A long time ago when I was just starting my study of yoga – guess it was 1986 or 1987 – one of my groupmates came with a clandestine reprint of a brochure made with the help of factory printing office. Though, it was not even a brochure: just several unbound sheets bearing the title… Continue reading On Yoga Sutras’ Five Translations
Category: History of Yoga
Krakow 4. Yoga Sutra Authorship Debate
The next case of Krakow conference that I would like to share is the unusual double report made in form of a discussion between two classics of modern Indology – Philipp Maas and Michel Angot. The subject of the discussion in itself was very interesting – it dealt with Yoga Sutras authorship. But even if… Continue reading Krakow 4. Yoga Sutra Authorship Debate
Krakow 3. What Does “Svarūpa” Actually Mean?
The next report that I would like to refer to was made by Keith Edward Cantú from the University of California, Santa Barbara and explored the category of Svarūpa and its understanding in live Yoga Traditions of India, mostly of Bengal. The reader may remember that the term svarūpa (own form) was introduced by Patanjali… Continue reading Krakow 3. What Does “Svarūpa” Actually Mean?
Krakow 2. The History of Standing Asanas. James Mallinson’s Report
The next report that I would like to give my special consideration to was made by a person who is believed to be a living legend of yoga insider studies – James Mallinson. A British aristocrat addicted to Oriental studies since his early youth; a man who’s been practicing in one of authentic Traditions for… Continue reading Krakow 2. The History of Standing Asanas. James Mallinson’s Report
Ishvara and the World Tree. The Metaphysics of Plato
The line 25 of Yoga Sutras compares Ishvara with a seed that contains omniscience (sarva-jnana-bidja): तत्र निरतिशयं सार्वज्ञबीजम् ॥ २५॥25. tatra niratiśayaṃ sārva-jña-bījam 25. In Him [Ishvara] is the complete manifestation of the seed of omniscience. [Engl. transl. by Swami Satchidananda – translator’s note]. This happens to be in a remarkable manner aligned with an… Continue reading Ishvara and the World Tree. The Metaphysics of Plato
Some words about Kumbh Mela
I have recalled that I have a small thing to be done for the blog. Early last year I visited Kumbh Mela and I promised I would express my opinion concerning the symbolism of this holiday, but I was tied up with my affairs and I have not written a corresponding port. But I will… Continue reading Some words about Kumbh Mela
Definitions of Yoga. Sutra 1-2
Frankly speaking, when I was starting this blog I did not want to deal here with analysis and comparison of existing translation variants, let alone their criticism, leaving the criticism to those who enjoys doing it J. What I intended to do was to accompany the reader on the way of understanding Patanjali, so to… Continue reading Definitions of Yoga. Sutra 1-2