Sage Patanjali, one of the most famous sages of ancient India, collected the aphorisms of yoga. His book, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, is a compilation of the different types of yoga and their benefits to the human body. Sage Patanjali has also authored many other works, some of which are commentaries on spiritual practices performed by the sages of his time. His work, Mahābhāya, has received many accolades and is a true testament to sage Panini's ‘Ashtadhyayi’ method of meditation.
The Yoga sutras of Patanjali’s Sanskrit version have today been translated into many languages owing to the increasing popularity of yoga. Raja yoga, the philosophical basis of which has been translated in various languages, is a popular discipline of yoga.
Yoga is considered to be an effective way to bring inner peace and maintain a balance between the body, soul and mind. The principles of yoga have been derived from Hinduism and a call for a deep contemplation and self awareness. It also involves meditation, devotion, with a keen emphasis on ethics and principles of metaphysics.
The tradition of Yoga is much older than Patanjali himself. There have been several allusions to yoga in many of the Indian epics and mythology. Patanjali has attempted to bring together the best of the yogic practices in one book called the Yoga Sutras. Today you can easily get your hands on a yoga sutra translation and derive yogic knowledge that has been preserved for centuries.
In the book, Patanjali mentions the eight limbed system of yoga which is based on the philosophy of eight indispensable basics of Yoga. The following are the eight limbs (Ashtanga) that sage Patanjali elaborated upon:
Yama – The ethics of a person that make him turn to non violence, giving him unusual restraint over his faculties.
Niyama – Self discipline and the ability to deny yourself the pleasures of the world to attain a higher consciousness.
Asana – Posture or pose.
Pranayama – Willful control over breathing.
Pratyahara – A withdrawal from the many temptations of the world.
Dharana – Increased and unperturbed concentration.
Dhyana – Meditation and finally,
Samadhi – Attainment of peace and oneness with the almighty.
Sage Patanjali’s works are often considered to be more than just mere compilations. A lot of the text is regarded as his own original work because of the clarity of thought that is exhibited in the text. Though each yoga sutra translation portrays sage Patanjali in a different light, the book is an empathic text and a great contribution to spiritualism and yoga.