YOGA SŪTRAS OF PATAÑJALI
Introduction
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali may be the oldest existing text on Yoga. While the exact date of origin is unknown, it is believed to have been written around 400 BCE. Its author is also a mystery. Patañjali is a surname and there appears to have been a few authors of that name. But what we do know is that the author did not create Yoga, but documented a spiritual practice that had already been in existence for several hundred, if not thousands of years. That practice involves controlling the mind so that Puruṣaḥ, the Inner-Self shines through.
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali is divided into four sections. The first defines Yoga and Samādhi. The second section describes the practices of Yoga. The third section is called “vibhuti,” which means both development and power. That section describes how to combine concentration, meditation, and samādhi to develop subtle knowledge and supernatural powers. The last section covers the development of discriminative wisdom that leads to awakening.
Sūtra is Sanskrit for a thread or string. In writing, a sūtra is an aphorism, a brief saying. Since Yoga is traditionally transmitted through a living teacher, sūtras were not meant to detail the practice, but to outline it. That brevity can make interpreting these texts challenging. So, as an aid to studying the Yoga Sūtras, the text has been grouped into short segments, based on the topic of the grouped sūtras, and commentary (in italics) has been added at the end of those segments. This is the format for the individual sections. There is also a text only page for uninterrupted reading.
The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali is divided into four sections. The first defines Yoga and Samādhi. The second section describes the practices of Yoga. The third section is called “vibhuti,” which means both development and power. That section describes how to combine concentration, meditation, and samādhi to develop subtle knowledge and supernatural powers. The last section covers the development of discriminative wisdom that leads to awakening.
Sūtra is Sanskrit for a thread or string. In writing, a sūtra is an aphorism, a brief saying. Since Yoga is traditionally transmitted through a living teacher, sūtras were not meant to detail the practice, but to outline it. That brevity can make interpreting these texts challenging. So, as an aid to studying the Yoga Sūtras, the text has been grouped into short segments, based on the topic of the grouped sūtras, and commentary (in italics) has been added at the end of those segments. This is the format for the individual sections. There is also a text only page for uninterrupted reading.
Go to Section I
