Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali” as Want to Read:
Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
by
BKS Iyengar’s translation and commentary on these ancient yoga sutras has been described as the “bible” of yoga.
This new edition of the classic text contains a new introduction by BKS Iyengar, as well as a foreword by Godfrey Devereux, author of Dynamic Yoga.
Patanjali wrote this collection of yoga wisdom over 2,000 years ago. They are amongst the world’s most revered and a ...more
This new edition of the classic text contains a new introduction by BKS Iyengar, as well as a foreword by Godfrey Devereux, author of Dynamic Yoga.
Patanjali wrote this collection of yoga wisdom over 2,000 years ago. They are amongst the world’s most revered and a ...more
Get A Copy
Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Published
June 28th 2012
by Thorsons
(first published 1966)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali,
please sign up.
Be the first to ask a question about Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Each page is a lifetime of learning. I'll be reading this book the rest of my life.
So, this is quite a dense and intense read and I am glad to have read it after Light on Yoga by the same author, which prepared me for some of the deeper concepts. It was part of the required pre-reading of a yoga teacher training course I took. On the first reading I was feeling a bit bogged down by the sanskrit, and especially by parts of Vibhuti Pada. I've since been over it again to summarise it, and found I was feeling more comfortable with it and more familiar with sanskrit words. There is
...more
I love this book and I highly recommend this translation. Iyengar has the sanskrit word by word translation, then each verse, then his own commentary. Amazing. Great if you want to see the original language and the Iyengar's insights.
I dig the intellectual puzzle of esoteric yoga scriptures but even more so, they always leave me suddenly calm and full of perspective. Iyengar's translation was a standout for me among many others I read because he seemed to have lived his yoga. The book, especially the 3rd section, Vibhuti Pada, was a key inspiration for THE YOGA OF MAX'S DISCONTENT, my first international novel.
I will actually be reading this book over and over for a long time. It is an in depth explanation on the philosophy of yoga. It is dense and there is much to be learned here. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Hindu philosophy and yoga.
Intense. Not for the faint yogi or philosopher. Excellent description and explanation of the sutras. If you're working on your sanskrit, it's a good book for that.
Now I've read it once. This is the start of a beautiful relationship with a book.
I had been wading through this book for some time. Finally something clicked and I was able to understand much more clearly the nuances of the consciousness that were being discussed. I find humor in this as it is actually written very clearly, but my mind was not able to remain focused on the subject in the beginning.
A wide ranging look at the consciousness and how it relates to our journey through life.
A wide ranging look at the consciousness and how it relates to our journey through life.
Concentration on the sutras is vital and reading them is one of contemplation and letting everything sink in. BKS Iyengar gives the most clear and concise definitions of the sutras. It is a must read.
So poetic, easy to understand, and beautiful. I will read this again and again. Has changed my life, I finished it last night and had the most amazing dream.
I love the commentary, the graphs and pretty much everything in this great book.
Can t recomend it more to all Yogis out there who want to dive deeper into the Yoga Sutras
Can t recomend it more to all Yogis out there who want to dive deeper into the Yoga Sutras
The theory behind the practice
There was yoga before the time of Patanjali but it was not written down, or at least no text survives. We find elements of the practice in the Upanishads and of course in the Bhagavad Gita. But before Patanjali's codification there was no systematic text to guide the aspirant. Since then Patanjali's sutras have been translated into many languages along with commentary to elucidate the concise text, with Vyasa's commentary from the ninth century--upon which Iyengar m ...more
There was yoga before the time of Patanjali but it was not written down, or at least no text survives. We find elements of the practice in the Upanishads and of course in the Bhagavad Gita. But before Patanjali's codification there was no systematic text to guide the aspirant. Since then Patanjali's sutras have been translated into many languages along with commentary to elucidate the concise text, with Vyasa's commentary from the ninth century--upon which Iyengar m ...more
The “Yoga Sutras” are 196 aphorisms about yoga that were penned by a sage named Patanjali around 400 CE (i.e. AD.) Unless you’re a Sanskrit scholar with expertise in the history of yoga and the region that birthed it, it’s hard to gain anything from reading the Sutras directly. The Sutras are written in a terse style in a sparse language, and so most readers aren’t equipped to interpret them – which takes not only knowing the language but have some understanding of the context in which they were
...more
This is an awesome interpretation of the Yoga Sutras. I gave it 5 stars because it was great in terms of breaking down and explaining every sutra in detail. However, the language is very colloquial, which a lot of readers might not appreciate. That said, some readers may not read the book in its entirety because many sutras are complex and would require a steady yoga practice to really understand. However, 5 stars because it was a great source for the English interpretaion of the sutras.
