The Yoga Sutras
by Attributed to Patanjali
Primary text · Reading guide
The Short Answer
A compact classical account of yoga concerned with mind, practice, and liberation. Its scope extends well beyond physical postures.
Classical Yoga · Primary text
Before you begin
Read classical Yoga on its own philosophical terms. Later yoga movements and modern wellness practices draw on it selectively.
Reading lens: symbolic and religious interpretation; historical details are identified through the sources below.
Choose an edition
Edwin F. Bryant’s translation and commentary offers a substantial study edition. Distinguish the sutra from the commentary surrounding it.
A path through the book
An orientation to the system
Use the introduction to understand the philosophical vocabulary.
Practice and the eight limbs
Study the ethical and contemplative framework together.
A slow complete reading
Return to difficult aphorisms after reading their commentaries.
Sources & editions
- Macmillan: Edwin F. Bryant edition ↗
Edition and reading reference.
An editorial reading guide with original summaries and source links. Modern translations remain the work of their named translators.
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Key Insights
Aphorisms assume a context that commentary makes visible.
Ethical discipline belongs to the system of practice.
Modern uses of the word yoga do not all describe the same tradition.