Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
The classical text of Yoga philosophy: short aphorisms that define yoga as the stilling of the movements of the mind and set out the eight limbs (ashtanga).
| Tradition | Hindu (Yoga darshana) |
|---|---|
| Type | Sutra |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| Period | c. 2nd century BCE – 4th century CE (scholarly estimate) |
| Composed or compiled by | Traditionally attributed to Patanjali |
What it contains
- About 195 sutras in four chapters (padas): Samadhi, Sadhana, Vibhuti and Kaivalya.
- "Yogash chitta vritti nirodhah": yoga is the stilling of the mind's movements (1.2).
- The eight limbs: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.
- Obstacles to practice and ways to overcome them.
- Kaivalya: liberation of the seer.
Significance
It is the foundation of classical yoga. India's proposal led the UN to declare 21 June the International Day of Yoga, first observed in 2015.