patanjali

Historically, Patanjali may have lived sometime between 500 and 200 B.C., but much of what we know of the master of yoga is drawn from legends.

He is referred to as a svayambhu, an evolved soul incarnated of his own will to help humanity. He assumed human form, experienced our sorrows and joys, and learned to transcend them.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a collection of 196 aphorisms that covers the art, science and philosophy of life.

The book is divided into four chapters. These are:

Samadhi (contemplation);
Sadhana (on practice)
Vibhuti (on properties and powers)
Kaivalya (on emancipation and freedom)

Besides yoga, Patanjali chose to write on two other subjects, grammar and medicine.

The story of sage Patanjali

It is said that once Lord Visnu was seated on Adisesa, Lord of serpents, His couch, watching the enchanting dance of Lord Siva. Lord Visnu was so totally absorbed in the dance movements of Lord Siva that His body began to vibrate to their rhythm. This vibration made him heavier and heavier, causing Adisesa to feel so unconfortable that he was gasping for breath and was on the point of collapse. The moment the dance came to an end, Lord Visnu’s body became light again. Adisesa was amazed and asked his master the cause of these stupendous changes. The Lord explained that the grace, beauty, majesty and grandeur of Lord Siva’s dance had created corresponding vibrations in His own body, making it heavy. Marvelling at this, Adisesa professed a desire to learn to dance so as to exalt his Lord. Visnu became thoughtful, and predicted that soon Lord Siva would grace Adisesa, to write a commentary on grammar, and that he would then also be able to devote himself to perfection in the art of dance. Adisesa, was overjoyed by these words and looked forward to the descent of Lord Siva’s grace.

Leerzeile

Adisesa then began to meditate to ascertain who would be his mother on earth. In meditation, he had the vision of a Yogini by the name of Gonika who was praying for a worthy son to whom she could impart her knowledge and wisdom. He at once realized that she would be a worthy mother for hi, and awaited an auspicious moment to become her son. Gonika, thinking that her earthly life was approaching its end, had not found a worthy son for whom she had been searching. Now, as a last resort, she looked to the Sun God, the living witness of God on earth and prayed to Him to fulfil her desire. She took a handful of water as a final oblation to Him, closed his eyes and meditated on the Sun. As she was about to offer the water, she opened her eyes and looked at her palms. To her surprise, she saw a tiny snake moving in her palms who soon took on a human form. This tiny male human being prostrated to Gonika and asked her to accept him as her son. This she did ad named him Patanjali

Pata means falling or fallen and anjali is an oblation. Anjali also means ‘hands folded in prayer’. Gonika’s prayer with folded hands thus bears the name Patanjali.

(source: Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B.K.S. Iyengar)

Invocation of Patanjali

Yogena cittasya padena vacam
malam  sarirasya ca vaidyakena
yopakarottam pravaram muninam
patanjalim pranajaliranato’smi
abahu purusakaram
sankha cakrasi dharinam
sahasra sirasam svetam
pranamami patanjalim.

Let us bow before the noblest of sages Patanjali, who gave yoga for serenity and sanctity of mind, grammar for clarity and purity of speech and medicine for perfection of health. Let us prostrate before Patanjali, an incarnation of Adisesa, whose upper body has a human form, whose arms hold a conch and a disc, and who is crowned by a thousand-headed cobra.