Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
by B.K.S. Iyengar
A Living Yogi
This book provided readers with a fresh and accessible translation of this
ancient text.
Personal Review: Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by
B.K.S. Iyengar
... this book will still be of great interest and value to you if you are
spiritually inclined.
the top reviewers assertion that the yoga sutras represents the theory
behind the practice of hatha yoga is not really correct.
hatha yoga (which is what 'yoga' normally stands for in the west) is actually
only a minor part of the yoga sutras - i think it occurs in no more than a
single verse in the text! one can infact say that to be a yogi as per patanjali
one needn't even practice hatha yoga!

historically the most ancient philosophical school in india was the saamkya
as taught by the sage kapila (even for the historical buddha circa 500 bc,
kaplia was 'ancient'). patanjala yoga is traditionally considered the sister
system of the saamkya. while saamkya taught metaphysics and the theory
of enlightenment - about the eternal purusha (one's true self/soul), the
transient praakriti (primal matter which includes the body and mind as well
as the objects we experience), how the purusha is seduced by the 'dance'
of praakriti and thus bound to a limited existence and how the seperation
of the two effects enlightenment - yoga provided a practical path as to how
such enlightenment can be effected. thus one of the traditional meanings
of the sanskrit words 'saamkya' and 'yoga' itself is 'theory' and 'practice'.
the heart of the yoga sutra lies in the verse 'chitta vritti nirodah' - the
cessation of mental modifications. ie when the mind is controlled and
brought to stillness, you will know the true nature of your own self -
enlightenment.
hatha yoga can be used as an aid to achieve this goal - that is what it was
created for - but that doesn't make it indispensable. there're even more
serious philosophical/spiritual/ethical/discipinary issues involved which is
what this text mostly covers apart from the philosophy.
so this book is more for those who're looking for greater
spiritual/philosophical depth behind/beyond the science of hatha yoga. or
for anybody who is looking for greater depth and meaning and spirituality
in life even if they have never been to a yoga class. this is a seriously deep
spiritual text.
btw saamkya had no place for 'God' in its philosophy. even for patanjali,
yoga does not mean union with god (as per the popular interpretation) -
rather the seperation of purusha from praakriti, where god *can* help.
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