Yoga Sutras

Who is Patanjali? The Compiler of the Yoga Sutras from the Vedas

 Pat’ = fall + ‘anjali = mudra of open hands ready to receive Ādi Śeṣa (Visnu’s
snake bed). Has a human body with 1000 snakes above shoulders – teaches each
student separately
 When was the Yoga Sutras compiled? – Highly disputed dates between 100
BCE and 500 CE or later – perhaps he was influenced by Buddhist thought –
“Eightfold Path”?
 Patanjali divided his Yoga Sutras into 4 chapters or books (Sanskrit pada),
containing in all 195 (according to Vyāsa and Krishnamacharya) and 196
aphorisms (according to other scholars including BKS Iyengar).

Chapter 1 - Samadhi Pada (51 Sutras) – The Goal of Yoga Chapter 2 - Sadhana Pada (55
sutras) – The Practice of Yoga Chapter 3 - Vibhuti Pada (55-56?? Sutras) – The Powers
Chapter 4 - Kaivalya Pada (34 sutras) – The Freedom

 Yoga Sutras was compiled from the Yoga teachings found in the 4 Vedas: Rg
Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda
 Śruti (Vedas) that which is heard vs. Smrti (Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, etc.)
that which is memorized

Healing Body (Ayurveda), Mind (Patanjali’s Yoga), Speech (Sanskrit)

 Patanjali is said to have compiled definitive texts on Ayurveda, Sanskrit, and

Yoga for healing of (or removing suffering from) the Body, Speech, and Mind
 His commentary on the Caraka Samhita (Ayurveda for healing the body), his
“Great Commentary” (Mahābhāṣya) on Pāṇini and Kātyayana (Sanskrit
grammar for healing the speech), and the compiler of the Yoga Sutras (Yoga
for healing the mind)
 Yoga focuses on Healing the Mind

Citta = Buddhi (discriminator/intellect), Ahamkara (ego), Manas (mental processor) + the 5

Indriyas (senses)

Image from the Katha Upaniṣad (III.3-4)

The owner/passenger is the Atman, Purusa or Cit; the Buddhi is the charioteer; the Manas is the
reins on the horses; the body is the chariot; the horses are the 5 senses (indriyas); the path upon
which it drives, are the sense objects (viṣayām)
Yoga Sutras
of Patanjali

The greatest classical text from the yoga school of Indian philosophy is the Yoga Sutras
by Patanjali, written in the second century BC. Sutra means ‘thread’ and these’ threads’ on
yoga state essential points or techniques. Originally these teachings were oral and were
explained and interpreted by commentaries from a teacher guiding the student.

The practice of yoga is an art and science dedicated to creating union between body, mind
and spirit. In short it is about making balance to live in peace, good health and harmony
with the greater whole. This art of right living was perfected and practised in India
thousands of years ago and the foundations of yoga philosophy were written down in the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali. This sacred text describes the inner workings of the mind and provides an
eight-step blueprint for controlling its restlessness to ensure lasting peace.

The core of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is an eight-limbed path that forms the structural
framework for yoga practice. Each is part of a holistic focus which eventually brings
completeness to the individual. Because everyone is unique a participant can emphasise
one branch and then move on to another.

Organisation of the
Yoga Sutras
The sutras are in four
parts/chapters (padas):

1. Samadhi Pada - Contemplation and meditation. This section gives theory of yoga and a
description of the most advanced stages of the practice of contemplation (samedhi). This
chapter states that there are five activities of the mind that can cause problems or be
beneficial and these are:

• Comprehension (right knowledge, perception, faithful testimony)

• Error (misunderstanding, incorrect knowledge)
• Imagination (forming opinions without facts)
• Deep sleep (unconscious mental activity)
• Memory (retains living experience).

This chapter also states that there are nine inner obstacles to mental clarity
and these are:

• Sickness and illness

• Mental inertia, stagnation and dullness
• Doubt
• Haste, lack of foresight and carelessness
• Apathy, fatigue and laziness
• Intemperance and overindulgence
• Errors in judgement of oneself and false perception
• Lack of perseverance
 • Inability to stay at a level once reached, regression and lack of progress

The chapter states that the following four obstacles will affect us in some way or another
whether they be mental or physical:

• Distress
• Negative thinking
• Physical discomfort or unease
• Disturbed breathing
2. Sadhana Pada - Practice (the
steps to union).

This chapter contains philosophy in a practical nature. It includes the first five steps of the
yoga limbs along with benefits, obstacles and ways to overcome the obstacles. It states
that there are five major obstacles or causes of suffering and pain called Kleshas and
these are:

• Avidya – ignorance of our true nature

• Asmita – consciousness of I, egotism
• Raga – attachment, extreme dislike, hatred
• Dvesha – our aversion to things
• Abhiivesha – clinging to life, fear of death, attachment to the body

3. Vibhuti Padi - Accomplishments (union achieved and its results). This chapter discusses
the final three steps of Raja yoga plus all of the powers and accomplishments which could
come to a faithful practitioner. It covers the last three limbs of yoga – Dharana, Dhyana and
Samedhi.

4. Kaivalya Pada - Absoluteness (illumination and freedom). This chapter discusses

yoga from a philosophical viewpoint. It explains that life should be lived in a selfless way
and to be lived in a dedicated way i.e. whatever you do, do it for others.