Lightness, health, absence of excessive desire, clarity of complexion, good voice and fullness of sound, pleasant odor and scant bodily wastes — these signs manifest the first stage of yoga.

The signs of progress in yoga are concrete and measurable: laghutva (lightness of body), ārogya (health), and the reduction of impurities. The yogic tradition has always described verifiable stages — this is not belief but direct experience. The verse establishes that yoga practice gradually transforms body and mind, making its effects visible in the practitioner.