Austerity, self-study, and surrender to Īśvara constitute the yoga of action.

Kriyā yoga is practical yoga, the path for those who cannot yet sustain deep meditation. Patañjali offers three pillars:

Tapas is the transformative heat arising from discipline. It is not mortification, but conscious effort that purifies body and mind.

Svādhyāya has a double meaning: the study of sacred texts and self-observation. Knowing oneself is as important as knowing the scriptures.

Īśvara praṇidhāna is surrender to the supreme principle, renunciation of the fruits of action.

This sutra opens the Sādhana Pāda, the book of practice, offering an accessible method to begin the path.