In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the concept of Vrittayah Pancatayyah Klishta Aklishta plays a fundamental role in understanding the workings of the mind. The phrase translates to “the modifications of the mind are five, and they are either painful (klishta) or non-painful (aklishta).” These vrittis, or mental fluctuations, determine the quality of our thoughts, emotions, and actions, ultimately shaping our life experiences. Patanjali categorizes them into five types—pramana (right knowledge), viparyaya (wrong knowledge), vikalpa (imagination), nidra (sleep), and smriti (memory). Each of these vrittis can manifest in a way that either binds us in suffering (klishta) or supports clarity and liberation (aklishta). For instance, memory can be painful when it drags us into past trauma, but it can also be non-painful when used for learning and growth. Similarly, right knowledge may elevate us if directed toward self-realization, but it can still cause attachment if misused. By observing and disciplining these fluctuations through practices like concentration, meditation, and self-awareness, the yogi gradually quiets the mind to reach the state of yoga—union with the true self. Thus, Vrittayah Pancatayyah Klishta Aklishta serves as a profound reminder that the mind itself is not the problem; it is how we relate to and manage these mental modifications that determines whether we remain entangled in suffering or progress toward freedom.