Yogasutra

The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali are a collection of 196 Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga. The Yoga Sutras were compiled sometime between 500 BCE and 400 CE by the sage Patanjali in India who synthesized and organized knowledge about yoga from much older traditions. Patañjali was a sage in India, thought to be the author of a number of Sanskrit works. The greatest of these are the Yoga Sutras, one of the most important texts in the Indian tradition and the foundation of classical Yoga. It is the Indian Yoga text that was most translated in its medieval era into forty Indian languages.

Sutras (in Sanskrit) literally means a thread or string that holds things together and more metaphorically refers to an aphorism. The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali is an ancient philosophy that enlightens one in the knowledge of yoga, its origin, and the ultimate purpose. Its purpose is to make the principles and practices of the Yoga formulae more understandable and accessible for all. In the Yoga Sutras, practical and easy suggestions are presented through which one can experience the ultimate benefits of a yogic lifestyle. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are life’s threads, each one rich with knowledge, tools, and techniques. These sutras guide not only the mind but also one’s very being to its full potential. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras offer a systematic form of wisdom for attaining self-realization/enlightenment.