Introduction | I. 1-13 | I. 14-26

 VYĀSA COMMENTS ON YOGA

The great sage Vyāsa comments on the celebrated Yogasūtra-s of Patañjali

 Introduction

Hi, Gabriel Pradīpaka again. Yogasūtra-s or Yoga Aphorisms composed by the sage Patañjali is the main scripture of the system called Pātañjalayoga or Patañjali's Yoga. Many commentators have tried to elucidate the secret meanings contained in them. However, there is a primordial commentator whose commentary is a kind of cornerstone. This commentator is the sublime sage Vyāsa. The commentary of Vyāsa is really simple but very deep at the same time. It occupies four whole chapters within his celebrated work known as "Sāṅkhyapravacanasūtra". It is indeed worth reading and studying over and over again.

You may taste a bit of that commentary in my document dealing with Aṣṭāṅgayoga, in which I extract 35 sūtra-s or aphorisms along with the respective Vyāsa's commentaries. These thirty-five aphorisms comprise what I call the core of the Eight-limbed Yoga or Aṣṭāṅgayoga. Still, having finished that document, I decided to publish the entire Vyāsa's commentary on the 195 aphorisms of Yogasūtra-s. Of course, apart from the Vyāsa's commentaries on those 35 aphorisms (from II-29 to III-8), I had not translated the rest of them. So, I had to start "almost" from the scratch, step by step, and publish his commentaries as I translated them.

The task of translating the Vyāsa's aphorisms is a hard one, not only due to the relatively "old" Sanskrit style Vyāsa uses, but to the scholarship exhibited by him. Patañjali's Yoga is not my specialty, as you surely know, but I tried to do my best despite my inherent conditionings. Although I am not commenting directly on the Vyāsa's commentary, you will find some clarifying notes written by myself every time it is necessary.

Of course, I will also insert the Patañjali's aphorisms on which Vyāsa is commenting. Even though I will not comment on either the original sūtra-s or the Vyāsa's commentary, I will write some notes to make a particular point clear when necessary. Vyāsa's Sanskrit will be in dark green color while the original Patañjali's aphorisms will be shown in dark red color. In turn, within transliteration, the original aphorisms will be in brown color and have their correct number at the end. Note that the very Vyāsa's commentary will have a number similar to the commented aphorism. Finally, the translation of the original aphorisms by Patañjali will use deep red and black colors, while the commentary by Vyāsa will contain words in both black and red color.

Finally, may Vyāsa's grace allow me to finish successfully this translation! Om̐, peace, peace, peace.

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 Further Information

This document was conceived by Gabriel Pradīpaka, one of the two founders of this site, and spiritual guru conversant with Sanskrit language and Trika philosophy.

For further information about Sanskrit, Yoga and Indian Philosophy; or if you simply want to comment, ask a question or correct a mistake, feel free to contact us: This is our e-mail address.

Continue to read I. 1-13