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Patanjali
पतञ्जलि
The father of yoga — the compiler of the Yoga Sutras
Years
c. 2nd century BCE
Known as
Patanjali — the sage of the Yoga Sutras
Birthplace
The tradition of Bhārat
Field
Saints & Sages
“Yoga is the stilling of the whirlpools of the mind.”
— Patanjali, Yoga Sutras
The Story
The tradition honours Patanjali as the compiler of the Yoga Sutras — 196 aphorisms that set out the entire science of yoga: its aim, its methods, and its stages. The famous opening aphorism — 'yogas chitta vritti nirodhah', yoga is the stilling of the whirlpools of the mind — is the seed of the whole system.
His system of the eight limbs — yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi — presents a complete path from the discipline of daily life to the highest state of meditation. He taught that the mind can be mastered by practice and detachment, and that the mastery of the mind is the gateway to freedom.
He is also honoured in the tradition as the compiler of the Mahabhashya, the great commentary on the grammar of Panini, and as a physician of Ayurveda. His Yoga Sutras, studied in the hermitages of Bhārat for two millennia, now form the foundation of the worldwide yoga movement.
Core Ideas
The Yoga Sutras
196 aphorisms that define the science of yoga.
The Eight Limbs
The complete path from daily discipline to samadhi.
The Stilling of the Mind
His definition of yoga — the aim of the whole system.
Practice and Detachment
The two methods of mastering the mind.
The Grammarian
Honoured also as the author of the Mahabhashya.
Why it matters today
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are the foundation of the worldwide practice of yoga — a science of the mind composed two thousand years ago that has become the heritage of all humanity. His name is honoured wherever yoga is taught, and his sutras remain the deepest guide to the mastery of the mind.