Patanjali was a great teacher, but many of his methods are not immediately obvious. His book Yoga Sutras is a great place to start, and it’s filled with helpful explanations and examples of how to practice each posture. In this article, we’ll discuss the Yoga Sutras, the Mahabhasya, and the Charaka Samhita.
Yoga Sutras
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are a collection of yogic texts. They were originally written in Sanskrit, but have been translated into English in the nineteenth century. The first edition was translated by J.R. Ballyntyne, and later two additional editions were published in English. A final translation of the text was published in 1885. Several authors have translated the Sutras.
Mahabhasya
The Mahabhasya of Patanjalia is a commentary on the Sutras of Panini written by Patanjali. It is considered one of the most important works in yoga and has a rich and diverse content. As the title implies, it teaches the importance of applying the principles of grammar.
Charaka Samhita
The Charaka Samhita of Patanjalia is one of the oldest known writings in the field of Ayurveda. It is considered to have been composed around 400 to 200 BCE. Though the exact date of composition is not known, it could be attributed to a single individual named Charaka, or to a group of scholars. It is a redaction of the earlier Agnivesha Samhita, which consists of over 46,000 verses.
Pratyahara
Many people describe Pratyahara as the withdrawal of senses. However, it is more than just shutting out your senses. It is a disciplined act of redirecting your attention and controlling your senses.
Curse of Patanjali
In the yoga tradition, Patanjali wrote a book called the Yoga Sutras. It’s a great document on life, but is also the most boring book in the world. The reason for this is that the Sutras aren’t scholarly. Patanjali deliberately wrote them in a way that no scholar would be interested in. Instead, they’re written in a poetic, literary style. Yet, people read them anyway – from scholars to everyday people.
Draupadi
Draupadi is one of the most beloved characters in the epic Mahabharata. In the story, she is humiliated by the Pandavas and is angered by their unwillingness to help her. In addition, Draupadi takes up arms against the Kauravas and reprimands them for molesting her. As a result, she begins to crave justice and is satisfied only when the enemy blood runs through her hair.
His brother Pandu
Patanjali, the author of Yogasutra, is a great sage who has been called many names. He is considered an incarnation of Sheshanaga and was well versed in the three branches of Sanskrit known as yoga, grammar, and ayurveda. He contributed immensely to the science of language and medicine.