About Patanjali It is believed that Maharishi Patanjali was the avatar of Adi Shesha - the Infinite

Cosmic Serpent upon whom Lord Vishnu rests. He is considered to be the compiler of the Yoga
Sutras, along with being the author of a commentary on Panini's Ashtadhyayi, known as
Mahabhasya. He is also supposed to be the writer of a work on the ancient Indian medicine system,
Ayurveda. Read on this biography further to know more about Maharishi Patanjali and his
philosophy. His Life The life history of Patanjali is full of legends and contradictions. There are no
authentic records regarding his birth. As per one legend, he fell (pata) into the hands (anjali) of a
woman, thus giving him the name Patanjali. Patanjali Yoga Sutras It is said that once, while
watching a dance by Lord Shiva, Adi Shesha found it unbearable to support the weight of Lord
Vishnu. Amazed at this, he asked Lord Vishnu the reason for the same. Lord Vishnu said that this
was because of his harmony with Lord Shiva's energy state, owing to the practice of Yoga. Realizing
the value and benefits of Yoga, Adi Shesha decided to be born amongst humans as 'Patanjali', to
teach them the great art. Yoga Sutras are considered to serve as the basis of the yogic techniques.
Maharishi Patanjali, "The Father of Yoga", compiled 195 sutras, which serve as a framework for
integrating Yoga into the daily routine and leading an ethical life. The exact date of the compilation of
the Yoga Sutras is not known. However, it is believed that they were written somewhere around 200
BC. The core of Patanjali's teachings lies in the eightfold path of yoga. The path shows the way to
live a better life through yoga.Read more at
https://www.iloveindia.com/spirituality/gurus/patanjali.html#YfZpxyUDadrLrmzi.99
About Patanjali

Almost everything about Patañjali is unknown. Even his most basic biographical details are
disputed. And of the little that is known, much is mired in myth.

It is believed that Maharishi Patanjali was the avatar of Adi Shesha - the Infinite Cosmic
Serpent upon whom Lord Vishnu rests. He is considered to be the compiler of the Yoga
Sutras, along with being the author of a commentary on Panini's Ashtadhyayi, known as
Mahabhasya. He is also supposed to be the writer of a work on the ancient Indian medicine
system, Ayurveda.

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His Life
In some Sanskrit grammatical works, Patañjali is called "the man from Gonarda". Gonarda
is the ancient name of Gonda - a district of Uttar Pradesh, about 50 kms north of Ayodhya.
Greek chronicles mention about Paatanjali, when they laid their siege on Saket i.e. Ayodhya
in 2nd century BC. This implies that Paatanjali most probably was from Gonda, a district of
immense importance where Buddha and Mahaavira resided. The life history of Patanjali is
full of legends and contradictions. There are no authentic records regarding his birth. As
per one legend, he fell (pata) into the hands (anjali) of a woman, thus giving him the name
Patanjali.

Patanjali Yoga Sutras

Classical yoga, called raja-yoga, which means “royal yoga,” originated with a text dating
from the 2nd century BC. This text, called ‘Yoga-sutra', was composed over a long period of
time by a man, or more likely several men, who wrote under the name Patanjali.
It is said that once, while watching a dance by Lord Shiva, Adi Shesha found it unbearable
to support the weight of Lord Vishnu. Amazed at this, he asked Lord Vishnu the reason for
the same. Lord Vishnu said that this was because of his harmony with Lord Shiva's energy
state, owing to the practice of Yoga. Realizing the value and benefits of Yoga, Adi Shesha
decided to be born amongst humans as 'Patanjali', to teach them the great art.

Yoga Sutras are considered to serve as the basis of the yogic techniques. Maharishi
Patanjali, "The Father of Yoga", compiled 195 sutras, which serve as a framework for
integrating Yoga into the daily routine and leading an ethical life. The exact date of the
compilation of the Yoga Sutras is not known. However, it is believed that they were written
somewhere around 200 BC. The core of Patanjali's teachings lies in the eightfold path of
yoga. The path shows the way to live a better life through yoga.

Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar

When it comes to determining what Patañjali did, the uncertainties continue. A first
achievement, which is not surprising given the tales of his parentage, is his recognition as a
truly great dancer. To this day dancers in India working in the classical traditions invoke
him and pay him their respects. Patañjali, therefore, is effectively the patron saint of dance.
Some say that Patañjali also wrote a treatise on ayurvedic medicine. Certainly, the texts in
question focus on what could well have been Patañjali's main interests: the diagnosis of
disease; the structure and function of the human body; the problem of keeping the body fit,
pleasing-feeling and good looking; and the curative values and properties of drugs and the
techniques required to administer them.

All these are mentioned in the Yoga Sutras. But although a strong tradition does insist that
the Patañjali who wrote the ayurvedic text is the self-same Patañjali who wrote the Yoga
Sutras, scholars do not accept this as an established fact. But an argument that can be made
against these scholarly types is that they are rather missing the point. Svayambhus—divine
beings who bring about their own causeless existences, who are without karma, and who
manifest themselves as evolved and highly spiritual beings for the betterment of
humanity—are in no way obliged to respect historical facts.
It is (almost!) beyond dispute that a famous man named Patañjali was born in Gonarda and
that he lived, for at least a little while, in Kashmir. This particular Patañjali lived and wrote
in about (?!) 140 BCE. He was a great grammarian and his Mahabhashya or Great
Commentary on Panini's grammar (the first great grammar written for any language) was
magisterial. It is still read and acknowledged today. But the Mahabhashya was a lot more
than just a commentary.
The Patañjali who wrote it took Panini's work a great deal further. He redefined the rules of
Sanskrit grammar. He greatly enlarged its vocabulary. He gave Sanskrit a muscular power
that made it a more precise, subtle, effective and artistic instrument capable of expressing
any aspect whatever of human thought or existence. Furthermore, this Patañjali did not
just provide a body of theory. He demonstrated the possibilities of Sanskrit through his
skills and artistry in its use.
Clearly, the question of the moment is whether the Patañjali who wrote the Mahabhashya was (a) the
same as the Patañjali who wrote on ayurveda; and/or (b) the same as the Patañjali who wrote on yoga
(never mind (c) the same as the one who was a founding father of dance).