The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali An Accessible Commentary - Paperback

by Kurt Matthys (Author)

Today, there are many things called yoga, and unfortunately many of them have nothing to do with yoga. Most people think of yoga as either contorting your body into weird positions, or meditating. While yoga does contain both of these elements, it is actually a spiritual practice, not an exercise modality. Yoga is a many lifetime practice that requires dedication and perseverance.

Many philosophies exist in India, but when people talk about yoga philosophy, they mean the Patañjali Yoga Sūtras: 'the' discourse on yoga. Existing books tend to be either too philosophical for a first time student of yoga, or too simplified to be useful, or have been appropriated. The goal of this book is to comment on Patañjali's text in an accurate and accessible way, keeping true to the original text, with thoughts from the author and other commentators, and examples from the author's own practice, without watering it down or making it too difficult to understand for first-time reader.

Inside, you'll find the original Sanskrit, transliteration, translation, and commentary on each sūtra. The commentary includes many cross references to other sūtras that are relevant to the sūtra under discussion, that show how they all fit into a cohesive philosophy. This book breaks up Patañjali's text into topical sections in all four chapters, while keeping the text in the original order.

Included is a Sanskrit to English glossary for important Sanskrit words, a guide to Sanskrit and transliteration pronunciation, and several appendices on various topics.