For inspiring our readers, we are mentioning an indicative list of scriptures in which yoga has been explained. We may be covering some of them in the Śāstra Manthana column5 of the OM RISE magazine’s future issues.
An indicative list of Yoga related scriptures 6
Vedas
- Atharvavedaḥ
- Ṛgveda
- Sāmaveda
- Yajurveda
Darśana
- Patañjali Yoga Darśana (sūtra)
- Pātañjalayogaśāstravivaraṇa
- Vaiśeṣikasūtra
- Padārthadharmasaṃgraha
- Sāṃkhya Darśana
- Aparokṣānubhūti
- Śaṅkaradigvijaya
- Jīvanmuktiviveka
- Haṃsavilāsa
Purāṇa
- Kūrma
- Liṅga
- Mārkaṇḍeya
- Nāradīya Purāṇa
- Skanda
- Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahā-purāṇa
- Vāyu
Other texts
- Amanaska
- Amaraughaprabodha
- Amṛtasiddhi
- Bṛhatkhecarīprakāśa
- Candrāvalokana
- Dattātreyayogaśāstra
- Tantravārttika
- Gorakṣaśataka
- Gorakṣavijaya
- Gheraṇḍasaṃhitā
- Haṭharatnāvalī
- Haṭhatattvakaumudī
- Haṭhayogapradīpikā
- Haṭhābhyāsapaddhati
- Jogpradīpakā
- Jñāneśvarī
- Kathāsaritsāgara
- Khecarīvidyā
- Miragāvatī
- Rājayogāmṛta
- Śivasaṃhitā
- Śivayogapradīpikā
- Śārṅgadharapaddhati
- Sarvāṅgayogapradīpikā
- Siddhasiddhāntapaddhati
- Śrītattvanidhi
- Vāsiṣṭha Saṃhitā
- Vivekamārtaṇḍa
- Yogamārgaprakāśikā
- Yogabīja
- Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya
- Yogatārāvalī
- Yoga-Vāsiṣṭha
- Yoga- Yājñavalkya
Buddhist
- Cūḷavedalla Sutta
- Hevajra
- Mañjuśriyamūlakalpa
- Saccavibhaṅga Sutta
- Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta
- Vairocanābhisaṃbodhisūtra
- Vajravārāhī Sādhana
- Visuddhimagga
- Yogācārabhūmi Śāstra
Vedic Prasthānatrayī
Upaniṣad
- 20 Yoga Upaniṣads 7
- Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad
- Chāndogyopaniṣad
- Jaiminiya Upaniṣad
- Kaṭhopaniṣad
- Maitrāyaṇīya Upaniṣad
- Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad
- Praśnopaniṣad
- Śvetāśvataropaniṣad
- Taittirīya Upaniṣad
Brahma Sutras
- Brahmasūtrabhāṣya
Śrīmad Bhagavadgītā
Itihāsa
- Rāmāyaṇam
- Śrīmad Bhagavadgītā (part of Mahābhāratam)
Vaishnava Tantra
- Pādmasaṃhitā
- Vaikhānasadharmasūtra
- Vimānārcanākalpa
- Viṣṇusaṃhitā
Shaiva Tantra
- Brahmayāmala
- Jayadrathayāmala
- Kaulajñānanirṇaya
- Kiraṇa
- Kubjikāmata
- Lallāvākyāni
- Mahākālasaṃhitā
- Mālinīvijayottara
- Mataṅgapārameśvara
- Matsyendrasaṃhitā
- Mṛgendra
- Netra
- Niśvāsatattvasaṃhitā
- Pañcārthabhāṣya
- Parākhya
- Paramokṣanirāsakārikāvṛtti
- Saṃgītaratnākara
- Śāradātilaka
- Sarvajñānottara
- Siddhayogeśvarīmata
- Spandakārikā
- Spandasaṃdoha
- Svacchanda
- Tirumantiram
- Vijñānabhairava
- Vimalaprabhā
- Vīṇāśikha
Jain
- Hemacandra’s Yogaśāstra
- Sthānāṅgasūtra
- Tattvārthasūtra
In this issue, we bring you a brief overview on one of the most popular yoga scriptures in our times,
the Patañjali Yoga Darśana.
Patañjali Yoga Darśana (sūtra) पतञ्जलि योग दर्शन (सूत्र) – Maharṣi Patañjali
The Patañjali Yoga Darśana is the most popular foundational texts on classical yoga philosophy. The tradition of writing commentaries on the scripture has enriched our understanding of this scripture over many centuries. Given this continued interest, several of those commentaries have also been translated along with the main text in many languages.
The main text comprises four chapters (or Padas) having a total of 195 sūtras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga. These are: Samādhi Pada (51 sūtras), Sādhana Pada (55 sūtras), Vibhuti Pada (55 sūtras), Kaivalya Pada (34 sūtras).
Samādhi refers to a yogic state where one’s self-identity is merged into pure consciousness through the union of the trinity (for e.g. observer, observing and objects of observation). This is a gateway of the mind towards Kaivalya (liberation). The first chapter describes yoga, its nature and the means of attaining samādhi. Its main message is: “yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ”, which means that “yoga is the restraint of fluctuations/patterns of consciousness”.
Sādhana refers to practice or discipline. This chapter describes two systems of yogic practice: Kriyā Yoga and Aṣṭāṅga yoga (eightfold yoga). The former involves tapas (austerity), svādhyaya (self-study of the scriptures) and iśvara praṇidhana (devotion to God or pure consciousness). The latter involves eight limbs: Yama (behavioural restraints), niyama (observances), āsana (physical postures), prāṇayāma (breath control), pratyāhāra (withdrawal of the senses), dhāraṇa (concentration), dhyāna (meditation), and samādhi (absorption).
Vibhuti refers to “power” or “manifestation”. This chapter describes the siddhis (perfections or powers or fruits of one’s practice) that come through samyama (a term to refer to the practice of last three limbs of aṣṭāṅga yoga – dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi). However, siddhis are considered here as obstacles in the ultimate goal of liberation.
Kaivalya refers to liberation or emancipation. This chapter describes the process of liberation and the transcendental self.
5. In every issue, in this section, we introduce one or more ancient scriptures which may be of interest to our readers for spiritual wisdom relating to the theme of the issue.
6. For a chronological list, see: Mallinson, J., & Singleton, M. (2017). Roots of yoga. Penguin UK. pp 6-8
7. For full list of 20 Yoga Upaniṣads, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Upanishads#List_of_20_Yoga_Upanishads
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