Patanjali Yoga Sutra — tatra sthitau yatno’bhyāsaḥ||1.13|| तत्र स्थितौ यत्नोऽभ्यासः||१.१३||

Practice (Sādhana) is resolute, committed, repeated effort to control the thought waves.

Having said in the previous aphorism, what is required to control the mind, here, Patañjali Maharṣi defines the word “Abhyāsa.” The philosophical objective of “Abhyāsa” as we are already aware, is to be in command of the fickle mind and the same is emphasized by Bhagavān as follows:

असंयतात्मना योगो दुष्प्राप इति मे मतिः।

वश्यात्मना तु यतता शक्योऽवाप्तुमुपायतः॥गीता ६.३६॥

asaṁyatātmanā yogo duṣprāpa iti me matiḥ.

vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo’vāptumupāyataḥ ||Gītā 6.36) ||

“My verdict is, Yoga is very difficult to be achieved for a man who cannot control his own mind; whereas, it becomes an accomplishment for the one whose mind is under control when one attempts with due spirits (under the able guidance of a Guru).”

Guru is greater than (or equal to) trinity of Gods, according to Indian philosophy. Kabīrdāsji says, ‘when both Guru and God appear simultaneously before me, whom shall I prostrate first? It is to the Guru first because he is the one who has shown God to me’.