Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (How to Know God) Paperback – Import, 1 December 1983

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Prabhavananda and Isherwood's translation is meant for the modern reader is a must read for anyone interested in Hindu spirituality and philosophy.

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Le commentaire ici présenté donne un premier point de vue simple, et issu d'un véritable maître. On saisit combien l'auteur pénètre l'enseignement. Le défaut de ce livre tient à de possibles erreurs d'interprétation que l'on corrigera éventuellement par la lecture de "la voie et ses pièges" de Arnaud Desjardins.

1. Best book on spiritual growth via Yoga philosophy that I have ever read, by far, out of many dozens. I would give it 20 stars if I could. This book is spot on. Brief, to the point, and powerful. No new Age fru fru stuff in here - this is for someone who really wants to start a disciplined spiritual practice that really will lead them somewhere. Amazing. There are many commentaries on the Yoga Sutras that are extremely tedious and long winded. Esp. the ones by Patabi Jois and B.K. Iyengar. Yuck! No wonder so few of their students bother to study Patanjali in depth, lol. THIS commentary is the exact opposite. Easy to read and not at all academic.2. Those of you who still think putting your foot behind your head and holding perfect mula banda makes you an advanced Yogi need to read this book. Yoga has little to do with postures, and Patanjali, the patron saint of Yoga, makes that clear. Patanjali is to Yoga what Lao Tsu is to Taoism. There are only two references to asanas in the entire body of sutras (186 of them) and both of those refer only to a sitting position. Asanas are great, I do them too, but there are many Yogis in India who do none at all; most of the members of the 10 branches of Shankara's ancient monastic order, for example. These are truly the torch bearers of the Yoga tradition, and a several of them are friends of mine from from my many trips there. They are remarkable men (and women!) and I hope to slowly become more like them. This book explains the basics of their philosophy.3. In India, this book is sold by the Ramakrishna Math as "Patanjali Yoga Sutras" by Swami Prabhavananda, and then it mentions Christopher Isherwood as a co-author. So its unclear to me who actually wrote the commentary. If you happen to be going to India, you can probably find it in any of the Ramakrishna Maths scattered over the country.

I have read this book over and over again. Although there are many commentaries on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali this one is perhaps the best for anyone who originally comes from a Christian background and practises yoga. It might even rekindle your faith. Looking at the faith you are brought up in from a different angle is often quite enlightening and it is worth reading deep Christian literature as much of what is said there is very much along the same lines as the sutras but perhaps not expressed quite so succinctly! Christopher Isherwood gives a deep insight into how the practice of yoga can aid a spiritual aspirant to purify body and mind in order to pursue the spiritual journey and it is fascinating how the commentary refers to the Catholic tradition and draws parallels. The commentary provides guidance on stilling and controlling the mind in order to roll back the veil of illusion and discover the Kingdom of God within ourselves. This book stimulated me to a spiritual search which I might not otherwise have undertaken. Ever grateful to my yoga tutor for recommending this particular commentary. I am now more convinced that yoga is a universal set of tools for the spiritual journey in any tradition. Vedanta appears to be the key.

Great book with good translators. Worthwhile addition to your library.