The Yoga Sutras of Patajali: A New Edition, Translation, and Commentary

A landmark new translation and edition

Written almost two millennia ago, Patajali's work focuses on how to attain the direct experience and realization of thepurusa: the innermost individual self, or soul. As the classical treatise on the Hindu understanding of mind and consciousness and on the technique of meditation, it has exerted immense influence over the religious practices of Hinduism in India and, more recently, in the West.

Edwin F. Bryant's translation is clear, direct, and exact. Each sutra is presented as Sanskrit text, transliteration, and precise English translation, and is followed by Bryant's authoritative commentary, which is grounded in the classical understanding of yoga and conveys the meaning and depth of the su-tras in a user-friendly manner for a Western readership without compromising scholarly rigor or traditional authenticity. In addition, Bryant presents insights drawn from the primary traditional commentaries on the sutras written over the last millennium and a half.

A superb contribution to the secondary literature onyoga. Critically grounded in the scholarship onyogaand the rich textual history of the tradition, Bryant nevertheless succeeds in transcending both the excessively technical approaches toyogascholarship as well as much of the popular nonsense aboutyogain the proliferating schools' in the New Age marketplace. Bryant impressively communicates the essentials ofyogaphilosophy and practice to the thoughtful but non-specialist general reader. His translations from the Sanskrit are precise and well-grounded, and his interpretations are provocative and persuasive. His book will surely be welcomed by both serious scholars and responsible practitioners. Gerald James Larson, Rabindranath Tagore Professor Emeritus of Indian Cultures and Civilizations, Indiana University, Bloomington, and Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara

Dr. Bryant's translation of and commentary on Patajali'sYoga Sutrasreveal the rich tapestry of schools and viewpoints that form the background for theyogatradition. Dr. Bryant teaches us to delight in the diversity of ideas and commentaries that come along with the equally diverse practices ofyoga. He helps us to look deeper into a universal pattern of all practices, taking us out of the fundamentalism and exclusivity of our own schools. Grounded in an unbiased sense of ancient history, he clears away any confusion about the meaning of and the connections between differentyogaphilosophies. His book is a well-rounded and inspiriting course on the real connections between ideas, practices, and direct experience. I enthusiastically recommend it. Richard Freeman, author of The Yoga Matrix

Edwin Bryant has provided us with a sweeping, kaleidoscopic overview of this essentialyogatext. His clear and engaging prose brings Patajali's aphorisms to life, taking his reader on an amazing journey through the history ofyogaphilosophy. David Gordon White, Professor of Religious Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of Sinister Yogis

Edwin Bryant unpacks the layers of history and traditional commentaries that are in the suitcase of theYoga Sutras. Through his depth of understanding and research rendered in this detailed map, we are able to travel a little closer to our soul. I will be reading and referring to his text for a lifetime. Rodney Yee, author of Moving Toward Balance

The greatest strength of Edwin Bryant's work on theYoga Sutrasis that he has taken the most abstruse comm