotions) |
| Deep sleep (Sushupti) | No (seed remains) | No active vrittis, but the seed of vrittis remains in the causal body |
In deep sleep, the mind is still. There are no vrittis. This is why deep sleep is peaceful. But it is not liberation because the seed (samskaras) remains. When you wake up, the vrittis return.
The Antahkarana (Inner Instrument) and Vrittis
The vrittis arise from the Antahkarana—the inner instrument. The Antahkarana has four functions.
| Function | Sanskrit | Role | Examples of Vrittis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mind | Manas | Processes sensory input, doubts, desires | “What is that sound? Is it safe? I want it.” |
| Intellect | Buddhi | Discriminates, decides, knows | “This is right; I will do this.” |
| Ego | Ahamkara | Identifies, claims ownership | “I did this. This is mine.” |
| Memory | Chitta | Stores impressions, recalls memories | Remembering a past event, a habit |
All vrittis belong to one of these four functions. The “I” thought (Aham Vritti) belongs to the ego function. The thought “This is a tree” belongs to the mind and intellect.
The Problem: Identification with Vrittis
You suffer not because vrittis exist, but because you identify with them.
| Identification (Suffering) | Witnessing (Freedom) |
|---|---|
| “I am angry” | “I am aware of anger” |
| “I am sad” | “I am aware of sadness” |
| “I am anxious” | “I am aware of anxiety” |
| “I am thinking” | “I am aware of thinking” |
| “I am my thoughts” | “I am the witness of thoughts” |
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 14) reminds us:
“The contacts between the senses and their objects give rise to feelings of heat and cold, pleasure and pain. These come and go. They are temporary.”
Vrittis come and go. You remain.
The Practice: Witnessing Vrittis (Sakshi Bhava)
The direct path to freedom is to stop identifying with vrittis and start witnessing them.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sit quietly. Close your eyes. |
| 2 | Notice a thought (vritti) arise. |
| 3 | Do not grab it. Do not follow it. Do not fight it. |
| 4 | Silently say: “I am aware of this thought.” |
| 5 | Let it go. Let it dissolve on its own. |
| 6 | Notice the gap between thoughts. |
| 7 | Rest in that gap (no vritti). |
| 8 | When the next vritti arises, repeat. |
You do not need to stop vrittis. You need to stop believing you are them.
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 5, Verse 8-9) describes the realized one:
“I do nothing at all,” thinks the steady knower of truth, even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping, breathing… The realized one knows that the senses are operating on their sense objects, while the Self remains as the non-doing witness.
Vrittis continue. The witness remains.
The Analogy of the Sky and Clouds
| Element | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Sky | Pure awareness (Atman) |
| Clouds | Vrittis (thoughts, emotions, sensations) |
The sky is always there. It never changes. Clouds come and go. Storms arise and pass. The sky is never affected. The sky does not fight the clouds. The sky simply holds them.
You are the sky. Vrittis are clouds.
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 6, Verse 19) describes the mind without vrittis:
“As a lamp in a windless place does not flicker, so is the mind of a yogi, controlled and steady, fixed in meditation on the Self.”
The lamp is the mind. The wind is the agitation of vrittis. The steady flame is the mind free from vrittis.
The Goal: Not Destruction of Vrittis, but Non-Identification
Many seekers try to destroy vrittis. This is a mistake.
| Trying to Destroy Vrittis | Witnessing Vrittis |
|---|---|
| “I must stop thinking” | “I am aware of thinking” |
| Fighting the mind | Letting the mind be |
| Creates tension | Creates freedom |
| Strengthens the ego | Weakens identification |
| Impossible | Natural |
The goal is not to have a blank mind. The goal is to not be identified with the vrittis when they arise.
The realized person may still have thoughts. But they are not owned by them. The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 2, Verse 70) uses the analogy of the ocean:
“As the ocean, though filled with water, remains calm and still when rivers enter it, so the wise person remains calm and still when desires (vrittis) enter the mind.”
Rivers (vrittis) flow into the ocean (the realized person). The ocean remains calm.
The Dissolution of Vrittis in Deep Meditation
In deep meditation (Nirvikalpa Samadhi), all vrittis temporarily cease.
| Stage | Vrittis | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary mind | Constant agitation | Distraction, suffering |
| Concentration (Dharana) | Reduced | Some peace, some focus |
| Meditation (Dhyana) | Minimal | Effortless flow, bliss |
| Absorption (Samadhi) | Completely still | Pure awareness, no vrittis |
But this is temporary. When the meditation ends, vrittis return. The goal is not temporary stillness. The goal is permanent non-identification.
The Bhagavad Gita (Chapter 4, Verse 37) declares:
“As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, so the fire of knowledge burns all karma.”
When ignorance is destroyed, vrittis lose their power to bind you. They may still arise. They may still fall. But you are not bound.
One-Line Summary
Vritti means “modification” or “wave” of the mind—any mental activity including thoughts, memories, desires, imaginations, doubts, decisions, and emotions—which arises in the mind, stays for a moment, and then dissolves; you are not your vrittis, you are the witness of vrittis, and freedom comes not from destroying vrittis but from ceasing to identify with them.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
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