To anyone keen on entering the vast, wise world of Yoga and embarking on a spiritual journey, this book is a must read. The eternal wisdom of Patanjali, offered as intense nuggets, have been profoundly and brilliantly explained by the renowned yoga guru B.K.S.Iyengar. As the book progresses, you can't help but feel a change in your attitude towards life. A worthy read that will assist in your yogic practices and spiritual journey.
I mean. It's where yoga comes from! Anyone interested in buddhism, yoga, hinduism or just living with more compassion should definitely read this. But don't think too hard ... it is all meaningless ;)
The only translation I own...I've heard of a really good translation by a woman. Let me know if you know of that one.
Great primer on how to maneuver the world while staying in a yogic mode of right action. Even though I've read it a zillion times, I'm still failing!
A complete guide to unravel the dynamics of disentanglement as portrayed in dualistic theories of Samkhya. Great start for students of classical yoga.
This is not the type of thing you read and then put away. This is a book to dedicate oneself to. Intense.
good classic yoga reference!
As if it were even possible to finish reading a spiritual treatise.
An essential book that you have to re-read every day.
An essential book that you have to re-read every day.
Probably Iyengar's best work. He still sees the Sutras in a religious vein, but that is OK. He brings out wonderful ideas.
Thank you to my dear teacher, Oma, who recommend this book.
It is by far the most user friendly version of the sutras I have read to date.
#vibratehigher
It is by far the most user friendly version of the sutras I have read to date.
#vibratehigher
A masterful treatment by a master of the science of yoga.
Not sure I'll ever "finish" reading this. Great resource for those interested in yoga philosophy.
So much easier to understand than other translations and commentary. I am blown away at the wealth of knowledge shared in this book.
Book that contains insight on yoga sutras of legendary bhagwan Patanjali. Bks Iyengar did awesome job.
A yoga reference book,,,I will never officially “finish” this book, but I have read the introduction multiple times in hopes of soaking in some of the explanations. “Yoga is the union of body, mind, and soul, and with God.” Patanjali gives experiential intelligence to the yoga sutras,,,it’s a discussion of philosophy behind the concept of yoga, not about postures. There are 196 sutras, each concerning an aspect of the path to enlightenment through yoga. Way over my head! But it’s a path...not a
...more
This was my first time reading the yoga sutras and I chose Iyengar because I am under the impression that on top of being an acclaimed swami, he writes as a scholar more than as a spiritual authority.
This is not a book you read, it is a book you study. A lot to take in. It will take me a lot of time and effort before the sutras become clear for me.
Yet I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the yogic culture.
This is not a book you read, it is a book you study. A lot to take in. It will take me a lot of time and effort before the sutras become clear for me.
Yet I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the yogic culture.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers also enjoyed
Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar (Kannada: ಬೆಳ್ಳೂರ್ ಕೃಷ್ಣಮಾಚಾರ್ ಸುಂದರರಾಜ ಐಯಂಗಾರ್), (also known as Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar) (Born December 14, 1918 in Bellur, Kolar District, Karnataka, India) is the founder of Iyengar Yoga. He is considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world and has been practicing and teaching yoga for more than 75 years. He has written many books on yogic p
...more
News & Interviews
Are you spending this season bundling up against the chill or enjoying summery southern hemisphere vibes (in which case we are...
77 likes · 28 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Asana has two facets, pose and repose. Pose is the artistic assumption of a position. ‘Reposing in the pose’ means finding the perfection of a pose and maintaining it, reflecting in it with penetration of the intelligence and with dedication.”
—
5 likes
“Yoga is the teacher of yoga; yoga is to be understood through yoga. So live in yoga to realize yoga; comprehend yoga through yoga; he who is free from distractions enjoys yoga through yoga.”
—
4 likes
More quotes…
