Sri Swami Satchidananda, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali Reviews

carl vagg's review has yet to be rated - Be the first!
Report this review

Good Points: handy size, nice [recycled] paper, clear [US] print, accessible layout, expert interpretation and commentary, good index in sanskrit and english with chapter and verse references..
yoga master known to me - my first yoga book; Integral Hatha Yoga - still one of the best available..

Bad Points: none

General comments: 2007 edition is 12th printing since first edition 1978..

Sri Swami Satrchidananda is an acknowledged master of yoga..
Swamis commentaries on each verse first explain what Patanjali means in the verse, why he tells us the way he did, how it flows from the last into the next verses, then using analogy, stories and comments presents the meanings in concepts understandable to us today..

Yet remaining faithful to the original meanings..

5 page introduction gives info on Swamis life in yoga, his many honors such as the Albert Sweitzer Humanitarian Award, the U Thant Peace Award and so on, and that the book was not written for publication or for scholarly or intellectual purposes but is the recorded conversation of a Yoga Master to his students in true sutra exposition tradition..

next a guide to sanskrit pronunciation, then;
book one; Samadhi Pada - Portion on Contemplation
book two -Sadhana Pada - Portion on Practice
book three - Vibhuti Pada - Portion on Accomplishmentsbook four - Kaivalya Pada - Portion on Absoluteness
196 verses in 205 pages..

some verses require only a short commentary, others pages of lucid, readable, easily ingestable translation, interpretation, explaination, analogy, humour and insight..

not restrained by academic considerations, this is as his students heard it at yoga seminars, where Swami speaks to all as his special students.. unique..

each verse is written in Sanskrit - Devanagari script, clearly printed,under that a transliteration to english capitals in large bold print with pronunciation markers, under that each sanskrit word separately with = translation to english, followed by under that; the verse written in english bold type, clear, non flowery
beautiful easily digestibly verse style..

next; simplified pronunciation guide for the Sanskrit letters..

next; excellent glossary and indes as mentioned; list of stories and analogies by book; Sanskrit quotes by book; further reading guide..

this is exactly what I was looking for, as a keen non-academic,
yoga person.. i have no doubt that if you have any, interest in
yoga or the sutras of Pananjali, or are a student of related
interests, you will be rewarded by this lovely book..

i had it delivered from Amazon, no problems, good price..

enjoy..
carl
namaste..