The Patanjali Yoga Sutras is a collection of 196 sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga written by the sage Patanjali, believed to have lived around the 2nd century BCE. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are considered the foundational text of classical yoga philosophy.
The Yoga Sutras are divided into four chapters, or padas. The first chapter is called Samadhi Pada and deals with the nature of the mind and the different states of consciousness. The second chapter, Sadhana Pada, discusses the practice of yoga and the various obstacles that can arise in the process. The third chapter, Vibhuti Pada, focuses on the attainment of yogic powers and the nature of spiritual evolution. The fourth and final chapter, Kaivalya Pada, describes the state of liberation or enlightenment.
The Yoga Sutras are written in a concise and aphoristic style, and are open to interpretation and debate. The sutras describe the eight limbs of yoga, which form a practical path to self-realization. The eight limbs are:
1. Yama: ethical guidelines for living, including non-violence, truthfulness, and self-control.
2. Niyama: personal observances, including cleanliness, contentment, and self-study.
3. Asana: physical postures for health and meditation.
4. Pranayama: breathing exercises to control the flow of vital energy.
5. Pratyahara: withdrawal of the senses from external stimuli.
6. Dharana: concentration of the mind on a single object.
7. Dhyana: meditation, or sustained concentration on an object without distraction.
8. Samadhi: the ultimate state of consciousness, in which the individual self merges with the universal consciousness.